Atheltics, cycling....when is Tennis going to start taking doping seriously?

[octogon]

Tennis is becoming a laughing stock when it comes to doping. All the other major sports are taking doping seriously, and proving it, by exposing some of their biggest stars when they get caught.

Today's news that Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, two superstar athletics sprinters have failed drugs tests, show that the Athletics Federations are doing their jobs. I have no doubt that if Usain Bolt ever tested positive for something, there would be no cover-up.

Can anyone say the same for tennis? Does anyone truly believe that they try that hard to catch dopers. Or that if one of the very top guys, the so-called "big 4" (Nadal, Murray, Federer, Djokovic) tested negative, there wouldn't be a major cover-up.

It's actually pretty embarrassing that there has almost never been a top player caught for doping, imho.

 

[Chico]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

 

[90's Clay]

Will take an outside entity (and the biological passport) to catch these dopers we got in tennis. They obviously aren't going to take care of their own backyard ever. WIth Andre's meth use (even though it wasn't PED) use, it showed that the ATP is willing to sweep any all scandals and drug use under the rug when it comes to their top money makers.

 

[OKUSA]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

Not these days

 

[FrontHeadlock]

Sticking with Track and Field for a moment, we almost certainly have to wonder about Usain Bolt now more than ever before. Three of his main rivals have tested positive (Gatlin, Powell, Gay) and yet we are supposed to believe he is clean and putting up insane world records?

This reeks of a Lance Armstrong-type situation, where his close competitors were convicted of doping and people started to realize there was no way he could have won without PEDs.

 

[octogon]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

Any sport with a high physical component can benefit from doping. Sprinting isn't an endurance sport either (it lasts less than 10 seconds), yet a lot of dopers are sprinters.

Doping helps with training and recovery. If you have long matches in tennis, doping helps. Tennis is more physical these days. And there is barely even an off-season. To believe that there is not widespread doping in the sport is to be willfully naive.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

tennis getting more and more physical
matches lasting longer and longer (slow surfaces)

more and more money involved

less and less players caught for doping

pretty logic ay ? :lol: :lol:

 

[Chico]

Sticking with Track and Field for a moment, we almost certainly have to wonder about Usain Bolt now more than ever before. Three of his main rivals have tested positive (Gatlin, Powell, Gay) and yet we are supposed to believe he is clean and putting up insane world records?

This reeks of a Lance Armstrong-type situation, where his close competitors were convicted of doping and people started to realize there was no way he could have won without PEDs.

Same applies to Carl Lewis as well.

 

[90's Clay]

Would love to see Fed, Nadal, Nole and MUrray get caught. These guys have been doping for far too long now.

I'm tired of all these dope head cheaters and everyone praising their god-like physical qualities as if they are natural. They did the same thing with Lance Armstrong. Praising his god-like qualities, all the time while he was doping in his trailer before every event

 

[v-verb]

some lower ranked tennis players were caught - google it.

A Canadian curling player was caught recently as well - funny but no joke

 

[moonballs]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

Where have you been in the last five years ?

 

[octogon]

Sticking with Track and Field for a moment, we almost certainly have to wonder about Usain Bolt now more than ever before. Three of his main rivals have tested positive (Gatlin, Powell, Gay) and yet we are supposed to believe he is clean and putting up insane world records?

This reeks of a Lance Armstrong-type situation, where his close competitors were convicted of doping and people started to realize there was no way he could have won without PEDs.

Not neccesarily. It may be convinient, but Bolt has always been seen as an evolutionary advancement on sprinters. There's never been an elite sprinter as tall as Bolt (6'5). Because of his height and stride length, Bolt takes 41 strides to complete the 100 meters, wheras everyone else does it in 44 strides. In an event decided by fractions, Bolt has a huge advantadge over the field.

So Bolt has a natural physical advantadge over all his competitors. That's why it's so easy to believe he's the real deal and doesn't need to dope. Bolt could be a doper, but the explainations for his advtantadges over his peers hold water.

