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EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING
/thread
Almost 4 weeks ago we saw one of the vilest, most vitriolic campaigns against Djokovic unfold, after Grigor tested positive for COVID during the Adria Tour.
It was arrestingly unkind.
Never did I imagine it would backfire so soon.
1/
/thread
Almost 4 weeks ago we saw one of the vilest, most vitriolic campaigns against Djokovic unfold, after Grigor tested positive for COVID during the Adria Tour.
It was arrestingly unkind.
Never did I imagine it would backfire so soon.
1/
It was the last attempt to remove Novak from his position as President of the Player Council.
All attempts were unsuccessful, each defeat more public and more embarrasing than the last.
So I'm going to treat myself to a recollection journey.
It all started in 2016.
2/
All attempts were unsuccessful, each defeat more public and more embarrasing than the last.
So I'm going to treat myself to a recollection journey.
It all started in 2016.
2/
A new Player Council had just been elected, the two Murray brothers and Djokovic were among the new members.
#BriggsFam campaigned furiously for Andy Murray to be voted president. We read a flurry of pieces about Murray's statetsmanship, gravitas, ambassadorial traits...
3/
#BriggsFam campaigned furiously for Andy Murray to be voted president. We read a flurry of pieces about Murray's statetsmanship, gravitas, ambassadorial traits...
3/
To no avail: Djokovic was voted President of the Council.
This was their first defeat.
So sure were they of winning, that Ben had an interview with Murray ready. He released it anyway: it's Rothenberg we're talking about. He counted his chickens, so what?
4/
This was their first defeat.
So sure were they of winning, that Ben had an interview with Murray ready. He released it anyway: it's Rothenberg we're talking about. He counted his chickens, so what?
4/
I remember reading one angry piece, a veritable tantrum, calliing players stupid&despairing that journos could not vote.
But that was all: after that tantrum there was silence. Absolute silence.
Not even the Official ATP Page mentioned the new president.
5/
But that was all: after that tantrum there was silence. Absolute silence.
Not even the Official ATP Page mentioned the new president.
5/
It was eerie: the tennis establishment behaved as if the Novak Slam had not happened and as if the Player Council did not have a president.
And it continued like that until January 2018.
That was when Novak showed up to the Players' Meeting in Australia with a lawyer.
6/
And it continued like that until January 2018.
That was when Novak showed up to the Players' Meeting in Australia with a lawyer.
6/
Novak wanted to form a Union of Players, to protect their rights&improve their working conditions.
All hell broke lose. #BriggsFamAndFriends got Jonathan Liew to write a xenophobic piece mocking Novak&calling him "Red Nov". The establishment closed ranks.
As always.
7/
All hell broke lose. #BriggsFamAndFriends got Jonathan Liew to write a xenophobic piece mocking Novak&calling him "Red Nov". The establishment closed ranks.
As always.
7/
Novak stood his ground.
A fresh smear campaign against Novak, Smear Campaign No. 1001, was started... and failed to sway players. They were united behind Novak. Another smear campaign that failed.
But they had reason to be optimistic: Novak was injured.
8/
A fresh smear campaign against Novak, Smear Campaign No. 1001, was started... and failed to sway players. They were united behind Novak. Another smear campaign that failed.
But they had reason to be optimistic: Novak was injured.
8/
#BriggsFamAndFriends got busy re-writing history. They turned Novak into a foot-note in the Great Fedal Narrative. Wimbledon was coming. They launched Strokes of Genius. Wimbledon 2018 was going to be an apotheosis.
And it was, but for us, not for them.
/9
And it was
, but for us, not for them. /9
And Novak kept working behind the scenes,not just on court. He regained the #1&started a "cleaning campaign" within the Player Council. Basically,players wanted representatives who sided with the players¬ with management in their negotiations with management.
Anathema!
10/
Anathema!
10/
They got rid of Rasheed&then they got rid of Kermode.
And that's when the shit hit the fan.
#BriggsFam went on overdrive, with a bunch of their friends. They had a lot of perks to defend&they would stop at nothing.
They tried everything, guys. And failed.
11/
And that's when the shit hit the fan.
#BriggsFam went on overdrive, with a bunch of their friends. They had a lot of perks to defend&they would stop at nothing.
They tried everything, guys. And failed.
11/
They tried to use Gimmelstob against Novak,guilt by association. The plot failed.
Wawrinka responded to a private letter in public,in ALL CAPS. It failed.
They had a snitch in the council, telling #BriggsFam what was being discussed so they could distort it.
12/
Wawrinka responded to a private letter in public,in ALL CAPS. It failed.
They had a snitch in the council, telling #BriggsFam what was being discussed so they could distort it.
12/
Wawrinka let #BriggsFam use his name to write a letter to The Times,pretending it was the voice of the players. Fail.
Novak had a confrontation with Rothenberg&humiliated him so much, that he begged to be let off, to let his colleagues ask questions. Nole said NO.
13/
Novak had a confrontation with Rothenberg&humiliated him so much, that he begged to be let off, to let his colleagues ask questions. Nole said NO.
