French Open 2021

Podge_irl · 01-06-2021 12:02am

Christy42 wrote: »

People who watch the news but don't watch tennis matches but will for some reason not look at their phone for a 5 second interview were looking adds nothing to their experience and they care little for the athlete involved seems like a convoluted group.

Its not remotely convoluted. It's literally everyone who watches the news but doesn't watch tennis matches.

Joe_ Public · 01-06-2021 12:35am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

A lot to unpack in that Naomi statement. I feel great sympathy for her having to deal with depression. I'm sure there are ways in which the press conferences could be improved and more beneficial to players, fans and indeed the media themselves.

Naomi is the sole architect of what transpired this week though. Whatever she was trying to achieve, she literally couldn't have gone about it in a worse way. Either she's received terrible, terrible advice or she simply went on a solo run. I expect we won't see her until the US hard courts.

I think this is a pretty decent take. What kind of advice she got or sought would be interesting to know, it seems very much like she didn't think through the consequences her decision would have very thoroughly, if at all. It was always going to be problematic, at the barest of minimums. Am sympathetic towards her too. I think she made a mistake, an error of judgement, but no way it merits a lot of the harsh criticism being directed at her. Given that the red tops will be making their annual tennis pilgrimage to SW19, it probably not the worst idea she gives Wimbledon a skip this time!

expectationlost · 01-06-2021 1:04am

when exactly did she write to the tournament to ask for accommodation?

cmac2009 · 01-06-2021 7:50am

Her sister posting on Reddit certainly didn't help the situation and seems to have been the final straw. Quite bizarre.

klr87 · 01-06-2021 7:56am

yerwanthere123 wrote: »

A lot to unpack in that Naomi statement. I feel great sympathy for her having to deal with depression. I'm sure there are ways in which the press conferences could be improved and more beneficial to players, fans and indeed the media themselves.

Naomi is the sole architect of what transpired this week though. Whatever she was trying to achieve, she literally couldn't have gone about it in a worse way. Either she's received terrible, terrible advice or she simply went on a solo run. I expect we won't see her until the US hard courts.

I was wondering if someone would bring up the line about Sharapova!

As to why she did it, I lean more towards the solo run theory, because I can't believe that her circle would have advised her to do this, or agreed with her, or encouraged her. If they had any concern for her mental well-being, they would have told her to do something totally different, or nothing at all for the time being. Of course, some of them are making a tremendous amount of money on the back of her success, and might tell her what she wanted to hear.

Part of her problem is living in a goldfish bowl, having probably been marked for greatness from a relatively young age. That can make someone lose touch with reality.

Rob2D · 01-06-2021 8:49am

klr87 wrote: »

That can make someone lose touch with reality.

Exactly. Her whole life has been lived in an echo chamber. She can't talk to a couple journalists but she'll happily spout reams to millions of people on twitter/instagram. Maybe they should start holding the press conferences on Clubhouse to accomodate her? Madness.

I wonder if she'll go off and completely win at some other sport like Barty did during her break? Somehow I doubt it.

irelandrover · 01-06-2021 9:04am

Rob2D wrote: »

Exactly. Her whole life has been lived in an echo chamber. She can't talk to a couple journalists but she'll happily spout reams to millions of people on twitter/instagram. Maybe they should start holding the press conferences on Clubhouse to accomodate her? Madness.

I wonder if she'll go off and completely win at some other sport like Barty did during her break? Somehow I doubt it.

But those 2 things are completely different. I like what i do for work but if i have to give a presentation then i worry about it for a few days beforehand. Its definitely not healthy. And if i was depressed on top of that then i could see how it could really affect you.

If she did the interview and gave 1 word answers people would give out about that and that abuse also wouldn't be good for her either.

I dont think she is just using mental health to get out of interviews. She was willing to pay all the fines to get out of it., And rather than do the interviews she is pulling out of the tournament.

Royale with Cheese · 01-06-2021 9:05am

It's the way she's gone about things here really as opposed to what she ultimately wanted to achieve. I think most people want to hear Osaka behind a microphone about as much as she wants to be there, it's usually fairly painful. I suspect she would not have pulled this at one of the hardcourt slams where she actually had a chance of winning though.

pjohnson · 01-06-2021 9:15am

Could this be a get out of jail card for her to dodge the Olympics?

