French Open: We will not fix Nadal's Ranking

OddJack

G.O.A.T.
Director Gilbert Ysen says they will not raise Nadal's ranking according to his previous performances.

"We thought about it," the French Open's tournament director, Gilbert Ysern, told L'Equipe. "We could not not ask the question for a champion like him, who has embodied the tournament for 10 years and only once not won a match. But the circumstances are different."

Circumstances....which means:

"Today, it is his sporting level, it seems, which has fallen. He is not hampered. So, we will not adjust the seedings in his favor."

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2015...-says-tournament-director/54745/#.VT1wOdJViko
 

xan

Hall of Fame
don't think anyone realistically expected them to do it, but honestly they should have done it.
just out of respect if nothing else. srsly I don't think anyone would have grounds for complaining, what so ever.
 

Earnest One

Semi-Pro
It makes little difference. He will dominate from day one.

Expect plenty of "bakery products" as he prepares to scare the living F out of his opponents in the latter rounds. Nothing has changed--he is still THE favorite.
 

spinovic

Hall of Fame
Why do they have to explain or justify a decision to seed by the rankings? Explanations should only come if you go against the current rankings.
 

britam25

Hall of Fame
don't think anyone realistically expected them to do it, but honestly they should have done it.
just out of respect if nothing else. srsly I don't think anyone would have grounds for complaining, what so ever.

I think you think wrong: whoever he would leapfrog over would certainly have a beef, this ain't some kind of "This is Your Life, Rafa" retrospective, sports is the ultimate "what have you done for me lately" deal, and his results, in the here and now, suck.
 
V

VexlanderPrime

Guest
I probably would have complained had they given him preferential treatment but at the same time part of me thinks he kinda deserves it at RG... I mean, 9 (NINE!) time champ?
 

tennis4me

Hall of Fame
So that explanation implies that the FO director has the leeway to alter the seeding and not follow the current ranking. Learn something new everyday.

I suppose this doesn't happen often. Anyone know what are some of the reasons a tournament director not follow the official ranking in seeding?
 

tipsa...don'tlikehim!

Talk Tennis Guru
I suppose this doesn't happen often. Anyone know what are some of the reasons a tournament director not follow the official ranking in seeding?

money money money
selling tickets
they want the stars to go as far as possible - any tournament director is not happy when a big 3 player lose early - here early would mean Federer/Nadal/Djokovic one of these guys losing in the QF

of course French open director also wants the frenchmen to go far in the draw its another topic
 

Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
I think the directors comments on Nadal's level were unnecessary. All he had to say is that RG sticks to the rankings. I think RG officials can't wait for Nadal's run at the French to be over to tell you the truth. They have never really shown enough respect.
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
I think the directors comments on Nadal's level were unnecessary. All he had to say is that RG sticks to the rankings. I think RG officials can't wait for Nadal's run at the French to be over to tell you the truth. They have never really shown enough respect.

Nadal winning the FO this year would wipe more grins off of faces than I could count. I hope it happens.
 

zep

Hall of Fame
As long as Nadal does not have to play Djokovic in QF, I don't think he cares about who he plays. It's all about his own performance.
 

Rjtennis

Hall of Fame
As long as Nadal does not have to play Djokovic in QF, I don't think he cares about who he plays. It's all about his own performance.

Sure, but no one wants to run up against the big guns sooner than they have to. A top 4 seeding would help him out.
 

zep

Hall of Fame
Sure, but no one wants to run up against the big guns sooner than they have to. A top 4 seeding would help him out.

It does not actually as long as he is in top 8. The first 4 rounds would not be any different and it hardly matters which one of the other 6 (top 8 minus Nadal and Djokovic) he faces in QF.
 

WhiskeyEE

G.O.A.T.
It does not actually as long as he is in top 8. The first 4 rounds would not be any different and it hardly matters which one of the other 6 (top 8 minus Nadal and Djokovic) he faces in QF.

It changes who he draws in the 4th round. He would draw from 9-12. Stan, Dimitrov, Cilic, or Lopez.
 

zep

Hall of Fame
It changes who he draws in the 4th round. He would draw from 9-12. Stan, Dimitrov, Cilic, or Lopez.

That is correct, but I wouldn't say they are much stronger than the current 13-16-- Simon, Tsonga, Monfils, RBA. Even Isner might get inside top 16 by that time who is a formidable opponent. Like I said before, being in top 4 or 8 is irrelevant as long as he avoids Djokovic. It would be equally tough for him.
 
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WhiskeyEE

G.O.A.T.
That is correct, but I wouldn't say they are much stronger than the current 13-16-- Simon, Tsonga, Monfils, RBA. Even Isner might get inside top 16 by that time who is a formidable opponent. Like I said before, being in top 4 or 8 is irrelevant as long as he avoids Djokovic. It would be equally tough for him.

Simon, Monfils, and RBA are useless stylistically and Tsonga is out of form. Stan, Dimitrov, and Cilic are tougher opponents than them IMO. Lopez not so much.
 

Alex78

Hall of Fame
money money money
selling tickets
they want the stars to go as far as possible - any tournament director is not happy when a big 3 player lose early - here early would mean Federer/Nadal/Djokovic one of these guys losing in the QF

Totally agree with you, BUT:
While I can understand a tournament manager to want the top players to be there in the second week - ideally with the top 4 still standing in the semis - in theory this works against player evolution. No new top players emerging in this scenario... AND I think it's boring to see the same guys battling it out for the championship every time. Give me more first time GS winners like Wawrinka or Cilic this year, please!
 

zep

Hall of Fame
Simon, Monfils, and RBA are useless stylistically and Tsonga is out of form. Stan, Dimitrov, and Cilic are tougher opponents than them IMO. Lopez not so much.

