AO director: (Nadal) must be protected.

Don't tell me td's aren't manipulating draws and schedules for nadal and frankly other top players when they need it. Dollars and cents- the td wants to keep nadal in the tourny in the early rounds to keep that draw going. If nadal can't handle the heat, he needs to pull out. They have a 33 year old out there in the sun two sessions in a row.

http://tenis.as.com/tenis/2015/01/22...63_782840.html

Google Translation:

Nadal will play at night in Australia as a precaution
After the problems of cramps and dehydration, the organization has decided to put the match Nadal on Friday night session at Rod Laver Arena.

MELBOURNE
January 22, 2015 8: 44h

Nadal-Sela scheduled for night session

With thermometers and exceeding 35 degrees (although in the day on Friday a new and sensitive decline expected), the organization Open Australia has taken the sublime decision to place the party of Rafa Nadal with Israeli Dudi Sela in knockout end as closing session on Friday night at Rod Laver Arena after the female turn-Diyas Sharapova. This means that the Nadal-Sela not start before 21:00 pm on Friday in Melbourne, 11:00 in Spain. With absolute certainty, the organization Open Australia, directed Craig Tiley, Nadal leaves these hours as a precaution after problems cramps and dehydration Rafa suffered in the second round against American Tim Smyczek. Tiley revealed to AS. "We saw that Rafa had lost a lot of fluids and equipment Nadal asked us to have the greatest possible recovery time. We are in constant contact with teams of players and this decision was a good thing for both parties and that leaves everyone happy , no one can bother. Rafa Nadal is one of the great assets of this tournament and tennis world. We must protect ".

Finally, after spending the morn resting and recovering fluids lost in the grueling test against Smyczek, Nadal trained at the Indoor No. 4 Melbourne Park, also for direct medical advice to preserve the utravioleta radiation and the embarrassment of an environment which stood at 36 degrees when we started training Rafa. The training, against a 'junior' Tennis Australia as 'sparring', was developed behind closed doors in the 'indoor' exhibition at the express request of the same Rafa Nadal: to be "lighter".

"It's better for everyone if Rafa plays in evening session, because although it has recovered and has rested well, night play will grant more rest. All indications are that this has gone through a heat stroke, but confident that from here the party comes to nothing. the stomach and perfectly located, "said Toni Nadal after training in indoor numero 4.

Compare that with how they treated their defending champion in 2009...still upsets me to read about it...


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/djokovic-melts-in-the-australian-heat-1517718.html

I would also add that players are protecting Nadal by keeping silent.

Federer was happy to kick the boot into Djokovic after that 2009 withdrawal, saying he shouldn't play if he isn't fit, but you know he would never say anything like that about Nadal.

That's why Murray's "moan" about it yesterday stands out, good on him!

As if Nadal needed any more protection, isn't that draw protection enough?   Big fail from the TD here. Agree about other players protecting him too much. 

Murray's statements seemed to be more directed towards the media who had put him down when he was in the situation Nadal was in, instead of cutting him the same slack. Got so annoyed with our commies during the Fed match who gushed about what a gladiator Nadal was in coming through in five.   His problem, when he suffers intolerance to his PEDs.

Tbf about Fed - he did complain about Nadal in 2014 from another angle. (time wasting, groaning) But he is a bad loser of course, so who cares? 

noleisthebest wrote:I would also add that players are protecting Nadal by keeping silent.

Federer was happy to kick the boot into Djokovic after that 2009 withdrawal, saying he shouldn't play if he isn't fit, but you know he would never say anything like that about Nadal.

That's why Murray's  "moan" about it yesterday stands out, good on him!

Players can't really give names awayt but most are actually in awe of his success. Smy behaviour the other day was terrible. Almost as if his sponsors asked him to let him win!

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I would also add that players are protecting Nadal by keeping silent. (...)

Players can't really give names awayt but most are actually in awe of his success. Smy behaviour the other day was terrible. Almost as if his sponsors asked him to let him win!

You mean his display of "fair play"? Or the sycophant statements before and after the match?

Love Smyzcek; he's a great example of amazing sportsmanship.

Autumnleaf wrote:

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I would also add that players are protecting Nadal by keeping silent. (...)

Players can't really give names awayt but most are actually in awe of his success. Smy behaviour the other day was terrible. Almost as if his sponsors asked him to let him win!

You mean his display of "fair play"? Or the sycophant statements before and after the match?

all the above!

Kim Jong-Un wrote:Love Smyzcek; he's a great example of amazing sportsmanship.

I bet you do.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:Love Smyzcek; he's a great example of amazing sportsmanship.

I think what Smy did was not sportsmanship. It is umpre's job to look after the crowd etc. I don't hold Nadal unsportsmanslike for not giving Nole a let here:



Sportsmanship is playing by the rules, not abusing them to suit your own selfish purposes at the expense of your opponent.

noleisthebest wrote:I would also add that players are protecting Nadal by keeping silent.

Federer was happy to kick the boot into Djokovic after that 2009 withdrawal, saying he shouldn't play if he isn't fit, but you know he would never say anything like that about Nadal.

That's why Murray's  "moan" about it yesterday stands out, good on him!

This is a 100% true and really what happens in all sport.. As much as Federer must hate losing to someone who he knows cheats-  "the greater success" of the sport is always hammered into the minds of the players... Don't rock the cart.   Lets face it-- 2009 or even today-  Federer knows if he needs a cool million dollars or more for many years to come, a call to Nadal sets up an EXo.   Sad but true- the desire for money overrides everything.  Expose Nadal and a huge number of fans would turn on Fed-- not his- but all the sheep who have their heads buried,  sponsors and TD's would be furious to lose the 2nd biggest draw in the sport,  etc.    It's a tough position to be in really.

The td's know in the later rounds- a Nadal or Federer or whoever is going to face probably other top players, not a whole lot they can do about that other than set the quarters up with an opponent that best suits who they want to go..  They know Nadal is the least likely of the top 3 to run a gauntlet to make the end stages in a tourney off clay- so as he freely admitted in this article "they protect Nadal" to help him get as far into the tourney as they can-- thereby increasing their gates and ratings further along.     Same with Federer- the TD must be crapping himself Fed is out in the 3rd round-  a 2nd week run was the surest thing in the business for years..    Now that Federer the top draw is out-   the TD will even be more aware of doing everything he can to help Nadal win.