Rafa's challenge to the ITF

"It is unacceptable that two big events like a Grand Slam and a Davis Cup semi-final are so close."

That's Rafa's viewpoint even though he beat Gasquet seemingly without too many problems. Novak withdraw from his match with back problems which i guess was hardly surprising, Roger was "sluggish" at first against Hewitt whilst Andy seemed OK against the part-timer Kiss.

Nadal surely has a point though. In Andy's case the competition was not so stiff but the other 3 all had difficult matches on paper. It would have been not unexpected if Nalbandian had seen a less than 100% Novak and Hewitt likewise with Federer (if Roger had made the final at the US Open).

Surely the close proximity of the two events devalues the Davis Cup. It doesn't take a genius to work out that the contestants in a Davis Cup semi-final are going to be most of the slam semi-finalists and finalists. More ammunition, if it were needed, for a rethink of the tennis season before as Rafa says the top players stop playing Davis Cup.

It is important to have a team competition like the Davis Cup to give fans of the top nations something to cheer about but surely as has been the case for a while now it need some real restructuring and seperating from the the other big events.

It's hard to see how where a natural break would fall to hold the Davis Cup if not during the Fall spring.

Rafa needs to realise that while the demands on a modern sportsman are great, so are the rewards. The fact that the superstars are obliged to participate in the Masters series plus a few 500s and 250s ensures that tournaments are lucrative, and this is reflected in the rewards to the sport's elite.

I love the way he stops short of calling for a 'strike' because 'he loves playing' - becoming just a wee bit spoilt imo.........how long before Andy chimes in with obsequious support?

For once I agree with him, saying that though it was about time he decided to play for them after going 'absent' during their duel with the US the DC should not concern players who are in the finals of grand slams anyway, and when they are pondering over not making themselves available for it, they are made to feel guilty by their team boss

Playing the Davis Cup every other year would help. The calendar is quite fractured as it stands, with obvious breaks on offer after Australia, Wimbledon and the end of the season rather than one longer break. IW and Miami are prestigious and I like them but it is odd that they follow the main event rather than being a precursor.

On Nadal, I think he has a point. If Federer said this then it would be respected as coming from the statesman of the game. Judge the words, not the mouth from which they came.

I wouldn't blame Rafa if he opted out Positively at all - I think after a gruelling final at US, Spain could and maybe should cope without him.

I probably was a little unfair on one player, but he is one who is constantly moaning about the obligations of the top players. It is not just tennis where modern sportsman have to face an extremely long calendar and little off season, it is nearly every sport nowadays. On the other hand, modern sportsmen at the top of their game earn far, far in excess of their predecessors.

Will the moaning duo ever stop moaning?

time please wrote:I wouldn't blame Rafa if he opted out Positively at all - I think after a gruelling final at US, Spain could and maybe should cope without him.

I probably was a little unfair on one player, but he is one who is constantly moaning about the obligations of the top players. It is not just tennis where modern sportsman have to face an extremely long calendar and little off season, it is nearly every sport nowadays. On the other hand, modern sportsmen at the top of their game earn far, far in excess of their predecessors.

That is fair enough tp. Probably would have been prudent of Nadal not to be so vocal hot on the heels of his US Open complaints. By playing anyway yet still voicing disapproval he makes himself a bit of a martyr. Agree re Spain too, they have enough strength to cope.

Think you bore the brunt of my increasing feeling that the leanings of this site are rather anti-Nadal, for which I apologise

No need to apologise at all Positively, and I was being a little bit sharp about Rafa and you were quite right that actually I was reacting to one player gripping again before actually looking at the gripe