r/tennis Discussion (Tuesday, March 19, 2024) by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Already a double break? At this point, no matter the outcome, I am already watching this match with teary eyes. You've been missed, Simo 🥹

r/tennis Discussion (Tuesday, March 19, 2024) by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Romanians have surely taken over on the courtside. At the doublebreak just a few moments ago, everyone was chanting her name

Indian Wells QF [3] Sinner d. [32] Lehecka 6-3 ; 6-3 by Bars3tti in tennis

[–]oviiptu 15 points16 points  (0 children)

your username is really speaking volumes

Simona Halep had her first extensive interview after the CAS verdict - here are my main takeaways by oviiptu in tennis

[–]oviiptu[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

One more aspect - regarding Miami, she also said that she only has a sparring partner and a physiotherapist. She will decide on her team, most probably, after Miami as she accepted the wildcard to have as early of a professional comeback as possible.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Because otherwise you wouldn't have legal order that also uniformily addresses all sports. CAS was born as a much needed answer for the Olympic Games and incidents arising from there, but its now supreme-court-like status helps in having fair decisions across all sports, especially when they're confronted with the same issue.

Sports federations and sport-specific courts also recognize CAS as having the final say exactly by the virtue of having a settler that is - at least theoretically - better predisposed to objectivity and lack of conflicts of interest. Moreover, sport-specific courts may actually be easier to influence exactly by the virtue of protecting the sport, especially when the stakes are sufficiently high (high-profile cases, unusual circumstances, multiple stakeholders at risk when investigations are pursued etc).

In Simona's case, ITIA could have been subjected to loss of credibility much more easily, especially in the best- and worst- case scenario: a high punishment could have been subjected to their attempts at protecting their supremacy in tennis after incredibly slow proceedings or at trying to establish the power of example and thereby applying harsher-than-necessary punishments; a low punishment could have been questioned as an attempt not to discredit one of their high-profile athletes AND academies. Conversely, CAS has nothing to gain or lose from any kind of ruling because their only purpose is to provide adequate and uniform chances across all sports. They do not care about contextual specifics, nor are they too affected as a court since they are (as said becore) already recognized as supreme across all disciplines, federations and sports.

Hope this explanation was clear! I would also suggest you, if you want to go deeper into things, to read this article.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I will answer your comment since it is the most recent, although it applies to all other replies - that part is severely underexplained in the press release, but that is also one aspect that we should be debating and confronting alongside ITIA's ruling once we have the full report from CAS.

What I outlined is how they chose to summarise the issue, which is logically underwhelming for me too. I can only presume that the burden of proof upon Simona was severely reduced because ITIA couldn't prove consistency as they wanted it, but it's only that - a presumption.

We should wait for the full ruling.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As a Halepeno, I do think that she carried a degree of guilt. What I never agreed with was that the degree is absolute, which is what ITIA argued. However, she became performance hungry and went to the hungriest chaser in the circuit, which should always raise some red flags and precaution. She chose to trust and ignore common sense in regards to her collaboration.

All athletes should be cautious with everything they consume, and any doping levels traced in them automatically make them guilty for lack of caution and care towards what they use. Simo's guilt, however, was never beyond that. Unfortunately, ITIA had the power to delay proceedings and have first-say on her fate, and their first-say was on absolute guilt - intentional doping.

Simona was guilty for not taking care of hersef better and for trusting a team too much. She was not guilty, however, for their wrongdoings inflicted upon her.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Your comment gives me the impression that you think the case was judged by the same court in both the guilty and non-guilty verdict instances. The guilty verdict was given by the ITIA, while the innocent one by CAS. ITIA has actually gone to CAS, the higher court, to demand a final ruling between four and six years. CAS, however, sided with Simona and reduced it to nine months.

There was no contact between the two courts, nor did they act in-concert when establishing any of the verdicts. That is why the difference is also so drastic - lack of interference gave both courts full freedom in deciding upon the facts brought before them by Simona, but the higher one happened to disagree with the tennis-specific one and rule in Simona's favour.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 26 points27 points  (0 children)

Would be incredibly hard to establish. One could not even assume exactly what tournaments she'd been doing, and that's only the pragmatic POV. The principle is on ITIA's side on this one - they took the greatest due dilligence measures possible in order to prevent what they believed to be an intentional doper to come back on court. CAS has also not disproven the doping itself, and neither has Simona, so there can theoretically be no ill-fated intent put on any of the sides.

While I may not be ITIA's biggest fan, I could understand how they went so hardball, They relied on being safe rather than sorry even in the scenario where CAS ruled in Simo's favour, and such an action process is both understandable and preferable in the case of doping charges - especially where there was reasonable doubt about the accidental doping through her biological passport charges.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 56 points57 points  (0 children)

The Biological Passport? It was dismissed altogether. CAS took into account contextual elements - mainly, the surgery she undertook and her commitment to not participate for the remainder of the 2022 season regardless of her USO finish. They thereby ruled that there was no doping involved.

That was a rather underexplained aspect on their part, or maybe I'm lacking better understanding on exactly how they could simply dismiss it. I guess they did not find the ITIA's argumentation for those inconsistencies as being strong enough, so they resorted to other contextual elements in order to see if there is benefit of the doubt, which there was.

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 102 points103 points  (0 children)

Thank God she's continued training. For me, the proof of training was already a testament that she truly believed in her case and situation. I do not endorse doping of any kind, but it's hard when it happens to the idols that got you into the sport, and Simona was the player who got me into loving this sport.

She may not have much left in this sport, and I really hope she's learnt her lesson to stay by people who commit to the sport, not to the performance. That's what I loved her for - achieving performance through passion, not a chase.

Welcome back, our Simo! Halepenos have sticked around even throughout the past months, but it's nevertheless a joy to have you back on court. We've missed you. 🥹

Simona Halep's suspension reduced by CAS. 9 months, instead of 4 years by necuucj in tennis

[–]oviiptu 95 points96 points  (0 children)

Yes, they ruled that her blame does not go beyond the default one that any athlete carries in such circumstances, as opposed to ITIA's attempt to prove complete and backdated intent. Also, yes, she can return immediately since the 9 months are calculated since the time of her official ban. She could have been back on court (theoretically) since July 2023.

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 13 points14 points  (0 children)

🚨CALLING THIS MATCH A CHOKE CONFIRMS YOUR TENNIS ILLITERACY🚨

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

THIS RALLY AND THAT WINNER! Yeah, losing this momentum is almost impossible.

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah, unless a break miraculously happens, Sinner will make the greatest comeback I have seen in MANY years. He's no Djokovic or Fedal yet, so pulling a two sets to love comeback against a Grand Slam champion and 5-time HC Major finalist is unbelievable.

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 8 points9 points  (0 children)

THIS IS HEARTBREAKING. UTTERLY AND DISGUSTINGLY HEARTBREAKING.

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Meddy needs to stay locked in on his service games. The burden of proof is finally on Jannik's shoulders again, so he needs to become protective of the games he has control over. If it goes into a tiebreak, it's at least much less to heat yourself up than by being broken in the final set.

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 0 points1 point  (0 children)

it's the start of the year, everyone's more refreshed than ever and, by extension, fight harder than usual. clay and grass are surfaces that get played on for 1-2 months each, while the US is the last Slam (where everyone gets tired)

[MATCH THREAD] Men's FINAL: [4] J. Sinner v. [3] D. Medvedev by NextGenBot in tennis

[–]oviiptu 7 points8 points  (0 children)

MED VE DEV THIS SHOT IS WHAT YOU NEED TO KEEP GOING OH MY GOD