Fair enough. Although, IMO it all depends on Nadal's own level of play. If he plays well he would beat all of them and if he does not he can lose to anybody as we have seen. Djokovic is the only player who can beat any version of Nadal.That is why, I believe ranking is not very important.
 

tennisaddict

Bionic Poster
It is in the interest of the top players Rafa is seeded higher.

Rafa finds it easier to bring it on against the Big 4 than the Berrers, Klizans and Fogninis
 

xan

Hall of Fame
I think you think wrong: whoever he would leapfrog over would certainly have a beef, this ain't some kind of "This is Your Life, Rafa" retrospective, sports is the ultimate "what have you done for me lately" deal, and his results, in the here and now, suck.

I don't think so. should someone like Murray (with all due respect to Andy but this is clay we are talking about) be seeded over Nadal. hellooooooo.. at RG of all things.
everyone knows he is gonna be the favorite or at worst the co-favorite with Djokovic. why not give him a seeding which reflects that.

I honestly believe even players ranked above him atm wouldn't have problems with Rafa getting that no1 seed. fking 9 times champion, unprecedented stuff. come on now.
 

randomtoss

Semi-Pro
"We thought about it," the French Open's tournament director, Gilbert Ysern, told L'Equipe.

For what reason did they even think about it?? Everyone seems to have been brainwashed: if the Nadal drops in rankings, then he must be injured, no?
 

MichaelNadal

Bionic Poster
"We thought about it," the French Open's tournament director, Gilbert Ysern, told L'Equipe.

For what reason did they even think about it?? Everyone seems to have been brainwashed: if the Nadal drops in rankings, then he must be injured, no?

Respect for the KOC
 
S

Sirius Black

Guest
Pez and C.C. Sabathia throwing it down.

Also, I thought Wimbledon was the only tournament that takes past performance into account. Why would they make a statement like this? Did people expect them to do otherwise?
 

Steve0904

Talk Tennis Guru
"We thought about it," the French Open's tournament director, Gilbert Ysern, told L'Equipe.

For what reason did they even think about it?? Everyone seems to have been brainwashed: if the Nadal drops in rankings, then he must be injured, no?

I agree. There's no reason to think about it tbh. Nadal is the best on clay, but that doesn't really have anything to do with rankings when it comes right down to it. The only slam that reseeds is Wimbledon and rightfully so IMO. The clay season is long enough that they don't need to do that. Special players get special treatment like scheduling, but that doesn't fall in this category.
 

veroniquem

Bionic Poster
Well, let's look at it this way: if Rafa gets his usual results at Madrid/Rome, he WILL be ranked in top 4 and it will be the lesser evil. If he doesn't play well enough in Madrid/Rome, then his current clay level sucks and the lower ranking will reflect his form.
The true reason why RG management insists on keeping regular ranking has nothing to do with Nadal. It has to do with Fed. Because Fed is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from #2 on clay and the ONLY thing RG has ever cared about is to favor Fed by all possible means. So, #2 he will be (with usual puff draw in tow) even though THAT is the biggest joke of all.
 

cc0509

Talk Tennis Guru
Well, let's look at it this way: if Rafa gets his usual results at Madrid/Rome, he WILL be ranked in top 4 and it will be the lesser evil. If he doesn't play well enough in Madrid/Rome, then his current clay level sucks and the lower ranking will reflect his form.
The true reason why RG management insists on keeping regular ranking has nothing to do with Nadal. It has to do with Fed. Because Fed is faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar from #2 on clay and the ONLY thing RG has ever cared about is to favor Fed by all possible means. So, #2 he will be (with usual puff draw in tow) even though THAT is the biggest joke of all.

Seriously, you need to get a grip. If Nadal stays in his current form, the biggest joke will be that his seeding and draw won't matter because he will lose to some mug this year. Why are you bringing up Federer in a thread about Nadal?
Federer is not the one struggling right now, it is Nadal. Federer has had his share of bad years, it is Nadal's turn to struggle. That is life in tennis. You better get used to the ups and downs because players don't dominate forever.

I think Nadal will eventually come back and find a way out of his slump but if he is going to win the FO, he better figure things out soon. I hope for your sake Federer doesn't do better at the FO than Nadal does. You should learn never to make absolute statements about great players. You never know for sure what is going to happen. Look at how Fiji's absolute astrology predictions have gone for him. :oops:
 

veroniquem

Bionic Poster
Seriously, you need to get a grip. If Nadal stays in his current form, the biggest joke will be that his seeding and draw won't matter because he will lose to some mug this year. Why are you bringing up Federer in a thread about Nadal?
Federer is not the one struggling right now, it is Nadal. Federer has had his share of bad years, it is Nadal's turn to struggle. That is life in tennis. You better get used to the ups and downs because players don't dominate forever.

I think Nadal will eventually come back and find a way out of his slump but if he is going to win the FO, he better figure things out soon. I hope for your sake Federer doesn't do better at the FO than Nadal does. You should learn never to make absolute statements about great players. You never know for sure what is going to happen. Look at how Fiji's absolute astrology predictions have gone for him. :oops:
I'm telling it the way I see it. I think the agenda behind not manipulating ranking for clay (if there is one) is first and foremost to keep Fed in top 2. I've always believed RG/the French were very partial to Fed in general. It's just my opinion though. Obviously we'll never know.
 
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