2016 Rio Olympics will not offer ATP points

vernonbc said:
I don't think it will bother the players too much. I doubt they thought too much about ATP points when they played in prior years. The glory of winning an Olympic medal was reward enough in itself - every player that's won has said it was the highlight of their career and everyone that hasn't won has wanted one badly.

Plus there's the problem of the points dropping off the next year with no opportunity to replace them.
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The player enters another event, problem solved.
 
Wasn't there a year - in the 70's or something, where there was a strong disincentive, and the field that turned up for tennis was the pits?
 
The lack of points given by the ATP is a direct reflection on the relevance that tournament has to tennis.

The Olympics has huge relevance to your country but in regards to the game of tennis, not so much.
 
ATP should've put an ATP500 on the same week like they did in 2012. That way players that want to go for points have a better option.
I understand what people say about playing for your nation but the DC does that too and they get points.
Lets say a player in the 60s has a fantastic week and wins 4 straight matches over some top players but loses in the SF and in the Bronze medal match. What do they have to show for it? Yeah some pride for the nation but they get no medal, no prize money, not to stand on the podium.
podium-tennis-olympics-london-2012-577x381.jpg
Wheres Djoko? Oh, 4th place so
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I just feel that the event should have points as a reward for those entered. Not everyone can win the event and there's no benefit for you losing in the 2nd round or 3rd round or quarterfinals. It's just disappointing because the Olympics is meant to be a highlight for so many careers and obviously people want to play it. The week after Rio is the Masters Western and Southern Open. It's all poor scheduling and poor organizing.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
ATP should've put an ATP500 on the same week like they did in 2012. That way players that want to go for points have a better option.
I understand what people say about playing for your nation but the DC does that too and they get points.
Lets say a player in the 60s has a fantastic week and wins 4 straight matches over some top players but loses in the SF and in the Bronze medal match. What do they have to show for it? Yeah some pride for the nation but they get no medal, no prize money, not to stand on the podium.
Wheres Djoko? Oh, 4th place so

I just feel that the event should have points as a reward for those entered. Not everyone can win the event and there's no benefit for you losing in the 2nd round or 3rd round or quarterfinals. It's just disappointing because the Olympics is meant to be a highlight for so many careers and obviously people want to play it. The week after Rio is the Masters Western and Southern Open. It's all poor scheduling and poor organizing.
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There is no reward beyond the podium. The reward is being able to represent your country. That's the whole point of the Olympics. It's not building towards something, it IS what things build towards! It's the end goal after 4 years of training and waiting. It doesn't make sense for the professional tour to award points to Olympics competition. It's a celebration of national pride and amateur sport. This is a very good move by the ATP, instead of awkwardly trying to add it as part of the professional tour, which leaves everyone wondering why on earth tennis is an Olympic sport in the first place.
 
I can't be totally sure if the players agree, but to me this is a total non issue. This is about representin' and medals, not ranking points.
 
Inanimate_object said:
There is no reward beyond the podium. The reward is being able to represent your country. That's the whole point of the Olympics. It's not building towards something, it IS what things build towards! It's the end goal after 4 years of training and waiting. It doesn't make sense for the professional tour to award points to Olympics competition. It's a celebration of national pride and amateur sport. This is a very good move by the ATP, instead of awkwardly trying to add it as part of the professional tour, which leaves everyone wondering why on earth tennis is an Olympic sport in the first place.
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Olympic gold isn't the end goal for tennis players, slams are. Tennis isn't like athletics or swimming or gymnastics. You ask most players what they would desire they'd say slams not Olympic gold. It IS part of the ATP tour and the WTA tour. It's the worlds largest sporting event so of course it has to be factored in, nations all over the world can enter unlike commonwealth games or Asian games which don't offer points. It should offer the points cause it's a part of the ATP schedule simple as that.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
Olympic gold isn't the end goal for tennis players, slams are. Tennis isn't like athletics or swimming or gymnastics. You ask most players what they would desire they'd say slams not Olympic gold. It IS part of the ATP tour and the WTA tour. It's the worlds largest sporting event so of course it has to be factored in, nations all over the world can enter unlike commonwealth games or Asian games which don't offer points. It should offer the points cause it's a part of the ATP schedule simple as that.
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The fact that the Olympic gold ISN'T the end goal for tennis players is the clear sign that it does not belong as an Olympic sport. Beyond that, Olympic competition is not supposed to be part of any professional league. It was built on amateur competition. Athletes should be going into the Olympics in order to represent their country, not in order to gain professional rankings points. By providing points, the ATP is considering the Olympics on par with professional tennis tournaments. That could not be further from the truth, in spirit or logistically or even draw-wise. It's not supposed to be a professional event. That goes against what the Olympics stand for.
 
