DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - James Blake: This (RG) Isn't Our Main Goal...

**KlaraNovikoffaZ** · 05-28-2009, 03:46 AM

I feel like only playing a few clay tournaments isn't a huge deal, but not even trying at the ones he does play is inexcusable to me.

They play even less on the grass court than clay court. It's only not a big deal because they all suck at it. Rafa made a pretty good career winning all over the clay before he was considered a threat on other surfaces. So, I absolutely agree, I think not trying is shameful. And I understand that they basically have to play the masters series events, of which there are a couple on clay, or face large fines, but its really not worth anyone's time for a person to play if they aren't going to put in effort. I say that of anyone, and I didn't watch James's last round match, did he not try? I heard the wind got to him some...
To some extent such statements make it easy to not put forth effort since so little is expected of them. I just hope it isn't the kind of thing they pass along. I can see it being like the girls and math thing, that by telling younger tennis players that Americans are bad on clay makes it true for more of them.

"Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Haha, I've never actually heard this before today, but I was reading over some power point slides that said it earlier...

I feel like not giving an honest effort is a bad habit to flirt with, no matter the surface. I firmly believe that if Blake were to try harder on clay, it would help him on other surfaces. Besides the extra match fitness, he's going to be running into "clay courters" on all surfaces, and building some H2Hs with them could also be beneficial.

So I suppose my point is that Americans putting in the effort and performing better at the French would help them perform better at all slams. I don't disagree, and I would think that even if they wouldn't do it for the French they would try to improve for Davis Cup. I think that doing better on clay couldn't hurt any of them, but at this point in the careers on the current batch of American men, I can see why they aren't focusing on it. I just don't think they can hope to be all around great players and be real challengers for majors on every surface.

05-28-2009, 03:46 AM	#12
KlaraNovikoffaZ Join Date Oct 2005 Location USA Posts 384 Senior Member	I feel like only playing a few clay tournaments isn't a huge deal, but not even trying at the ones he does play is inexcusable to me. They play even less on the grass court than clay court. It's only not a big deal because they all suck at it. Rafa made a pretty good career winning all over the clay before he was considered a threat on other surfaces. So, I absolutely agree, I think not trying is shameful. And I understand that they basically have to play the masters series events, of which there are a couple on clay, or face large fines, but its really not worth anyone's time for a person to play if they aren't going to put in effort. I say that of anyone, and I didn't watch James's last round match, did he not try? I heard the wind got to him some... To some extent such statements make it easy to not put forth effort since so little is expected of them. I just hope it isn't the kind of thing they pass along. I can see it being like the girls and math thing, that by telling younger tennis players that Americans are bad on clay makes it true for more of them. "Practice doesn't make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect." Haha, I've never actually heard this before today, but I was reading over some power point slides that said it earlier... I feel like not giving an honest effort is a bad habit to flirt with, no matter the surface. I firmly believe that if Blake were to try harder on clay, it would help him on other surfaces. Besides the extra match fitness, he's going to be running into "clay courters" on all surfaces, and building some H2Hs with them could also be beneficial. So I suppose my point is that Americans putting in the effort and performing better at the French would help them perform better at all slams. I don't disagree, and I would think that even if they wouldn't do it for the French they would try to improve for Davis Cup. I think that doing better on clay couldn't hurt any of them, but at this point in the careers on the current batch of American men, I can see why they aren't focusing on it. I just don't think they can hope to be all around great players and be real challengers for majors on every surface.
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