Red Rick
Bionic Poster
Only appropriate answer
Nadal vs Blanch - 1st Round Madrid 2024
- Thread starter Hitman
- Start date
ojo rojo
Legend
coolcamden
Hall of Fame
Have some respect kid. Sheesh….
GodlessEndeavor
Semi-Pro
Apparently Rafa made him wait 10 minutes to enter the court, so I'm not sure the respect was there in either direction.
Musterrific
Hall of Fame
Didn't Hewitt win a 250 at 16? That's mindboggling.
Mustard
Bionic Poster
Hewitt was mentally ready very early on.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
That's what happens when you grow up watching Rocky all the time.
Mustard
Bionic Poster
He seemed to love a scrap with anyone, no matter who they were, and he channeled it into his tennis competitiveness. It did seem to catch up with him in 2003 though, a bit of burn out and fatigue, when he was suing the ATP.
Hitman
Bionic Poster
Being with Kim was also draining him.
Bill Lobsalot
Hall of Fame
That hour was about as exciting as folding socks - which I was doing during the match.
marc45
G.O.A.T.
maybe, though the Italian guy who was years older and ranked in the 60's played the same way in Barcelona
GloW
Rookie
All because he lost to a 22 time grand slam champion
tennis24x7
Professional
Wow breadstick and a bagel, he certainly is coming into form for his last FO.
Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
Maria & Newport Breakers
New User
Agreed, @Impetus , good eye on the bad biomechanics. I made these comments after getting a look at him in Miami:The middle kid:
"1. Blanch is already 6'4"--see how he's much taller than Rune.
2. Very nice looking strokes/technique
3. Not a great athlete/mover--he has those internally rotated knees many tall, weak teens get.
4. Lefty is an advantage
5. Interesting that the family skipped USTA junior development--looks like the kid has been living/training for past several years at JCF academy--i'm always curious how that works--who pays for that, does the family move, etc??"
The only elite tennis player I'm aware of with those unathletic looking legs is Kyrgios, but he compensates for poor movement with one of the best serves ever. We'll see if Blanch can become an elite server.
Tshooter
G.O.A.T.
Cupcake
Hall of Fame
The basketball player, Danny Manning, had the same 'internally rotated' knees. When I saw a photo of him in sports illustrated many years ago, it struck me that they were not typical of a good athlete, and that he likely would suffer from knee injuries. He did. I hope Darwin can avoid that fate.
No, I don't feel for the kid, because he's got a lot fallen into his lap and been accustomed to wealth and privilege some as good as him players don't have.
So, Darwin Blanch is not an "unlucky" but advantaged teenage tennis player who's had his older brother to hit with, connections and funds to best coaching staff and programs and IMG to back him up when necessary which is what some other great ITF juniors do not have.
The fact that Rafa was not challenged at all in the 1st round is one thing; that so many people either paid for their tickets or tuned in to watch such a one-sided match is another. The reality of tennis that favors few for the money or connections is probably the most bothering bleeding truth nowadays.
Darwin Blanch had choices of proving himself in lower ATP tournaments first, before dipping his feet into the clay of Masters; he had chances to play Main Draws of M15s (Futures) as a top 100 junior but he turned down such opportunities in, for instance, M15 Antalya, where he innitially was on the Acceptance List March/April. Another fellow junior ITF player from Norway, Budkov Kjaer, took that very chance and won the M15 Antalya that Darwin Blanch should have proved himself with firstly. Mind you guys, Kjaer (only few months older than Blanch) played that one M15 tournament so great all the way to championship that I don't think Darwin would have been able to demonstrate.
Last edited:
tennis24x7
Professional
What is interesting in skipping USTA junior development? there is no development going on there.
tennis24x7
Professional
I disagree, why should he go play M15 Antalya, when he has a shot at playing Nadal? I mean c'mon, this one match will have way more influence on him than 5 challengers.
Why? Prep at the end of March and start of April for his higher level tournaments. You can disagree as much as you want, but what you don't see is the unprepared youngster's pushed to jump more than one or two steps up and all that without having proven himself. The junior Kjaer, that won M15 Antalya when Darwin withdrew from that tournament, was absolutely awesome there. Anyhow, the only "influence" from Nadal vs Blanch match is; a) the poor decision making for who gets the WC b) a feeling the youngster is not ready for such a tournament and that he should first win some Futures and Challengers matches. This all isn't just about Darwin Blanch but his sponsors and tournaments' organizers to carefully make their decisions for the sake of the sport, fans and players.
Cupcake
Hall of Fame
Welcome to the reality of the entire world, not just tennis. People with money and connections always have an advantage over most other people. Like it or not, fair or not, that's simply how it's always been, and how it always will be. Life is not lived on an even playing field. There will always be nepo babies. (not necessarily Blanch.)
Remember the Golden Rule - He who has the Gold, makes the Rules.
IMO, adding a bit of compassion into the mix makes things just a bit better.
tennis24x7
Professional
If you have been following the news for the past 1 year you should know nobody gives a rats ass about the sport, fans and players. That ship has sailed, it is about how much money they can make ?
Oh man! I don't just follow but live through it. I spend enormous amounts of money on my 15-year-old World Junior ITF/M15 and M25 Futures son, so take my words as first hand experiences right from the courts of those tournaments. People do care about the sport but there's always some filthy snake oil salesman lurking. My son's under no sponsors' agreements but mine which is why I am financially bleeding. But I can still make those decisions what he does or buys, where he goes or who he trains with or plays against. If I were offered a chance to have my son play an ATP Challenger, I'd only agree to Qualies WC, not Main Draw for I well know his level or how counter-productive it would be playing someone too much above him. So, whether Darwin Blanch, his coaching/ITF/IMG staff, sponsors or parents have had anything to do with the decision to apply for/accept the Main Draw Madrid Masters WC risking the fine young boy's embarrassment may be in the secrets of those mentioned; why they haven't followed Futures and Challengers accordingly is also in the minds of those that I have pointed to. At the end of all this, I see you may be right that squeezing every possible dollar out of young Darwin Blanch's life is the objective.
As for the news that I may not have followed, I'd say Darwin Blanch's older brother lowly ATP player may have been pushed similarly to the way Darwin is being now. Others come to my mind like for instance Leo Borg who's at 400 ATP ranking spot today; and, there may be quite a few more examples of such, although there also are some great ones like Rafa or Llayton Hewitt who bloomed right of their diapers. My thought's that following the news may actually be hurtful to the development of the prospects.
Last edited:
MichaelNadal
Bionic Poster
tennis24x7
Professional
First of all, my heartfelt congratulations to you for making a World Junior Futures son. I can't imagine the sacrifices you must have made (not just finances). I applaud you.
I was just referring to the news about LIV and now WTA going to the saudis because of the money being thrown around. I have seen a video of a very young Agassi playing Lendl. So I still disagree with you. I feel that these once in a lifetime opportunities should be dealt with gusto. I don't know where you are based but I feel unless the ATP/WTA and other tennis bodies deal with the problem that most players face in becoming a professional tennis player, future youngsters will always go to a different sport. I do like tennis a lot but don't know if I want the stress of it for my children.
