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Post by choupi on Oct 24, 2009 6:58:01 GMT -5
After another great week in Stockholm, Marcos will play at the Seoul Challenger next week. Singles main draw: www.atpworldtour.com/posting/2009/545/mds.pdfBAGHDATIS, Marcos (1) (CYP) - WIDOM, Todd (USA)COOK, Lester (USA) - JUSKA, Andis (LAT) CAPKOVIC, Kamil (SVK)- QUALIFIER QUALIFIER - LEVY, Harel (7) (ISR) DEVVARMAN, Somdev (IND)(4) - DE VOEST, Rik (RSA) QUALIFIER - CERVENAK, Pavol (SVK) LOJDA, Dusan (CZE)- KUZNETSOV, Alex (USA) LIM, Yong-Kyu (KOR)- UDOMCHOKE, Danai(THA) (8) LEE, Hyung-Taik (KOR) (6) - CHO, Soong-Jae (KOR) (WC) MATOSEVIC, Marinko (AUS) - KIM JR., Sun-Yong (KOR)(WC) NOH, Sang-Woo - SOEDA, Go (JAP) KLIZAN, Martin (SVK) - DE BAKKER, Thiemo (NED) (3) LACKO, Lukas (SVK) (5) - KAMKE, Tobias (GER) QUALIFIER - ITO, Tatsuma (JAP) AMRITRAJ, Prakash (IND) - IM, Kyu Tae (KOR) SNOBEL, Pavel (CZE) - LU, Yen-Hsun (TPE)(2) |
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Post by getta on Oct 24, 2009 10:52:39 GMT -5
According to his interview after Robin’s withdrawal in Stockholm, Marcos seems to withdraw from this challenger… well that’s a shame because the field is extremely weak here… Marcos puts health above rankings record, and rightly so… So, Marcos closes his season with Chuncheon challenger. On a side note, the three wildcards at Bercy will be awarded to Marat Safin and two Frenchies. That trip from Stockholm to Seoul would not have been that long after all… a few years ago, I travelled from Tokyo to Copenhagen via Anchorage, above the North Pole… flying over Greenland’s ice sheets, hehe… yes, those were the days… ;D Well, Marcos gets a chance to rest up a bit.  He’ll bounce back much stronger at next year’s season.  |
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Post by getta on Oct 24, 2009 11:11:23 GMT -5
oops, I've forgotten to say that there is another side to the story. As I said elsewhere when I was obliged to answer to a certain Marcos' fan who asked a silly question... "Is Baghdatis coming for sure. After winning Taskend Challenger last week, he plays Stockholm this week. Is he going to travel back to Asia ? Korea ?"Getta: Baghdatis shouldn't have accepted the invitation to play in Stockholm if he wasn't fit enough to meet his schedule requirements. As you know there simply is something called professionalism. Let me briefly remind you of Baghdatis' unforgivable withdrawal from Rotterdam two years ago while he was still playing the quarters in Marseille. He claimed injury, which injury didn't prevent him from reaching the final in Marseille, lol. Needless to say, one that ultimately drove Richard Kracijek mad... ======================================================= Marcos might need to fan many of his fans, I guess...  |
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Post by choupi on Oct 24, 2009 11:30:20 GMT -5
I think it's a wise decision from Marcos to withdraw from Seoul. He's had great results so far, reaching his 4th final of the year. He's coming back from way deep in the rankings, because of injuries. No need to risk another one because he gets too exhausted at the end of this season. A week off after Stockholm isn't a bad decision.
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Post by Ljubica on Oct 25, 2009 7:30:00 GMT -5
I know I don't post here very often - but I do read frequently, and just wanted to say that in this instance I agree with Choupi. I think he has made the right decision, and have been pretty sure he'd withdraw from the Challenger for a few days now.
I know it may seem unprofessional in some ways, and i do sympathise with Korean fans who wanted to see Marcos and may have bought tickets specifically for him. However, a tennis players' life on the circuit is short, - and because of all his injuries, Marcos has already lost out on many opportunities to earn money for his future. So as he is known to be quite "injury prone" and still not back to 100% fitness, it would have been professional suicide to travel half way around the world just for a small tournament without many points at stake, when his obvious tiredness could have led to further injury through muscle weakness or fatigue. He and his Team have to think of the "bigger picture" here, and plan for his future. May sound harsh, but business always is, and tennis is a business these days, like it or not.
Personally, I think it would be far better for him to skip the other Challenger completely too, and try for something like Basel (quallies) or for a Wild Card into Bercy quallies. Easy opponents are fine of course, and a good way to build confidence with simple wins and almost free ranking points - but I personally think Marcos' recent performances have shown he is beyond that stage now, and needs stronger challenges and more difficult opponents to hone his skills. Just my opinion anyway.
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Post by getta on Oct 25, 2009 8:20:16 GMT -5
Rose, nice to see you here.  You should post more often, we’re all eager to hear different opinions. Problem is that Marcos can’t play in Basel as he had already committed to play in Korea during that week. Dunno if he can play the qualies at Bercy for the very same reason, not sure about that though… the qualies at Bercy start on Saturday, don’t they? :scratch: Sadly, he hasn’t even an outside chance to get a wildcard for Bercy. That could be an inevitable consequence of targeting a low cost strategy; I think that he shouldn’t have committed to play in Korea in the first place. Easy opponents are fine of course, and a good way to build confidence with simple wins and almost free ranking points - but I personally think Marcos' recent performances have shown he is beyond that stage now, and needs stronger challenges and more difficult opponents to hone his skills. Just my opinion anyway. Totally agree with you here, really. |
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Post by choupi on Oct 25, 2009 11:13:31 GMT -5
I agree with Getta, it's a pleasure to read you here Rose Feel free to post as much as you want. I'd also would rather Marcos stay in Europe for the rest of the season. After his victory at the Stockholm Open, no need to travel around the world for just 1 more challenger. Of course, I do feel sorry for the fans who would feel disappointed he doesn't come and play, but his decision would be all understandeable and wise. |
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Post by Ljubica on Oct 25, 2009 12:08:12 GMT -5
Thanks for your nice words Getta and Choupi. I wish I could post here more often, - but there just never seems to be enough hours in the day for me to do everything I want - plus working as well I will really try to come here more often though. About the European tournaments - to be honest I'm not 100% sure of all the rules surrounding entry and withdrawal from ATP tournaments. However, I'm pretty sure Getta is right in saying that if Marcos withdrew from the second Korean Challenger on 2nd November, he couldn't then play in Basel, as it takes place in exactly the same week, and there are rules in place to protect Challengers from players doing exactly that. However, if he withdrew from that Challenger still citing exhaustion or whatever, I know he would then be free to play at Bercy as that constuitutes a separate week in the ATP calendar. I agree that he has pretty much no chance of a main draw WC in Bercy - though Marcos lives in France and has a huge following there (I've seen his fans at Roland Garros!), so they might get away with it. But if they asked for a WC in quallies for him, I'm pretty sure he'd get one, as he is popular in France and a big crowd draw. Guess we'll have to wait and see. If I hear anything I'll let you know In the meantime - thoroughly enjoyed watching his win in Stockholm (shaky livestreams not withstanding!) - and loved his cute little speech with a "a kiss to my Mother"! |
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He’ll bounce back much stronger at next year’s season. 
You should post more often, we’re all eager to hear different opinions.