Unbalanced Basel Scheduling

[CDNguy87]

Looking at the OOP tomorrow (Wednesday) for Basel, I couldn't help noticing a bit of an anomaly:

Center Court:

Not Before 18:00
Denis Istomin (UZB) v [3] Roger Federer (SUI)

Not Before 20:00
[8] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v. Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Note that Federer/Istomin, a 2nd Round match, will be starting before Dimitrov/Stepanek, a 1st Round match. If those players were on opposite halves of the draw, I don't think it would be a big deal. However, they actually are in the same Quarter and there's a very real likelihood 2 of them will end up playing each other in the Quarter-Finals on Friday.

In other words, Federer (barring an upset) will have completed his 2nd-round match before his potential 3rd-round (QF) opponent will have even started their 1st round match. If Federer beats Istomin, he can kick back until QF Friday, while Dimitrov/Stepanek would still need to get through their match and, for the winner of that, a 2nd-round match vs. Dolgo on Thursday (knowing the Basel organizers, they'll probably make that the latest match on Thursday night to increase fatigue for Fed's QF opponent).

It's pretty obvious the Basel organizers are carefully planning out the schedule of their hometown hero to maximize his rest between matches and assure he survives until the weekend. Although I can't really blame them, this really does seem to be a bit much in terms of creating arbitrary unfairness.

I'm thinking maybe the ATP should create some rule to prohibit such extremely unbalanced scheduling. I really can't recall a comparable situation in the recent past for an indoor tournament where rain delays don't exist.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Well, yes, to some extent.

However, I'm sure that Dimitrov's match being delayed until Wed was caused at his request by his having had to play and win his final in Stockholm.

Thus, Dimitrov will have to play crammed matches, however he will enter the first of them better rested.

This is the pay off/compromise for playing a tournament final the previous week, and it's accepted by most of the players..

 

[merwy]

If what Marius says is right, that explains the situation. Otherwise, very very strange.

 

[SwankPeRFection]

I don't give a **** when they play. As long as Dimitrov and Federer play in the Quarters, this tournament is a WIN for me. Might as well send everyone else home after that and just make that the final... we'd all be happy then. lol

 

[Fedinkum]

Doesn't the tournament owner hate Fed's gut? Why would he do Roger's favor. Maybe the schedule had to do with tv scheduling in other countries? But certainly unusual to start a later round match when current rounds are incomplete.

 

[CDNguy87]

Doesn't the tournament owner hate Fed's gut? Why would he do Roger's favor. Maybe the schedule had to do with tv scheduling in other countries? But certainly unusual to start a later round match when current rounds are incomplete.

Because with Nadal (and to a much lesser extent Wawrinka) out, Federer is the only star attraction left in the main draw for Swiss fans. Even if the tournament director has some personal issues with Fed, it's clearly in the tournament's financial interests to have Federer survive as long as possible.

The scheduling also provides enough circumstantial evidence of this. In addition to what I mentioned in the OP, Fed was given a Monday match for Round 1 (giving him a day of rest before Round 2) while his potential 2nd-round opponents (Istomin/Zeballos) had their first-round match scheduled on Tuesday, giving them no days off between rounds. I highly doubt these are coincidences.

 

[ilovetennis212]

Hope fed and dimitrov plays in QF.
That's all I care.
Probably that's all TTW people care about.

 

[Bud]

Hope fed and dimitrov plays in QF.
That's all I care.
Probably that's all TTW people care about.

Why? Federer will smoke him.

 

[Russeljones]

Am I the only one who has a bad feeling about the Istomin match? The Fed-Dimitrov match is cursed not to happen methinks.

 

[Who Am I?]

Lol, I didn't even know that Federer was playing today. Thanks for letting me know OP.

Anyway, I don't see particularly anything wrong with the Basel scheduling. I mean, Roger is an old man now. He needs more time to recover and recuperate between matches. The scheduling makes perfect sense to me.

