Observations about the guys from Cincinatti

[ilovetennis212]

A.K.A. Nadal and Federer really are ridiculously more popular the Djokovic, Murray, and everyone else.

Cincinnati has been my first big tennis tournament, and it was so interesting to see the things I read about here play out in real life, especially when it comes to fans and how they react to the players. Roger and Rafa were treated like rockstars...screaming fans at their practice sessions and waiting for them to leave the player exit. I happened to catch Rafa's exit last night, and it was insanity. Same with Roger singing autographs after his post-match interview Tuesday evening. Kids were getting trampled by adults there, and I was a little nervous being in that throng of people. For Novak and Andy the crowds were always smaller and much more subdued...people were excited to see them, don't get me wrong, but the level of excitement was noticeably different. Novak was late coming to his practice session so pretty much everyone cleared out, and it took quite awhile for a decent crowd to build back up. He signed a few autograph afterwards to relatively little fanfare.

Then there's poor Ferrer. It's really true; no one cares about Ferrer. He came to the practice court right after Novak yesterday. Novak's crowd streamed away, and I heard so many people asking who Ferrer was. Later at the player exit not a single person called his name as he was walking out. I was near the end of the line so when he got close to me I yelled out, "David" and he signed for me. A few other people stuck their stuff out. Reluctantly

I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised by all of this, but it's strange to see it with your own eyes.

I went Aussie open and us open twice.
I would get autograph of djokovic and murray even tho I'm huge fan of federer and nadal.

But since djokovic's dad said negative things about nadal and fed interview even tho he knew nothing about them.. It makes me or people to have less interesting to his son.

And another thing..
It's not the No.1 place people are cheering for.
It's the game style and hot shots that make people become fans of fed and nadal.

And I think the endorsement make them more star. Rolex, Armani..

 

[ilovetennis212]

What the heck are you talking about ? I'm a big Rafa fan, but he's not better looking than Djoker. You need glasses dude. Murray and Federer are ugliest of the top 5

It's you who need glasses.
Listen to people if you are not that arrogant.

 

[beast of mallorca]

Another Nadal groupie...There's so much trolling about the player's appearances. :roll:

Put a picture of yourself as your avatar. Then, we'll judge of how attractive you are. But no, you won't do that because you have zero integrity.

What are you being sensitive about now ? I'm saying that Rafa is uglier. I'm actually dissing him. You are suddenly defending ****** ? :twisted:
or were you offended by me ranking Fed below Djoker and Rafa ? :lol: ......just saying the truth dude.

 

[dr325i]

I like Djokovic, but his sense of humor makes me cringe. How about that joke he made on Leno a few years ago? God that was bad.

Just like many people cringe at American jokes or just like we don't think British jokes are always funny...
You just need to experience things outside own backyard...

 

[Overdrive]

What are you being sensitive about now ? I'm saying that Rafa is uglier. I'm actually dissing him. You are suddenly defending ****** ? :twisted:
or were you offended by me ranking Fed below Djoker and Rafa ? :lol: ......just saying the truth dude.

Sigh.. just forget it.

 

[clayqueen]

What the heck are you talking about ? I'm a big Rafa fan, but he's not better looking than Djoker. You need glasses dude. Murray and Federer are ugliest of the top 5

You'll be saying Tipsa is better looking than Nadal soon. Anyway, why is Djoko playing to a half empty stadium?

 

[Overdrive]

You'll be saying Tipsa is better looking than Nadal soon. Anyway, why is Djoko playing to a half empty stadium?

If you would actually read what people are posting, Cincy is usually like that during the day.

 

[Incognito]

Poor Djokovic. You can see where the frustation of his father was coming from when he hit out at Nadal and Fed in that recent interview.

Team Djokovic can't quite understand why Nole isn't being treated with the same fanfare and rockstar status (by fans, the public etc) that Nadal and Fed still get. Djokovic tries hard as well...the clowning, the dancing, the impressions....yet he's basically still just another popular tennis player to people, despite being no.1 and heading towards all-time great status.

I think that's why Djokovic overcompensates. He wants the attention Fed and Nadal gets, and he thinks outsize displays of his "personality" can help him get it.

Not a fan of Djokovic but he is an all time great for me..7 majors dude, c'mon!! Even if you don't like the guy, you can at least appreciate how damn good he is as a tennis player..

 

[topher]

Not a fan of Djokovic but he is an all time great for me..7 majors dude, c'mon!! Even if you don't like the guy, you can at least appreciate how damn good he is as a tennis player..

I thought he only had 6 (4 AO, 1 W, 1 US), not that I'm counting...

 

[Incognito]

I thought he only had 6 (4 AO, 1 W, 1 US), not that I'm counting...

oh sorry, 6 majors. that's all time great status man...soon even more if he wins cincy. No man in world history has done that

 

[Incognito]

also Nadal and Federer get paid a lot when they play exhibition matches...

