[zjtennis]

(Snip taken from Jose Morgado's Twitter account)

There's just something ironic about this: as we know, Dominic Thiem was planning to skip the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in favor for playing Kitzbuhel. It was a puzzling decision for many, me included. But the Olympics is now postponed and it seems the tour will return with Kitzbuhel in the tennis schedule. In a twist, the US Open will also be in the same week as Kitzbuhel!

I get why Domi didn't play the Olympics over his "home tournament" (sure the fact that there's money involved has something to do with it), but this has to be surreal that he may have to pick a freaking Grand Slam over the very tournament he's willing to exchange the Olympics with. Either Domi will play the US Open or not play at all, right?

 

[Kyrgyros]

Monte Carlo At least this year's Miami event was the best one in ages.

 

[BMT360]

I don’t want to say there’s no chance, but I’d be shocked if Thiem doesn’t play the USO in favor of Kitzbuhel. Only way he ends up there is if he loses in the first week, imo.

 

[devision2002]

Kitzbühel will be played the second of the US Open and top 10 players won't be allow to take part unless they have played the US Open and lost before the draw ceremony in Kitzbühel (so let's say if they lose in the first or second round)
So Dominic is not eligible to play in the Austrian Ski Station unless he loses early in Nyc...

 

[NADALalot]

We might see more upsets than usual in the 1st week of the US Open, because the unseeded players won't be as nervous - because there will be no crowds. Plus we aren't sure which players will respond well to the hiatus and which will be rusty.
In fact confidence alone can be a problem after a hiatus.

 

[enlightenedth]

I don’t want to say there’s no chance, but I’d be shocked if Thiem doesn’t play the USO in favor of Kitzbuhel. Only way he ends up there is if he loses in the first week, imo.

It's the same guy skipping Olympics to play a 250 tournament. Could happen. 😂

 

[Servebots=GOAT]

Thiem to skip or tank USO to be fresh for Kitzbühel.

 

[Manu_ser]

How they threw Kitzbuhel in this schedule is hilarious.

 

[Chris Kuerten]

This has Haase written all over it

 

[Punky Brewster's Millions]

We might see more upsets than usual in the 1st week of the US Open, because the unseeded players won't be as nervous - because there will be no crowds. Plus we aren't sure which players will respond well to the hiatus and which will be rusty.
In fact confidence alone can be a problem after a hiatus.

Thiem to skip or tank USO to be fresh for Kitzbühel.

Thiem to skip or tank USO to be fresh for Kitzbühel.

Makes perfect sense..I've never seen Rafa celebrate winning the French as much as Domi celebrated winning Kitz. last year.

 

[Walle]

Will be interesting to see the cut-off for Kitzbühel. I'm not sure if it will be lower than usual because some players will decide to skip US Open and focus on the clay season or if it will be higher because the schedule is extremely stacked and the players will prefer to take a break between US Open and Madrid/Rome/RG even if losing early in NY.

Thiem to skip or tank USO to be fresh for Kitzbühel.

As a Top 10 player he's not allowed to skip USO and play Kitzbühel so tanking in his only chance.

 

[china virus]

not allowed

not allowed? I think the normal rule set has been thrown out of the window thanks to the wuhan virus.

By your logic the ATP is "not allowed" to put a tour event same week as a slam either but they still did. If he did skip US open who is going to punish him? ITF? Grand Slam association? the ATP obviously isnt going to punish him

Also I think people do not understand how pro tennis tour works here. ATP/WTA has zero power over the Slams or Olympics, sure the slams and Olympics use ATP/WTA ranking points to decide entry lists but that's where their oversight ends. The biggest tool ATP has is the ranking points awarded . They could make the US open a zero pointer if they wanted to and the US open organizers would be powerless to do anything.

The main reason why the ATP removed awarding tour points from the Olympics is because event organizers whined that players are not entering their event, awarding zero points for the Olympics is the perfect excuse for vultures like Thiem to skip the Olympics and play a weakened field tour event for easy points and money.


This is the reason why Thiem will never be considered a great like 2x Olympic gold winner Andy Murray.

 

[Walle]

not allowed? I think the normal rule set has been thrown out of the window thanks to the wuhan virus.

By your logic the ATP is "not allowed" to put a tour event same week as a slam either but they still did. If he did skip US open who is going to punish him? ITF? Grand Slam association? the ATP obviously isnt going to punish him

"The revised calendar includes the Generali Open, an ATP 250 event in Kitzbühel, which coincides with the second week of the US Open. Top 10 singles players will not be eligible to compete in Kitzbühel unless they have played, and already lost, at the US Open. "

This is not my logic, but the official rule by the ATP, stated in the press release about the revised calendar. Kitzbühel is an ATP tournament so they make the rules who's allowed to play there, not the ITF nor the GS association. Nobody's gonna punish him but he can't enter Kitzbühel if he doesn't play in NY. Period.

 

[Losange]

This has Haase written all over it

Saw him on Dutch TV. The way he speaks, ugh, he's a retired player in denial.