Inanimate_object said:
The fact that the Olympic gold ISN'T the end goal for tennis players is the clear sign that it does not belong as an Olympic sport. Beyond that, Olympic competition is not supposed to be part of any professional league. It was built on amateur competition. Athletes should be going into the Olympics in order to represent their country, not in order to gain professional rankings points. By providing points, the ATP is considering the Olympics on par with professional tennis tournaments. That could not be further from the truth, in spirit or logistically or even draw-wise. It's not supposed to be a professional event. That goes against what the Olympics stand for.
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You're arguing something that isn't the problem. Tennis IS a part of the olympics and has been since 1988. And since 2000 it's awarded ranking points.
In 2008 this was the reasoning for ranking points.
" The ATP led the way at Sydney 2000, awarding ranking points for the Olympics for the first time. Thanks to Etienne de Villiers and the Board of the ATP Tour for their support of the Olympic Tennis Event. This, combined with our existing arrangement with the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour, means that the 2008 Olympic Tennis Event will have the best quality field possible"
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It'll be interesting to see if this does have an impact on whether all the top players commit. Everyone here seems to think they'll all play. But I guess we will find out in the coming months whether or not that play or "withdraw" prior.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
You're arguing something that isn't the problem. Tennis IS a part of the olympics and has been since 1988. And since 2000 it's awarded ranking points.
In 2008 this was the reasoning for ranking points.

It'll be interesting to see if this does have an impact on whether all the top players commit. Everyone here seems to think they'll all play. But I guess we will find out in the coming months whether or not that play or "withdraw" prior.
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That's the only thing in the back of my mind, hence why I stated that I can't be sure whether the players agree. To me it shouldn't be a problem but .. yeah.. we'll see. It's not like it's ever been worth more ranking points than even a Masters 1000 event, so I suspect the field will be as strong as ever before, or stronger given that the importance of tennis at the Olympics seems to be rising. Fundamentally, I'm with Inanimate_object on this one.
 
Nathaniel_Near said:
That's the only thing in the back of my mind, hence why I stated that I can't be sure whether the players agree. To me it shouldn't be a problem but .. yeah.. we'll see. It's not like it's ever been worth more ranking points than even a Masters 1000 event, so I suspect the field will be as strong as ever before, or stronger given that the importance of tennis at the Olympics seems to be rising. Fundamentally, I'm with Inanimate_object on this one.
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Where's Jason Jung when we need him?! Haha.

I just personally think ranking points are very important. Say i'm Sam Groth (He's the 3rd highest Aussie male, ranked in the 60s, he might have a shot at playing who knows) Say he has a fantastic tournament and defeats multiple top players and wins the gold. Amazing truly and does Australia proud of course. But his ranking will still stay at 60th despite winning 6 straight matches and defeating top players. His ranking won't benefit and he won't jump into the top 30s where he'd belong if say he won a masters title or even an ATP500. Without ranking points these lower players have to keep playing higher players in the earlier rounds and as we've seen, it's near impossible to defeat Federer or Djokovic in the early rounds of tournaments. So he'll continue to struggle at the other ATP tournaments despite having an Olympic Gold which many believe is up there with slams, DC, WTF.
Ranking points define everything for tennis and I believe it should be counted for Rio but its too late I guess
 
Does murray lose his pts next year as defending champ? No idea with a tournament held every four years works, ranking wise.

