Henri Leconte: Roland Garros 2020 should be canceled

[Enceladus]

This comment won't like Nadal fan base

Source:

Henri Leconte : « Il vaut mieux annuler Roland-Garros que de jouer à huis clos » - Roland-Garros - Coronavirus

Le finaliste de Roland-Garros en 1988 estime qu'il est inconcevable de maintenir le tournoi sans public.

www.lequipe.fr

Translation from French:

Henri Leconte: "It is better to cancel Roland-Garros than to play behind closed doors"

The finalist of Roland-Garros in 1988 considers that it is inconceivable to maintain the tournament without public.

For Henri Leconte, runner-up in men's singles in 1988 and victorious in doubles in 1984, Roland-Garros cannot take place behind closed doors: “I think that doing Roland Garros behind closed doors is of no interest. An interest for whom? For partners, certainly not. For players, it will be difficult to manage. It is above all a political decision, the Federation hopes that in a few months, we will perhaps be able to play (under normal conditions) Roland-Garros [...]. But play it behind closed doors, no. For me it is better to cancel and leave for 2021 with a real season. "

The 1991 Davis Cup winner also commented on the reaction of Dominic Thiem, who is unwilling to contribute to the support fund for poorly ranked players. If Leconte says that "Thiem's remarks shocked everyone a little", he considers that it is necessary "to respect his decision".

 

[Fedbump]

I agree

 

[yokied]

Am I the only one who is bewildered by how tennis has handled this? How are they not already playing? The matches seem like they can be played without jeopardising the health of players and officials. So how can they not sort out the off court details?

 

[ForehandCross]

This comment won't like Nadal fan base

Nole effect: Comments also have emotions.
You can change negative comments to positive by power of emotions.


Indeed sensible comments on RG situation don't like Nadal fanbase.

@weakera to use positive thoughts and feelings to convert these comments from pessimistic to optimistic.

 

[ForehandCross]

Am I the only one who is bewildered by how tennis has handled this? How are they not already playing? The matches seem like they can be played without jeopardising the health of players and officials. So how can they not sort out the off court details?

I am sure ATP and ITF came together in a meeting and said , "Oh gee we haven't lost millions in some time, let's not organise any tournament and lose hell lot of money, that will be so much fun,no?"


No tournament wants to lose money. The last thing they want to do is to not organise the event and lose a lot.

There must be a very good thought process behind the suspension and keeping it extended.

 

[SpinToWin]

I am sure ATP and ITF came together in a meeting and said , "Oh gee we haven't lost millions in some time, let's not organise any tournament and lose hell lot of money, that will be so much fun,no?"


No tournament wants to lose money. The last thing they want to do is to not organise the event and lose a lot.

There must be a very good thought process behind the suspension and keeping it extended.

Probably economic reasons mostly. My guess is they estimated that there’s a fair amount of risk that they wouldn’t cover the variable costs of the events and thus would suffer greater losses than cancelling the event and only shouldering the fixed costs.

 

[ChrisRF]

This comment won't like Nadal fan base

Why is it always about fan bases though?

I’m as big a Federer fan as possible, but I just hate any more Slams or big tournaments being cancelled.

 

[yokied]

No tournament wants to lose money. The last thing they want to do is to not organise the event and lose a lot.

There must be a very good thought process behind the suspension and keeping it extended.

The TV rights and sponsors aren't enough? They provide more revenue than other sources in most professional sports...?!

People are definitely going to watch it on TV. I don't understand why sponsors would be iffy about it.

 

[skypadq]

RG will be canceled , no dobut in my mind

 

[ADuck]

Realistic Nadal fans know it probably won't be played. Would be funny to see the reactions of the other fanbases if it was though.

 

[weakera]

Who cares what he thinks?

 

[Deleted member 22147]

Who cares what he thinks?

Who cares what anybody thinks?

 

[terribleIVAN]

Glad to witness Henry's still a big egotist as always.

Players need to make a living: he of course doesn't care since he's already set for life.

 

[terribleIVAN]

RG will be canceled , no dobut in my mind

Wanna take bets ?

We"ve already entered the de-confinement stages, and it's only mid-mai, more than 4 months away.

 

[Red Rick]

The tournament wants to sell those TV rights man.

In reality, could probably hold it if you keep Americans out of the country.

 

[Backspin1183]

Tennis is the last thing on my mind this year, let alone RG.
Call off everything and start from 2021.

