It was a pleasure meeting you after you defeated Andy Murray in a World Tennis Day exhibition match at Madison Square Garden in March 2014. I am one of your biggest fans. I had the pleasure of meeting your parents at St. Sava's in NYC in September 2010. Our mutual friend Dule took this picture of your parents and me.
I have attended several of your matches over the years including the 2015 US Open Final. I was one of the few of the "300" who was cheering for you. :-) I also had a ticket to the 2016 Roland Garros Final but could not attend due to a last minute work schedule change and the record floods in Paris. I did not sell my ticket and wanted to keep it as a souvenir of your incredible victory.
In a tennis calendar that is more crowded than usual, you are facing difficult choices about whether or not to travel to the Rio 2016 Games. I love Rio and have visited there twice for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Final and 2016 Carnival. I have a several friends in Rio and in São Paulo. I have a 10 year visa and plan to go back but NOT for the Olympics. I had a great #BucketList trip but was sick for a week after I returned. I was in the bathroom for 2 days straight and could only make it to the doctor for antibiotics on the 7th day of my illness. I thankfully did not get Zika but I had the worst stomach bug ever. That includes Girardia in the former Soviet Union in 1992 despite having water filter and drinking boiled water and vodka. The third worst illness was after finishing the 2006 Kilimanjaro Marathon and as there was no electricity in our hotel after I finished the race.
I have been to all 4 corners of the Earth and finished marathons on all 7 Continents and the North Pole. I have never been so sick as after I returned from Rio after Carnival in February 2016. I am advising you to please NOT to travel to Rio in August 2016.
(2) Safety : A second reason to NOT go to Rio 2016 is safety. Players and fans are warned by Rio's first responders that they will NOT be safe according this banner posted recently by first responders in the Rio airport.
Welcome to Hell
Police and firefighters don't
get paid, whoever comes to
Rio de Janeiro will not be safe
(3) History : Moreover, if you skip Rio 2016, you have an excellent opportunity to do what no one has done before, win the Career Golden Masters. You have 8 of the 9 excluding Cincinnati. Andre Agassi, Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal have 7.
Like you, I am a Serbian patriot. I co-organized and attended the anti-NATO demonstrations at the White House, Pentagon, United Nations, and elsewhere from the 1990s to the present day in NYC and Washington, DC. I know you are under lots of pressure to win gold for Serbia. However, it should not come at the risk of your family's health and safety. If you withdraw from Rio, you will not be alone. Top golfers such as Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, and Jason Day have dropped out of Rio as well as some of your tennis colleagues Dominick Thiem, Feliciano Lopez, and John Isner. Team USA Womens National Goalie Hope Solo has voiced concerns over getting Zika. Brasilian health officials have advised that there is virtually a zero chance. The cooler weather may help stop the spread of Zika but if one person gets sick, it will be one too many. Unfortunately, that has already come true. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is tracking 9 Zika cases in pregnant women as reported by the Washington Post. 1 baby was born with "severe microcephaly". There were 2 miscarriages and abortions each. 2 healthy babies were born. 2 women were still pregnant.
There are no ATP points unlike London 2012 when Andy won 750 points. This is another reason NOT to attend the Rio Games. After winning Wimbledon, Andy has narrowed your Race to London lead to 815 points, 8,040 for you and 7,225 for Andy. If you win Cincinnati, you will add to your points total and extend you lead over Andy Murray. If you are able to stay #1 through the end of 2016, you will tie Jimmy Connors and Roger Federer for second place on the Year End #1 List. If you stay #1 through the end of 2017, you will tie Pete Sampras for first place on the Year End #1 List. It will also set you up to pass Roger Federer for Total Weeks at #1 at 302 in May 2018, God Willing!
Rio is not your last chance at gold. You can still win it in Tokyo in 2020. Staying at #1 is more important than gold. It focuses the world attention on you and Serbia. During the 2014 floods, you asked the world media to pay attention but the often twisted media focus more on who is #1 than the suffering of those in need. I apologize for the cynical view but it is my observation as a one time newspaper journalism major.
I ask you to please do the following :
(A) Play Toronto in late July.
(B) Skip Rio from August 4 to 14 and rest.
(C) Play Cincinnati from August 14 to 21.
(D) Rest for a week.
(D) Play the US Open from August 29 to September 11, God Willing.
Conclusion : You are under lots of pressure to win gold for Serbia. It is admirable to play for one's country but your health and the health of your family are much more important. I thank you very much for considering my argument. I respect whatever decision your reach. Please give my best to your parents, Jelena, Stefan, brothers, and entire family.
(A) Play Toronto in late July.
(B) Skip Rio from August 4 to 14 and rest.
(C) Play Cincinnati from August 14 to 21.
(D) Rest for a week.
(D) Play the US Open from August 29 to September 11, God Willing.
Conclusion : You are under lots of pressure to win gold for Serbia. It is admirable to play for one's country but your health and the health of your family are much more important. I thank you very much for considering my argument. I respect whatever decision your reach. Please give my best to your parents, Jelena, Stefan, brothers, and entire family.
Puno pozdrav,
Tomislav S. Djurdjevich
New York, NY
@tomdjurdjevich
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/29/sports/golf/jason-day-zika-rio-olympics.html?_r=0
http://m.indiatvnews.com/news/world-welcome-to-hell-rio-protest-banner-shocks-visitors-337067?utm_source=https://t.co/0zvo7w7lyf
Ministro diz que risco de contaminação por zika vírus no Rio 2016 é "quase zero"
http://ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/igvigilante/saude/2016-06-10/ministro-diz-que-risco-de-contaminacao-por-zika-virus-no-rio-2016-e-quase-zero.html
The Promise Rio Couldn't Keep
The Promise Rio Couldn't Keep
http://espn.go.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/14791849/trash-contamination-continue-pollute-olympic-training-competition-sites-rio-de-janiero
ATP Total Weeks at #1.
U.S. details 9 Zika pregnancies: 2 abortions, 2 miscarriages, 1 baby with ‘severe microcephaly’
ATP Total Weeks at #1.
U.S. details 9 Zika pregnancies: 2 abortions, 2 miscarriages, 1 baby with ‘severe microcephaly’
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/to-your-health/wp/2016/02/26/after-zika-diagnosis-at-least-two-u-s-women-chose-to-have-abortions-cdc-says/
