West Ham Online

Off to Wimbledon today....had a look at the players/draw and hadly know a single player. No more the halcyon days of Murray, Federer, Nadal and then latterly Djokovic.

Or the good old days of Agassi, Sampras, Courier etc.

Anyway, anyone we should be looking out for?

goose wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 11:53

Swiss. wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 11:41

goose wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025, 20:31  

He's harldy Italian. Mother tongue is German and that part of Northern Italy is ethnically German but Goose is desperate to claim him. 

He was born in Italy. He grew up in Italy and is Catholic.
But yeh he's hardly Italian.

That part of Italy (Tyrol) is an odd mix of Austrian/Italian who speak German and Italian. He speaks both.

Swiss. wrote: ↑14 Jul 2025, 11:41

goose wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025, 20:31  

He's harldy Italian. Mother tongue is German and that part of Northern Italy is ethnically German but Goose is desperate to claim him. 

goose wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025, 20:31  

The only Italian player I was ballboy for was Nicola Pietrangeli and yes he was a bloke.

goose wrote: ↑13 Jul 2025, 20:31  

  

 

Sporting excellence. How anyone can't appreciate the skill, stamina and mental toughness of these players is beyond me. Absolute pleasure to watch it.

Sinner outstanding today, probably should have won in 3
Alcaraz didn’t do too much wrong but could have no complaints 

Bit worrying to see the future King sit in the sun all day with no hat. Wise up baldy
Clare Balding said he & George would be pleased that it finished before the football started
Only realised later she meant the lady stuff & not PSG v Chelsea

We might get a winner in the raspberries section.

Not really her fault the yank completely shat the bed. 

57 mins to get the same prize money that Sinner or Alcaraz will spend 4+ hours slogging it out for

History made as Swiatek hands out a double bagel .. 6-0, 6-0

Nice work if you can get it ; Congrats to her on another grand slam win
.

I wonder, if clocks could be put back to change history, whether or not Djokovic would choose to have his Covid jab and get to play and win the Australian Open 2022.

I reckon it will be that thought that will regularly disturb him in the future because his time has run out to win another Slam.

Sinner & Alcaraz are levels above right now & look set to dominate finals for a while
Need two or three others to step up and challenge 
Djokovic is still a fine player but at 38 is understandably showing his age. Understand he is carrying on and wants to be at Wimbledon again next year but think he isn’t adding any more Grand Slams

the finals are ;

Sinner v Alcaraz

Swiatek v Anisimova
.

It really annoys me how the players need constant support and encouragement from their coaching staff and when they stand up and pump their fists in sallute when they win a point. Modern sports stars are just so fragile. 
rant over 
 

He is still better than most going round apart from probably Sinner & Alcaraz
Not bad for 38. Cobolli looks a decent player … he is 23

Great tournament by Djokovic ; all his opponents have been at least ten years younger than him
 

Djokovic beats Cobolli in 4
Did the splits in one of the late points. Looking his age
Sinner will be a tough match up for him

Fritz v Alcaraz in the other semi final

Presume they have changed it recently but the men always used to play Monday, Wednesday, Friday with the final on Sunday in the second week
Now two quarter finals yesterday & two today
Being on Centre court meant you saw 2 men’s quarter finals & today it’s a women’s match then Djokovic v Cobolli (22nd seed)
Will likely save on having to close the roof & put the lights on

Recall reading that Fred Perry wasn’t popular with the Wimbledon hierarchy in his day
Too working class it seemed
Understand after one of his Wimbledon wins an official came to the dressing room and warmly congratulated his beaten opponent ‘Hard luck old bean , losing to an oik’
Ignored Perry & left his prize money (probably a voucher for a cup of tea at Harrods) on his seat 

I was joking

Fred Perry is a bit before me.

Far Cough UKunt" wrote: ↑08 Jul 2025, 10:17 The good old days for me would be Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, Dennis Ralston and our own Mike Sangster in the mens and Maria Bueno, Billie Jean Moffat and our own Ann Haydon in the women's. 


Yes, I'm an old fart.

The good old days for me would be Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, Dennis Ralston and our own Mike Sangster in the mens and Maria Bueno, Billie Jean Moffat and our own Ann Haydon in the women's. 


Yes, I'm an old fart.