Tiriac is furious with millionaire no-shows >>&g

[pound cat]

Manuel Santana the Madrid tourny director was angry as well, hence the ball models last ditch resort at ticket sales (which may have actually been a stroke of inspiration and could very well be copied elsewhere IMO) I thoroughly agree with Tiriac. And thanks to Andre for being there, altho. he did have a Masters Cup motive.

Hurt by the late withdrawals of Roger Federer, Andy Roddick , Lleyton Hewitt and Carlos Moya, Tiriac believes the players should be hit in the pocket.

Arguably, only Andre Agassi, Marat Safin and Tim Henman gave the indoor tournament it's right to a “Masters Series” tag, run by former Wimbledon champion Manolo Santana .

Tiriac firmly believes that $1 million of the $2.425 million purse on offer in Madrid should have been taken away.

The Romanian went on to comment, “if [a player] doesn't play one of the nine Masters Series tournaments, take away a quarter of his [ranking] points.

“If he doesn't play two, it's too bad, he cannot play the Masters Cup, nothing else."

Tiriac contrasted the attitude in tennis to that of seven-time Formula One champion Michael Schumacher, who wrapped up this year's championship months ago.

"Schumacher didn't stop after six races when he was world champion," said Tiriac.

"The players have to get conscious that they cannot live without somebody putting an event like this together. I'm calling the rule."

Unfortunately, the Association of Tennis Professionals dissolved the end-of-year bonus pool several seasons ago due to the collapse of billion-dollar television rights contract in Switzerland.

The former manager of Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic also believes that the four major championships, which are wary of the changes to their places on the professional calendar, won't be willing to listen.

At least tell these players, some of whom may earn up to $7 million in prize money each year, to “give something back to the game,” Tiriac concluded.

 

[rhubarb]

He's overreacting, just because the players didn't participate in his tournament. Did the directors of Monte Carlo have a similar reaction? The top 2 skipped that as well.

The suggestion of docking 25% of ranking points is ridiculous.
They need to sort out the scheduling and number of tournaments - that's where the problem lies.

 

[the man to beat]

agree rhubarb!

anyway who missed roger and andy, when marat played a blinder all week?

 

[Rabbit]

I agree with Tiriac. If the top players are supposed to play the Masters Series tournaments, then they should. These guys are paid too much money to not even show up. The Aussies used to say "if you're entered, play". That said, one of the world's worst about skipping tourneys is Agassi. I think they should hit them in the points and in the pocket book. The points will hurt them worse.

 

[bigserving]

I agree with Tiriac. The players of this generation are getting opportunities and the financial benefits created by the previous generation of players. That money does not just fall from the sky and the players should not think that they are entitled to millions of dollars because they can hit a big forehand. These guys are fortunate to play a game for a living and should be giving back to that game at every opportunity.

If they are too injured to play, they can even sign autographs, do interviews, allow the tennis fans to get to know them, or participate at some level in some way, if at all possible.

There should be some accountability from everyone involved in the ATP Tour including and especially the players. When everyone involved is on the same page and doing the right things to benefit the game, the game itself will continue to grow.

 

[Max G.]

BTW, I thought this tournament was of very high quality, despite the no-shows of the top four.

I agree with Tiriac. If the top players are supposed to play the Masters Series tournaments, then they should. These guys are paid too much money to not even show up. The Aussies used to say "if you're entered, play". That said, one of the world's worst about skipping tourneys is Agassi. I think they should hit them in the points and in the pocket book. The points will hurt them worse.

If you are entered, you play, true.

Except back when the Aussies said that, the CHOSE which tournaments to enter. If they believed they would not be able to play in a tournament... they didn't enter it. That's not the case now, where everyone eligible is automatically entered, whether they want to be or not.

I agree with rhubarb that the schedule needs to be straightened out. Not a single player out of the top 5 played all the TMS events this year so far. Only two out of the top 10 participated in all of them. That makes me think that the problem isn't in the players - the people that play everything that they're "required" to are the exception rather than the rule.

"These guys are fortunate to play a game for a living and should be giving back to that game at every opportunity."

