[Archived] Wimbledon

[jim mk2]

The greatest tennis tournament in the world deserves its own thread so who do you you think we will it this year ?

I made my annual visit yesterday and jolly pleasant it was too. Strawberries and cream and lashings of Pimm's with a ringside view on Court Number One of Miss Sharapova (her legs do go an awful long way) in the gentle sunshine.

Sharapova played well but my money would be on Jelena Jankovic (Jamie Murray's doubles partner last year) who looked in tremendous form. Of the men a dark horse could be Richard Gasquet, a brilliantly talented young French player who made mincemeat of the curiously named Mardy Fish yesterday.

Wandering around the outside courts a young English player called Chris Eaton is one to watch. Tremendous serve and a natural athlete who looks to have a real future.

For those who have never visited I would throughly recommend Wimbledon as a wonderful day out. It's a like a huge garden party.

Tickets can be obtained either through the public ballot in December or by joining your local tennis club and entering the draw. Alternatively if you are keen you can queue up on the day early in the morning or overnight as some people do.

[Eddie]

Federer has to be favourite, but after the beating he was on the wrong end of here in Paris it is hard to imagine him bouncing straight back.

My outside (and not even that outside) bet is Roddick.

Women's tennis? I'll just not bother to pretend and go straight to playboy.

[jim mk2]

My outside (and not even that outside) bet is Roddick.

Women's tennis? I'll just not bother to pretend and go straight to playboy.

Roddick's too one-dimensional - big serve, bashes the ball as hard as possible from the baseline. He attacked the net only a few times during his match yestreday. I do enjoy watching him though.

Silly comment about women's tennis. There are some wonderful players.

[Eddie]

Here's the thing. Women's tennis is obviously not as good as men's, but it used to be worth watching because as they were less powerful the technical aspects of the game would come out more, exchanges would be longer and tactics were more important. Over the past 5 or so years you have slowly seen the womens game transform into power play, which as it did with men's tennis, has resulted in it being less interesting. As far as I'm concerned the vast majority of women now are simply athletic inferiors to their male counterparts. There are a few women players I enjoy watching because they continue to play in a more traditional way, a way I wish the men could as well (but technological advancements have made that impossible), but there aren't many of them. Why watch the Williams or Safina when you could watch a man do exactly the same thing but much better?

[cletus]

....So which one would you poke Eddie?

[3rdpillar]

....So which one would you poke Eddie?

this could turn into a wimbledon babes thread...anyone with video capure cards?

[LeChuck]

Silly comment about women's tennis. There are some wonderful players.

I refuse to take notice of the women's tennis after they started getting the same pay as the men.

If they want the same pay they should play 5 sets. They're getting the same pay for providing far less entertainment to the audience. It really, really annoys me.

[adopted scouser]

Love Wimbledon, right this minute Ivanovic could be going out already !

Federer showed real class in his cashmere cardie, and the williams girl didn't let me down in her stupid mac.

Hope Eaton does well, and for top totty Maria Kirilenko.

[jim mk2]

They're getting the same pay for providing far less entertainment to the audience.

Just because the men's game is faster and the players are more powerful does not mean it is more "entertaining".

Watch the Ivanovic on the box at present - close match, top-class players and high-quality "entertainment".

I like watching any tennis match at any level, male and female. The different techinques of the players fascinates me.

[adopted scouser]

Ivanovic finally got the break, she's been awful today.

'the Ivanovic' ... 'techinques' What's up with you today ?

[jim mk2]

Interesting quotes from Sergei Baltacha, ex Russia and Ipswich footballer and dad of Elena, on why Britain produces so few top-class tennis players (and top class footballers for that matter).

It's people like him who should be running sport in this country, not government ministers.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ten...icle4207731.ece

[LeChuck]

Just because the men's game is faster and the players are more powerful does not mean it is more "entertaining".

Sorry I didn't make that very clear.

I didn't mean the quality of the tennis, I meant simply that they're proving 2-3 sets per match whilst the men are providing 3-5 sets per match. I'm all for equality in the game, but it has to work both ways. If they're playing 40% (very rough guess) less tennis than the men, then they should receive 40% less pay, not the same.

[joshbrfc]

Womens Tennis is great to watch, just look at Sharapova.

Shame she's out

[Rovermatt]

Surely the goddess that is Ana Ivanovic is still in?

[Presty On Tour]

have to say the murray v gasquet match is very, very good!

[Hughesy]

Yeah im watching it too - over 3 hours now!!

[Presty On Tour]

you have to love these challenge calls!

[AlanK]

Not a massive tennis fan but I bloody enjoyed that

[Guest Kamy100]

Typical, I watched it until he looked out of it in the third set, so decided to go out, come back in and shocked to see that he had just won 3-2.

[bellamy11]

What a day to get stuck at work all evening

[grizfoot]

First match I've tuned in for, and what a match it was. Well done Murrary for coming back, he looked down and out with Gasquet serving for the match at 5-4 in the third. But fair play to him and the Wimbledon crowd really lifted him I think.

[greggyk]

For those who have never visited I would throughly recommend Wimbledon as a wonderful day out. It's a like a huge garden party.

Tickets can be obtained either through the public ballot in December or by joining your local tennis club and entering the draw. Alternatively if you are keen you can queue up on the day early in the morning or overnight as some people do.

Went to my first Wimbledon with my mate on Friday...qued for 3 hours just to get a £20 ground pass, but it was soo worth it...amazing day out, even if fish n chips did cost £6! n a beer £3.70

[T4E]

What a day to get stuck at work all evening

Shocker. Amazing match.

[thenodrog]

Womens Tennis is great to watch, just look at Sharapova.

Shame she's out

And there's the rub. The first rule of Ladies tennis............. the fittest women always go out in the first week?

Anybody care to speculate why? The likes of Navratilova, Serena Williams, Betty Stove, BJK etc annually making it into the semi's in their days at the top suggests that having bolloxx must be a great asset for tennis.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Interesting quotes from Sergei Baltacha, ex Russia and Ipswich footballer and dad of Elena, on why Britain produces so few top-class tennis players

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/ten...icle4207731.ece

Its because of the 'private members only' undercurrent that permeates through British sport.....Wimbledon is a classic example of this vile snobbery and the same with the top golf clubs and to some extent rugby and cricket 'institutions'.

The top facilities are only availiable to the wealthy and priviledged.