 

[Standaa]

my country’s handeling the crisis the best out of any Europe country.

if they want, they could host the tournament here.

I know some good clay courts a couple minutes from my house.

 

[octogon]

TV rights baby!!!!

Fans will still watch matches without a live crowd. I've been watching UFC fights that are being done without a crowd, and I find them more enjoyable. Tennis is about the players. Crowd may add atmosphere, but they are not essential to the enjoyment of the matches.

That is why RG will probably be played without a crowd. Fans watching TV will still enjoy it, and the tournament will make huge amounts of money in global TV rights. I also suspect RG doesn't have the same insurance policy that Wimbledon had with Lloyds of London for Pandemics, that allowed Wimbledon to cancel and not lose money. Roland Garros could end up in a financial black hole if they have to cancel the tournament and don"t get that pandemic insurance money that Wimbledon will.

So sorry to disappoint Laconte and those that want it cancelled, but RG is probably going to happen this year.

 

[Gazelle]

Remove the 2020.

 

[vive le beau jeu !]

Remove the 2020.

is it possible to cancel the nadal ?

 

[Fedforever]

Am I the only one who is bewildered by how tennis has handled this? How are they not already playing? The matches seem like they can be played without jeopardising the health of players and officials. So how can they not sort out the off court details?

The huge number of players to be tested, the fact that players will be coming from different countries with different infection rates, TV rights may not be enough to cover the costs without the ticket sales.

With football the players are having to be tested all the time and they're effectively quarantined - look at what happened to this guy.

Augsburg head coach to miss restart after breaking quarantine for toothpaste

Heiko Herrlich will miss Saturday’s game with Wolfsburg upon the Bundesliga’s resumption after he left the Augsburg team hotel to buy toothpaste

www.theguardian.com

As for Nadal, he seems resigned to it - he's said he's not expecting any tennis to be played in 2020.

I don't know about other players but Federer has said that he plays for the emotions, as he puts it, "the whole rollercoaster". How much of that do you lose playing in an empty stadium? Maybe the players aren't as obsessed with the raw numbers as we think.

 

[Fedforever]

Realistic Nadal fans know it probably won't be played. Would be funny to see the reactions of the other fanbases if it was though.

The fact that Nadal himself has said he's not expecting it to be played should be a good clue even for the non-realistic!

 

[terribleIVAN]

Why do people care about what the Big 3 say ?

Professional sports are all about money, and they already have plenty of it, contrary to 95% of the ATP Top 500.

 

[tennis_pro]

Listen to the wise man.

 

[weakera]

Who cares what anybody thinks?

The only opinions that matter are those of the French govt and RG organizers.

 

[I Am Finnish]

Kyrgios agrees

 

[Deleted member 770948]

Henri won't find any players supporting his opinion..... apart from the most one-dimensional serve-bots such as Kyrgios...

 

[Deleted member 22147]

The only opinions that matter are those of the French govt and RG organizers.

You could apply this logic to any subject, and you would have nobody discussing anything.

Odd thing to say on a message board full of people who have zero power over anything.

 

[weakera]

You could apply this logic to any subject, and you would have nobody discussing anything.

Odd thing to say on a message board full of people who have zero power over anything.

I have plenty of power over this situation.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I have plenty of power over this situation.

 

[Deleted member 744633]

Why is it always about fan bases though?

I’m as big a Federer fan as possible, but I just hate any more Slams or big tournaments being cancelled.

Your last remark that I've highlighted proves you're not just a Federer fan. You're a lover of tennis, first and foremost

 

[Deleted member 744633]

I have plenty of power over this situation.

Great post, weak Machi! People acting like they are helpless in these times are just worthless losers ... like the Aussie w*anker with Malaysian roots!

 

[RelentlessAttack]

Can’t imagine the psychology behind being more a fan of a player than a sport.

 

[Deleted member 770948]

Henri has always been very pro-fan and very interactive with fans and appreciative of them, whereas I've never liked fans and they only get in the way and hold-up the server etc., so I can see why Henri is of the opposite viewpoint of myself as it pertains to resuming tennis without spectators.
Then again, Henri is only showing appreciation for fans at the stadiums, so he's not appreciating the fans who watch television - and that is nearly the entire tennis world!

 

[SonnyT]

If the Bundesliga could host 9 matches this past weekend! The English Premier League is not only talking about 10 matches a week, they want an even more condensed schedule to make up for all the postponed matches!

