The Olympics is a much bigger deal for small countries. If Djokovic won a gold medal for Serbia it would be huge. If Shelton won a tennis OGM it wouldn't even make a ripple in American news, nobody cares.
At the 2020 summer Olympics, the US won 113 medals, Serbia won 9, Spain won 0. That puts it into perspective.
Olympics for Americans is really just track and field and swimming. Olympics tennis is a joke to Americans, it wasn't even televised in 2016 or 2020.
Except to the players themselves and you can exclude most American tennis players from that. Again, Olympics tennis isn't even televised here, it's a total non-event. The last time any interest was shown here was in 2012 when Fed played the final against Murray. Fed's popularity was the reason.Olympics is irrelevant.
It is a bad decision. A once in a lifetime opportunity to medal for America.
Somebody talk some sense into this guy.
All athletes would like to participate in the Olympic Games at least once, but this is not the case for all tennis players, as also revealed by US rising star Ben Shelton.
"I've thought about it a lot. At the moment I can say that I'm quite inclined not to go this year, in case I qualify. I think they fit into the tennis schedule in a complicated way."
The Olympics have also become too politicized. As for all withdrawals from the Olympics, this is a common thing for tennis. So it's difficult to put this tournament even above the Masters.The Olympics is on the decline. TV ratings continue to plummet as it's losing relevance to incoming generations who have view it as highly corrupt, wildly expensive, and simply not interesting enough to get them off their cell phones. It's really a shame for all the amateur athletes that commit so much of their lives preparing for them as they are the ones that have paid the price for all the corruption and mismanagement.
No, i do not think that any top30 player should skip wimbledon in favor of OG if they arer not injured.You think they should skip Wimbledon to make sure they don't get hurt before the Olympics?
But this is the problem. A lot of those injuries those players pulled out for were sustained in the grass season. Because the schedule isn't built around the Olympics since it's only every 4 years, it's too quick a turnaround for some of them after the grind of RG-Wim, with the USO still to plan for afterward.No, i do not think that any top30 player should skip wimbledon in favor of OG if they arer not injured.
no, when RG 2020 was moved to late September in the middle of the covid pandemic, the largest number of healthy people played, I even think that at that time they had protected points if they did not play and there were no mandatory tournaments.But this is the problem. A lot of those injuries those players pulled out for were sustained in the grass season. Because the schedule isn't built around the Olympics since it's only every 4 years, it's too quick a turnaround for some of them after the grind of RG-Wim, with the USO still to plan for afterward.
It's just unfortunate timing more than genuinely not caring about the event.
Make 17 for Spain.The Olympics is a much bigger deal for small countries. If Djokovic won a gold medal for Serbia it would be huge. If Shelton won a tennis OGM it wouldn't even make a ripple in American news, nobody cares.
At the 2020 summer Olympics, the US won 113 medals, Serbia won 9, Spain won 0. That puts it into perspective.
Olympics for Americans is really just track and field and swimming. Olympics tennis is a joke to Americans, it wasn't even televised in 2016 or 2020.
Lindsay Davenport said she considers her gold another major - and that was 1996 before tennis fans and commentators really ramped up considering Olympics to a large degree in ATG and GOAT debates. But yeah, players have different views on how much it means to them, which shouldn't be surprising. And now there's no ranking points as there was for a few Olympics.Every Olympics you see players skip it in favor of something else
This shouldn't be a surprise. Some players don't care about the Olympics at all, while some others see it as one of the most important events in their career
Of course.. Transwomen are getting ready to take over the men's sports, including tennis, in the next couple of years. Didn't you hear? Women are just as capable and strong as men. So there won't be any men's olympic tennis for Shelton to participate in.
For some sports, yes.The Olympics must always be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Is this is part of your portfolio for the Mirror?The future of Olympics is uncertain. Russia has the best tennis players in the world but it is banned.
The world is on fire. WWIII could break out at any time. And we have not even mentioned possible injuries.
The Olympics must always be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
A young healthy Djoker, Rafa, Fed, and Murray would never skip the Olympics. It would be unthinkable.
Indeed, the Big Four were all at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
A true elite player would show up. This is just not a good look for Shelton.
I’m sorry but this is the most contradictory comment I’ve seen so far. He sucks on clay, therefore he’s being lazy and needs to show up for his country? What kind of senseless line of reasoning is this?Each country can send up to four players and his high ranking easily qualifies.
He is hesitating because he absolutely sucks on clay (FAA destroyed him in Paris).
The Paris Olympics is only a week. This lazy clown needs to show up and play for his country.
Compare and contrast with Spain's Martinez who is extremely upset at being bumped off the team by the lower ranked Rafa.
A 21 year-old is not capable of playing a couple of doubles matches? Please. It is inexcusable.
"I've thought about it a lot. At the moment I can say that I'm quite inclined not to go this year, in case I qualify. I think they fit into the tennis schedule in a complicated way."
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Why Nadal's compatriot is so upset with Rafa using the protected rankings to play the Olympics - Tennis Tonic - News, Predictions, H2H, Live Scores, stats
Dispute over Nadal's use of protected ranking for Olympics raises fairness concerns among Spanish players like Pedro Martinez.tennistonic.com
With that serve, he is a doubles threat on any surface.
These people play for money!
He sucks on clay, therefore he’s being lazy and needs to show up for his country? What kind of senseless line of reasoning is this?
Maybe the argument is that since all American male players suck on clay it is his responsibility as the greatest hope for the country to step forward at the Olympics.I’m sorry but this is the most contradictory comment I’ve seen so far. He sucks on clay, therefore he’s being lazy and needs to show up for his country? What kind of senseless line of reasoning is this?
