January 13, 2022

 

Hi Rich

Always appreciate your fearless reporting. However, I strongly disagree that Novak should be allowed to participate in AO. He knew the rules. His obvious attempts at deception are a symptom of his extreme arrogance. He simply expects to be treated differently because of who he is. I do agree that the Australian government didn’t handle this well but the more information comes to light, the more it is clear Novak should be banned from this year’s AO. 

Best Regards 

Don Hightower

​

​

January 13, 2022

​

Rich,

I have to go with some of the newspapers on this one.  He has had adequate time to be vaccinated, knowing that was the policy for the AO.  This just sends the wrong message.  We teach our players to follow the rules, use good sportsmanship and this says if you have money, the rules do not apply.

Thanks,

Jamie Blatman

​

​

January 13, 2022

​

I strongly disagree with your opinion supporting Djokovic. He acts like he is entitled to an entry in the AO on his own set of rules which he clearly adjusted to suit his needs.  Reminds me of the entitlement Serena felt she deserved when she was called out for receiving coaching. Both bad examples for tennis.

Bill Tritt

​

​

January 13, 2022
 

Novak Djokovic - What a Djerk!

BTW, where we each stand on the vaccination issue has nothing to do with it.  An entire globe of humanity is being exposed to a once-every-100 years pandemic, and the rate of recovery from this intrusion into our lives is dependent on a social contract that goes way beyond the petty, narcissistic attitudes of the uber-healthy, uber-rich morons (Kyrie Irving, Aaron Rogers, Novak Djokovic, etc) who feel that their "immunity" to the needs of society should trump the social duty to band together for the good of all.

 

Unless, of course, you want to see a return of polio, smallpox, chickenpox, whooping cough, and a host of other viral maladies that medicine has successfully contained/eradicated over the last 50-60 years.

Scott Harris

​

​

January 13, 2022

​

Hi Rich, 

You are entitled to your opinion, but allowing the world's number 1 to ignore Covid precautions simply because he is number 1 is a slap in the face to everyone who isn't a self-entitled jerk and actually shows some concern for their fellow human beings.  How much "misinformation"  do you allow him to get away with? 

("misinformation" comes from his own statement.)

Jim Block

​

​

January 13, 2022

​

Hello Rich,

Rules are rules.

I find his behavior troubling and elitist. He lied on his application,  traveling to several countries within a period when he wasn't supposed to prior to arriving in Australia,  blames his manager, now whines about it.

The fact he is World #1 is the only reason the Aussie government or their tennis association is considering his application. If it was someone else,  the answer would've been No, you didn't follow the rules and lied about it.

There are consequences to these actions, and either Djoko or Australia will look like idiots.

Now all those Aussie tennis players are gonna wonder why couldn't they go home over the last year or so, only to let the Serbian just ignore rules and sail on in, Covid exposed, unvaccinated, and full of himself. 

Stephanie Daniel 

​

​

January 13, 2022

​

Rich,

The Djokovic situation is sad.  I am tired of the politicization of COVID. It is dividing our country (and the world). I haven't followed it closely. Has the ATP chimed in? The WTA was quick to take on China - have they chimed in on this?  The USTA was quick to endorse BLM several years ago - are they addressing this?  So much hypocrisy.

Interesting information. Thanks.

The Commish

​

​

January 14, 2022

​

Hello,

I just wanted to say that your newsletters are terrific and of the most interesting content (and I get a lot of emails from various tennis sites). I also appreciate your fair non-woke views and the courage it takes these days to be like that.

​

Most of all, I really like how you keep a watchful eye on the bloated USTA. I’ve been around long enough to remember the late, great Gene Scott and his ‘Tennis Week’ magazine. Scott was always on the heels of the USTA and exposing them (for many of the very same things you have). After Scott’s untimely death, the magazine became a joke fluff piece and eventually disappeared (as far as I know).

​

And thank you for your fair coverage on Djokovic and the Aussie Open. I am not vaccinated but do not have any problem with those who are. I consider it a personal choice and my personal choice was not to be vaccinated. But I do run across many who have a seeming obsession with others getting vaccinated. I know a tennis pro in my area who is so angry at those who won’t get vaccinated that he even went as far as to wish a painful death on them (in front of the news camera so that person’s death can frighten others to getting vaxxed). Well, this extremely fit, fully vaccinated, and boosted pro suffered two strokes last month. Two. He can’t drive a car and has to relearn how to walk backward.

Thanks again,

The Commish

​

​

January 27, 2022

​

Commish,

At this point in the Australian Open, it appears the events number of Google Trends hits will be lower than recent years. Given all the controversy surrounding the 2022 event, one would have thought the number of hits would have been through the roof.

G’Day Mate

The Commish

​

​

January 27, 2022

​

It was refreshing to see the American women perform well in the Australian Open – two in the semis. 

There were also American semifinalists in the Boys and Girls Juniors.

Sadly, the American men received only participation ribbons.

 

The Commish