Virginia Wade Calls An Asterisk An Asterisk

First topic message reminder :

Draws opening up, unique opportunities, late development, breaths of fresh air and dawning of new era's. Lots of talk about what Nadal's absence from this years Australian Open means to the tournament. Federer hinted at a word that so far everyone has shied away from when he said that Rafa's absence would create opportunities for other lower ranked players. Davydenko did too when he said Rafa would be missed by the fans but not the players (Ha ha!). But it takes a brave women to actually say the word. Virginia Wade calls an asterisk an asterisk.

You’re perfectly happy to win no matter who the opposition is but it’s more satisfying when everybody is there. It leaves a bit of an asterisk if someone like Nadal isn’t there or he’s lost early. You want to win beating the best players.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2258895/Virginia-Wade-previews-tennis-2013-saying-Andy-Murray-carry-winning.html

carrieg4 wrote:I see the asterisk as a fanboy/girl tool used in an attempt to either denigrate others achievements or elevate the achievements of their favourite. No place for it in sport.

Only this particular OP would bother to do an article on this as she seems to thrive on these things - yet another failed attempt judging by the comments!

Well Wade didn't call it an asterik, though if you look at her neck lines they have many asteriks.

All slams before 2005 were asterisks as Nadal was either not yet at his peak or did not contest them.

carrieg4 wrote:I see the asterisk as a fanboy/girl tool used in an attempt to either denigrate others achievements or elevate the achievements of their favourite. No place for it in sport.

Perhaps the most succinct debunking of the perennial and childish 'asterisk' theory that I can remember reading.

lags72 wrote:

carrieg4 wrote:I see the asterisk as a fanboy/girl tool used in an attempt to either denigrate others achievements or elevate the achievements of their favourite. No place for it in sport.

Perhaps the most succinct debunking of the perennial and childish 'asterisk' theory that I can remember reading.

'The hard courts make it tougher to mix your game up. Hard courts are not my favourite surface to watch tennis on. The matches are so physical and you don’t see that much variety. It’s the same with the women — bashing from the baseline.

Roger can’t execute all his skills on that surface and he’s not going to last with the others physically anymore. Not for four or five hours.'


Once again it seems that 606v2 has been ahead of the discussion

time please wrote:'The hard courts make it tougher to mix your game up. Hard courts are not my favourite surface to watch tennis on. The matches are so physical and you don’t see that much variety. It’s the same with the women — bashing from the baseline.

Roger can’t execute all his skills on that surface and he’s not going to last with the others physically anymore. Not for four or five hours.'


Once again it seems that 606v2 has been ahead of the discussion

time please. Who said that?

lool in the article you posted!

did you even read it or did you just pick and choose bits to suit your fabricated argument????

To borrow from the heading, it seems to me time to call a troll a troll or a fangirl a fangirl.

Can we call a Spadea a Spadea?

time please wrote:

Miss Wade wrote:'The hard courts make it tougher to mix your game up. Hard courts are not my favourite surface to watch tennis on.

We need more clay, more grass.

More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Oh it's Virginia Wade that time please was quoting about hard courts. I know this is my article but I posted it ages ago and it was Wade saying the asterisk word that caught my eye. Nice to see the asterisk is still causing interest...

But on the hard court issue Virginia may well have a point. I have to say I agree with her. I enjoy watching tennis on clay and grass.

hawkeye i think you would be brilliant at paintball...... you are always ducking stuff! ohhhh saaannnaappppp!

no more clay, lots more grass, faster courts, lower bouncing courts, carpet courts and even wooden courts!

CaledonianCraig wrote:More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Exactly my thoughts Craig.

Fast high high bouncing grass.
Evaporation of Hard Courts from the tennis circuit.
Medium Fast Clay, no new clay tournaments- just turn some of the current clay 250s in South America to Masters 1000.
Anyway that region needs a big tennis tournament.

Danny_1982 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Exactly my thoughts Craig.

carrieg4 wrote:

Danny_1982 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Exactly my thoughts Craig.

