# Tennis 2013 Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [December 28, 2012, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410 "2012-12-28T18:38:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 28
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/541 "2013-09-16T16:24:54Z")
[Marin Cilic has been suspended for nine months (May 1 to Feb 1) after the ITF ruled that he inadvertently took a banned stimulant.](http://www.itftennis.com/antidoping/news/decisions/decision-in-the-case-of-marin-cilic.aspx) ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/542 "2013-09-16T20:15:10Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > [Marin Cilic has been suspended for nine months (May 1 to Feb 1) after the ITF ruled that he inadvertently took a banned stimulant.](http://www.itftennis.com/antidoping/news/decisions/decision-in-the-case-of-marin-cilic.aspx) Yeah, saw this. Why retroactive? Has he been inactive during that time? ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2013, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/543 "2013-09-16T21:00:52Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Yeah, saw this. Why retroactive? Has he been inactive during that time? That’s when he took the test. He hasn’t played since Wimbledon and it sounds like he’s forfeiting all the prize money and rankings points he has won since May 1. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2013, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/544 "2013-09-18T23:00:01Z")
More about Tomic and his apparently messed up personality/life. [From tennis.com](http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/09/keeping-tabs-sept-18/49212/#.UjowCD9_Rrg) > [@](#): > > Diary of a Mad Family > > By now you’ve probably heard about the journals of Thomas Drouet, hitting partner to Bernard Tomic, that were published over the weekend by News.com.au. Judging from earlier reactions, I had expected them to reveal Bernie’s father, John, as a tennis parent of monstrous proportions. And they do: John comes across as unpredictable, cheap, highly irascible, and occasionally dangerous. But most of that we knew, right? What I found more interesting was that, in the relationship, it seems that Bernie gives as good as he gets. John bullies Bernie, but Bernie turns around and makes John cry, too. “Dysfunctional” is an understatement, and it’s hard to see Bernie succeeding until he leaves this chaotic atmosphere behind. As Drouet writes, it was no coincidence that the week Tomic recorded a straight-set win over Novak Djokovic at Hopman Cup last year, John wasn’t around. > > Two notes: > > —Now we know why Tomic never does anything after the Australian swing, and it doesn’t sound like it has much to do with his Dad. Drouet says Bernie partied himself out of shape this year after Melbourne, to the point where the Frenchman barely recognized the Aussie when he showed up in Europe a few days before Rotterdam. “He’s a like a zombie,” Drouet writes of Tomic as he futilely attempts to run. > > —Drouet says that Tomic sneaks out of his hotel room at night to see friends. That’s bad for his game, of course, but I definitely got a laugh out of Bernie’s reaction when Drouet knocks on his door one morning to get him up for practice: > > “F—k off,” Bernie yells from his bed. Sounds sort of like…a 20-year-old. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/545 "2013-10-01T19:02:54Z")
Saw a ESPN tweet that [David Nalbandian](https://twitter.com/ESPNTennis/status/385115011766423552) has retired. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/546 "2013-10-05T13:29:19Z")
By reaching the final of the China Open, Nadal will return to number one when the new rankings are released on Monday. He will supplant Djokovic, who he plays in the China final, win or lose. I am sure Nadal will be motivated (is he ever not?) to beat Djokovic and legitimize his new ranking. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2013, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/547 "2013-10-05T17:06:11Z")
That was bound to happen sooner or later. Nadal’s just been too good since he came back. I was a little surprised when I saw he hasn’t been #1 since July 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2013, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/548 "2013-10-06T12:20:06Z")
Djokovic blew right through Nadal last, winning the title. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/549 "2013-10-12T18:57:56Z")
Del Potro won a tournament in Japan last week and [just scored what could be a big win against Nadal in Shanghai.](http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/9811438/rafael-nadal-ushered-shanghai-masters-straight-sets-juan-martin-del-potro) He is now #5 in the world, his highest ranking since October 2010. He’ll play Djokovic in the final. I hope he’s well and truly back. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/550 "2013-10-13T21:48:10Z")
Djokovic won the Shanghai Masters final 7-6 in the third set. Elsewhere, Roger Federer and Paul Annacone have parted ways. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2013, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/551 "2013-11-10T15:41:57Z")
Just finished watching the ATP World Tour finals semi between Nadal and Federer. Will spoiler the rest in case anyone hasn’t seen it yet. [spoiler]An entertaining match, and when Federer got broken in the first set he managed to break back immediately. However, he then lost his serve again in the next game and that was pretty much that. Federer looked tired after a tough match against Del Potro yesterday - or maybe just after a long time of trying to catch up with Nadal. I wouldn’t be surprised if he retires now - but perhaps he will play one more season to try and get one more slam and go out on a high. He can definitely do it - Sampras and Agassi managed it after a few years without a major - and I hope he does. But Nadal is just too good these days. Assuming Djokovic beats Wawrinka in the other semi, we have another fascinating clash in prospect tomorrow.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/552 "2013-11-11T20:38:08Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > I wouldn’t be surprised if he retires now After the match he made it clear he won’t. He played pretty well at the end of this year and he’s certainly going to be shooting for a much better season in 2014. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2013, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/553 "2013-11-11T22:53:43Z")
Djokovic finishes the year solidly, winning the year end title. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2013, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410/554 "2013-11-12T19:52:40Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > After the match he made it clear he won’t. He played pretty well at the end of this year and he’s certainly going to be shooting for a much better season in 2014. Ah, didn’t see that - thanks. Glad to hear it! Not the boldest of predictions, but I think he will win one more slam next year (most likely Wimbledon) and then immediately retire. I still think it will be tough for Rafa to match that (in terms of career slams won), though I admit it’s looking more likely now than a year or two ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tennis-2013-thread/645410.md?page=27)