At what point does the argument that Andy Murray is taking someone else's place in draws come up?

[Zardoz7/12]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

 

[Raul_SJ]

Kyrgios is more undeserving. Propped up by covid rankings. Murray would have beaten Kyrgios in Salem.
That's why NK backed out.

 

[Shaolin]

It ends when the TD decides he's not a value to the tournament as a multiple slam champion with millions of fans trying his hardest to still compete out there.

 

[ibbi]

I mean he just beat Gasquet in Cincy who is just outside the top 50, and played Tiafoe pretty close in Carolina who is top 20, so I don't think being so dismissive of him is fair just yet.

 

[Tennisfan339]

Murray has won 3 slams (including US), almost every Masters1000 and has been world number #1. The comparison with Verdasco (who has never even won a Masters) is absurd.

He doesn't have his 2008-2016 level anymore but still plays a lot better than his current ranking (#114). In Wimbledon they gave him a Wild Card and he won 2 matches, so it's justified. They will do the same with Cilic, Wawrinka or Delpotro if they're ranked #110-115 and ask for a wild card.

 

[Wurm]

It ends when the TD decides he's not a value to the tournament as a multiple slam champion with millions of fans trying his hardest to still compete out there.

Exactly. Other than Queens I'd be surprised if Murray's getting appearance money out of sub-Masters tournaments right now so if he's getting bums on seats by being there they'll give him a wildcard.

 

[Swingmaster]

I mean he just beat Gasquet in Cincy who is just outside the top 50, and played Tiafoe pretty close in Carolina who is top 20, so I don't think being so dismissive of him is fair just yet.

Tiafoe top twenty? Top fifty. But still, why the heck would a tourney like Winston Salem not let Murray in? He was easily the top draw. Murray vs Kyrgios was a must see until Kyrgios opted for a video game session.

 

[MurraysMetalHip]

Yawn.

 

[ibbi]

Tiafoe top twenty? Top fifty. But still, why the heck would a tourney like Winston Salem not let Murray in? He was easily the top draw. Murray vs Kyrgios was a must see until Kyrgios opted for a video game session.

Yes, I was probably being very, very (very) generous.

 

[Deleted member 771911]

I'm over it, but he brings in the crowds I expect.

 

[Winners or Errors]

When he stops winning a few rounds in each tournament? Seriously, if he doesn't draw one of the top seeds, he's pretty much a lock for the 2nd or 3rd round. In a field of 64, that makes him top 32 or top 16, so he's ahead of a lot of other guys who would otherwise have gotten wildcards. He also pulls in crowds. Murray can play until he's ready to hang it up as far as I'm concerned. I wish tennis had done the same for Borg. My memories of Borg being treated badly by tennis' ruling bodies at the time of his retirement pretty much drive my desire to see Murray get wildcards as long as he wants and doesn't lose in every first round. Same goes for anyone like him.

 

[jm1980]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

Murray's last losses were against players ranked #8, #9, #12, and #13. They were also competitive, it's not like he's being blown out

Gaston is also ranked #127, so I have no idea where you got this #97 from

 

[Amen786]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

Never

 

[Aabye5]

Only a Djokovic fan can say this. Why, surely you're not worried about Andy who is *this* close to playing wheelchair tennis?

He will no longer take up space when Djokovic retires, how about that?

 

[Keizer]

Former #1 and perennial top 10 player, multiple wins at the biggest tournaments, represents a reasonably large tennis market and we're asking why he gets GS WC spots over the likes of Gaston?

 

[SinneGOAT]

I mean he just beat Gasquet in Cincy who is just outside the top 50, and played Tiafoe pretty close in Carolina who is top 20, so I don't think being so dismissive of him is fair just yet.

It speaks more about those players than it does Murray. If gasguet couldn’t beat a 34 year old Murray without a hip or movement, he can’t beat anyone. Absolutely pathetic match.

 

[James P]

If he falls outside of the top 150 or 200, I'd definitely think it was more warranted to complain, but he's right there on the fringes, so I'm okay with it.

 

[MeatTornado]

Do we really believe that we're ordinarily giving Wild Cards to players with an actual chance of winning the tournament?

Andy draws a crowd. I'd certainly rather get a chance to catch a glimpse of a legend like him fighting his way through a match rather than Hugo Gaston who would probably also lose in the 1st round anyway.

WCs are by definition unearned. They don't need to be fair. I'm glad they keep giving the people what they want instead.

 

[Keizer]

I have not seen Murray live. If someone were to tell me I missed him because they saw fit to give Gaston a WC over him, I'd be pretty annoyed.

 

[Pandaman]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

You lost all credibility when you compared Verdasco to Murray.

It's obvious you didn't follow Murray's career or watch him much. He's always been fair and never an abuser of the rules. Find something else to talk about...you know...a real issue instead of creating one and trying to make him out to be a bad guy, intentionally or not.

 

[killerboss]

Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th

Current ranking 127, Murray's current ranking 114. Let the mug qualify and the multi slam winner get in automatically. What's Gaston done since his French Open run anyway?