What a coincidence! You three don't like clay.

hawkeye wrote:

carrieg4 wrote:

Danny_1982 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Exactly my thoughts Craig.

What a coincidence! You three don't like clay.

And you don't like Hardcourts hence the demotion of the AO and USO

Swings and roundabouts

I used to like Clay.

Then I saw Ghost and it all changed........

legendkillarV2 wrote:I used to like Clay.

Then I saw Ghost and it all changed........

I don't mind clay HE but there are loads of clay tournaments already and very few on grass.

There are loads of 250 clay events.
In terms of Masters and Slams, not many.
IMO one of the South Amercan 250s should be upgraded for next year.

There are 3 clay Masters and 6 HC. I would like two of the HC ones to be switched to grass then it would be more balanced.

I know it's not going to happen but that is what I would like.

I am happy with the balance on Slams but there should be a definite and clear difference in the speed of the USO and AO. At the moment it is a bit woolly.

But there are not many Grass events in general,

There should definitely be at least one Masters event on grass in my opinion. Perhaps there just isn't a suitable venue. I don't think Queens or Halle should be bumped up or if they were to become a Masters then introduce at least one if not two more grass tournaments.

CaledonianCraig wrote:There should definitely be at least one Masters event on grass in my opinion. Perhaps there just isn't a suitable venue. I don't think Queens or Halle should be bumped up or if they were to become a Masters then introduce at least one if not two more grass tournaments.

That's the problem Craig, the venues for Queens and Halle are too small for Masters tournaments. It would need to be a big venue in a good climate. Miami? Would require calendar juggling.

hawkeye wrote:

carrieg4 wrote:

Danny_1982 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:More grass - yes. More clay - no. More variety in hard court speeds - yes.

Exactly my thoughts Craig.

What a coincidence! You three don't like clay.

What??

So because I think there are enough clay tournaments I don't like clay? Good grief, how childish!

The clay stretch is one of my favourite times of the year, despite Murray not being great on the surface. If less clay and more hard courts were suggested I'd be dead against it.

Not everyone is a fanboy / fangirl, some of us can be objective HE and not base every thought on their love or hate of particular players.

carrieg4 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:There should definitely be at least one Masters event on grass in my opinion. Perhaps there just isn't a suitable venue. I don't think Queens or Halle should be bumped up or if they were to become a Masters then introduce at least one if not two more grass tournaments.

That's the problem Craig, the venues for Queens and Halle are too small for Masters tournaments. It would need to be a big venue in a good climate. Miami? Would require calendar juggling.

Would probably have to be in Europe if it had to be after the FO and before Wimbledon. A grass masters would be great for the game though. Perhaps one of the 500 HC events with great facilities could improve its chances of being bumped up by changing the surface to the green stuff.

Danny_1982 wrote:

carrieg4 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:There should definitely be at least one Masters event on grass in my opinion. Perhaps there just isn't a suitable venue. I don't think Queens or Halle should be bumped up or if they were to become a Masters then introduce at least one if not two more grass tournaments.

That's the problem Craig, the venues for Queens and Halle are too small for Masters tournaments. It would need to be a big venue in a good climate. Miami? Would require calendar juggling.

Would probably have to be in Europe if it had to be after the FO and before Wimbledon. A grass masters would be great for the game though. Perhaps one of the 500 HC events with great facilities could improve its chances of being bumped up by changing the surface to the green stuff.

And Matthew Norman in the Telegraph calls Virginia Wade a choker.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/australianopen/9809782/Australian-Open-2013-Laura-Robsons-stunning-win-over-Petra-Kvitova-leaves-me-at-a-total-loss.html

Not everyone's opinion that gets printed in newspapers is valid.

Wade was a well-known choker, just one who started from a base of high proficiency so she managed to pick up a few big ones. Barker was a choker too - but again from a base of high proficiency so that she picked up RG on Evert's absence in 1976.

It's a perfectly valid opinion, if harshly put.

You can tell that Howard Bryant writing for ESPN is either struggling for the right word or too scared to use this in an article describing how Rafael Nadal's has been missed at this years Australian Open.