 

[FrontHeadlock]

Not neccesarily. It may be convinient, but Bolt has always been seen as an evolutionary advancement on sprinters. There's never been an elite sprinter as tall as Bolt (6'5). Because of his height and stride length, Bolt takes 41 strides to complete the 100 meters, wheras everyone else does it in 44 strides. In an event decided by fractions, Bolt has a huge advantadge over the field.

So Bolt has a natural physical advantadge over all his competitors. That's why it's so easy to believe he's the real deal and doesn't need to dope. Bolt could be a doper, but the explainations for his advtantadges over his peers hold water.

Let's be real for a second. If being tall held such an advantage in sprinting, why has it taken until now for a tall guy to be an elite sprinter?

 

[Chico]

Any sport with a high physical component can benefit from doping. Sprinting isn't an endurance sport either (it lasts less than 10 seconds), yet a lot of dopers are sprinters.

Doping helps with training and recovery. If you have long matches in tennis, doping helps. Tennis is more physical these days. And there is barely even an off-season. To believe that there is not widespread doping in the sport is to be willfully naive.

I should have said endurance, power and explosiveness. Sprinters clearly have much to gain from doping.

My point is, doping does not help you with skills and that is what is main thing in Tennis. There is no skill needed in sprint and cycling. Just power, explosiveness and endurance. That is why most of (actually all) top athletes in these sport are dopers, and I believe are not in Tennis.

 

[OKUSA]

You don't think being more explosive, fast, and have amazing endurance isn't important in tennis? Everyone one of the greats from the past decade have been all of those

 

[grandmaster]

Not neccesarily. It may be convinient, but Bolt has always been seen as an evolutionary advancement on sprinters. There's never been an elite sprinter as tall as Bolt (6'5). Because of his height and stride length, Bolt takes 41 strides to complete the 100 meters, wheras everyone else does it in 44 strides.

So Bolt has a natural physical advantadge over all his competitors. That's why it's so easy to believe he's the real deal and doesn't need to dope. Bolt could be a doper, but the explainations for his advtantadges over his peers hold water.

haha are you for real? you obviously can't hold a world record in sprinting and win multiple gold medals without doping. that's just blindingly obvious. all sprinters dope. they always have done. today is an embarrassing day for the sport though because it's just got a whole lot more obvious to the general public. somehow though you still seem to be in denial, i don't know why.

asafa and usian are rivals from the same country trained by the same dude running similar times with similar levels of muscle mass competing in a sport that's always been full of dopers, only usain is that little bit faster! i think you you have to be insane to not think usain is doping.

 

[dafinch]

Any sport with a high physical component can benefit from doping. Sprinting isn't an endurance sport either (it lasts less than 10 seconds), yet a lot of dopers are sprinters.

Doping helps with training and recovery. If you have long matches in tennis, doping helps. Tennis is more physical these days. And there is barely even an off-season. To believe that there is not widespread doping in the sport is to be willfully naive.

Exactly. Also naive is to think that a sport that covered a dirty meth test on Agassi-when he was neither a Top 3 player nor was he using a drug that enhanced his tennis playing-wouldn't hesitate to do likewise for a positive test on a PED on a top player...like BP.

 

[octogon]

Let's be real for a second. If being tall held such an advantage in sprinting, why has it taken until now for a tall guy to be an elite sprinter?

Most tall athletes lack Bolt's co-ordination. He was naturally fast, but has been training since his teens to co-ordinate his speed with his height. He's a genuine physical anomaly.

Doping does not account for the fact that he can finish the 100 in 41 strides as opposed to 44. It's quite possible that if more tall athletes trained to co-ordinate their height/speed ratio like Bolt, sprinting could end up being dominated by guys over 6'5.

It's like people keep predicting that the future of tennis belongs to the "big man" (tall big hitters like Berydch, Del Potro, Jerzy Janowicz etc). It's not the case yet, but there may come a time when the guys who are now seen as ideal height for elite tennis players (6'1 guys like Nadal and Federer) will no longer be able to compete with the giant guys.

