Football Forum | Ticket Forum | Off-Topic Forum | All

Tomshardware 11:55 Wed Jul 5
Why no Wimbledon thread?

Is Gary OK?

zico 3:57 Wed Jul 19
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

El Scorchio 1:30 Wed Jul 19

I was interested to hear Navratilova saying that when she left home and moved to the States the Czechs wouldn't even show her matches at Wimbledon, totally ignoring her half of the draw. The Duchess of Kent apparently had a hand in persuading the Czechs to eventually allow her mother over to watch a Final. Certainly when the wall fell she was accepted in her country a lot more.

Not sure if it's changed much but when I played tennis as a kid the time allowed for Juniors was poor. Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings. Little old ladies got more time on court even though quite a few youngsters were decent. I was ok at the game but had the advantage that my dad played so in turn I managed to play a lot more with the adults in Club evenings and matches. The problem is if Tennis Clubs are still prioritising bang average Club players ahead of talented youngsters you have a problem in producing unearthed talent. I think golf has moved on a bit with much more availability for kids to play, but not sure about Tennis Clubs now.

plankton 3:46 Wed Jul 19
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

@ Scorchio

Very relevant points - tennis is a very gladiatorial sport, and it is so easy to out a player on a pedestal, and for them in turn to become a national hero/heroine. For poorer, less privileged countries, this is an important concept to grasp. Think of the old USSR and the importance it used to pay to national sport. The emphasis that they put on that still echoes through the shadows of previous satellite countries, but the problem for countries such as the UK is that the playing field is much more level than it once was in terms of facilities and the industry in general, and also that the LTA still does little to help developing talent. Their sponsorship deals lag way behind what other countries offer for up and coming youngsters, and UK tennis is still largely populated by the offspring of middle to upper class people. It is rarely a sport for the poor.

Side of Ham 1:33 Wed Jul 19
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Svender so wants it to be the end of Lords when in reality it’s the Lord’s members making it known you can’t play the game in a cunt fashion….this is why they snivel to their dads in front of a global audience when they are caught cheating….Svender is no better then screaming foul play in front of onlookers whist getting nicked for being a cunt…

El Scorchio 1:30 Wed Jul 19
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

My feeling is that tennis in particular is important and popular as it holds a lot of symbolism in Eastern Europe through Navratilova and communism etc. so it's always been very aspirational and relevant. Even these days it's a good ticket to a good life if you make it. Add to that it's a solo sport that you can train for and control your own destiny in, and all you need is a racket and somewhere to play- less of a problem there than in some other places (Similar to Spain in that respect) so it's also doable.

plankton 1:21 Wed Jul 19
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

@ New Jersey

We see it first-hand at almost every tournament we go to. Some countries have a reputation for their players not wanting it as much as others - it's a very real thing. Sure, there are a couple of really talented players in every country but the east Europeans seem to have far more depth to their "squad", as it were. Of the western European countries I think Spain is the most consistently strong country. I'm talking about women's tennis here, not men's.

Far Cough 7:20 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

"baying mob"

ag ag ag

New Jersey 7:14 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

plankton - That's an interesting point about the Eastern Europeans wanting it a bit more. Some friends of ours had a son who may or may not have made it, he went to New Zealand on his own at 16, which is a big ask and gave it a go for a few years before deciding to pack it in. His Dad thought, he didn't quite want it enough as getting home was always just a phone call away from Mum and Dad, whereas players from other countries didn't have that option.

The Ghost of Sven 7:01 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

One drunken drongo grabbed his arm and as the report said other spectators intervened.

Did anyone in the Long Room intervene against a baying mob who wiped out a 100+ years of pre-eminence of Lords as the most exclusive cricket club in the world?
All gone in an afternoon
Just a seething mob of Brexit voting Liz Truss supporting inbreds now
Sad
Might as well demolish the pavillion and start again

Far Cough 6:48 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

It highlights the irony of you claiming that Australia were abused in the long room by a few geriatrics when as I stated that John Snow was physically assaulted by a drunken drongo, however long ago it was.

Side of Ham 6:48 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Fucking hell Svender cannot see he’s being such a Svender on what he’s tried and FAILED to point out….real invading Aussies must be ASHAMED surely?

The Ghost of Sven 6:39 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

So thats the 1970/71 and 2005 Ashes both awarded to Australia?
A forfeit for leaving the field without permission at the SCG and blatant ball tampering in every 2005 Test

Game set and match. New balls please...... and no more ball tampering please

Far Cough 6:20 Tue Jul 18
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Snow-Jenner incident
In the final Test, Terry Jenner retired hurt after he ducked into a short delivery from Snow in the first innings. Umpire Lou Rowan warned the fast bowler for intimidatory bowling yet again, but Snow and Illingworth objected strongly. Snow recalled Illingworth saying: "That's the only bouncer he's bowled" and that he would complain to the Australian Cricket Board (ACB).[25] Rowan later claimed Illingworth and Snow swore at him, which they denied. The bowler was loudly booed and "when he returned to his fielding position at long-leg Snow was pelted with bottles, cans and partially-eaten pies".