What is known is that whenever a champion is crowned in a tournament field without Nadal, the game is a little less energetic, a little less historic and a lot less fun.

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/8865886/rafael-nadal-absence-felt-australian-open-espn-magazine

It takes a strong brave women to say the astrerisk word

Oh good grief!

Does Djokokvic really need to kick Rafa's butt (yet again) on a hard court slam final before the penny drops?

Nadal needs to watch Djokovic annihilation of Ferrer to see what he's been missing before he ventures out on court again although on second thoughts that would just cause him nightmares.

Hmm... Any top player is missed, but the ESPN guy sounds like he's getting a bit carried away.

Rafa has made two AO Finals in his career to date, one won, one lost. Hardly the stuff of Australian Open legend.

Calm down Mr Bryant - it's only a tennis tournament.........

lags72 a least she's stopped reading Daily Mail articles and swallowing them hook, line and sinker.

True.

Now it's the gospel according to Wade and an ESPN journo .........

newballs wrote:Oh good grief!

Does Djokokvic really need to kick Rafa's butt (yet again) on a hard court slam final before the penny drops?

Nadal needs to watch Djokovic annihilation of Ferrer to see what he's been missing before he ventures out on court again although on second thoughts that would just cause him nightmares.

Considering the last time Djokovic played Nadal in a hard court slam final he could barely stand up afterwoods from the effort and that was before Nadal had beaten him in three straight finals... mmm my guess is that Djokovic would be as scared as any player of Rafa if he was waiting at the other side of the net.

Not surprised that Djokovic could look good beating Ferrer. Have just said why on today's match thread so I won't repeat myself. And I don't think Wade would attach an asterisk to this win...

hawkeye wrote:It takes a strong brave women to say the astrerisk word

Err.....no.

(_*_)

Is this an asterisk?

Outdoor Hard Court H2H - Djoko 9, Rafa 3
Overall Hard Court H2H - Djoko 11, Rafa 5

Rafa has beaten Djoko once on outdoor HC the last 4 years.

HC Slams Djoko 4, Rafa 2

I think I know who would be more afraid.

legendkillarV2 wrote:(_*_)

Is this an asterisk?

As opposed to

Spoiler:

No HC/Grass wins in any tournament since October 2010 - the time to stop fearing Nadal or worrying about a hole left by his absence away from clay was coming to an end before his knee problems last year.

barrystar

Nadal beat Federer last year in the semi's. Did you watch that match? If you didn't I can recommend it. IMO it was the match of the year in terms of quality. They both played some beautiful stuff. I've already mentioned Djokovic hardly being able to stand after the effort of playing him in the final and that was before Nadal regained his confidence by beating him in three straight finals.

Everyone knows about Nadal's knee problems. They are the reason why he's not at the AO!

hawkeye wrote:I've already mentioned Djokovic hardly being able to stand after the effort of playing him in the final

I remember he managed to walk OK to collect the winner's trophy

Nadal beat Federer last year in the semi's.

Didn't win him the title though did it?

hawkeye I wonder just how many of those recent finals where Nadal so ruthlessly dispatched Djokovic were on clay?

Everybody does indeed know about Rafa's knee problems. After all you've reminded everyone on this site often enough. Hopefully his knees will soon feel confident enough to take him on again but let's hope not on a hard court anywhere too soon for Rafa's well-being.

legendkillarV2 wrote:(_*_)

Is this an asterisk?

Don't think so but it produces what Virginia says and HE posts!

Julius

I'm not sure Djokovic would have managed to collect the trophy if he wasn't able to have a little sit down first...

http://the-slice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal-australian-open-final-2012-e1328372888670.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/42CQzZbr0Xo/0.jpg

hawkeye wrote:Julius

I'm not sure Djokovic would have managed to collect the trophy if he wasn't able to have a little sit down first...

http://the-slice.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal-australian-open-final-2012-e1328372888670.jpg

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/42CQzZbr0Xo/0.jpg

lol that is so funny. Two pictures that shows ND knows how to sit and also how to bend over. - Wow - call a doctor I am sitting down now so must be unable to walk

Hawkeye - you do make me smile