Roddick Angry with ATP over Prize Money Dispute

Originally Posted by HunterST

Wait, did Roddick pull out because of an injury or because he wanted to catch a flight to another tournament?

If a player is legitimately injured, I don't think they should be docked their pay. If they just have something to do that they think is more important, they shouldn't get the money.

He might have been legitimately injured. The problem was that guys were pulling out of doubles claiming an injury, then playing in qualies on Saturday at the next tournament. Anybody can go to the trainer and say their shoulder hurts and they need to pull out of their doubles match to rest it. That way by getting the trainer to sign off, you avoid getting fined.

The only way to avoid this is to make it across the board. You pull out of doubles, you get previous round prize money, and I believe ranking points too.

[Manus Domini]

Maybe dock it from Roddick, but don't punish Mardy...

[Bud]

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

Maybe dock it from Roddick, but don't punish Mardy...

They enter as a team. If one goes down, the other follows. They know this before entering a doubles tournament.

If it's an ATP rule, then the case is closed.

Here's the rule from the ATP Rulebook.


3) Should a doubles match in an ATP World Tour event be uncontested or fail to be completed, the losing team shall only receive points and prize money from the previous round unless one of the following is applicable:

a) Neither player was in the singles main draw:

b) The withdrawing player is still in the singles competition and at the time of the medical examination is declared unfit to play in the singles of that event or, if no longer involved in the singles competition of that event, is forced to withdraw from the singles of the next tournament in which he is entered.

c) The retiring/withdrawing player had retired/withdrawn from his singles match, which was scheduled the same day; or, if the doubles match is scheduled for a following day the player is examined by the tournament doctor and is declared unfit to play.

[TMF]

Originally Posted by Manus Domini

Maybe dock it from Roddick, but don't punish Mardy...

OTOH, roddick should give some of his prize money to fish.

[HunterST]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

Here's the rule from the ATP Rulebook.


3) Should a doubles match in an ATP World Tour event be uncontested or fail to be completed, the losing team shall only receive points and prize money from the previous round unless one of the following is applicable:

a) Neither player was in the singles main draw:

b) The withdrawing player is still in the singles competition and at the time of the medical examination is declared unfit to play in the singles of that event or, if no longer involved in the singles competition of that event, is forced to withdraw from the singles of the next tournament in which he is entered.

c) The retiring/withdrawing player had retired/withdrawn from his singles match, which was scheduled the same day; or, if the doubles match is scheduled for a following day the player is examined by the tournament doctor and is declared unfit to play.

Sounds a lot more fair when you see the exceptions. Just too bad for the partner of the withdrawing player. Seems like this may encourage players to partner with doubles specalists.

[jamesblakefan#1]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

It's in the rules. It was put in there about 6 years ago to prevent guys from pulling out of doubles early claiming injury to make sure that they make it to the next tournament in time. It was more intended for those that are playing qualifying of the next tournament, but in order to cut down on the gray area, they did it across the board. If you pull out prior to or during a doubles match, you get prize money for the previous round.

In 2004 (I think), I was chairing a doubles final in Champaign. Gimelstob wanted to retire in the second set with an injury. They were down a set and at least a break. He said he wanted to retire. The players had shaken hands. I called the supervisor to let him know of the retirement. He came to the court and told them of the rule. Gimelstob felt so badly for his partner because he just screwed him out of a decent amount of money. Gimelstob begged the supervisor to let them finish the match. I think it was only 2 games. The supervisor reluctantly said ok. Gimelstob and his partner went back on the court and tanked the next 2 games and the other team still won. Gimelstob was legitimately injured and had he known that rule, he would have continued without saying anything.

Thanks for sharing that. The rules seem pretty clear cut. Roddick doesn't have much of a legit beef, if that's the way the rules have been for awhile now.

[TMF]

Actually, it’s Fish that should be upset, not Roddick. And I don’t see him complaining.

Roddick must have felt bad so he speak up.

[PONG]

I applaud ATP's decision. Roddick is just a pathetic injury faker anyway.

[single_handed_champion]

Never heard of this happening before. Maybe it is news due to it being a final?

[nethawkwenatchee]

Roddick and Fish Both make Millions of Dollars. I think they are just upset about loosing early in the singles event and then having to forfeit the doubles final. Roddick just needs to read the rules and move on.

[jmverdugo]

If the rule was there then they have to respect it, no matter what Roddicks says.

[hoosierbr]

Rules are rules. It might be an unfair and stupid one but surely after all these years on tour AR was aware of this.

AR has done a lot more complaining than playing tennis the last few years. It was already old. Now it's prehistoric.

[tangerine]

Originally Posted by decades

Since Roddick isn't making news with his tennis game he is making news by being a first class jerk.

He's a first-class jerk for being angry that Fish was docked $$ because of an injury Roddick sustained?

Originally Posted by Sid_Vicious

Roddick is right.

He almost always is. He has a strong sense of justice. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if he gave his SF winnings to Fish to help make up for ATP docking his finalist's paycheck.

Originally Posted by azn_lefty_roddick_jr

People are quick to put the blame on Andy whenever a rant with his name shows up... Some simple reading would tell you that he is not even concerned about what happens to him, but is instead speaking out on something that is unfair to his teammate.

Making sense is not allowed on TW. Banned!

I would think that they would be more upset about the ranking points than the money.

[sureshs]

Originally Posted by woodrow1029

I would think that they would be more upset about the ranking points than the money.

Do singles players really care about doubles?

[Devilito]

It’s complicated. Tennis is an entertainment business. Did the ticket holders get refunded? Did the sponsors get money refunded? If they did then they shouldn’t be getting paid. If the ATP didn’t refund the money and just pocketed it anyway then it’s not fair and Fish / Roddick should get paid.

[GRANITECHIEF]

Injury or not, seems like they could have played the match (even if he had to tank it) and earned more than enough dough to charter a flight and still got the points.

[ChipNCharge]

Originally Posted by nethawkwenatchee

Roddick and Fish Both make Millions of Dollars.

I doubt Mardy Fish makes "millions of dollars".

[DRII]

Originally Posted by TMF

I bet Roddick will NEVER play this event again in the future.

I wonder if the WS got full paid for not showing up in the semifinal back in 2001 IW.

Out of the hundreds, if not thousands, of player withdrawls to choose from; why would you focus on Venus' withdrawl from Indian Wells in 2001???

Regardless if they got paid in full or not, that tournament lost hugely as a result of the hideous audience reaction the following day!