The way you're saying it, you want their profession to be their life. They already endure a grueling schedule, which forces them to spend basically all year traveling, and according to your reasoning they're not allowed to take a break? And not only do you want them to participate in all these tournaments, you also want them to "give back to the game at every opportunity."

On one hand, they're fortunate to be making so much money. On the other hand - tennis is, for them, a job, with the difference being that they work on weekends, are forced to travel around the entire world and basically not HAVE a home.

Where does this leave them with any time to, say, kick back and relax? Spend some quiet time alone, or with family?

I'd say "while on the airplane from one tournament to the other," but on the other hand, there's already been a thread slamming Dementieva for that. [I think the "I am not her" thing took place on an airplane... not quite sure....]

 

[pound cat]

"Where does this leave them with any time to, say, kick back and relax? Spend some quiet time alone, or with family? "

However this life is their choice to do until they are 30, then they can retire on their huge earnings & endorsements as a top player, or they can pursue an alternative career with an easier schedule.

Many many working people are doomed to a work life of this sort with low or modest wages until they are 65 and then may very well retire destitute. Who's paying into a pension these days?

Bail out players get no respect from me. There are many on the current scene who's goal is to suck all they can out of the game, give nothing back, and do what they want whenever they want.

Of course anyone who agrees with this ethic (to use the term loosely ) will disagree.

 

[the man to beat]

well pound cat i do agree with u on the evil that is bad pensions..

However... Madrid is such a good tournament anyway, regardless of who plays - awesome atmosphere..

And as a red blooded male... I can heartily say that the ball girl thing made the tournament more exciting

dance dance dance.... I!

 

[pound cat]

well I'm no red-blooded male but I thought they were just fine and I'm sure we'll see more gimmicks on one kind or another in future tournaments. Good idea, Manuel Santana.

 

[SydW]

To take his comments of comparing tennis players to F1 driver is a joke. Does he even understand how different it is the situation the tennis players and F1 driver had to face?

Doesn't Schmy has a contractual commitment with Ferrari? It's not like he can just stop during the season if he wants to.

 

[BigboyDan]

Indian Wells and Miami - two two-week TM tournaments back-to-back. Ridiculous. Also, injuries will take a few players out of any particular tournament in any given part of the year. Nine TM tournies are fine, but work on the schedule...

 

[Vlad]

I see nothing wrong with Indian Wells and Miami being contested during a 4 week span. I see a problem when Cincy follows right after Toronto and Hamburg follows right after Rome.. That is just ridiculous. It is just impossible to win both Rome and Hamburg, so the players pick which one they are going to play at 100% and they will miss the other one or lose on the second round..

While, if you win Indian Wells, you still have a whole week to get ready for Miami which is not a big problem I think..

 

[rhubarb]

Vlad, absolutely agree.

Now that IW has the two week format, the spring hardcourt TMS are not so hard on the players as they used to be.

The tough ones are the Canadian/Cincy combo (12 matches in two weeks), made worse still this year since most of the top players were then jetting off to Athens; and as you mentioned, Rome/Hamburg - even the top claycourters like Ferrero and Coria skipped ones of these. They can't afford to burn out or get injured before Roland Garros.

Even though the indoor TMS are a week apart in the schedule, it's a packed time of year, and many leading players are playing in the middle week to help secure their places at the TMC. For Federer and Safin in particular it can be a problem, because they have home-country events in that middle week, which they cannot easily pass up. Safin also has one before Madrid (his schedule since the USO has been particularly manic).

They tweak the schedule every year. Time for some more radical changes, perhaps.

 

[Nadal2]

I disagree with the comments made by Tiriac. Unlike many professional athletes, tennis players are not under contracts to make money just to play. The season is obiviously too long, and the game is really grueling to the body. Playing every day of the week for as long as they do, it's not surprising that they don't want to enter all of these events.
You can say that they are robbing the game by not playing all of these tournaments, but it is also robbing the game to have the top players burn out and severely shorten their careers by playing too much. I am glad that Federer is not playing too much. I also don't think that they should automatically enter the players into these events as they do.