Some of the crowd, in the Paddington Hill area of the ground, wanted to shake Snow's hand but then he was grabbed by a drunk who was forced to let go by other spectators. In 1998, 88-year old Trevor Guy told The Sydney Morning Herald that he was the man who had grabbed Snow in order to tell him what he thought about him hitting Jenner. Guy and Snow, in Australia for the 1998–99 Ashes series agreed there were no hard feelings.

To avoid injury to his team, Illingworth took his men back to the dressing room without the permission of the umpires, an unprecedented move in Test cricket.[28] The England manager Clark tried to push Illingworth back onto the field and Alan Barnes of the ACB demanded that they return immediately or they would forfeit the match and the Ashes. A furious Illingworth said he would not return until the playing area had been cleared and the crowd had calmed down.

Jenner returned to bat at 235–8 and made a brave 30, last man out on 264 to give Australia a lead of 80 runs. England scored 302 in their second innings and set Australia 223 to win. Snow took a wicket in his first over, but smashed his finger on the wooden boundary fence trying to catch a six off Stackpole. He was taken to hospital and needed surgery. England's spinners did the job, dismissing Australia for 160 to win by 62 runs and regain the Ashes while Snow was on the operating table. Snow's 31 wickets (22.83) was the most by an England bowler in Australia since Harold Larwood's 33 wickets (19.51) in 1932–3.

Wiki

stewie griffin 8:20 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

didn't watch much of this because frankly the women's cricket is more appealing - but did see toilet brush head smash his racket on the net post. There was some mild booing for the act, akin to what you might hear at a pant0, and then an extremely warm reception for him as runner up in the tournament.

Is someone being sensitive again?

The Ghost of Sven 8:07 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

I said any barracking of players in tennis was uncalled for
A general deterioration in behaviour .... centre court at Wimbledon and the Long Room at Lords.
Just embarrassing really from the chinless wonders.
You are very sensitive with your desperate whataboutery.

John Snow in 1970?
53 years ago
Good Lord. Desperate
Everyone involved is dead arent they? Snow, Illingworth , Terry Jenner. Presumably also the bloke who grabbed Snow for trying to kill Jenner.

plankton 7:56 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

New Jersey 1:36 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Most of the top Women players are from Eastern Europe where they have harsh winters so I'm not sure the weather argument holds true.
______________________

The vast majority of these eastern Europeans train abroad, often in groups under the jurisdiction of a head coach. And all of them WANT IT a bit more than their western counterparts - that is the real difference. A lot of them are also part of an academy or a national set-up, and if they fail to play to the standards expected of them then they fall out of the rotation group and have to wait for the chance to play again. That's the other incentive to do well and chase everything. This applies to those players not yet ranked enough to be coping on their own, of course, not to the players in the top 200 or so who are generating enough income to be funding themselves.

Far Cough 4:54 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Sven, what about beer swilling hooligans at the SCG trying to pull John Snow into the stand?

swindon hammer 4:36 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Ah ok Sven.

So first of all you were having a pop at the English crowd for being disrespectful to Djokovic.

I then said that not all the crowd will be English for which you replied that it was predominantly English.

I then gave you some evidence of the Australian crowd constantly heckling Djokovic all the way through the Australian open this year including when he was playing Aussie player Alex de Minaur and you come back with the “Its the Croatians and not the Aussies” line.

You come out with the biggest load of shit you xenophobic twat.

El Scorchio 3:17 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Acting like somehow the crowd were just hostile to Djokovic for no reason yesterday. Lol

They remained polite and appreciative almost throughout, despite Alcaraz clearly being the one most wanted to win.
Only negative reactions he got were when he was clearly trying to use gamesmanship. Taking too long to serve and losing his temper when getting called out on it, histrionics and bad behaviour, a seven minute 'toilet break' after losing the tiebreak. Smashing his racket against the net post. The crowd merely reacts to that. A little bit akin to throwing plastic cups at Fiorentina players for continued shithousery.

He behaved pretty badly yesterday for someone in his position and everyone knew it. Actually the kind of behaviour other players get criticism for. His opponents always show him respect so he should have shown it to Alcaraz, who he clearly felt threatened by, instead of shenanigans and questionable sportsmanship.

No-one heckled him before or after the match. The crowd were very polite and appreciative when he spoke. Any perceived animositiy toward him during the match was entirely of his own doing, from his own calculated actions.

The Ghost of Sven 2:40 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

Many were probably born in Australia but seem to want to bring their disputes from the OLD COUNTRY

Lee Trundle 2:17 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

I'd imagine those Croatian and Serbian fans are as austrailian as you are, Sven.

The Ghost of Sven 2:16 Mon Jul 17
Re: Why no Wimbledon thread?

swindon
Tennis is normally a civilised sport with crowds appreciating all good play.
Yes, uncalled for barracking of players is disgraceful wherever it happens. Particularly at self appointed bastions of civility like centre court Wimbledon or the Long Room at Lords

I imagine you will find in Australia that THAT crowd behaviour towards Djokovic results from Croatian and Serbian fans clashing as they often do at football matches in Melbourne particularly

Page 1 - Next