 

[underground]

Fed always gets to choose his time slot in Basel, it has always been the case.

 

[CDNguy87]

If Federer beats Istomin, he can kick back until QF Friday, while Dimitrov/Stepanek would still need to get through their match and, for the winner of that, a 2nd-round match vs. Dolgo on Thursday (knowing the Basel organizers, they'll probably make that the latest match on Thursday night to increase fatigue for Fed's QF opponent).

Sure enough, Dimitrov v. Dolgopolov will be the last match of the day, scheduled for Thursday at 8 PM. Federer will therefore have > 24 hours extra rest compared to his QF opponent on Friday. Talk about home court advantage.

 

[Goosehead]

Sure enough, Dimitrov v. Stepanek will be the last match of the day, scheduled for Thursday at 8 PM. Federer will therefore have > 24 hours extra rest compared to his QF opponent on Friday. Talk about home court advantage.

lol..looks weird when fed has played 2 matches and grigor hasn't played any..

still..fed can watch dimitrovs 2nd round match on Thursday to see how 'baby fed' is getting on.

 

[newpball]

In other words, Federer (barring an upset) will have completed his 2nd-round match before his potential 3rd-round (QF) opponent will have even started their 1st round match. If Federer beats Istomin, he can kick back until QF Friday, while Dimitrov/Stepanek would still need to get through their match and, for the winner of that, a 2nd-round match vs. Dolgo on Thursday (knowing the Basel organizers, they'll probably make that the latest match on Thursday night to increase fatigue for Fed's QF opponent).

It's pretty obvious the Basel organizers are carefully planning out the schedule of their hometown hero to maximize his rest between matches and assure he survives until the weekend. Although I can't really blame them, this really does seem to be a bit much in terms of creating arbitrary unfairness.

I'm thinking maybe the ATP should create some rule to prohibit such extremely unbalanced scheduling. I really can't recall a comparable situation in the recent past for an indoor tournament where rain delays don't exist.

Yes and yes.

Those organizers are either complete idiots or biased. And the 'or' is not necessarily exclusive either.

 

[Roger Wawrinka]

Looking at the OOP tomorrow (Wednesday) for Basel, I couldn't help noticing a bit of an anomaly:

Center Court:

Not Before 18:00
Denis Istomin (UZB) v [3] Roger Federer (SUI)

Not Before 20:00
[8] Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) v. Radek Stepanek (CZE)

Note that Federer/Istomin, a 2nd Round match, will be starting before Dimitrov/Stepanek, a 1st Round match. If those players were on opposite halves of the draw, I don't think it would be a big deal. However, they actually are in the same Quarter and there's a very real likelihood 2 of them will end up playing each other in the Quarter-Finals on Friday.

In other words, Federer (barring an upset) will have completed his 2nd-round match before his potential 3rd-round (QF) opponent will have even started their 1st round match. If Federer beats Istomin, he can kick back until QF Friday, while Dimitrov/Stepanek would still need to get through their match and, for the winner of that, a 2nd-round match vs. Dolgo on Thursday (knowing the Basel organizers, they'll probably make that the latest match on Thursday night to increase fatigue for Fed's QF opponent).

It's pretty obvious the Basel organizers are carefully planning out the schedule of their hometown hero to maximize his rest between matches and assure he survives until the weekend. Although I can't really blame them, this really does seem to be a bit much in terms of creating arbitrary unfairness.

I'm thinking maybe the ATP should create some rule to prohibit such extremely unbalanced scheduling. I really can't recall a comparable situation in the recent past for an indoor tournament where rain delays don't exist.

Was thinking the same thing. It's making it a little harder for the league file.

 

[Marius_Hancu]

Federer might rue being rusted after two break days ... it has happened to others before ...

Today's match with Stepanek was light on Dimitrov, IMO

 

[Marius_Hancu]

I think it's quite OK: Dimitrov has had two light matches, won't be tired at all. On the contrary.