 

[BigboyDan]

Now that IW has the two week format, the spring hardcourt TMS are not so hard on the players as they used to be.

If you want to win both you have to play 14 matches over 28 days.

 

[msn]

Tiriac should put his money where his mouth is...

Let him tell the players that pulled out that they cannot play at his tournament next year.

 

[jeebeesus]

Oh? and Tiriac never withdrew from any tournament he entered when he was a player? Or is it all about money now?

 

[rhubarb]

Now that IW has the two week format, the spring hardcourt TMS are not so hard on the players as they used to be.

If you want to win both you have to play 14 matches over 28 days.

The top 32 get byes, so it's actually only 12 over 28 days for seeded players (and it's pretty unlikely someone who's not in that group is going to win both events) Compare 12 over 14 days for Rome/Hamburg or Canadian/Cincy.

 

[BigboyDan]

For Rome and Hamburg the top 32 are byed into the Round of 32 where the winner only has to play four matches in each tourney. Still, I don't like the Masters tounaments scheduled back-to-back. The players evidently don't like the TM schedule either, evidenced by so many no-shows; defeats the purpose of having the TM designations in the first place.

 

[rhubarb]

For Rome and Hamburg the top 32 are byed into the Round of 32 where the winner only has to play four matches in each tourney. Still, I don't like the Masters tounaments scheduled back-to-back. The players evidently don't like the TM schedule either, evidenced by so many no-shows; defeats the purpose of having the TM designations in the first place.

No, that's not true. Both Rome and Hamburg have 64 draws with no byes. To win either you have to play six matches, including a best of five set final.

 

[BigboyDan]

Well, you prove my point further: 12 matches in 14 days if you want to win Rome and Hamburg back-to-back. The Pros don't like it, that's why they don't show up at each and evey TM event.

 

[rhubarb]

I don't disagree at all with you on the point of back-to-back TMS being a bad idea; I was simply correcting the number of matches required to win the tournaments you mentioned.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

2005

2005: Tiriac seems to be still the man in charge there ...

 

[VamosRafa]

2005: Tiriac seems to be still the man in charge there ...

But he hasn't been crabbing about the no-shows this year. And the reason is pretty obvious.

 

[urban]

I agree with the ridicilous scheduling of the ATP, the back to back Masters at Indian Wells/ Miami, Hamburg /Rome or Montreal/ Cincinnatti, which invites players to skip one of them. Otherwise the would play themselves out for the season. Part of the problem is the ATP's own fault. Instead of overexpanding, they should concentrate on the 4 majors and the 9 masters, and regulate participation with restrictions, so that every top player has to play these tournaments. Given the actual situation, they are destructing the indoor circuit, which was once one of the highlights of the season. The classical indoor tourneys at Wembley, Madison Square Garden, Paris were once the shopping window of the game.

 

[callitout]

I dont follow F-1 racing. Question: Is it very demanding physically? Clearly it takes lots of skill and practice there's a ton of money at stake and yet Schumacher seems to win all the time. But is it physically draining to keep competing in F-1 (which was Tiriac's analogy).

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I dont follow F-1 racing. Question: Is it very demanding physically? Clearly it takes lots of skill and practice there's a ton of money at stake and yet Schumacher seems to win all the time. But is it physically draining to keep competing in F-1 (which was Tiriac's analogy).

News: Schumacher/Ferrari lost the titles this season. Guess Alonso and Renault won them.

 

[LendlFan]

Many good points here and probably the most over-looked is injury. If these guys/gals are forced to play or suffer consequences while injured, that could mean a career effecting issue.

I remember a few years ago reading an article about why Tennis is losing TV Ratings. Part of the porblem that ws listed ws many people who were polled stated Tennis is always on and there's no break. In other words too much Tennis for their liking. Everybody and their brother wants a tourney in their City/State/Country to bring in dollars and promote tourism. It's way too much on the people that are suppose to provide the entertainment and as was mentioned several times in this Thread, the travel is ridculous. There is a thing called Jet Lag and I would tend to think the Fans don't want to see the Top Players that are generally getting to the last days of the Tourney start to tank matches just so they can get some rest and technically satisfy their obligations.