 

[CCPass]

Murray, like Federer, just wants to keep pretending to play so that they can keep their endorsement money. I bet their contracts have a retirement clause that requires them to be “active”.

 

[MichaelNadal]

The disrespect

 

[Milanez82]

Current ranking 127, Murray's current ranking 114. Let the mug qualify and the multi slam winner get in automatically. What's Gaston done since his French Open run anyway?

Gaston attempted 58 drop shots in a match vs Thiem at FO
We could see him go for 60

 

[Bartelby]

Murray is both popular and a slam winner, so it will hardly ever come up. People save their distate for wild cards for players they like dislike. How odd!

 

[Aabye5]

Murray is both popular and a slam winner, so it will hardly ever come up. People save their distate for wild cards for players they like dislike. How odd!

Or players who get wildcards only because of who their brothers are.

 

[Jokervich]

It ends when the TD decides he's not a value to the tournament as a multiple slam champion with millions of fans trying his hardest to still compete out there.

Murray is not popular outside Britain. Not to say he's unpopular, but the US Open crowds really don't care about seeing him. The match at Winston Salem was sold out because of Kyrgios rather than Murray.

 

[Cortana]

Start complaining when he loses every 1st round he enters.

His current level is Top30-40 easily.

 

[socallefty]

Does the OP think that the ITF/ATP events are some kind of meritocracy rewarding the best in the sport? It is big business and the organizers invite players as wildcards who will make them more profits just like every other pro sport. Murray will draw more fans than most other players who are in the running for wild cards and that’s why they let him in.

 

[PrinceMoron]

Sir ry?

 

[SonnyT]

USO 1R money is $75K, peanuts for Andy, but make or break for many tour players.

 

[accidental]

Murray is a direct entry, he is not even a wild card in this tournament. He was the next highest ranked player when someone pulled out, the tournaments have zero discretion in that situation.

Do you think the tournaments should be able to keep directly qualified players out of tournaments for no reason?

 

[weakera]

His presence in the draw continues to be a joke. The draw should be made up of the most deserving players, not the most marketable players. If Murray can't earn his way into the draw with his tennis, he should stay home.

 

[SonnyT]

Andy did a lot for tennis. In the twilight of his career, it's nice for tennis to say a few thanks. Same for Roger and Rafa.

 

[Raul_SJ]

Murray is playing Tsitsipas. Bravo to the U.S. Open for not rigging the draw in favor of Murray.

Now let's see if Murray can make it respectable.

Think we will know exactly where Murray stands after this match. If he embarrasses himself he will need to show some dignity and stop accepting these invites. Although it is tough to decline when the far more undeserving semi retired clown Kyrgios is also in the draw.

 

[jm1980]

Murray is playing Tsitsipas. Bravo to the U.S. Open for not rigging the draw in favor of Murray.

Now let's see if Murray can make it respectable.

Think we will know exactly where Murray stands after this match. If he embarrasses himself he will need to show some dignity and stop accepting these invites. Although it is tough to decline when the far more undeserving semi retired clown Kyrgios is also in the draw.

Murray wasn't "invited" to the draw, he earned his spot

 

[Raul_SJ]

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

It looks like Murray got in (barely) based on ranking. So no need to play qualifiers. Murray works hard and would probably play qualifiers if needed. Kyrgios would never do it.

 

[tennisfan17]

His presence in the draw continues to be a joke. The draw should be made up of the most deserving players, not the most marketable players. If Murray can't earn his way into the draw with his tennis, he should stay home.

He did earn his way in? He was a direct entry lol

 

[weakera]

He did earn his way in? He was a direct entry lol

Was he? in that case it was via underserved Wimbledon entry and points.

 

[NastyWinners]

He looked pretty damn good in Cincy against Hurkacz.

 

[kishnabe]

The same reason Nick Kyrgios gets WC, puts bums on seats.

 

[ibbi]

Dear OP,

Not today.

 

[Kralingen]

This aged about as poorly as I've seen a thread on here do, lmao

 

[Max G.]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Murray hasn't lost a first round since February, so clearly he's usually better than some of the other guys he's facing in these tournaments. Which means his WCs are entirely justified.

Right now he's facing the 3rd seed and is ahead, so even if he doesn't win, he probably put up more of a fight than a lot of players would.

 

[Lleytonstation]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

At what point do we say the same thing for Tsits and every other next gen.

 

[PrinceMoron]

Whether it's wildcards, getting direct entry due to another player withdrawing Andy Murray gets the rub of the green to make the main draws of tournaments without qualifying for them, he barely makes any impression in the tournaments he enters and it's been the case since he won in Antwerp in late 2019.

Is it a spectacle to see a player a shell of his former self barely compete or is it better to see a newcomer or youngster try to breakthrough? Hugo Gaston is ranked 97th yet he can't compete in the US Open because he lost in Qualifying, Murray is ranked below Gaston yet gets direct entry to replace Stan Wawrinka.

Fernando Verdasco is a former top ten player yet partook in the Qualies for the US Open he lost in the 2nd round, if Verdasco should have to qualify so should Murray.

Think Tsitsipas should stand down and give someone more deserving his place