Danielle Collins had a dig at Djokovic for him being against the Covid 19 measures that have been suggested for the US Open.

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12004595/novak-djokovic-criticised-by-danielle-collins-for-opposition-to-us-open-restart

Serena Williams’ coach think the Coronavirus shutdown could help her to finally get her 23rd Grand Slam title.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/tennis-coronavirus-shutdown-may-help-serena-s-grand-slam-quest-coach_sto7771115/story.shtml

Simona Halep is unlikely to play the US Open due to the US Open protocols being “incredibly difficult”. Her coach doesn’t think the Romanian could cope.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/tennis-u.s.-open-protocols-won-t-work-for-halep-says-coach-cahill_sto7771971/story.shtml

‘My priority is not helping tennis players’ – Berrettini on Player Relief Fund controversy.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/tennis-news-matteo-berrettini-addresses-player-relief-fund-controversy-on-tennis-legends-vodcast_sto7771411/story.shtml

The days are pretty dull at the moment. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. I suppose that the wet weather means there are less people outside so the chance of drama is reduced. I have been watching quite a lot of Betfair trading related youtube videos. I don’t think I watched any of them right to the end.

Twitter is never the sanest of places at the best of times. It seems like the whole world is losing the plot. George Floyd obviously should not have been treated the way he was and for him to lose his life during an arrest for attempting to use a fake bank note is about as wrong as it gets. Racism has not just sprung up during the lockdown though. Why has this particular incident had such a huge effect all over the world? Are people so stir crazy after 3 months at home? In the middle of the biggest pandemic ever to hit the Earth, NOW is the time to gather in our thousands?

George Floyd’s “private funeral” was broadcast to the world. Would he have had such a grand send off in less news-worthy circumstances? Funerals in this country allow a tiny number of moarners yet George had a funeral that would have befitted a national hero. He was certainly no saint and spent time in jail for robbing a pregnant women in her own home. He and 5 friends forced their way in having pretended initially to be from a water company. George held a gun to the woman’s stomach before driving the getaway car.

Yesterday a police officer in London was set upon by a group of black men who took selfies as they kicked the shit out of the officer. If that’s the plan for how they intend to get equality they might need a plan B.

I saw a report from Australia that said someone who attended a ten thousand strong protest in Melbourne has now tested positive for Covid-19. The first of many?

Stay safe.

 

Let’s have a bit of a news round up. Older UK residents will remember John Craven’s Newsround. It was a kids’ programme that delivered the news as you were eating your tea after getting home from school. Maybe this can be TradeShark’s paper round. I ride round on my bike and lob unwanted snippets of news onto your front lawn.

Yesterday I wrote that the World Health Organisation has announced that people with no symptoms of the virus were very unlikely to infect anyone else. I was a little sceptical although hopeful that it was true. It seems that it was reported a little out of context.

https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/who-backtracks-claim-that-coronavirus-transmission-from-asymptomatic-carriers-is-very-rare-2243658

Dan Evans is currently the top ranked British player. He has been frustrated that tennis seems to be falling behind other sports when it comes to returning after the Coronavirus. Evans will be taking part in Jamie Murray’s NHS charity tournament later this month. He says that he would be happy to travel to the US Open with just a coach. He should probably take a couple of racquets too.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/08/dan-evans-i-would-be-happy-to-go-to-flushing-meadows-with-only-one-coach

Novak Djokovic doesn’t seem quite as keen to go to New York. He is apparently thinking of skipping the US Open and returning for the new clay season which will include the French Open. He is concerned at the possibility of a 14 day quarantine period for people arriving in America. Some of his other objections seem a little like a small child who isn’t allowed to take all his toys on a day out. He doesn’t like the possibility of only having 1 person in his team. Maybe his ego is so large he needs lots of people to kiss his arse.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/jun/10/novak-djokovic-considers-missing-us-open-due-to-extreme-restrictions

Roger Federer will miss both the US Open and French Open. He has announced that he will not return to the tour until 2021. He has had to have additional surgery on his right knee.

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12003879/roger-federer-to-miss-us-and-french-opens-due-to-surgery

Rafa Nadal’s Uncle Toni has revealed that the Spanish superstar never paid him a single euro.

https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Rafael_Nadal/88511/uncle-toni-reveals-why-rafael-nadal-never-paid-him-a-single-euro/

Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian has announced his resignation from the board of Reddit. Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian has urged the company to replace him with a black candidate.

Oh give me a break. How about they give it to the best qualified candidate? If that person is white, black or a little guy from Sheffield called Norman then they deserve it.

https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12001512/serena-williams-husband-alexis-ohanian-has-announced-his-resignation-from-the-board-of-reddit

Nick Kyrgios believes hiring a coach would be a “waste of money” and “pointless”, and doubts whether he will ever win a Grand Slam.

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/tennis/tennis-news-nick-kyrgios-says-hiring-a-coach-is-a-waste-of-money-and-pointless_sto7769998/story.shtml

The feeling that I get when looking around tennis news sites is that the very top players don’t want to come back until everything is totally back to normal. They don’t think they can cope without a large support group around them and don’t want to change their tournament routines at all. It does seem like the rest of the players are keen to get back on court as long as everything is safe.

OK that’s enough about other people. Back to me!

The gravel for the front garden is due to arrive at the weekend. They can’t guarantee the colour of the gravel which is a small concern. I’m not that bothered about the colour for the front garden but the plan is that if there is any left over I will use it to top up a gravel area in the back garden. If it is completely different to the stuff I used in the back it will look ridiculous. Fingers crossed.

Sue’s birthday meal went well. I changed the mustard sauce a little. The last one I made almost blew our heads off. Last night it was still a strong flavour but didn’t obliterate the taste of the tuna. Sue rarely clears her plate at any meal but ate the lot last night.

There doesn’t seem to be a great deal worth trading on the tennis exhibitions today. I’ll keep an eye on some of them in play and wait for opportunities. I’ll probably have a look at a few football matches tonight too.

Other than that it’s looking like a quiet day. I’ll update you with any dramas on the street later.

Stay safe.