The Tennis Thread

[Faulkner]

A much weaker statement from the ATP:

 

[Soapsuds]

This is the same ATP who has done nothing about Sascha and the allegations of physical abuse against his ex gf.

[Faulkner]

I don’t care that much about Davis Cup, and I wish Novak would skip it. I know he feels obligated to play for Serbia, but he’s not young anymore. Let Lajovic and the second stringers wave the flag.

Edit: Mektic and Pavic look primed to dismantle Novak and Krajinovic in doubles so it may not matter, but my point still stands. Up to him, but that elbow…

Edited December 3, 2021 by Faulkner

[DramatistDreamer]

At the risk of starting a rumor which may not even be true, I saw a tweet posted by a Korean American man that Peng Shuai is "on trial" and now I can't dismiss the thought out of my head. Could that at all be true? How would this man know this? This account is listed as being located in the United States, but is it really, or could VPN be a factor?

Maybe I am making too much out of a stray comment posted on social media by someone who may have no insight at all but I can't help it, I find the comment deeply disturbing.

I wouldn't dare discuss it anywhere else but here.

[Fevuh]

Probably true.  We may end up hearing that she was prosecuted and found guilty in whatever court they have in China and never hear from her again.  For some concocted crime, or they'll even admit her 'crime' was speaking out against the government or whatever.  Or that she sadly passed away after a short illness...or prolonged illness, or however they word it so that someone might believe it.  I think we've seen the last of her for sure.    

[Faulkner]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

I'm not willing to go that far... yet.

China is drastic in the way they deal with dissidents but they're not Russia...yet. China has been known to 'disappear' people who they feel are interfering with the way they run their government business but not usually such high profile individuals (and usually not famous women, who they consider their flowers). Also, unlike Russia, China only seems to take the most extreme measures when some serious criminal charge is made (like the man who was charged with tainting the milk supply, who was executed). Ai Wei Wei is a dissident artists who makes dissident art that is openly critical of Chinese politics and government and he is treated as a hostile force, but even by his own admission he is deliberately provocative, as he believes agit-art is the best way that he can try to get the attention of people who would force change. China is not really in the business of disappearing people like Russia does. At least, not permanently. Jack Ma is one example of someone who went missing for weeks, if not months, then suddenly turned up on his yacht out in the middle of somewhere. You've heard of "Too Big to Fail"? Well, Ma was too big/famous to disappear. With her level of notoriety, I think it would be next to impossible to just do away with her, she's not poor anonymous "Tank Man" in Tiananmen Square. She is Han Chinese woman whose notoriety has only been growing, she's not the unfortunate Uyghurs who are often locked away for months in "re-education" camps, but I suspect that the government will try to 're-program' her mind to forget her allegations, likely under pressure if not all out threats made to her and her family.

If she emerges publicly, if not living in anonymity, there will likely be every effort to have her appear timid and cowed in public, much the way she appears now, with broad forced smiles, in front of a menagerie of plush toys.

[Soapsuds]

Having a great dinner at Gordon Ramsay‘s Bread Street Kitchen after my first full practice day in Dubai. But where the f*** is @gordongram ?
#veggie #wellington

 

Please register in order to view this content

[Fevuh]

At the Olympics.

[DramatistDreamer]

This is, not a surprise.

 

[Soapsuds]

Jan Brady is also out of tennis till March of next year.

[Soapsuds]

Jared Donaldson has retired! He's back in college.

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Rafael_Nadal/105990/donaldson-ends-career-two-years-after-being-labeled-as-one-of-best-talents-by-nadal/

[I Am A Swede]

Novak Djokovic on Australian Open entry list, Serena Williams to miss tournament

[Soapsuds]

I read that this morning.

[Fevuh]

I'm so out of the loop I've never even heard of him.  Yikes.