 

[dominikk1985]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

even with Players like djokovic and nadal? they have tremendous skill but their game is very taxing too. they can Play 5 hours without getting tired (or at least they used to be able).

 

[Benske]

Cycling is the most tested sport on earth with the biggest doping problems. That should tell you something.

Where there are people and competition involved, there will be cheating.... Tennis, cycling, running, baseball, football, soccer, race car driving, rugby, horse racing, ..., doesn't matter.

Controls are not consistent, tests are not perfect, new drugs are created.

 

[dannysul]

Tennis is in a tough spot... Take out it's stars and the sport will more or less crumble. If you don't think PED's benefit tennis players today then you are absolutely clueless to what these drugs do. It's not fair, the guys at the top have an overwhelming advantage but god has it produced some incredible tennis over the past few years!

 

[roberttennis54]

Most tall athletes lack Bolt's co-ordination. He was naturally fast, but has been training since his teens to co-ordinate his speed with his height. He's a genuine physical anomaly.

Doping does not account for the fact that he can finish the 100 in 41 strides as opposed to 44. It's quite possible that if more tall athletes trained to co-ordinate their height/speed ratio like Bolt, sprinting could end up being dominated by guys over 6'5.

It's like people keep predicting that the future of tennis belongs to the "big man" (tall big hitters like Berydch, Del Potro, Jerzy Janowicz etc). It's not the case yet, but there may come a time when the guys who are now seen as ideal height for elite tennis players (6'1 guys like Nadal and Federer) will no longer be able to compete with the giant guys.

That's the myth to explain the obvious. In reality it seems 10 seconds is the level elite humans can reach without doping. Pushing it I bet a few could reach 9.95 and maybe true monsters can get to 9.9. The times Bolt runs are impossible without doping.

As for tennis, it's blindingly obvious that there is a huge doping problem. Some players are blatant dopers, some players are very likely dopers and some are not.

Out of the top 20 I would say Federer, Tsonga and Gasquet are the three most likely to be clean, which is a big part of why I like them. I have no problem casting off former favourites like another current top 10 player or my previous absolute favourite player. I was much younger then and cared far more. However, when I could see he was a doper, I stopped supporting him.

 

[octogon]

I should have said endurance, power and explosiveness. Sprinters clearly have much to gain from doping.

My point is, doping does not help you with skills and that is what is main thing in Tennis. There is no skill needed in sprint and cycling. Just power, explosiveness and endurance. That is why most of (actually all) top athletes in these sport are dopers, and I believe are not in Tennis.

Skill alone is not enough in tennis today. Look at Grigor Dmitriov. Everyone looks at him as someone who has skills similar to Federer. Yet he simply annot compete at the very top of the game (to win slams), because he lacks the endurance and physical capabilities of the top guys.

I suspect a lot of the talented younger players are not on sophisticated doping programmes yet, but the huge financial rewards of becoming a top player in tennis means that sooner or later, they probably will be.

 

[roberttennis54]

Skill alone is not enough in tennis today. Look at Grigor Dmitriov. Everyone looks at him as someone who has skills similar to Federer. Yet he simply annot compete at the very top of the game (to win slams), because he lacks the endurance and physical capabilities of the top guys.

I suspect a lot of the talented younger players are not on sophisticated doping programmes yet, but the huge financial rewards of becoming a top player in tennis means that sooner or later, they probably will be.

Grigor is not even on Gasquet's level of skill let alone Federer. You are right that the doping of so many current players is why youngsters cannot break through.

No sport today is purely based on skill or ever was. Physical ability is needed and in tennis physical ability is the most important now.

 

[octogon]

That's the myth to explain the obvious. In reality it seems 10 seconds is the level elite humans can reach without doping. Pushing it I bet a few could reach 9.95 and maybe true monsters can get to 9.9. The times Bolt runs are impossible without doping.

As for tennis, it's blindingly obvious that there is a huge doping problem. Some players are blatant dopers, some players are very likely dopers and some are not.

Out of the top 20 I would say Federer, Tsonga and Gasquet are the three most likely to be clean, which is a big part of why I like them. I have no problem casting off former favourites like another current top 10 player or my previous absolute favourite player. I was much younger then and cared far more. However, when I could see he was a doper, I stopped supporting him.