Hilarious that Serena is trying to speak up for Osaka when she apparently caused the issues in the first place.

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 9:39am

DonegalBay wrote: »

Also for someone who suffers such anxiety, what must have that whole Serena incident in 2018 have done to Osaka. Imagine suffering anxiety and being booed by the crowd, I would imagine much worse than facing media.

She said in here statement that since that final she has been suffering depression. I can understand that, I remember that final and I felt totally sorry for her standing on the platform and apologising for beating Serena and the crowd booing. But none of that was her fault and I think I said on here are the time that Serena ruined Osaka's biggest moment.

So I can understand her anxiety going out to play in front of a crowd and in a final having to do a speech after what she went through that night in New York but a press conference after a match with Journalists and not a crowd I don't see the issue, answer the questions, I played well blah blah, I didn't play well blah blah. Her sister has come out and said that the critiscism of Osaka's performances on clay are what she is unhappy about.

camz09 · 01-06-2021 9:55am

I always feel a sense of unease when blue tick casuals start giving their thoughts on tennis.....I hope Naomi finds the help that she needs and that she can channel all that into improving and winning again (I have no doubt she will!) but the Yas Kweening from the casuals who probably only watched two tennis matches their whole life and don't know what a "roland garros" is, my god !

Fred Cryton · 01-06-2021 9:59am

Augme wrote: »

It's funny that alot of people's attitude is "she should just do it anyway and not really say anything at them". Basically sums up how much a joke those interviews are. It would be much easier to just give one word answers and force herself into doing them, but why?

Rather than encouraging someone to do the bare minimum that's required you should be asking why you are forcing that person into doing that activity in the first place.

It's not that hard to understand. Press conferences create stories and soundbites for the media which they can use to generate interest in the sport.

Hence why the organizers contractually oblige, as part of the terms of entry, to do media. Every athlete has the choice not to do media by simply not entering the competition in the first place.

If she genuinely had mental health issues, then she should not have entered the tournament. End of. Problem is when you earn $50m a year from sponsorship it starts to inflate your ego and you think you can have your cake and eat it too.

Christy42 · 01-06-2021 10:02am

Fred Cryton wrote: »

It's not that hard to understand. Press conferences create stories and soundbites for the media which they can use to generate interest in the sport.

Hence why the organizers contractually oblige, as part of the terms of entry, to do media. Every athlete has the choice not to do media by simply not entering the competition in the first place.

If she genuinely had mental health issues, then she should not have entered the tournament. End of. Problem is when you earn $50m a year from sponsorship it starts to inflate your ego and you think you can have your cake and eat it too.

Do they? I mean at most it is the clickbaity sort that don't have much relevance to the sport itself.

And if you want a story around the sport then quite frankly Osaka should be given a bonus.

Fred Cryton · 01-06-2021 10:05am

Christy42 wrote: »

Do they? I mean at most it is the clickbaity sort that don't have much relevance to the sport itself.

And if you want a story around the sport then quite frankly Osaka should be given a bonus.

They do yes. Small snippets of Press conferences are all over Youtube for example. Anyone interested in Sport will get them into their feed.

Calahonda52 · 01-06-2021 10:33am

Fred Cryton wrote: »

It's not that hard to understand. Press conferences create stories and soundbites for the media which they can use to generate interest in the sport.

The soundbites in many cases do SFA for interest in the sport but feed prurient stuff to the trolls.

I admire her courage and hope it starts a focus on the antics of the press that has little to do with the skill of elite athletes, or promoting the sport with a wider audience: eg kids but focus in their human frailties.

MisterAnarchy · 01-06-2021 11:08am

NoviGlitzko wrote: »

Wait, so an athlete can't be arsed to take a couple of questions after a loss despite contractual obligations from he tournament that's already given her millions, and we're supposed to support this? In today's generation snowflake era all she has to do is say some trendy stance like mental health and we must all be on the boat to support her or be cancelled. She's a disgrace. I'm so sick of players like her and Serena thinking they're bigger than the game. Tennis is better off without people dictating change just because it doesn't suit them personally.

Doubt this'll be the last we hear of it. Surprised people haven't brought up the race card yet.

