Queens Club

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Murray loses 2 1 in sets v Mahut after a 3rd set tie break. I realise Mahut is a decent enough grass court player, but, its still quite an inauspicious start to the grass court season.

[Sir David Gray]

Murray loses 2 1 in sets v Mahut after a 3rd set tie break. I realise Mahut is a decent enough grass court player, but, its still quite an inauspicious start to the grass court season.

Mahut IS a good grass court player but he should not be beating Andy Murray. Ever!

That is a terrible result for him and considering Queen's is the only competitive opportunity to play on grass before Wimbledon, it's hardly the best preparation for him when Wimbledon begins in less than a fortnight!

I'm sure he can go away now and play a few exhibition events on grass over the next 7-10 days or so but it's hardly the same as competitive, tournament play.

Really disappointing for Murray, considering he was the defending champion and was also the number one seed as he didn't have either Nadal or Djokovic to worry about this year.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Mahut loses in straight sets to Dimitrov, the guy looks a very promising player.

[HUTCHYHIBBY]

Nalbandian disqualified in the final for kicking an advertising board which drew blood from a line judge! Mental!

Defaults the match for unsportsmanlike conduct.

[I'm_cabbaged]

Just saw it on the news, what a ****ing bammer :)

[Sir David Gray]

I can understand the crowd's disappointment with how things ended today but they were venting their frustrations at the wrong people.

They had absolutely no option but to default David Nalbandian from the match after what happened, the rules on such things are really very clear. It is disappointing that the final had to finish like that but if they had made an exception today because it was a final, then it would have set the precedent for the next time that someone does something similar in a first round match at another tournament for the rules to be bent again.

Nalbandian also did himself no favours whatsoever with his comments after the match. He was given the perfect opportunity to issue a genuine apology to the spectators, to Cilic and also to the line judge that he injured.

Instead, although he did say sorry, he seemed more intent on going on a rant aimed at the ATP. Although he may have some valid points, it was a totally inappropriate time to come out with that kind of stuff and it was extremely ill-advised.

I can only hope that these comments were just his way of covering up the embarrassment and shame that he feels deep down because that was no way for a man of his experience to behave and he really should have known better.

Yes, sport is an emotive thing and people who play sport do get frustrated when things are going against them but there's no excuse for what he did and he'll need to take whatever punishment comes his way.

[heretoday]

Imagine if McEnroe had been disqualified all those years ago for abusing those hapless line judges and umpires!

Now the BBC is so far up his fundament all we can see is their Hush Puppies.

[Twiglet]

Imagine if McEnroe had been disqualified all those years ago for abusing those hapless line judges and umpires!

Now the BBC is so far up his fundament all we can see is their Hush Puppies.

It's not exactly the same thing as McEnroe though. Shouting and giving general abuse to line judge would still get a code violation, point to the other player. Falkirk may know better, but i reckon repeated code violation in that way would also lead to disqulification. Nalbandian took his frustrations out on a board which hit someone and drew blood, not really the same as shouting abuse at someone.

The disqualification had nothing to do with the bbc like you imply, they want a full match to air, they want an exciting 3 setter that lasts a good couple of hour, not for it to stop after a set and a half. The decision came from the umpire and the atp. They have rules like every sport and Nalbandian could well have further punishment to come, especially after his post match interview.

[Sir David Gray]

It's not exactly the same thing as McEnroe though. Shouting and giving general abuse to line judge would still get a code violation, point to the other player. Falkirk may know better, but i reckon repeated code violation in that way would also lead to disqulification. Nalbandian took his frustrations out on a board which hit someone and drew blood, not really the same as shouting abuse at someone.

The disqualification had nothing to do with the bbc like you imply, they want a full match to air, they want an exciting 3 setter that lasts a good couple of hour, not for it to stop after a set and a half. The decision came from the umpire and the atp. They have rules like every sport and Nalbandian could well have further punishment to come, especially after his post match interview.

:agree: Repeated code violations during the same match, for things like smashing your racquet, swearing and taking too long between points etc, can eventually lead to you forfeiting the match.

The first violation leads to a warning, the second leads to a point being awarded to your opponent, the third leads to a game being awarded to your opponent and a fourth violation in the one match leads to that player forfeiting the match.

What David Nalbandian did yesterday though always results in an automatic default and he effectively bypasses the first three punishments and goes straight to forfeiting the match.

I see the Met police are actually investigating a complaint that's been made against Nalbandian following yesterday's match and he may face possible arrest for assault.

