Rafael Nadal not playing Paris?

Written by: John J Fox on 3rd November 2011

Rafael Nadal not playing Paris?

Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball against Andy Murray of Great Britain during the finals of the 40th annual Rakuten Japan Open Tennis Championships in Tokyo, Japan, 09 October 2011. Murray won 3-6, 6-2, 6-0. EPA/EVERETT KENNEDY BROWN |

Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray, Mardy Fish…. What do they all have in common at the moment? Injuries. Novak Djokovic tells us he is only back on the courts a week or so because of his back injury. Ana Ivanovic has back issues…. Is it that time of year? The walking wounded… Long season of required tournaments?

I heard yesterday’s commentary with the great Rob Koenig ( for a young guy he has the insight of the ages ) anyway he was saying how if you’re over thirty there’s a special exempt. If you played on tour over ten years there’s a special exempt…why don’t we either have more special exempts ???

If I was commissioner of tennis my first special exempt would be: if a player is the current defending champion of an event and their ranking has dropped… that they automatically are in the next years draw so that they can defend their title! It happens more than you think and so many events deny the player the courtesy and instead of offering a wildcard they might offer one in the qualies… not cool!

Tennis needs “Mulligans” … We have our Martin or Marty. But we need rest times. Break times. If not we will have breakdowns. Physically. , mentally, emotionally. Tennis players have to contend with different surfaces, different balls, altitudes, weather conditions, time zones, they crisscross the earth the way most of us navigate the three eastern states ….

Why can’t protected rankings be more protected ? Why cant players just be sick or tired … We all need rest we all need rest and relaxation .. Even if that just means being a couch potato?

Why isn’t being hurt /HURT ok? Why do I call it hurt / HURT? Because tennis players always hurt. That’s every tennis player’s life everyday. What do you think?

Topics: Rafael Nadal