The time between the French and Wimbledon has always bothered me. I would tend to think you want Players at their absolute best during a Major so how in the World can you expect to see top level grass court playing when just a couple of weeks before they were on Clay?

The Grand Slam Tournaments - Masters - Us Open Series - Davis Cup - Warmup Tourneys to the Majors and occasional exhibition events is asking a helluva lot from these guys. Not to mention Sponsorship/Promoter requirements they must perform. And Tiriac is complaining that they make too much money ????? I don't think they make enough ...

 

[ohplease]

The players are paid what the market will bear. And the market can bear them skipping some nonsense tournament during what should be tennis' offseason.

I agree with the previous posters - if it matters so much to Tiriac, ban them from playing next year. Oh wait, he needs them more than they need him. Especially since he's stuck with such lousy scheduling.

The man's just sleazy. There are plenty of tournament directors and organizers who win over players instead of trying to legislate them to death. Don't be surprised if this tourney continues to get lousy draws in the years to come.

 

[Camilio Pascual]

Tiriac believes the players should be hit in the pocket.

I think it is humorous when bad things happen for one of the greatest hypocrites and cheats (see: Romania, Davis Cup) in tennis history.

Tiriac took a lot of integrity from the game, something that cannot be paid back to the game. He has no standing to complain, legally or morally.

 

[Steve Huff]

I saw a story about auto racing, and yes, it is even more physically demanding than people think. Just like tennis, you rarely see drivers more than 35 or so years old win. Just watch an in-car camera on a race shown n TV. Watch how hard the driver works to keep the car pointed in the right direction. Plus, it's mentally fatiquing. In tennis, you pound away at a ball while doing a lot of running. In auto racing, you race around a track, often at speeds over 200mph, within inches of someone else. And I'm not a big race car fan. But, I gained new respect for it listening to an interview of NASCAR driver Mark Martin. He is 42 and won a race. They talked about why and how hard it is to win at that age. Really interesting.

 

[urban]

I think Tiriac's image is badder than the man himself. As a player he did all what he could - including some dirty tricks - to win the Davis Cup. When Nastase deserted him in 1972 against the US, he gave his blood to fulfill his dream. As a coach and promoter, he always looked like Mephisto, but in truth he was always on the players side. All his protegies - Nastase, Vilas, Becker - have still a very friendly relationship with him. He became very rich and owns half of Rumania, but in his heart he loves sport and tennis.

 

[cmb]

I agree with Tiriac. The players of this generation are getting opportunities and the financial benefits created by the previous generation of players. That money does not just fall from the sky and the players should not think that they are entitled to millions of dollars because they can hit a big forehand. These guys are fortunate to play a game for a living and should be giving back to that game at every opportunity.

If they are too injured to play, they can even sign autographs, do interviews, allow the tennis fans to get to know them, or participate at some level in some way, if at all possible.

There should be some accountability from everyone involved in the ATP Tour including and especially the players. When everyone involved is on the same page and doing the right things to benefit the game, the game itself will continue to grow.

Dumbass...if ur injured, why the hell should u have to show up at the tournament?

why should they let the fans get to know them? who cares...signing autographs sucks. this is a individual game, and nobody cares about the players, so why should the players care about anyone else?

 

[andfor]

............and nobody cares about the players, so why should the players care about anyone else?

WTH?

 

[armand]

I saw a story about auto racing, and yes, it is even more physically demanding than people think. Just like tennis, you rarely see drivers more than 35 or so years old win. Just watch an in-car camera on a race shown n TV. Watch how hard the driver works to keep the car pointed in the right direction. Plus, it's mentally fatiquing. In tennis, you pound away at a ball while doing a lot of running. In auto racing, you race around a track, often at speeds over 200mph, within inches of someone else. And I'm not a big race car fan. But, I gained new respect for it listening to an interview of NASCAR driver Mark Martin. He is 42 and won a race. They talked about why and how hard it is to win at that age. Really interesting.

Forget NASCAR. Formula One is cream of the crop. F1 drivers will lose 10 pounds in sweat during a 90 minute race. Every single driver on the grid is as fit as a marathon champ.