Conspiracy theory

[Lee James]

Being that most of us are sports fans in general, I'm sure most of you are familiar with the NBA. During the playoffs this year there has been a lot of talk about conspiracies such as the NBA wanting specific teams to win and officials being a little more relaxed with some teams as opposed to others. I'm curious to know if there are any conspiracy theories surrounding the game of tennis? Does the ATP, or WTA favor certain players, or endorse some more than others?

 

[Honestlybad]

Ask Hewitt

 

[Datacipher]

There have been many conspiracy theories involving match fixing/preferential treatment and gambling and a few had a bit of weight behind them, but most were just conjecture. There is no doubt tennis is big business and big money, it's in the tour's interest, let alone the racquet/clothing/player's rep's interest to favour certain players but most things are above board as far as is known! Though there is little doubt some top players get preferential treatment in regards to such things as scheduling, money, etc.

 

[big ted]

becker had a theory in 95 that sampras and agassi were given preferential treatment at wimbledon becuz they were nike players (always playing on center court).

and there are theories that agassi and connors, get/got scheduling perks at the us open

dont know how much truth there is to these claims

 

[wildbill88AA]

the FBI shouda been all over the NBA years ago. just love watchin shaq put his shoulder and elbow into everyone, and jordan getting every call. there was the agassi contraversy at the masters couple years ago. nice thing about tennis is the refs only get involved on line calls, so the players usually decide things. seems the american players get the good treatment. and connors definitely was not included. he was a rebel and paid the price for it.

 

[rafaelita]

the only conspiracy theory that I think is the actual truth is the scheduling of play at the US Open. Massu complained this year that he had to play one late night match on an outside court and then had to come back early in the next morning to play his next round match. He sort of alluded to the fact that the US players, no matter what rank, are given better treatment and therefore, better schedules. I think, no matter where you are, in tennis, no player should be given special privleges. The home crowd will help them enough.

 

[tennissavy]

It seems that the overwhelmingly popular tennis players, the ones people buy tickets to see(williams sisters, agassi...) in crowds, receive favorable line calls when they are in danger of losing a match, especially early in a tournament. One example, of many I have seen, was last year at the Advanta Championships. Venus Williams was playing Yuliana Fedak. Fedak was close to defeating Williams and Williams was hitting long of the baseline SEVERAL times and not one of those shots was called out. The points continued until Fedak made an error or williams got the winner. It happened at each breakpoint opportunity for Fedak and in the 3rd set tiebreak. I was seated to the side of the baseline just a few rows up. I had a terrific view of the entire baseline, like that of the official calling the baseline. Many many people around me and myself were gasping with disgust at the failure of the official to call williams' shots out. It was horrible. Fedak would have won the match. However, the tournament would have lost one of it's biggest name players early in the event.

 

[Eugene Girshtel]

You want an example of preferential treatment think 2 years ago when Roddick won the US Open. (Rain delay situations)