[Twiglet]

:agree: Repeated code violations during the same match, for things like smashing your racquet, swearing and taking too long between points etc, can eventually lead to you forfeiting the match.

The first violation leads to a warning, the second leads to a point being awarded to your opponent, the third leads to a game being awarded to your opponent and a fourth violation in the one match leads to that player forfeiting the match.

What David Nalbandian did yesterday though always results in an automatic default and he effectively bypasses the first three punishments and goes straight to forfeiting the match.

I see the Met police are actually investigating a complaint that's been made against Nalbandian following yesterday's match and he may face possible arrest for assault.

Do you think Queen's Club will tell Nabandian that he's not to come back to the tournament? Because of silly tax laws in the UK to do with sportspeople who play individual sports, quite a few players are now not going to Queen's as it will take them over the threshold for days in the UK and they have to pay so much tax on all their winnings, not just the money they win in the UK. That's the reason Nadal gave a couple of years ago for not coming back to Queen's. The tournament needs big names and top seeds to attract a crowd, but they also need to have to stick by their own club rules.
I heard that they are trying to get the tax laws changed so that players of individual sports are treated the same way, in terms of tax, as players of team sports. If that changes, then the field will improve, but until then, they will struggle to find players.

[Sir David Gray]

Do you think Queen's Club will tell Nabandian that he's not to come back to the tournament? Because of silly tax laws in the UK to do with sportspeople who play individual sports, quite a few players are now not going to Queen's as it will take them over the threshold for days in the UK and they have to pay so much tax on all their winnings, not just the money they win in the UK. That's the reason Nadal gave a couple of years ago for not coming back to Queen's. The tournament needs big names and top seeds to attract a crowd, but they also need to have to stick by their own club rules.
I heard that they are trying to get the tax laws changed so that players of individual sports are treated the same way, in terms of tax, as players of team sports. If that changes, then the field will improve, but until then, they will struggle to find players.

The tax rules on athletes in single sports in this country is extremely unfair and really should be looked at. How can it be right that an athlete in a team sport can be treated differently to an athlete in a single sport?

It's probably not going to affect Wimbledon at all but smaller tournaments like Queen's will suffer and are suffering. When players like Rafael Nadal are turning their back on your tournament then you have big problems. I can also see the World Tour Finals being taken away from the O2 Arena eventually, unless things change.

As for Nalbandian, I can see him possibly being banned for next year, if not for his actions then maybe for his comments after the match with Sue Barker. I know the ATP have said that they won't ban him from any future tournaments but the tournament committee at Queen's may consider him as persona non grata after his conduct this year.

[Pretty Boy]

Without wishing to defend Nalbandian, what he did was wrong, I can't help feeling this is all getting a bit out of hand with rumours of an assault charge and so on.

It looks to me like he thought the advertising board was fixed to the ground and lashed out in frustration. There was, imo, absolutely no intention to injure the line judge.

Yes I know a professional athlete should control his temper etc etc but a stupid mistake and loss of temper should be treated as such. The line judge will almost certainly be ok so maybe a quiet wee word from the Police, forefeiting his prize money, a fine and a ban from Queens next year would suffice.

Very stupid by Nalbandian but not malicous imo.

[Sir David Gray]

Without wishing to defend Nalbandian, what he did was wrong, I can't help feeling this is all getting a bit out of hand with rumours of an assault charge and so on.

It looks to me like he thought the advertising board was fixed to the ground and lashed out in frustration. There was, imo, absolutely no intention to injure the line judge.

Yes I know a professional athlete should control his temper etc etc but a stupid mistake and loss of temper should be treated as such. The line judge will almost certainly be ok so maybe a quiet wee word from the Police, forefeiting his prize money, a fine and a ban from Queens next year would suffice.

Very stupid by Nalbandian but not malicous imo.

I don't think there was any intent to injure the line judge either and there is very little chance of this leading to a conviction.

I think what will happen to Nalbandian is the most appropriate punishment in that he immediately lost the match, he loses his right to any prize money from the tournament and he'll also get no points from Queen's either.

I don't think it will or should go any further than that to be honest.

[Pretty Boy]

I don't think there was any intent to injure the line judge either and there is very little chance of this leading to a conviction.

I think what will happen to Nalbandian is the most appropriate punishment in that he immediately lost the match, he loses his right to any prize money from the tournament and he'll also get no points from Queen's either.

I don't think it will or should go any further than that to be honest.

Agree with that.

Suitable punishment and move on.