13/
In desperation, they attempted a Coup. But they got arried away in their echo-chamber: they didn't have the numbers. Yet another fail.
By this time I had lost count, it was something like
Novak 1,000,000 - 0 #BriggsFam
And THEN they had their master idea:
14/
By this time I had lost count, it was something like
Novak 1,000,000 - 0 #BriggsFam
And THEN they had their master idea:
14/
They got Roger and Rafa to joing the council, to replace a couple of players who had resigned.
Boy, were they optimistic.
"A welcome plot twist!"- we read. Order would be restored!
The council would be unrecognisable!
That was a year ago. What did Fedal accomplish?
15/
Boy, were they optimistic.
"A welcome plot twist!"- we read. Order would be restored!
The council would be unrecognisable!
That was a year ago. What did Fedal accomplish?
15/
NADA. NOTHING. NIENTE. RIEN.
Their mission was to get Kermode his job back. They failed.
They had NO effect on the council.
2020:
In hindsight, I think that list published by l'Equipe about the most influential tenni people was made ad hoc, to include Noah Rubin.
/16
Their mission was to get Kermode his job back. They failed.
They had NO effect on the council.
2020:
In hindsight, I think that list published by l'Equipe about the most influential tenni people was made ad hoc, to include Noah Rubin.
/16
But Adria Tour happened and #BriggsFamAndFriends could not believe their luck.
After months of positive press for Novak, since he was the top player who donated the most to more countries, he had made a very bad call, in his eagerness to organise something for his region.
/17
After months of positive press for Novak, since he was the top player who donated the most to more countries, he had made a very bad call, in his eagerness to organise something for his region.
/17
After so many defeats, tennis journos were not going to let this go and the most irresponsible and mean-spirited takes filled the waves. His legacy was destroyed, he should be stripped of his slams, he was practically a murderer...It was ugly.
And they would not let go.
/18
And they would not let go.
/18
Of course they would not let go. It was their chance. We started hearing calls for him to resign as President of the Player Council, but of course. He had brought tennis into disrepute.
A few players joined in. Very few. The usual suspects.
And then something happened.
/19
A few players joined in. Very few. The usual suspects.
And then something happened.
/19
They wanted to destroy Novak's reputation and all they did was show the world what they were like...
And the world recoiled in horror.
And pundits rallied round Novak: Oliver Brown, probably bigger than any member of #BriggsFam, called them a "confederacy of the pious"
/20
And the world recoiled in horror.
And pundits rallied round Novak: Oliver Brown, probably bigger than any member of #BriggsFam, called them a "confederacy of the pious"
/20
Steve Flink, Annabel Croft, Matts Wilander, Boris Becker, Ubaldo, Moratoglou and many, many more called for a more nuanced take.
And then the players: Gasquet, Simon, Mahut, Tsonga, Herbert, Guga, Feña Gonzålez, Schwartzman, Thiem, Zverev, the Latin Americans, the Spaniards
/21
And then the players: Gasquet, Simon, Mahut, Tsonga, Herbert, Guga, Feña Gonzålez, Schwartzman, Thiem, Zverev, the Latin Americans, the Spaniards
/21
Americans, Italians, Canadians...
So many players showed Novak support&appreciation for what he's done for them. Except a handful of English-speaking players
But they kept quiet about Atlanta and failed to criticise Tiafoe for playing for 2 days with symptoms.
/22
So many players showed Novak support&appreciation for what he's done for them. Except a handful of English-speaking players
But they kept quiet about Atlanta and failed to criticise Tiafoe for playing for 2 days with symptoms.
/22
That was a big mistake.
Can you imagine the outcry if Novak had played 2 days with symptoms?
#BriggsFamAndFriends flaunted their hypocrisy, their corruption and their animosity towards Novak.
Not only did they fail in their quest to make Novak step down.
/23
Can you imagine the outcry if Novak had played 2 days with symptoms?
#BriggsFamAndFriends flaunted their hypocrisy, their corruption and their animosity towards Novak.
Not only did they fail in their quest to make Novak step down.
/23
They caused the biggest show of international support Novak has had in a long time. From pundits and colleagues.
Players are showing that they see and understand what's happening with the media. And they disapprove.
Novak must feel very much loved and appreciated.
/24
Players are showing that they see and understand what's happening with the media. And they disapprove.
Novak must feel very much loved and appreciated.
/24
English-speaking players make up 18% of the ATP players.
#BriggsFam have co-opted a handful of tat 18%. Do your math, guys.
A new council will be elected soon.Novak may or may not run.
But it is very nice that he has been so openly appreciated by the players he represents.
#BriggsFam have co-opted a handful of tat 18%. Do your math, guys.
A new council will be elected soon.Novak may or may not run.
But it is very nice that he has been so openly appreciated by the players he represents.
And if players decide that they want to be represented, in their negotiations with management, by the guy promoted by management...so be it.
It's their right to vote for whoever they want.
And NOBODY has any right to tell players who should represent them. It is THEIR decision.
It's their right to vote for whoever they want.
And NOBODY has any right to tell players who should represent them. It is THEIR decision.