I'm sorry, but Federer has to be one of the most likely dopers. His stamina has always been somewhat incredible. He never used to get tired. He had great skills and was a great shotmaker, but I would say Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

 

[LotusTang]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

Wow, are you for real? :shock:
With the way the game has evolved, Tennis is now the perfect sport where PEDs will benefit a player. Even if it is said that Tennis is a game of skill, what some don't realise is that PEDs enables one to train longer which in turn helps the player improve said skills. And not to mention other type of PEDs that can be used for recovery after long matches.

As for the ITF, ATP & the WTA it's clear they have no interest in catching the top players that are probably benefiting from the use of PEDs.

 

[roberttennis54]

I'm sorry, but Federer has to be one of the most likely dopers. His stamina has always been somewhat incredible. He never used to get tired. He had great skills and was a great shotmaker, but I would say Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

Nonsense sprouted by commentators. Federer always got tired. It was never anything special at all. He never had better than a mediocre 5 set record. Why do you think that is? When tested in a long match he was in trouble. He just never had to go long often at all.

Federer's decline has also been a steady decline I would expect of a top player. I was interestingly watching how he would play when he entered his late twenties to see any signs of being miraculous fit or strong.

 

[FrontHeadlock]

That's the myth to explain the obvious. In reality it seems 10 seconds is the level elite humans can reach without doping. Pushing it I bet a few could reach 9.95 and maybe true monsters can get to 9.9. The times Bolt runs are impossible without doping.

As for tennis, it's blindingly obvious that there is a huge doping problem. Some players are blatant dopers, some players are very likely dopers and some are not.

Out of the top 20 I would say Federer, Tsonga and Gasquet are the three most likely to be clean, which is a big part of why I like them. I have no problem casting off former favourites like another current top 10 player or my previous absolute favourite player. I was much younger then and cared far more. However, when I could see he was a doper, I stopped supporting him.

Gonna name names here? I'm curious as to who you're talking about (and have some guesses).

 

[roberttennis54]

Gonna name names here? I'm curious as to who you're talking about (and have some guesses).

It's not hard to guess who my favourite player was. Played in the 90s and was flash and brash. The sort of player young kids would like over the 'boring' Sampras.

 

[LotusTang]

I'm sorry, but Federer has to be one of the most likely dopers. His stamina has always been somewhat incredible. He never used to get tired. He had great skills and was a great shotmaker, but I would say Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

In this day and age nobody is above suspicion. But to make a case against Federer you choose his stamina? Compared to the other members of the Big 3 he has the poorest stamina.

Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

Or maybe where they just "catching up"

 

[TennisandMusic]

Not neccesarily. It may be convinient, but Bolt has always been seen as an evolutionary advancement on sprinters. There's never been an elite sprinter as tall as Bolt (6'5). Because of his height and stride length, Bolt takes 41 strides to complete the 100 meters, wheras everyone else does it in 44 strides. In an event decided by fractions, Bolt has a huge advantadge over the field.

So Bolt has a natural physical advantadge over all his competitors. That's why it's so easy to believe he's the real deal and doesn't need to dope. Bolt could be a doper, but the explainations for his advtantadges over his peers hold water.

And yet the Jamaican track program has a history of doping.

It's not fraction of a second, it's more like beating people or records by five meters. The difference between a 10 second 100 meter dash and a 9.5 is doping. People involved with the sport explicitly say this.

Bolt is doping, easily. The small physical advantage doesn't explain it.

Also, on this topic, Djokovic is the only one against biological passports correct?

 

[90's Clay]

I'm sorry, but Federer has to be one of the most likely dopers. His stamina has always been somewhat incredible. He never used to get tired. He had great skills and was a great shotmaker, but I would say Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

Fed is probably the most likely of them all. Due to his consistency, near perfect health and still maintaining a high level at an older age week in week out. Thats makes me it more obvious than a bunch of guys in their 20s playing high endurance tennis.