Then surely RG can host a tennis tournament!

 

[Deleted member 770948]

New York and California are both welcoming sports (without fans) back-

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1262467123839934466

 

[sureshs]

Am I the only one who is bewildered by how tennis has handled this? How are they not already playing? The matches seem like they can be played without jeopardising the health of players and officials. So how can they not sort out the off court details?

There have been several tournaments already, in Germany and US.

Problem is international travel.

 

[BeatlesFan]

Can’t imagine the psychology behind being more a fan of a player than a sport.

Don't you wonder what these people do when their idol retires?

 

[Sysyphus]

If the Bundesliga could host 9 matches this past weekend! The English Premier League is not only talking about 10 matches a week, they want an even more condensed schedule to make up for all the postponed matches!

Then surely RG can host a tennis tournament!

Big difference between a domestic league and an event of such an international nature as a grand slam. International travel is the biggest hinder to making it happen, I would presume.

 

[SonnyT]

Bundesliga and EPL are now full of international players, and involve a lot more players than a tennis tournament! All the most prominent tennis players, the ones expected to contend for the crown, are Europeans anyway!

Whereas Bundesliga and EPL players come from all over (eg, Latin America and Africa).

Soccer is a team sport. Players have to train, travel, work together. Tennis players don't!

 

[Mainad]

is it possible to cancel the nadal ?

 

[blablavla]

I have plenty of power over this situation.

would you perhaps go a step further and enlighten us, mere mortals?

 

[blablavla]

Bundesliga and EPL are now full of international players, and involve a lot more players than a tennis tournament! All the most prominent tennis players, the ones expected to contend for the crown, are Europeans anyway!

Whereas Bundesliga and EPL players come from all over (eg, Latin America and Africa).

Soccer is a team sport. Players have to train, travel, work together. Tennis players don't!

as of today, most commercial flights for passengers are canceled (grounded).
while most of Bundesliga players probably were in Germany as they have obligations, and then travel was restricted

 

[AceSalvo]

I’m a U.S. Citizen. Where in the World Can I Go?

For Americans eager to resume international travel, here are the countries that currently allow U.S. citizens to enter, though there may be restrictions, including vaccine requirements.

www.nytimes.com

It will be.

 

[Federer and Del Potro]

my country’s handeling the crisis the best out of any Europe country.

if they want, they could host the tournament here.

I know some good clay courts a couple minutes from my house.

What about swimming pools?

 

[Sysyphus]

Bundesliga and EPL are now full of international players, and involve a lot more players than a tennis tournament! All the most prominent tennis players, the ones expected to contend for the crown, are Europeans anyway!

Whereas Bundesliga and EPL players come from all over (eg, Latin America and Africa).

Soccer is a team sport. Players have to train, travel, work together. Tennis players don't!

The bundesliga players stay within Germany and travel domestically.

The pro tennis necessitates a boatload of international flights which for the moment is not feasible.

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

yeah all of you(fans of a particular player) that hope there will be no more slams this year because of the virus are having less and less straws to hang on to.

For every day now gradually things are opening up. Now first national sports events in full swing. Next will be boarders and then nothing can hold the slams back.

Many of you thought it wouldn’t be tennis at all and you have been already proven wrong and we are only in may.

 

[sureshs]

I have volunteered my private jet to pick up each of the 128 singles seeds (men and women) from wherever they are, provided they have self-isolated and tested for 2 weeks prior, and fly them to and from Paris. I have also booked all the rooms at a 5 star hotel so that they will be the only guests.

 

[weakera]

would you perhaps go a step further and enlighten us, mere mortals?

No

 

[octogon]

The fact that Nadal himself has said he's not expecting it to be played should be a good clue even for the non-realistic!

Nadal also says anyone else is the favorite at any Tennis event, except him. Even at Roland Garros sometimes.

Funny how Federer fans call him out when he does that, but when his natural pessemistic attitude towards certain situations comes up in regards to Roland Garros being played this year, suddenly Nadal is an honest soothsayer who always gets it right. LOL!

I'm a Nadal fan, but even I know he can be (needlessly) a negative nelly at times. Him thinking no more tennis will be played this year has zero bearing on whether other people are right to think it's realistic that Roland Garros will go ahead. Nadal is being Nadal and thinking of the worst possible scenario. Nothing new.