How many of the former greats have gold medals? Laver, borg, mac, gonzales etc. It was never a profesional event in reguards to tennis history.

If you notice, davis cup became unimportant when the olympics allowed pros.
 
Chadillac said:
Does murray lose his pts next year as defending champ? No idea with a tournament held every four years works, ranking wise.

How many of the former greats have gold medals? Laver, borg, mac, gonzales etc. It was never a profesional event in reguards to tennis history
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Well many make it a big deal that Nadal has Gold and Fed and Djoko don't :p. Tennis wasn't in the olympics 1928-1988 (1968 and 1988 it was a demonstration sport).
And no Murrays points came off after 52 weeks which is how it always works with the ATP (Except Davis Cup which comes off at the end of the calendar year).
 
It's settled. An Olympic Gold title is now officially worth less than an ATP250.

I honestly think it's better this way. It was a little strange to have the OG give 800 pts. Worth less than a m1000 in points while OTOH being worth almost as much as a slam title in significance, according to some. It's a bit impractical anyway to award points to a tournament that's only played once in four years. Kind of hard to compare players' seasons from year to year that way.

For me, Olympic tennis may get a bit more of a "exhibition" feel to me.. but that's just me. I know it should mean a lot to the players, so this decision shouldn't bother them at all.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
You're arguing something that isn't the problem. Tennis IS a part of the olympics and has been since 1988. And since 2000 it's awarded ranking points.
In 2008 this was the reasoning for ranking points.

It'll be interesting to see if this does have an impact on whether all the top players commit. Everyone here seems to think they'll all play. But I guess we will find out in the coming months whether or not that play or "withdraw" prior.
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You're not addressing the main point, that is to say, the Olympics have never been and should never be used as a vehicle for professional advancement. They are not rewarding rankings points because that implies that the Olympics are a means to an ends of furthering an athlete's more important professional standing - NOT celebrating country and amateur sport. The ATP is stripping the Olympics of any professional motivation and tries to bring it more closer to what it is. An international exhibition.

No fat check, no giant rankings points, no effect on the professional tour. This is the Olympics man, not some rinkadink pro tournament.
 
No ranking points and no money for play in DC,FC,HC or Olympic Games.
 
I feel your version of the 'Olympics man' is at least fifty years out of date.

In the link that started this thread the interpretation of the ATP's action was that it was a result of a financial squabble with the ITF over the effect of the Olympics on two minor clay court events.

So I don't exactly think the ATP is doing this out of an excess of nobility!
 
Aussie Darcy said:
Olympic gold isn't the end goal for tennis players, slams are. Tennis isn't like athletics or swimming or gymnastics. You ask most players what they would desire they'd say slams not Olympic gold.
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You're wrong. Every player that has won the Olympics says it is a highlight of their career, men and women, singles and doubles. Players plan their schedules around the Olympics so that they'll have a chance to play.

I'm going to go with what the players themselves say rather than someone's personal opinion on the internet.
 
vernonbc said:
You're wrong. Every player that has won the Olympics says it is a highlight of their career, men and women, singles and doubles. Players plan their schedules around the Olympics so that they'll have a chance to play.

I'm going to go with what the players themselves say rather than someone's personal opinion on the internet.
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Well of course they bloody would say that! LMAO... Anyway, who wouldn't want to represent your country? That's the main highlight. Olympic Gold is not the end goal for a tennis player.
 
vernonbc said:
You're wrong. Every player that has won the Olympics says it is a highlight of their career, men and women, singles and doubles. Players plan their schedules around the Olympics so that they'll have a chance to play.