 

[topher]

oh sorry, 6 majors. that's all time great status man...soon even more if he wins cincy. No man in world history has done that

I'd agree, although where you set the bar for "all time great status" is very subjective, of course - some people don't even include Rafa yet . Just wanted to be clear.

 

[Sid_Vicious]

Just like many people cringe at American jokes or just like we don't think British jokes are always funny...
You just need to experience things outside own backyard...

This is a wise thing you said, but I don't see how Novak's humor type is outside my own backyard. I live in US and there are lots of guys who act like Novak and tell similar jokes; they love telling dirty jokes and kicking people in the nuts like Novak does.

I can tolerate the Djokes as long as he brings the epic tennis skills.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXNR10x6hWI

 

[bullfan]

Djokovic has always got a lot a support in Rome over the last few years, an unusual amount I would actually say compared to other tournaments. Not sure why but its pretty evident, a lot more "Nole" chants than in any big tournament in the world probably. It isn't representative compared to other tournaments I've attended, where as the OP rightly points out he is quite a ways behind Nadal and Federer ESPECIALLY in the United States.

Novak used to be sponsored by an Italian clothing line. Same company that clothes the ball kids there.

 

[CoachSubway]

If you would actually read what people are posting, Cincy is usually like that during the day.

Aren't most of the Masters pretty empty during the day in the early rounds?

 

[Overdrive]

Aren't most of the Masters pretty empty during the day in the early rounds?

Yeah, people work and other stuff. Madrid, IW, Miami, etc. were all like that.

 

[Overdrive]

Novak used to be sponsored by an Italian clothing line. Same company that clothes the ball kids there.

It was Sergio Tachini.

 

[Down_the_line]

I don't get it. For me, both Djokovic and Murray, despite how much I dislike Murray's game, have both reached superstar status. That's why they're the Big 4! I guess the general crowd just takes a really long time to pick up on the fact that Novak and Andy have become pretty good tennis players too. If I was there I would have wanted their autographs just as much as Federer's and Nadal's.

 

[FreeBird]

I don't get it. For me, both Djokovic and Murray, despite how much I dislike Murray's game, have both reached superstar status. That's why they're the Big 4! I guess the general crowd just takes a really long time to pick up on the fact that Novak and Andy have become pretty good tennis players too. If I was there I would have wanted their autographs just as much as Federer's and Nadal's.

5 Years ago, tennis was all about Rafa and Fed. It is very difficult to establish an independent identity while 2 greatest players are still playing. I guess Novak has done a decent job with his PR.

 

[Incognito]

5 Years ago, tennis was all about Rafa and Fed. It is very difficult to establish an independent identity while 2 greatest players are still playing. I guess Novak has done a decent job with his PR.

He needs a new identity, face, maybe shave his head before Nadal does it. Rafa is balding.

 

[FreeBird]

He needs a new identity, face, maybe shave his head before Nadal does it. Rafa is balding.

I believe you girls will prefer this:

over this anyday.

It would be cool idea to grow up hair rather than shaving it all.

 

[xan]

out of shape? what in the world are you on about?

 

[FreeBird]

out of shape? what in the world are you on about?

You took it the wrong way. What I meant was that Novak with long hair is zillion times better looking than Bald Novak. But can't say what girls think.

 

[*Sparkle*]

5 Years ago, tennis was all about Rafa and Fed. It is very difficult to establish an independent identity while 2 greatest players are still playing. I guess Novak has done a decent job with his PR.

There is a lot in this, especially where the hard-core, groupie, type fans are concerned. They are very loyal, so once they've fixated on a favourite, everyone else becomes a rival.

The more general tennis fan is better at liking multiple players, but they are less visible, or obvious.

It's also a bit of a self-propelling thing, that the stars are promoted as stars, so the public treats them as the stars, so the same people end up on the posters, and getting talked about by the press etc. The media would big up certain rivalries, and while it's apparent that Fedal isn't the rivalry it once was in sporting terms, there is a nostalgia associated with it.

I suspect that for Roger's fans (the extreme and casual), there is a sense that this could be the last year to see him, so take the opportunity to get his autograph/watch his practice, while you can. Similarly, there's Nadal wasn't playing last year, and there will always be some question marks over how long he'll stay healthy. The neutral tennis fans will assume they have another few years in which to stalk Djokovic/Murray.

Unfortunately, that excuse doesn't apply to poor Ferrer.

I feel quite sorry for Djokovic, because I think he really would like to have that kind of adoration, and he seems to try so hard to get attention and to be seen as a fun guy etc. He's also the current World #1 and has been for some time with a very respectable trophy haul.

