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Sam Groth, the recently retired Aussie with arguably the fastest serve of all time, had an interesting view on the Fédération Française de Tennis (FFT) unilaterally rescheduling Roland Garros on top the pre-existing (and sold out) Laver Cup Boston, one week after the US Open. Groth said the FFT is "in cahoots' with the ITF, and supports the controversial new Davis Cup (aka the Piquet Cup), which as a team event competes with the Laver Cup. Groth claims they choose the awkward timing to sabotage Team8's Laver Cup.
That the FFT did this without consulting the other slams, the ATP, nor the WTA is surprising and provides circumstantial evidence to back Groth's claim.
Fed aka Team8 seems unlikely to force a showdown, since so many lower-ranked ATP and WTA players rely on majors for income. But, if they did, I could see Fed, Americans, Kyrgios, and Canadians sticking with Laver Cup Boston rather than flying to Europe for clay.
Coming a week after the US Open (assuming either happens at all) is strange. Imagine the challenge for Rafael Nadal, defending titles in both events to play 5 setters in New York on hard then turning around playing RG on clay in France the next week.
Of course, this may all be moot. There may be no more pro tennis this year. Or, none until Nov/Dec perhaps revolving the the ATP World Tour Final? Somebody like Britain's Ladbrokes is probably taking odds on when the tour starts again, or if in 2020.
Who knows?
That the FFT did this without consulting the other slams, the ATP, nor the WTA is surprising and provides circumstantial evidence to back Groth's claim.
Fed aka Team8 seems unlikely to force a showdown, since so many lower-ranked ATP and WTA players rely on majors for income. But, if they did, I could see Fed, Americans, Kyrgios, and Canadians sticking with Laver Cup Boston rather than flying to Europe for clay.
Coming a week after the US Open (assuming either happens at all) is strange. Imagine the challenge for Rafael Nadal, defending titles in both events to play 5 setters in New York on hard then turning around playing RG on clay in France the next week.
Of course, this may all be moot. There may be no more pro tennis this year. Or, none until Nov/Dec perhaps revolving the the ATP World Tour Final? Somebody like Britain's Ladbrokes is probably taking odds on when the tour starts again, or if in 2020.
Who knows?
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