The sore throat heard around the world -

Saturday in Monte Carlo
2008-04-29 09:12:00


Does everyone remember when Justine Henin retired against Amelie
Mauresmo in the final of the Australian Open? The FINAL. Of a Grand
Slam event. Because she had a tummy ache. Not a ruptured spleen or
appendicitis or a broken ankle. Her stomach was upset – and that upset
was called “I'm getting completely flattened by Amelie Mauresmo”.
Right. Saturday was almost like that time. Not quite as bad, but
almost.

Unless he's playing Rafael Nadal on a red court, Roger Federer is
generally considered the favorite in any match he plays. But on
Saturday, odds makers tipped Novak Djokovic. He's one of the new stars
of the ATP tour, winner of the Australian Open and becoming quite well
known for bailing from matches when the going gets tough. The Monte
Carlo Country Club stadium was sold out with fans who had paid quite a
few Euros for the pleasure of watching tennis' top four battle it out
in the semi-finals. Nikolay Davydenko and Rafael Nadal were up first.
Let's just say it wasn't exactly an epic battle. Davydenko was tired
and Rafa is....well, Rafa. Easy straight set victory, but that was to
be expected. Most people were waiting for Federer and Djokovic anyway.

Djokovic beat Federer pretty handily in the semis at the Australian
Open and everyone wondered if Roger was perhaps going to be Djokovic's
whipping boy the way Andy Murray is. Sorry Murray fans – I like him
too, but the guy is terrible against Djokovic. The first set was
pretty close. Djokovic had chances, but Federer proved to be a touch
better in the movement department. I was busy writing my article on
the Nadal match when the second set started. Then I heard a deafening
round of booing and looked up to see them shaking hands at the net.
Did Djokovic just RETIRE?

The press conference was packed with reporters. His explanation left
us all gaping. “I have a sore throat.” Pardon? A SORE THROAT? “The
doctor said there is nothing wrong with me, but obviously it is the
wrong diagnosis.” Yes. Obviously. He forgot to mention that one of the
symptoms was acute pain after going down a break in the second. I'm
sure THAT would have changed the doctor's diagnosis. I'm sorry, but
unless you are incapacitated in some way, you finish out the match.
Andre Agassi did. Pete Sampras did. Andy Murray threw up all over the
court at the US Open several years ago and continued. Gaston Gaudio
tore ligaments in his foot and tried to finish. Quitting for a sore
throat? I'm not impressed. I wrote a blog a couple weeks ago about
Djokovic being the future bad boy of tennis. I'm not so sure about the
bad boy part any more, but if he keeps doing these things, he's going
to be disliked by the fans. And of course, his behavior seems all the
worse because he shares company with Nadal and Federer, both of whom
are pretty good sportsmen when it comes down to it.

I think Federer should move to Monte-Carlo. Really. He's already one
step away from saint-hood – residency would just seal the deal for
him. Man is that guy ever loved here. There were a few times I thought
somebody was going to write a sonnet to the guy. Oh the style! Oh the
beauty and grace! What a GENTLEMAN! And so on. But the amazing part is
that the guy who has kept Roger from the big win twice in a row is so
likable himself, that the Federer-ites in Monte Carlo can't bring
themselves to say anything bad about him. A testament, for sure, to
the likability of Rafael Nadal. He brings a certain exuberance to the
sport that is infectious, and even the tennis elite, who have a
tendency to flock to Federer in droves are drawn in. It's a thing of
beauty.

Tomorrow, I'm actually going to try to see some stuff IN Monte-Carlo.
Hopefully I have some good stuff to tell you about.


[url]http://tennistalk.com/en/blog/Cheryl_Murray/20080429/The_sore_throat_heard_around_the_world_-_Saturday_in_Monte_Carlo[/url]

On Apr 30, 10:50 pm, Giovanna <giovana...@bol.com.br> wrote:

>
> I think Federer should move to Monte-Carlo. Really. He's already one
> step away from saint-hood – residency would just seal the deal for
> him. Man is that guy ever loved here. There were a few times I thought
> somebody was going to write a sonnet to the guy. Oh the style! Oh the
> beauty and grace! What a GENTLEMAN! And so on. But the amazing part is
> that the guy who has kept Roger from the big win twice in a row is so
> likable himself, that the Federer-ites in Monte Carlo can't bring
> themselves to say anything bad about him. A testament, for sure, to
> the likability of Rafael Nadal. He brings a certain exuberance to the
> sport that is infectious, and even the tennis elite, who have a
> tendency to flock to Federer in droves are drawn in. It's a thing of
> beauty.
>

Thanks for the article, Giovanna. Hope you read the paragraph
above very well. Give up your irrational hatred of Rafa.
Every guy who beats Fed doesn't have to be bad. Rafa is a
great guy and a great tennis player. He deserves respect.

On Apr 30, 1:50*pm, Giovanna <giovana...@bol.com.br> wrote:
> Saturday in Monte Carlo
> 2008-04-29 09:12:00
>
> Does everyone remember when Justine Henin retired against Amelie
> Mauresmo in the final of the Australian Open? The FINAL. Of a Grand
> Slam event. Because she had a tummy ache. Not a ruptured spleen or
> appendicitis or a broken ankle. Her stomach was upset – and that upset
> was called “I'm getting completely flattened by Amelie Mauresmo”.
> Right. Saturday was almost like that time. Not quite as bad, but
> almost.

Speaking of spleens, in last night's playoff hockey game between the
Penguins and the NY Rangers, Rangers winger Sean Avery sustained a
lacerated spleen. Although the injury apparently occurred during the
first period, Avery finished the game, despite a lot of pain and
internal bleeding (as it turned out). He was put into intensive care
later that night. This kind of "wounded warrior" stuff is pretty much
standard for NHL players, and it's not as though the game would have
to be called off if one player pulled out. Antics like those of Henin
and Djokovic are simply shameful by comparison.

Joe Ramirez

"Joe Ramirez" <josephmramirez@netzero.com> wrote in message
news:93b4dd51-8ab4-482a-acf9-c8ac912f4ecc@t54g2000hsg.googlegroups.com...
On Apr 30, 1:50 pm, Giovanna <giovana...@bol.com.br> wrote:
> Saturday in Monte Carlo
> 2008-04-29 09:12:00
>
> Does everyone remember when Justine Henin retired against Amelie
> Mauresmo in the final of the Australian Open? The FINAL. Of a Grand
> Slam event. Because she had a tummy ache. Not a ruptured spleen or
> appendicitis or a broken ankle. Her stomach was upset – and that upset
> was called “I'm getting completely flattened by Amelie Mauresmo”.
> Right. Saturday was almost like that time. Not quite as bad, but
> almost.

Speaking of spleens, in last night's playoff hockey game between the
Penguins and the NY Rangers, Rangers winger Sean Avery sustained a
lacerated spleen. Although the injury apparently occurred during the
first period, Avery finished the game, despite a lot of pain and
internal bleeding (as it turned out). He was put into intensive care
later that night. This kind of "wounded warrior" stuff is pretty much
standard for NHL players, and it's not as though the game would have
to be called off if one player pulled out. Antics like those of Henin
and Djokovic are simply shameful by comparison.


While the antics of Henin and Djokovic are disgusting, you should stop to
think for 1 minute and you will realize that the comparison between hockey
and tennis is equally shameful and not applicable.

> * * Thanks for the article, Giovanna. Hope you read the paragraph
> * * above very well. Give up your irrational hatred of Rafa.
> * * Every guy who beats Fed doesn't have to be bad. Rafa is a
> * * great guy and a great tennis player. He deserves respect.

I dont hate him