Federer and Ferrer are the MOST obvious because of their age. Yet Murray, Nadal and Nole are the ones who get placed under the microscope. Imagine that...

 

[roberttennis54]

In this day and age nobody is above suspicion. But to make a case against Federer you choose his stamina? Compared to the other members of the Big 3 he is has the poorest stamina.

Fed is highly likely to have doped, if we are going to suspect the entire top 20. Particularly, when he started losing ground to Nadal and Djokovic.

Or maybe where they just "catching up"

The most suspicious thing about Federer is his lack of injuries, but this works both ways. Dopers at that time tended to get injured more often. They also could not peak all year around, because they needed to cycle their drugs. So they had to have a down period where there performance and fitness levels would decrease. Federer took breaks in his schedule, but there was never any point of the year where he was performing much worse or much better than usual.

 

[90's Clay]

The most suspicious thing about Federer is his lack of injuries, but this works both ways. Dopers at that time tended to get injured more often. They also could not peak all year around, because they needed to cycle their drugs. So they had to have a down period where there performance and fitness levels would decrease. Federer took breaks in his schedule, but there was never any point of the year where he was performing much worse or much better than usual.

PEDs help you can recover from nagging injuries much quicker however

 

[mike danny]

yeah right. federer who gets tired after a long match is a suspect. federer who failed physically in the 5th set of the AO 2009 and 2013 is a suspect.
federer who was done and dusted in the olympics final is a suspect

how about nadal and djokocic. both of them played 11 hours in 2 matches without getting tired? nadal at the AO in 2009 and nole in 2012

 

[TennisandMusic]

The most suspicious thing about Federer is his lack of injuries, but this works both ways. Dopers at that time tended to get injured more often. They also could not peak all year around, because they needed to cycle their drugs. So they had to have a down period where there performance and fitness levels would decrease. Federer took breaks in his schedule, but there was never any point of the year where he was performing much worse or much better than usual.

One could argue those breaks was when he would do his cycles though. He could be a freakin master doper for all we know.

I kinda don't think he does. I don't think Nadal does either. Reason being he has been steadily declining starting from his early to mid 20's. He is clearly worse now than he used to be.

IMO, the two clearest candidates are Ferrer and Djokovic. They follow the classic patterns. They had sort of reached a peak in their ability, and then out of nowhere magically reached higher levels. This just doesn't happen in sports. A perfect example of this is the whole McGwire/Sosa/Bonds thing. They surged late in their career.

Djokovic got a new Dr. at the end of 2010, and then got instantly amazing in 2011. Then he broke up with said Dr., and while he is still number 1 this year, he never looked like he did in 2011. But he had been playing at the "same level" for YEARS. Same with Nadal and Federer. They kind of played at the same top level since they got there YOUNG in life, and it seemed to happen on a steady curve. Djokovic surged. Over the course of a few weeks. And of course Djokovic is against better drug testing. Go figure.

Second, Ferrer is in his 30s and doing better than he ever has. Stronger, more energy, and an apparently better game. The guy wasn't that guy in his mid 20s! The typical sign of doping in sports.

So in terms of the top guys I don't personally believe Federer, Nadal or Murray are doping. I do believe Djokovic likely is, same with Ferrer. No opinion on the other guys. Anything is possible with anyone however.

yeah right. federer who gets tired after a long match is a suspect. federer who failed physically in the 5th set of the AO 2009 and 2013 is a suspect.
federer who was done and dusted in the olympics final is a suspect

how about nadal and djokocic. both of them played 11 hours in 2 matches without getting tired? nadal at the AO in 2009 and nole in 2012

I personally think Nadal looked like a wreck in that 2009 AO final. Yeah he had some great moments but I don't think he played amazing.

 

[LotusTang]

The most suspicious thing about Federer is his lack of injuries, but this works both ways. Dopers at that time tended to get injured more often. They also could not peak all year around, because they needed to cycle their drugs. So they had to have a down period where there performance and fitness levels would decrease. Federer took breaks in his schedule, but there was never any point of the year where he was performing much worse or much better than usual.