On the other hand, I doubt Murray cares too much about being adored, so long as he gets basic respect, and it doesn't impact on his play. He admitted that one of his pre-slam-winning concerns was that his life would change too much, so Lendl had to reassure him it would be fine! :lol:

I have a theory that Djokovic gets on better with Murray than Federer and Nadal, because Murray is actively happy for him to be attention seeking. He seems to be thawing on that one these days, so it will be interesting to see if that dynamic changes.

 

[clayqueen]

So the marquee match today is between the 4th and 5th seeds.

 

[Crisstti]

If Ferrer have only consistency, how does he post so strong results against the rest of the top 10? Did he played Del Potro and Berdych 12 times when they were in a bad day, and 6 time when they were in a good day? He is also 8-1 against Gasquet, 13-0 against Almagro, 3-1 against Cilic, 4-1 against Simon, the solid top 20 players of these last few years. He is 5-7 against Murray.

:shock:

Actually in Rome earlier this year Nole was a huge superstar. Not Nadal level and certainly not close to Fed's level, but pretty big. He's gaining popularity pretty quickly, give him a few years.

But yeah, Novak does seem to lack that superhero aura of Fed and super villan aura of Nadal.

It's hilarious how you actually believe that

 

[Crisstti]

del Potro vs. Davydenko:

That's a great view for those seats. I had similar ones in Viña del Mar this year and I couldn't see like 1/3 of the court... though maybe I'm too short, lol.

 

[Goosehead]

^^^^that del potro pic..

its looks like he is serving downhill on a sloping court.

 

[Incognito]

I believe you girls will prefer this:

over this anyday.

It would be cool idea to grow up hair rather than shaving it all.

Yeah, maybe Novak should keep his hair, he looks better with hair. He doesn't have a beautifully shaped head to pull off a Wenthworth Miller. Novak does have great hair growth, thick with a lot of volume. He just needs a better haircut.

Rafa on the other hand has ugly hair (I'm a fan, but his hair is trash). However he does have a beautifully shaped head. He'd look better bald.


Only certain men can look great without hair. A bald Matt Damon for instance is yuck!

 

[Crisstti]

Yeah, maybe Novak should keep his hair, he looks better with hair. He doesn't have a beautifully shaped head to pull off a Wenthworth Miller. Novak does have great hair growth, thick with a lot of volume. He just needs a better haircut.

Rafa on the other hand has ugly hair (I'm a fan, but his hair is trash). However he does have a beautifully shaped head. He'd look better bald.


Only certain men can look great without hair. A bald Matt Damon for instance is yuck!

Those photoshops of Novak are great, but it should have been the same pic so we could actually compare.

I'm not a fan of the bald look... though some men can pull it off and maybe even look better that way. Not Rafa imo though. I like his hair, even if there isn't quite enough of it , if he REALLY begins to go bald then he would have to shave it, though there are hair transplants.

 

[FreeBird]

Yeah, maybe Novak should keep his hair, he looks better with hair. He doesn't have a beautifully shaped head to pull off a Wenthworth Miller. Novak does have great hair growth, thick with a lot of volume. He just needs a better haircut.

Rafa on the other hand has ugly hair (I'm a fan, but his hair is trash). However he does have a beautifully shaped head. He'd look better bald.


Only certain men can look great without hair. A bald Matt Damon for instance is yuck!

Djokovic's back part of head is elongated which is not the case with Wentworth miller. So, Better comparison would be with that 'Lost' guy Matthew Fox. But looking at the downfall, Hairs would be the last thing Novak would care about right now.

 

[ctoth666]

Looks/charisma etc have everything to do with stardom. And tennis is a star driven sport.

Why is Maria Sharapova such a big deal? She's a very good and accomplished player, but her looks make her a much bigger star than she might be otherwise. If she had the same career and looked like Svetlana Kuznetsova or Amelie Mauresmo, she'd be nowhere as popular as she is.

The more marketable you are, the more popular you are. And looks in particular matter a lot when it comes to marketability. It's cruel to say it, but if Radek Stepanek or Nikolai Davydenko were the no.1 players, they'd be among the least marketable players to hold the top spot.

That's women's tennis. It is a very different scenario. Not even comparable, IMO.

 

[West Coast Ace]

Poor Djokovic. You can see where the frustation of his father was coming from when he hit out at Nadal and Fed in that recent interview.

Team Djokovic can't quite understand why Nole isn't being treated with the same fanfare and rockstar status (by fans, the public etc) that Nadal and Fed still get. Djokovic tries hard as well...the clowning, the dancing, the impressions....yet he's basically still just another popular tennis player to people, despite being no.1 and heading towards all-time great status.

I think that's why Djokovic overcompensates. He wants the attention Fed and Nadal gets, and he thinks outsize displays of his "personality" can help him get it.

Great post. Very true. Murray seems content with the size of his fanbase and just acts as he wishes.

This thread is the reason the ATP should be very worried. The drop off when these two hang it up will be significant.