I'm going to go with what the players themselves say rather than someone's personal opinion on the internet.
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You just said these players stated that winning the Olympics is "A" highlight of their career. Not "THE" highlight of their career which was what my post was discussing, they'd prefer slams over olympic gold. Now, if you can find me direct quotes from Murray, Nadal, Gonzales that say their ABSOLUTE highlight of their career was winning olympic gold then i'll apologize (I don't want quotes from them in the days after their win either, that's just europhia after winning). Now you said the players said this themselves so if you can't find quotes from all 3 then I expect an apology from you for wasting my time.
 
TheGhostOfAgassi said:
You're delusional. Olympics is the only venue A player can play for their country. Players cry if they don't win, like one never sees in other tournaments. Players are very proud carrying their countries flag on the chest. To be an Olympic winner is a HUGE deal. They don't care about the points.

Cant believe all the crap people write in here.
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To be honest Olympics was not a big deal for tennis until a few years ago and top players regularly skipped it. But in the last few editions all the top players are participating and prioritizing it. That's what made all the difference and I am pretty sure the trend will continue. Kudos to players like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic etc for making it a much bigger event than it was before. For example, when Agassi won it, it was not such a big deal but Nadal and Murray's gold medals are highly valued because they competed against all the top players of the time. It will be similar next year too, I don't see any top player skipping it.
 
Aussie Darcy said:
You just said these players stated that winning the Olympics is "A" highlight of their career. Not "THE" highlight of their career which was what my post was discussing, they'd prefer slams over olympic gold. Now, if you can find me direct quotes from Murray, Nadal, Gonzales that say their ABSOLUTE highlight of their career was winning olympic gold then i'll apologize (I don't want quotes from them in the days after their win either, that's just europhia after winning). Now you said the players said this themselves so if you can't find quotes from all 3 then I expect an apology from you for wasting my time.
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Andy said winning the gold medal was a bigger deal to him than winning the US Open. Rafa always puts it at or near the top of his accomplishments. Andre Agassi says the same thing as do the Williams sisters. If you want direct quotes, there are plenty of them out there but I have better things to do with my time than go find them for you.

Of course winning slams is a huge deal for them as well but you're trying to put down the Olympics for some reason. I'm simply saying that is just as big or bigger, according to the players themselves and that's whose word I will take on the matter.
 
vernonbc said:
Andy said winning the gold medal was a bigger deal to him than winning the US Open. Rafa always puts it at or near the top of his accomplishments. Andre Agassi says the same thing as do the Williams sisters. If you want direct quotes, there are plenty of them out there but I have better things to do with my time than go find them for you.

Of course winning slams is a huge deal for them as well but you're trying to put down the Olympics for some reason. I'm simply saying that is just as big or bigger, according to the players themselves and that's whose word I will take on the matter.
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So you couldn't find links, I expect my apology. Andy won the Gold Medal before winning the US Open so i'm fascinated to know when he said winning Gold was better than the US Open. Where's that link. I did a google and couldn't find anything. Rafa said it's near the top? Ohhh so it isn't THE ultimate highlight for him as I said. You twisted my post trying to say that I said winning the Olympics isn't a highlight of a career except I didn't say that. I said players would desire slams more than olympic gold which I stand by. Also I couldn't find anything on the Williams sisters either. Seriously, you wasted so much of my time. Your posts are terrible and full of lies.
 
I don't see why tennis should be part of the Olympics to begin with… The actual raison d'être of the Olympics has become extremely diluted by the money-making schemes of organizers and sponsors unfortunately.
 
zep said:
To be honest Olympics was not a big deal for tennis until a few years ago and top players regularly skipped it. But in the last few editions all the top players are participating and prioritizing it. That's what made all the difference and I am pretty sure the trend will continue. Kudos to players like Federer, Nadal, Djokovic etc for making it a much bigger event than it was before. For example, when Agassi won it, it was not such a big deal but Nadal and Murray's gold medals are highly valued because they competed against all the top players of the time. It will be similar next year too, I don't see any top player skipping it.
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You mean, Its a bit like AO? Besides AO became more popular to win some years later ? ;)
 
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