[Grinder]

Jerome Haehnel reached his career high ranking this year at 79 and he was ranked high enough to make the direct entry cut for the US Open and he opts to play a challenger instead. Last year he won an ATP Title in Metz defeating Gasquet in the final and then goes back to playing challengers.

He's a funny character.

 

[Caitlin]

I heard somewhere that he is afraid of flying and doesn't like to travel overseas....don't know if that is true or not but it would be an explanation.

 

[Carito_90]

Funny oooooor....... stupid?

 

[madmanfool]

scared of flying

 

[Peta Pan]

I heard somewhere that he is afraid of flying and doesn't like to travel overseas....don't know if that is true or not but it would be an explanation.

Yep that's correct. He prefers to travel to places he can by car. He made it to the Australian Open this year though so he must make some special efforts. :shrug:

 

[azza]

Switzerland to Italy to France cant be too scared to fly?

 

[sigmagirl91]

OK....

 

[Alvarillo]

:lol: poor Jerome!

 

[Scotso]

There are a few French players with this fear, it seems.

Too bad, Jerome is good enough to be a staple on the ATP.

 

[Fee]

Switzerland to Italy to France cant be too scared to fly?

He travels by train or car most of the time.

He did fly twice in the last year (Australia and some Challenger in November, I think), but still hasn't managed to make it to the states. It is kind of odd, since France to Melbourne is a heck of a longer flight than France to New York.

 

[HappyAndie]

He should take a boat

 

[delsa]

He should take a boat

He should follow a therapy/ try accupuncture, hypnosis or something...

 

[Saumon]

or try sleeping pills like Marat

mutis has the same problem

 

[joeb_uk]

He should take a boat

Or get some balls! Hard to imagine a professional athlete letting something like that muck up their career.

 

[delsa]

Or get some balls! Hard to imagine a professional athlete letting something like that muck up their career.

Denis Bergkamp, one of the legends of the Arsenal F.C. has the same problem and he had a fantastic career!
And nobody ever thought he should "get some balls"...

 

[joeb_uk]

Denis Bergkamp of Arsenal F.C. has the same problem and he had a fantastic career!

Football is not really an international sport though, 90% of matches are in england. Where as tennis the player is travelling to different countries everywhere. A football player is able to get away it much more than a tennis player (unless they only play futures in their own country).
I really dont understand the pussies who are afraid to fly though :shrug: i wonder how long it will be before we hear a sportsman cant travel in a car

 

[jole]

It's rather unfortunate, but if he wants to semi-sabotage his ranking then its his call.

 

[delsa]

I really dont understand the pussies who are afraid to fly though :shrug: i wonder how long it will be before we hear a sportsman cant travel in a car

I'm not afraid to fly but look at how many jet crashes, jet accidents happened during this summer! I can understand that some ppl may be afraid to fly...
I think his wife/coach will force him to loose this fear or fly despite it anyway!
It's not like he would suddenly have a fantastic career if he travelled more too...
You're right about football not requiring a player to fly that much but the exemple was more to point out he wasn't treated/criticized the same despite having the same problem...You use scornful words for one and not for the other...

 

[smucav]

Jerome Haehnel reached his career high ranking this year at 79 and he was ranked high enough to make the direct entry cut for the US Open and he opts to play a challenger instead.

He wasn't ranked high enough to gain direct entry to the U.S. Open: he was the tenth alternate & only two alternates got in. His ranking would have gotten him directly into the qualifying entry list & draw, but he didn't enter.

U.S. Open entry list:
http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=2013532&postcount=1

U.S. Open qualifying entry list:
http://www.menstennisforums.com/showpost.php?p=2089147&postcount=1

 

[KoOlMaNsEaN]

Yah he doesn't like to fly so he plays where he can drive or take a train too. Weird