What's with all the withdrawals at Roland Garros this year?

[conjoshruk]

I've noticed that a significant number of players, (on the womens side in particular) have withdrawn, following their opening round;, including Bianca Andreescu, Petra Kvitova, Kiki Bertens,, Kateryna Kozlova and Felix Auger-Alissame, to name a few. I can't remember the last time so many players decided to withdraw, in such quick succession.
Is this due to physicality of clay tournaments, and has the abundance of lead up events before the FO resulted in a mass burn out?

 

[Lleytonstation]

I've noticed that a significant number of players, (on the womens side in particular) have withdrawn, following their opening round;, including Bianca Andreescu, Petra Kvitova, Kiki Bertens,, Kateryna Kozlova and Felix Auger-Alissame, to name a few. I can't remember the last time so many players decided to withdraw, in such quick succession.
Is this due to physicality of clay tournaments, and has the abundance of lead up events before the FO resulted in a mass burn out?

Don't see anything particular about this year vs others. But yes, a burn out of Clay is for sure happening. I mean 3 Clay masters in the span of a month? Don't see anything like that all year on any surface.

But you would think more men would withdrawal with the "predictable" winner, where the women it is wide open.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Roland Garros sucks no?

 

[Lleytonstation]

Roland Garros sucks no?

better be careful Rafa does not see this...

 

[hipolymer]

Players being paid off for Fed's last gasp

 

[MasturB]

Players being paid off for Fed's last gasp

And Rafa's draw.

 

[TripleATeam]

Roland Garros sucks no?

It's worth at least 3x the slams, so it needs at least 3x the withdrawals.

 

[ollinger]

Some players were saying that since the Notre Dame catastrophe, there's just less reason to hang out in Paris.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

It's worth at least 3x the slams, so it needs at least 3x the withdrawals.

Toughest major to win - and Rafa has won it 11 times - vamos!

 

[Ronaldo]

Could be the 1st round dough?

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Players being paid off for Fed's last gasp

Too bad Djokovic is likely going to ruin their party anyway...

 

[hipolymer]

Too bad Djokovic is likely going to ruin their party anyway...

Dunno. Djokovic was paid off to give Murray his first slam, his first Wimbledon, and the entirety of 2017 + 1st half of 2018, coinciding right with Fed's three slams.

If Rafa somehow gets knocked out due to injury or some massive fluke, and Fed reaches the finals against Nole, ATP would be giving Nole upwards of a hundred million dollars to throw the match. You really think he would deny it given his history already?

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Dunno. Djokovic was paid off to give Murray his first slam, his first Wimbledon, and the entirety of 2017 + 1st half of 2018, coinciding right with Fed's three slams.

If Rafa somehow gets knocked out due to injury or some massive fluke, and Fed reaches the finals against Nole, ATP would be giving Nole upwards of a hundred million dollars to throw the match. You really think he would deny it given his history already?

I forgot about other 10 or so grand slams he denied them, so i must have been hallucinating, when Djoker collected Nole Slam back in 2016...and i am sure as hell was hallucinating that even despite being overwhelming crowd's favorite in both 2015 Wimbledon and US Open finals Federer got mauled in 4 by robbing their idol of his 8th record Wimbledon and 6th record (for an Open Era) US Open (Not to mentioned how he was robbed of 8th Wilmbeldon year before both of those happened!) So...guess someone payed off Federer then, eh? LOL Oh i get it...it was angry serbian fans, cuz Nole clearly doesn't have fanbase outside of that, right? LOL

 

[hipolymer]

I forgot about other 10 or so grand slams he denied them, so i must have been hallucinating, when Djoker collected Nole Slam back in 2016...and i am sure as hell was hallucinating that even despite being overwhelming crowd's favorite in both 2015 Wimbledon and US Open finals Federer got mauled in 4 by robbing their idol of his 8th record Wimbledon and 6th record (for an Open Era) US Open (Not to mentioned how he was robbed of 8th Wilmbeldon year before both of those happened!) So...guess someone payed off Federer then, eh? LOL Oh i get it...it was angry serbian fans, cuz Nole clearly doesn't have fanbase outside of that, right? LOL

Except it isn't with ATP's interest for Nole to tank every match against Murray and Nadal. The goal of the ATP is maintaining interest in the game. Can't maintain interest if the same player is winning all the damn time.

 

[Djokodalerer31]

Except it isn't with ATP's interest for Nole to tank every match against Murray and Nadal. The goal of the ATP is maintaining interest in the game. Can't maintain interest if the same player is winning all the damn time.

Oh yeah i forgot about that...riiiiight! LOL Its just somehow exclusive to Novak and nobody else! Cuz i remember Federer being the same player "winning all the damn time" back during 2003-2008 (except RG and some other smaller clay tournaments) and nobody came up with that objection...but when we talk about Djokovic it suddenyl becomes "not cool" winning "all the damn time" I get it! LOL

 

[Shaolin]

There are always tons of withdrawals. Heck, Nishikori is usually good for pulling out of at least 3/4 slams alone every year.

 

[hipolymer]

Oh yeah i forgot about that...riiiiight! LOL Its just somehow exclusive to Novak and nobody else! Cuz i remember Federer being the same player "winning all the damn time" back during 2003-2008 (except RG and some other smaller clay tournaments) and nobody came up with that objection...but when we talk about Djokovic it suddenyl becomes "not cool" winning "all the damn time" I get it! LOL

The reason Fed won all the time was because of two reasons:
1. he was the most popular player by far
2. even if he wasn't popular, everyone else sucked far too much

 

[jasonbrown]

Players being paid off for Fed's last gasp

if that were true Rafa would have withdrawn long before now.