This is exactly it.

Its all a carefully planned stunt for brand Osaka.
This is straight out of the Meghan and Harry playbook of wanting to have the world's largest cake and eating it, by exploiting the media for ruthlessly commercial self-promotion but using mental health to silence any media criticism.

Osaka is the highest paid female sportsperson of all time, she took in $55m dollars last year.
$5.2 million from prize money and an estimated $50 million off the court.

Her $50 million haul off the court is topped only by a trio of active athletes when it comes to endorsements: Roger Federer, LeBron James and Tiger Woods.

It used to be that you open your mouth too loudly and nobody wants to touch you,” said Bob Dorfman, a sports marketing expert at Baker Street Advertising. “Now, everybody talks about brands taking a stand. ”
In this woke era of snowflake culture big brands are bending over backwards for virtue signalling.

Osaka even has a Netflix series coming up.
The three-part series coming in July bills itself as an intimate look at one of the “most gifted and complex athletes of her generation.”:rolleyes:

timmyntc · 01-06-2021 11:18am

Fred Cryton wrote: »

They do yes. Small snippets of Press conferences are all over Youtube for example. Anyone interested in Sport will get them into their feed.

Who in their right mind goes looking to watch press conferences and post match interviews on youtube?

Highlights of the match yes, but explicitly seeking out the post match interviews? :pac:

josip · 01-06-2021 11:33am

timmyntc wrote: »

Who in their right mind goes looking to watch press conferences and post match interviews on youtube?

Highlights of the match yes, but explicitly seeking out the post match interviews? :pac:

I think that's the whole point of the 'feed'.
You don't go looking for it; it comes looking for you.

HeidiHeidi · 01-06-2021 12:14pm

Svitolina having it fairly put up to her by a teenage wildcard.....

But my goodness, the difference in shots between this and the Brady/Sevastovol match - that was a proper topspin thumping match!

timmyntc · 01-06-2021 12:14pm

josip wrote: »

I think that's the whole point of the 'feed'.
You don't go looking for it; it comes looking for you.

I understand that - just curious as to who actually devotes their time to watch that mind-numbing crap.

If I'm going to watch Tennis, I will watch tennis being played - not a player answering the same 3 questions from journalists after every match. I doubt this is what Osaka has a problem with, more than likely publicity stunt than a genuine protest, but I still can't fathom that theres this much actual demand for post match press conferences and interviews ad infinitum.

To me it stinks of media trying to squeeze more blood out of a stone - to get more tv coverage (and thus more ad revenue) from a tennis match.

Theres already pre and post match punditry and so on, soon we'll have athletes being interviewed while theyre having their breakfast or in the shower - "How do you feel about the game today?", sponsored by Cornflakes and Dove soap.

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 2:44pm

timmyntc wrote: »

I understand that - just curious as to who actually devotes their time to watch that mind-numbing crap.

If I'm going to watch Tennis, I will watch tennis being played - not a player answering the same 3 questions from journalists after every match. I doubt this is what Osaka has a problem with, more than likely publicity stunt than a genuine protest, but I still can't fathom that theres this much actual demand for post match press conferences and interviews ad infinitum.

To me it stinks of media trying to squeeze more blood out of a stone - to get more tv coverage (and thus more ad revenue) from a tennis match.

Theres already pre and post match punditry and so on, soon we'll have athletes being interviewed while theyre having their breakfast or in the shower - "How do you feel about the game today?", sponsored by Cornflakes and Dove soap.

I don't pay that much attention to the interviews during tournaments because they are all the same with the same questions being asked, its the same for football matches were they are interviewing the manager or players and all are so media trained that they are not worth watching. I don't know why anyone would watch them.

As for media demands of tournaments for access to players that I can understand. The media companies are paying big money to the tournaments to cover the competition and therefore want to be able to access the players and get their thoughts, the tournaments need the media to advertise the tournament that brings in more sponsors and therefore more exposure and money for the sport. Both need each other. What I don't like is players having to hang around till 1 or 2 in the morning after playing a night match just to do Press. There should be some rule to allow the player to do the press the next day. The demands is for the media companies to get out their articles with comments from the players.

its also the same for the players they are being paid big money to wear clothes , shoes and rackets and being paid more to endorse other products such as watches, cars and fashion things. Without the exposure the players get they wouldn't be getting those mega endorsement deals. I mean Osaka earned 50million off the court, I would say there are players ranked in the 200's or so that wouldn't mind answering a few press questions after a match if it mean they are were getting a fraction of what she is getting.