I agree.

10 chars

 

[roberttennis54]

PEDs help you can recover from nagging injuries much quicker however

Yes, but then cause other injuries, especially at the time. They were not as consistent as they appear to be these days. They had to be carefully cycled. It's only in the last 3-4 years that the most advanced form of PEDS have allowed all year around excellence. It's possible Federer was on them in the mid 00s, but highly unlikely.

Secondly these guys have incredible stamina and strength too boot. Just look at the recent soccer/football doping to see how the huge increase in consistency is a very recent thing with only the most expensive of programmes. These football/soccer players also have incredible gains in other areas physically, which Federer did not have.

 

[coloskier]

Tennis is a game of skill more than endurance. Doping does not help you much there. That is why doping has always been a mayor problem in sports like Cycling and Track and Field, but not so much in Tennis. And it will stay that way.

Have you ever watched Nadal and Djokovic? It is much more a game of endurance now that it was 15 years ago. Endurance seems to trump skill more and more every day.

 

[70後]

Two things imo ended wide spectrum tennis of all court ball control. Technology now means the racquet does most of the work. ball control became a meaningless factor relative to the 70's 80's and 90's because it was beaten by the tech. Wouldn't matter one bit how good your violin skill with a Strad is if tech can reproduce the exact same thing electronically. There is no limit to what tech can do as Kasparov found out.

Second thing is they discovered they could manipulate game play by tampering with the balls and surfaces. Because outsiders not wielding tennis racquets on court can tap levers to decide and control how the game is played, their secret decisions become an integrated part of the gameplay itself.

So we see "more rallies". Actually, what we see is sideways blocking tennis. Does it not occur to oneself to realise that, as a result, intentional or otherwise, what one mainly sees are the sponsor logos on the billboards at the back of the court, in effect, a permanent ad banner on the top of your screen? More revenue is good for the sport, is it not?

Therefore, the sport has to be played by persons who never get tired. At the end of the five hour five set block fest, out comes a suit to proclaim : "It was an Epic!!"

 

[octogon]

What I dislike is how everyone (from ex-players to tennis media) pretend nothing is going on. No one wants to kill the golden cash cow that is modern tennis. Tennis is basically a house of cards. If one of the big names gets exposed, it'll trigger a series of events and whistleblowing that will bring everyone down.

but everyone wants to eat. The ex-pros want to keep their lucrative contracts commentating or whatever, the tennis media want to keep their jobs. Everyone wants to keep their jobs. So they refuse to even raise suspicion that the level of physical performance in tennis has become abnormal.

It's the same with soccer, another lucrative sport that is likely rife with doping, but too many people make money off it to want to expose them. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are particularly suspect. Diego Maradonna was worshipped for his skill, but he was regularly caught taking PED's in his day. And soccer is even more physical today.

 

[OKUSA]

look at baseball after the doping scandals, I don't even know 1 person who watches that garbage on TV. I used to be an avid baseball fan up until 2005, then it just was ridiculous

 

[70後]

look at baseball after the doping scandals, I don't even know 1 person who watches that garbage on TV. I used to be an avid baseball fan up until 2005, then it just was ridiculous

I fear very much now that when that house of cards as stated in the post above comes falling down, this will be the fate of tennis also.

To those who are making excuses, glib explanations and covering up for your faves now, don't pretend you never said nor forget on that day of disaster.

 

[buruan]

I used to love watching Track, The Tour de France, Baseball.
Not anymore, none of these sports has made enough of an effort to cleanse.

That being said, I am pretty convinced, every professional athlete in any professional sport should be assumed guilty until proven innocent.
Reverse the burden of proof and you'll clean up.

If you want to play your sport professionally, get the Biological Passport and DNA tests.

Its drastic I know, but I personally dont see any other way to clean sports from PED's, unless you simply make them legal.

 

[uncooling]

One could argue those breaks was when he would do his cycles though. He could be a freakin master doper for all we know.

I kinda don't think he does. I don't think Nadal does either. Reason being he has been steadily declining starting from his early to mid 20's. He is clearly worse now than he used to be.