He doesn’t need an excuse to NOT GO to a non-mandatory tournament. Why does he need to play for his country? These people play for money! And if he has a better chance of winning a smaller, lucrative hard court even at home than he does by traveling to a tournament he has no chance of winning, then what would be the point? How is that lazy? None of what you just said makes any sense.
and his GF is in the Olympics.
I guess he figured out:
- Euro clay is a lot harder than American har-tru.
- there's at least 5 clay court players that are levels above him.
He shines on US hard courts.
I'm not trying to be antagonistic. I'm genuinely curious. Why do you think this? What makes the Olympics so important compared to the normal ATP calendar that is already an international competition?The Olympics must always be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I'm not trying to be antagonistic. I'm genuinely curious. Why do you think this? What makes the Olympics so important compared to the normal ATP calendar that is already an international competition?
I thoroughly struggle to understand the concept of positioning Zverev as a moral counterweight.Olympics must always be treated as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Is it more important? That is left to each individual player.
Zed is the defending Olympics champion and he is making it top priority this year. Above any Slam..
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Defending Olympic Gold Top 2024 Priority For Zverev
Defending his Olympic gold medal is the top priority for Alexander Zverev in 2004, but the world number seven says he is also ready to contend at Grand Slams.www.barrons.com
"I think the Olympics are always very, very special," added Zverev.
"It is probably the biggest event of the year, in my opinion, in my eyes, because the Olympics is once every four years. It is special in that regard.
"I'm definitely looking forward to being in the Olympic Village again," and "being in these smallish apartments where you're all together, just enjoying the time. That's what I did in Tokyo. Kind of worked out very well," he said.
Who is Ben Shelton’s girlfriend? Is she in the US swim team?
I thought she was dating Woody AllenAnna Hall - Track & Field; Heptahlon. She's also a FL Gator.
Raul’s favorite game.I thoroughly struggle to understand the concept of positioning Zverev as a moral counterweight.
I don’t buy that argument. Even if it was true that ALL American male players suck on clay (which is a claim I’m already skeptical of to begin with), the logic still does not follow. Why would you expect someone “who sucks” on that surface to “step forward” on that surface? It just doesn’t make any logical sense.Maybe the argument is that since all American male players suck on clay it is his responsibility as the greatest hope for the country to step forward at the Olympics.
The Olympics CAN BE more lucrative IF the person actually had a snowballs chance in hell of winning. But this is not the case for a player like Shelton, and despite who here is touting him as the next great player, at least he himself has a more realistic take. As cocky as he is, he doesn’t appear to be stupid or naive enough to think that this is a lucrative venture for him. I would think he’s in a better position to determine what is good for his career (based on his current level of development) than any of the fanboys here questioning his decisions. Nobody except the most naive people in the world actually believes that he could win the Olympics. This includes himself! The only thing he could do is embarrass himself, and miss out on the opportunity of winning and profiting from an event that’s actually realistic. He obviously realizes that going to the Paris Olympics would be a zero sum game, so he’d only be doing it just to appease some fanboys or traditionalists.The Olympics and the world exposure can often be far more lucrative than any Slam win.
Ask Zed who earned millions more from his 2020 Olympics Win than the 2020 U.S. Open Finals.
Not even close. So you've got that all dead wrong.
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Defending Olympic gold top 2024 priority for Zverev
Defending his Olympic gold medal is the top priority for Alexander Zverev in 2024, but the world number seven says he is also ready to contend at Grand Slams.sportstar.thehindu.com
Shelton is being touted by many here as the next great player. Possibly ready to join Alcaraz and Sinner.
With that serve, he is at least a Doubles threat against Rafa/Alcaraz.
Elite healthy players do not skip the Olympics at age 21. The Big Four all showed up at 2008 Olympics.
How does the hapless Shelton pass up the opportunity to go up against Rafa/Alcaraz on the world stage?
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Spain won 17 medals.The Olympics is a much bigger deal for small countries. If Djokovic won a gold medal for Serbia it would be huge. If Shelton won a tennis OGM it wouldn't even make a ripple in American news, nobody cares.
At the 2020 summer Olympics, the US won 113 medals, Serbia won 9, Spain won 0. That puts it into perspective.
Olympics for Americans is really just track and field and swimming. Olympics tennis is a joke to Americans, it wasn't even televised in 2016 or 2020.
The concept is that someone still has to carry the flag for the country. It then sets up the redemption narrative arc for 2028.I don’t buy that argument. Even if it was true that ALL American male players suck on clay (which is a claim I’m already skeptical of to begin with), the logic still does not follow. Why would you expect someone “who sucks” on that surface to “step forward” on that surface? It just doesn’t make any logical sense.
It would make more sense to say that he should step up in Los Angeles when the event would presumably be played on a surface he doesn’t suck on and is a home soil event potentially giving him extra exposure and notoriety at home if he does well. Wouldn’t that be the time to “step forward” for your country?
One of the reasons that it seems "TAINTED," is because the IOC gets its self messed up in politics.Olympics is tainted and he doesn't want a part of it.
Israel was attacked first and is not engaged in the conflict with the stated aim of territorial acquisiton. These are obvious points of distinction independent of other considerations.One of the reasons that it seems "TAINTED," is because the IOC gets its self messed up in politics.
We have Russia sending athletes as AIN (Individual Neutral Athletes) with no flag or team sports.
That's okay, but the IOC really dropped the ball, by not including Isreal in the same restrictions!!
Maybe the heavy hand of America obscured the view of equality from the windows of the IOC.
Whether or not Shelton wants to go, is "small potatoes" -- not so important to the Olympics.