Christy42 · 01-06-2021 3:01pm

Floppybits wrote: »

I don't pay that much attention to the interviews during tournaments because they are all the same with the same questions being asked, its the same for football matches were they are interviewing the manager or players and all are so media trained that they are not worth watching. I don't know why anyone would watch them.

As for media demands of tournaments for access to players that I can understand. The media companies are paying big money to the tournaments to cover the competition and therefore want to be able to access the players and get their thoughts, the tournaments need the media to advertise the tournament that brings in more sponsors and therefore more exposure and money for the sport. Both need each other. What I don't like is players having to hang around till 1 or 2 in the morning after playing a night match just to do Press. There should be some rule to allow the player to do the press the next day. The demands is for the media companies to get out their articles with comments from the players.

its also the same for the players they are being paid big money to wear clothes , shoes and rackets and being paid more to endorse other products such as watches, cars and fashion things. Without the exposure the players get they wouldn't be getting those mega endorsement deals. I mean Osaka earned 50million off the court, I would say there are players ranked in the 200's or so that wouldn't mind answering a few press questions after a match if it mean they are were getting a fraction of what she is getting.

The issue is I doubt Osaka earned much of it by asking press questions. I am sure someone as natural as Fed did earn more but Osaka is unlikely to manage press conferences as well. However Osaka has social media far earlier in her career than Fed did where she can wear things to her sponsor's content as well as what she wears on the court.

Those press events were important for exposure 15 years ago. Now it isn't so much. They will still mention her GS wins and her name coming up to a comp which will get people to her social media.

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 3:02pm

Back to the tennis, Barty won her first round but looks to be carrying an injury. Hopefully she is not too bad. Rublev and Struff looks to be going the 5 sets, Rublev was 2 sets down in that match.

carbsy · 01-06-2021 3:07pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Back to the tennis, Barty won her first round but looks to be carrying an injury. Hopefully she is not too bad. Rublev and Struff looks to be going the 5 sets, Rublev was 2 sets down in that match.

Struff has it in him to win this match...

carbsy · 01-06-2021 3:11pm

But he can be very moody and you never know what you're going to get. A bit like France's Paire.

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 3:14pm

Christy42 wrote: »

The issue is I doubt Osaka earned much of it by asking press questions. I am sure someone as natural as Fed did earn more but Osaka is unlikely to manage press conferences as well. However Osaka has social media far earlier in her career than Fed did where she can wear things to her sponsor's content as well as what she wears on the court.

Those press events were important for exposure 15 years ago. Now it isn't so much. They will still mention her GS wins and her name coming up to a comp which will get people to her social media.

You are missing the point, she earned the money by the exposure she got via the tournaments and the press coverage of those tournaments. It is the same for any player playing bet it Federer, Nadal, Barty or Williams. Without the coverage the players wouldn't be able to earn that money. Do you think Osaka would earn the millions she has earned if she wasn't playing tennis and didn't have the exposure the she has gotten?

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 3:19pm

carbsy wrote: »

Struff has it in him to win this match...

I don't think there is much between these 2. 2 sets all now.

Rafa on now wonder if Poyrin can put it up to Nadal? Fully expect Nadal to win this but would love to see Nadal in a match.

carbsy · 01-06-2021 3:19pm

carbsy wrote: »

Struff has it in him to win this match...

Big shock on the cards...

carbsy · 01-06-2021 3:22pm

Floppybits wrote: »

Rafa on now wonder if Poyrin can put it up to Nadal? Fully expect Nadal to win this but would love to see Nadal in a match.

Popyrin is a great Australian up and coming talent but he's not a clay court player and I fully expect Nadal to annihilate the big serving OZ.

Floppybits · 01-06-2021 3:22pm

Kvitova has pulled out with an ankle injury. Monfils through now as well. Sad to see Tsonga go out last night in front of a handful of people.

French Open 2021

Comments