IMO, the two clearest candidates are Ferrer and Djokovic. They follow the classic patterns. They had sort of reached a peak in their ability, and then out of nowhere magically reached higher levels. This just doesn't happen in sports. A perfect example of this is the whole McGwire/Sosa/Bonds thing. They surged late in their career.

Djokovic got a new Dr. at the end of 2010, and then got instantly amazing in 2011. Then he broke up with said Dr., and while he is still number 1 this year, he never looked like he did in 2011. But he had been playing at the "same level" for YEARS. Same with Nadal and Federer. They kind of played at the same top level since they got there YOUNG in life, and it seemed to happen on a steady curve. Djokovic surged. Over the course of a few weeks. And of course Djokovic is against better drug testing. Go figure.

Second, Ferrer is in his 30s and doing better than he ever has. Stronger, more energy, and an apparently better game. The guy wasn't that guy in his mid 20s! The typical sign of doping in sports.

So in terms of the top guys I don't personally believe Federer, Nadal or Murray are doping. I do believe Djokovic likely is, same with Ferrer. No opinion on the other guys. Anything is possible with anyone however.



I personally think Nadal looked like a wreck in that 2009 AO final. Yeah he had some great moments but I don't think he played amazing.

Well said. I think all tennis fans kind of know that Novak has been doping, with the exception of 555, chiro (?), and those Serbs (you can figure out by looking at their profile pics)

 

[tennisfan2010]

I'm sure many if not all top players are doping. The only 2 big names recently were Hingis and Gasquet and that was just cocaine. I don't buy that they were the only ones.

 

[Strategy]

I agree 100% OP. In fact, I was thinking of the same thing once I read the Powell / Gay story as well. Doping is not monitored strictly enough in tennis. After seeing such prominent figures in the world of Track and Field get caught, it really makes you wonder which tennis players are doping (because they DO exist, lets be real here).

In terms of most likely candidates, that is difficult to say. If any news is ever discovered, I'm sure all of us will be shocked. The top 4 member we would least expect to dope (I'd say Murray) could be doping.. you just never know.

 

[octogon]

I agree 100% OP. In fact, I was thinking of the same thing once I read the Powell / Gay story as well. Doping is not monitored strictly enough in tennis. After seeing such prominent figures in the world of Track and Field get caught, it really makes you wonder which tennis players are doping (because they DO exist, lets be real here).

In terms of most likely candidates, that is difficult to say. If any news is ever discovered, I'm sure all of us will be shocked. The top 4 member we would least expect to dope (I'd say Murray) could be doping.. you just never know.

I'd say Murray's rise (winning slams recently, including Wimbledon) has probably made it even more difficult for doping to be exposed in tennis. The British media is very powerful. Murray is basically a god in the UK now. They can't afford to bring him down, as it ruins such a major British story (and tennis is big money in Britain).

 

[adil1972]

Tennis is becoming a laughing stock when it comes to doping. All the other major sports are taking doping seriously, and proving it, by exposing some of their biggest stars when they get caught.

Today's news that Asafa Powell and Tyson Gay, two superstar athletics sprinters have failed drugs tests, show that the Athletics Federations are doing their jobs. I have no doubt that if Usain Bolt ever tested positive for something, there would be no cover-up.

Can anyone say the same for tennis? Does anyone truly believe that they try that hard to catch dopers. Or that if one of the very top guys, the so-called "big 4" (Nadal, Murray, Federer, Djokovic) tested negative, there wouldn't be a major cover-up.

It's actually pretty embarrassing that there has almost never been a top player caught for doping, imho.

in tennis doping is in sorry state.........

the proof

andre agassi

 

[*Sparkle*]

Murray said he got a random blood test as part of the introduction of the biological passports a few days before Wimbledon. Presumably he wasn't the only one. It did make me wonder if any other players saw that, and if they normally doped, thought to cut back a bit.

It might explain some of supposed under-performance of some players. Same as some supposedly under-performed at the Olympics last year when there was extra testing anticipated.