2020 has brought mayhem in our lives and also in tennis. Our beloved sport has just resumed and it seems that the ATP is breaking apart. There was already some discontent about the executives during the lockdown. Nick Kyrgios called the new Chairman of the ATP, Andrea Gaudenzi, “potato” for his inaction. Many complained about the fact that the ATP executive didn’t take any pay cut during the lockdown while tennis was bleeding. In addition, there was a rather widespread discontent for the fact that Gaudenzi didn’t go to New York to understand what was going on at the Western & Southern Open and the US Open during these tough and unique moments.
Djokovic, Isner and Pospisil breaking away
Novak Djokovic, John Isner, and Vasek Pospisil left their positions as ATP player council representatives with the open intent to start the so-called Professional Tennis Players Association. It’s not clear what this association will represent. Probably it will be a sort of Union outside the ATP but everything needs to be reconsidered.
Opelka’s remarks
Recently, Reilly Opelka expressed his disappointment for the ATP leadership to say:
“I have a ton of concerns. There are a few things. I don’t want to upset anyone or make the tour look bad, but I think Simon had a good point on Twitter. It wasn’t on there for long but I think our execs should be here. We’ve been off for a long time; I think our guys should be here. If they’re not going to take a pay cut and be stubborn about that, I think the very least you can do is be here for when we return. I think just that’s a simple starting point.”
Raonic’s also upset
Milos Raonic has just reached the Western & Southern Open final to also take a dig at the ATP leadership to comment:
“Players have had plenty of time to think and reflect and take a look at certain parts which they may not be happy with and discuss.
I don’t know. A lot of us were kept in the dark by our leadership for six months. We were disappointed with many things. I voiced my opinion on many things, such as other sports, executives in other sports taking pay cuts to support us. As tennis players, we weren’t making a dime for months and months.
Yeah, some played exhibitions, but most players, and most of those guys that are playing exhibitions are guys that are not too worried about making a buck.
It was the lower guys weren’t making a dime. But our executives were staying home and didn’t feel it necessary to take any pay cuts. I pushed for that on every single phone call we had. I asked that question…we have a former player leading us. I hope they step up and they work a bit more with the players like we would have expected from a former player coming in as a CEO.”
Djokovic in New York, ranking, and results in 2020
Currently ranked no.1, the Serbian has a 22-0 win-loss record in 2020. Djokovic is currently having a run in New York where he defeated Richard Berankis 7-62 6-4, Tennys Sandgren 6-2 6-4, Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3 6-1 and Roberto Bautista Agut 4-6 6-4 7-60.
Novak Djokovic will come up against Raonic in the final. The head to head is 10-0 for Djokovic.
Novak has won 2 titles in 2020 at the Australian Open and in Dubai.
The Serbian won 80 titles in his career: 47 on hard courts, 14 on clay courts, 13 on indoor courts and 6 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
John Isner in 2020
Currently ranked no.21, Isner played his last match on the 25th of August when he lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-62 7-64 in the 3rd round in New York.
John Isner’s best result of the year was reaching the semi-finals in Auckland and Acapulco.
Novak Djokovic and John Isner played each other 12 times. The head to head is 10-2 for Djokovic. The last time that they fought against each other, Novak Djokovic won 7-5 6-3 in the 3rd round in Shanghai (Shanghai Rolex Masters) in October 2019.
Here the video highlights.
Vasek Pospisil in 2020
Currently the world no.92, Pospisil played his last match on the 26th of February when he lost to Kacper Zuk 6-4 4-6 6-4 in the 2nd round of the Calgary Challenger.
Vasek Pospisil’s most significant result of the year was reaching the final in Montpellier.
