TENNIS THREAD- The Slams are over, and we have new Champions!

[Raahh]

Even though the commentators are still talking about Djokovic as though Medvedev hasn't won.

How much credit does Daniil deserve? All of it! He bloody won .

I'm a bit cross. Can you tell .

[Raahh]

kazza Joe Bloggs has been on my ' one to watch' list for years .

I read what Sandgren said- I think a lot of players - vaxxed or not- feel the same- the whole thing was dragged out for some drama, and has not been done fairly. They were always going to let him play.

The other annoying thing is it sets a precedent- if US tournaments might not have allowed him entry before, now he can claim ' yes but Australia...'
Unless the reception he gets in Melbourne is so bad, it makes him retreat to Monte Carlo, never to be seen again.
fingers crossed.

[Fizzywinegum]

We can but hope Raahh

I think he will get a bad reception in Melbourne and because he so wants to be loved I think it will have an effect on him

I’m going to stop going on now - can feel my blood pressure rising

[kazzaD66]

Yes fizzy I need to do the same, before I get even more bitter and twisted

Positive thoughts...!!
DH and I went for a lovely walk around the village today. Cold to begin with but not a cloud in the sky

[kazzaD66]

Magi I see that Macron is causing waves by saying he wants to make life difficult for unvaccinated people and "really piss them off"

Let's hope he still feels the same when the French Open rolls round

[Mama1980]

Happy new year all
We can hope raahh I hope the crowd are so against him he just decided to disappear.
Cock and his 'exemption' just seems very unfair. Interested to see whether the Australian PM let's him get away with it.
Agree Sangren did the right thing, he is perfectly within his rights not to be vaccinated, but as he acknowledged he can't then be expected to be allowed to play so he didn't even try.

Did anyone else see the Georgians play in the doubles today? - such a great match and you'd think they'd won the whole thing by the way they celebrated.

[Raahh]

I have seen the headline On the DM website basically saying The Aussie PM needs Djok needs to explain this 'medical exemption' (and he 'won't be treated differently to anyone else' )- or he will be on the next plane back.

But at various stages of this farce, there have been a lot of different people saying lots of conflicting things- so I won't be convinced of anything until they are handing the trophy to Rafa someone else in nearly 3 weeks time.

[JaneJeffer]

I didn't see the doubles Mama but I'm loving the Georgians. They're a lively bunch

I agree it's up to each individual to decide for themselves about the vaccine but then they shouldn't expect exemptions where the rule is you have to be vaccinated. What if all the players decided to do that?! I'd love if Djok wasn't let through at the airport

[Fizzywinegum]

Me too Jane

Does anyone know if Rafa’s played his match in Melbourne yet? I can’t seem to find anything about it (although I’m getting loads of feeds of people guzzling down grapes on NYE and someone was talking about it on the radio the other day !)

[JaneJeffer]

Not played yet it seems Fizzy I don't know what 03:00 is in Australian money! Is it 2 in the morning here?

[Mama1980]

Me too jane that would be perfect!

fizzy my Eurosport has Rafa playing beranakis tomorrow (6th) in his first round match.

[Raahh]

Fizzy so far, I've only seen that he has played a doubles match- and he has a singles match, against Berankis, scheduled for something like 3 am (our time) Thursday morning.. He's also in the doubles with Munar, at 6am.

But none of it is being televised, as far as I am aware.

[Raahh]

X post .
Ooh- is it on Eurosport Mama (Not that I will be up ).

[Mama1980]

Laver is apparently calling for Djokivic to explain his medical exemption or withdraw gracefully so it doesn't over shadow the whole tournament.

[Mama1980]

Raahh apparently it's on Eurosport player from tomorrow - according to the listings/app anyway.

[Raahh]

Mama thank you! I will have a look (and try to record it, at aleast).

Nice idea from Rod (and any other self respecting player would listen to him) - but Djok will go down fighting- though maybe this will be something to make him change his mind. Although, much as he wants to be loved, he also doesn't really care about annoying people.

They won't be putting a statue of Djok in Melbourne Park any time soon, that's for sure. (Though that one of Rafa at RG is fugly ).

[Fizzywinegum]

Thank you! Not sure if I’ll be able to watch any of Rafa

[Fizzywinegum]

Yes Raahh the Rafa statue is not good!

[Mama1980]

Apparently, Djokovic now has an issue with his visa.....his team have submitted the wrong one apparently.

Exactly Raahh anyone else would have dealt with this whole situation much better - Toni Nadal has also called for him to either explain or withdraw.

[Mama1980]

Totally agree fizzy that statue is weird lol.

[Fizzywinegum]

Don’t mess with Uncle Toni

Yes it’s not really in Djok’s DNA to do anything gracefully is it?

I really think he thought that everyone would be so pleased that he was going to be playing in Australia!

[Fizzywinegum]

I’ve just seen that about the wrong visa mama - the plot thickens!

[Mama1980]

Absolutely not fizzy - I remember a interview with Rafa years ago when he said the only time Uncle Toni said he was proud of him was when he would win a sportsmanship award, all the rest just got a shrug of the shoulders lol.

It does, the governor of Victoria is not happy apparently and refused to sign off on the visa......

[DaggerIsle]

They're throwing back to federal law and his visa doesn't allow for medical exemptions- vaccination only.
Legally he should be kicked out.

[Fizzywinegum]

I know I shouldn’t be but I’m quite enjoying this - apparently Djok was quizzed in a side room at the airport - oh to be a fly on the wall!

Feel sorry for whoever did the wrong visa though if Djok’s on court rages are anything to go by!

[Raahh]

Fizzy it is making me think of a bad soap opera.