The German firmly denies his former girlfriend’s allegations but tennis needs to stop looking the other way and investigateCasual tennis fans around the world would have been forgiven for assuming that Alexander Zverev did not play last week. At the Paris Masters, the penultimate big tournament of the year, Zverev won four matches to reach the final but each time he entered the court many of the bustling official tennis social media accounts fell silent. Although he beat Stan Wawrinka in straight sets, Tennis TV provided only footage of his opponent’s successes. When he faced Rafael Nadal, his presence in the match was noted only when he won. No explanation was offered.It isn’t difficult to suggest a reason for the...
Everyone knows Roger Federer gets to play when and where he wants in every tournament he enters but Laver Cup issue is a sign of turbulent timesIt is rare to see Roger Federer flustered or short-tempered but both those sides of his personality were on show in London this week, and how revealing they were.Everyone knows (including the man himself) that he gets to play when and where he wants in every tournament he enters. He has earned it. He is not only the biggest draw in tennis, he has been one of the genuinely major stars of international sport for nearly two decades. Related: Roger Federer in line of fire over scheduling and Davis Cup claims Continue reading...
Rafael Nadal’s early departure, added to the absences of Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, Stan Wawrinka et al, shows just how stiff the price for qualifying is – but it means so muchWhen Rafael Nadal signed off early from the ATP World Tour Finals this week with a hearty: “Thank you, and merry Christmas everyone,” it was tempting to shout out after the Spaniard as he limped home to the warmth and comfort of the Spanish sunshine: “And thanks for coming.”It was the sixth time in 14 qualifications for this event that Nadal’s body has given up on him – the previous five of those before a ball was hit – and few players are more committed to the cause than...
The Scot has made the necessary improvements to his game and mentality in 2016 and, with rivals faltering, he can make his stay at the pinnacle a long oneAndy Murray has worked so hard to reach the top of his sport – which he marked emphatically by beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets on Sunday – that he intends to stay there for as long as he can. There is every chance he will still be No1 in the world when he returns to defend his Wimbledon title next June and he may even be Sir Andy by then.“When I was always fourth in the world, I never liked losing,” he said in the small hours after his 6-3, 6-4...
Scot shrugs off the tiredness that was expected to give Novak Djokovic the edge and leaves little doubt who is the top man in world tennisIt was framed as a question but it sounded more like a threat. Novak Djokovic was merrily destroying the hopelessly outmatched Kei Nishikori on Saturday night when a cry from the stands at the O2 Arena threw the narrative forward to the following evening: “Are you watching, Andy Murray?” Related: Andy Murray defeats Novak Djokovic to end year as world No1 Related: Andy Murray humble in victory against a magnanimous Novak Djokovic Continue reading...