The Tennis Thread

[Paddingtonwolf]

It’s a strange thing that feels quite particular to here. If the Australian interest has done badly you don’t hear very much about the event. There has been a boatload of Tour de France coverage with Hindley doing well, but I anticipate that dropping off now he has dropped out of the podium positions!

 

[Dire Wolf]

Murray through to the 2nd round at the US Open.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Been watching the French Open over the last week and a half but reached breaking point (no pun intended) today and had to switch it off. The crowd are absolutely appalling. Wandering around when play is going on, taking an age to get back to their seats and brazenly not giving a fuck even when they're told to hurry it up, not being quiet when they're supposed to, that stupid trumpet chant every single fucking point, not bothering to show up on the show courts if one of their favourites isn't on, heckling players...awful.

 

[Sniffer]

Villa come out on top against Wolves on the tennis court as Dan Evans beats the youngster Henry Searle 7-6 7-6 at the Nottingham Open.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Murray not getting his Wimbledon farewell. Such a shame.

Djokovic also struggling to make it, if he doesn't then it'll be the first year since 2004 that none of Murray, Djokovic or Nadal played in SW19.

Henry Searle has got a wildcard though.

 

[The Bear]

Screeching from tennis players annoys a lot of people, and rightly so.

But for some reason it really winds me up how much tennis players fist pump every little thing. It just looks cringy and embarrassing.

You won a point, it wasn't anything special, stop giving it the big one. Save that for the winning of games, sets, the match, or if you pull off something miraculous in a rally.

Boulter is playing now and is doing it for EVERY point!

 

[Kenny]

Its not giving it the big one though is it. Its self coaching essentially, telling himself/herself they are doing a good job. Keeping a positive dialogue in their head. Lonely old game when your coaching team are sat in the stands.

 

[Dire Wolf]

Its not giving it the big one though is it. Its self coaching essentially, telling himself/herself they are doing a good job. Keeping a positive dialogue in their head. Lonely old game when your coaching team are sat in the stands.

I'm not sure there's any sports that are more in your own headspace than tennis and golf. Having a positivity is essential, and it's easy to see swings in momentum when one player loses that mental state.

 

[SLA]

Good article in the Guardian today about the life of low-ranking tennis pro. Sounds a right lonely grind - https://www.theguardian.com/sport/a...e-loneliness-of-the-low-ranking-tennis-player

 

[The Bear]

Rubbish. Professional snooker is a lonely old game too. You don't see them fist pumping every time they pull off a decent shot. Nor do golfers other than an occasional high five for the caddie if they hole with a longer shot.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I'm not sure there's any sports that are more in your own headspace than tennis and golf. Having a positivity is essential, and it's easy to see swings in momentum when one player loses that mental state.

Snooker, big time

Darts to a slightly lesser extent

 

[Kenny]

Rubbish. Professional snooker is a lonely old game too. You don't see them fist pumping every time they pull off a decent shot. Nor do golfers other than an occasional high five for the caddie if they hole with a longer shot.

Different strokes and all

Tennis high energy, audible pat on the back after exerting yourself
Snooker - More about the focus, they are tuned to silence. Someone farts 3 rooms away and they are distracted. So ruining that with an audible "get in" will send them off. Guarantee the little man in their head is screaming "fuckin shot son"....
Golf - Will chat with the caddy between hits. No need to go over the top, they have someone to discuss shit with right there, standing next to them

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Snooker - More about the focus, they are tuned to silence. Someone farts 3 rooms away and they are distracted. So ruining that with an audible "get in" will send them off. Guarantee the little man in their head is screaming "fuckin shot son"....

The issue with snooker is that you fuck up, you have to sit there and watch your opponent inevitably rub it in, and you can't do a thing about it. You can have 10-20 minutes at a time of that, multiple times a match if you like missing easy shots as I always did.

It's a killer.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Nothing wrong with celebrating/fist bumping in tennis or whatever. I know when I’ve played squash, tennis, table tennis, badminton, anything, your telling yourself “come on” or similar when you’re break point down or your mounting a comeback or when your a few points away from winning.

It’s just the way it is in those sports. Miss a red in snooker and that could be it. Lose a point in the others and you get another chance on the next one. Golfers are always doing clenched fists and high fives anyway. But no point doing it when you hit the green or a long drive, means fuck all at that point as the ball ain’t in the hole. You celebrate when you’ve achieved the goal - clutch putt, chip in etc.

 

[The Bear]

I don't remember all this fist pumping in older tennis matches like in the 90s or earlier. Maybe I didn't notice it when I was younger.

I think it's just a modern fad that everybody is copying. Probably due to some spurious coaching that says it gives you a mental edge.

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

McEnroe and Connors did it all the time. Borg didn't as he was Mr Ice Man

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Heather Watson out before 1pm on day one. 14 appearances at Wimbledon, 8 Round One defeats.

 

[Mel Evo]

Tennis must have the worst return on capital expenditure of any sport in the UK if measured by international success?

 

[ROVERT47]

A sport where, certainly in this Country, you can make a decent living for being shit.

 

[Johnny75]

Tennis must have the worst return on capital expenditure of any sport in the UK if measured by international success?

I presume you mean individuals?

The LTA pump a lot of money in to grass roots but it's a fraction of what is made from Wimbledon. It helps the ATP is run from London along with the broadcast worldwide.

Getting people to play seems to be the biggest problem as the weather is pretty shite.