Wimbledon 2013

[dom9]

Watching the Wimbledon final usually sends shivers up my spine, particularly at the moment of victory, when the winner finally wins. It's such a big achievement, a triumph over opponents and one's own inner demons. It's often inspiring to me.

But yesterday I watched it, and I felt almost no conection to the procedings as they unfolded. I had quite literally no interest in it and I found myself just watching it out of some sense of obligation. Very strange.

[Buzzo]

...and then the party fell flat.



Weird one Dom. Esp if you normally get into it all, are you a RF fan normally? How did you feel at the end of it all last year...

...Are you an android?

[dom9]

What's RF?

Last year I was driving back from Cornwall so I totally missed it. Tried to listen to it on the radio in the car but it's impossible when you're driving distances.

[Buzzo]

Sorry, for RF - Roger Federer.

Sounds like you are fairly ambivalent in general about it all. I've been massively into Tennis my whole life, I remember Becker winning Wimbledon in '85 as one of my earliest sports viewing memories (when I was old enough to understand).

Tennis on the radio is a waste of time. You can pick up on the atmosphere, but it happens so quickly you cannot work out what is going on.

Shame you didn't get into yesterday. I was an emotional wreck!!!

[Arn]

IMO Ivan Lendl is the big reason to why Murray now believe that he can beat anyone out there even after a bad start.

He learned Murray how to win the big games.

It isn't mentioned that often how important the coach/trainer is.

Clijsters started to help Flipkens and suddenly she got to the SF. I have already mentioned Lendl and Murray.

If you want to reach the top then everything must work. You must have the right trainer/coach. You can't mess around off the pitch etc.

Concentrate on your game and life 100% or you won't be a winner.

[Daniel 7]

Sorry, for RF - Roger Federer.

Sounds like you are fairly ambivalent in general about it all. I've been massively into Tennis my whole life, I remember Becker winning Wimbledon in '85 as one of my earliest sports viewing memories (when I was old enough to understand).

Tennis on the radio is a waste of time. You can pick up on the atmosphere, but it happens so quickly you cannot work out what is going on.

Shame you didn't get into yesterday. I was an emotional wreck!!!

I used to be like that with Murray games, I thought I was jinxing him

It felt different this year, that he had finally reached his peak and he was the match of anyone on the tour. I don't think, speculatively, that Federer and Nadal going out early would have made much difference - he was fresh for Wimbledon and mentally prepared for what felt like a destiny win, an arrival in the general British public's eyes (ie those that only follow Wimbledon and not the other slams).

Salmond - don't get me started on that pudgy faced pratt, immediately bandwagoning and politicising his win the instant it happened. I doubt that squat little fool has ever done anything vaguely sporty in his whole life. Andy has said he's doing it for himself first - its not a national win. For the SNP to even try to coat tail that is offensive and badly opportunistic. I hope it backfires on him, I haven't bothered to see if it has yet.

On the other side of it, I was amused by Cameron (another pudgy faced pratt), at one moment fist pumping and shouting out, "Thats what I'm talking about!!" Made me laugh that.

Shaggy, I only came across the Niven tweets today. Some of it comes across as premeditated, but he's got a real flair for the offensive outburst, I love good swearing.

[Daniel 7]

Watching the Wimbledon final usually sends shivers up my spine, particularly at the moment of victory, when the winner finally wins. It's such a big achievement, a triumph over opponents and one's own inner demons. It's often inspiring to me.

But yesterday I watched it, and I felt almost no conection to the procedings as they unfolded. I had quite literally no interest in it and I found myself just watching it out of some sense of obligation. Very strange.

Come on Dom, embrace the zeitgeist.

[dom9]

Sorry, for RF - Roger Federer.

Sounds like you are fairly ambivalent in general about it all. I've been massively into Tennis my whole life, I remember Becker winning Wimbledon in '85 as one of my earliest sports viewing memories (when I was old enough to understand).

Tennis on the radio is a waste of time. You can pick up on the atmosphere, but it happens so quickly you cannot work out what is going on.

Shame you didn't get into yesterday. I was an emotional wreck!!!

Well, I used to be well into it. I grew up half a mile from the courts. We used to play tennis and football all summer long in my youth. But yeah, I'm ambivalenty about most sport these days, including football. I even wasn't that fussed about the Olympics last summer.

Come on Dom, embrace the zeitgeist.

I am the zeitgeist.

[Buzzo]

I used to be like that with Murray games, I thought I was jinxing him

It felt different this year, that he had finally reached his peak and he was the match of anyone on the tour. I don't think, speculatively, that Federer and Nadal going out early would have made much difference - he was fresh for Wimbledon and mentally prepared for what felt like a destiny win, an arrival in the general British public's eyes (ie those that only follow Wimbledon and not the other slams).

Salmond - don't get me started on that pudgy faced pratt, immediately bandwagoning and politicising his win the instant it happened. I doubt that squat little fool has ever done anything vaguely sporty in his whole life. Andy has said he's doing it for himself first - its not a national win. For the SNP to even try to coat tail that is offensive and badly opportunistic. I hope it backfires on him, I haven't bothered to see if it has yet.

On the other side of it, I was amused by Cameron (another pudgy faced pratt), at one moment fist pumping and shouting out, "Thats what I'm talking about!!" Made me laugh that.

Shaggy, I only came across the Niven tweets today. Some of it comes across as premeditated, but he's got a real flair for the offensive outburst, I love good swearing.

Funnily enough, I was quite nervous during the Semi, but felt he was in near total control in the final, particularly after clawing back the second set.

It was an amazing, amazing achievement. One well earned.

I read a post from a journo who was there who said you could measure the level of an achievement by noticing how other famous people disappear to the periphery. Apparently after Murray went inside Wimbledon Cameron left the Royal box walked across a room full of journalists unimpeded.

Its what the future holds for you Dave

That's what I'm talking about FFS what a ****. Salmond was doing the most ridiculous clapping, totally exaggerated massive claps to obviously prove some kind of allegiance.

the day belonged only to one man....














...Gerard Butler, he and Bradley Cooper... They were nearly on screen more than Murray FFS.

[Phoenix07]

One of the bad points about Wimbledon is how much air time celebrities get. It does my nut in.

In the interview shown on Sky Sports, Murray says that he spoke to Beckham, to which one female journalist proceeds to asking 'what did he say' in a tone that suggested she simultaneously gushed at the same time.

I've heard more about what Cameron and co have had to say than any real analysis on the match. The BBC's coverage was diabolical as well.

[captainfog]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/shortcuts/2013/jul/08/virginia-wade-wimbledon-champion-tennis

Virginia Wade: a Wimbledon champion written out of British history

The Andy Murray headlines have ignored the fact that a Briton won a Wimbledon singles title in 1977. Ah, but she was a woman





Age: 67.

Appearance: Airbrushed. Out of history.

Who or what is Virginia Wade? Until last Sunday, the last British tennis player to win Wimbledon.

Huh? When? 36 years ago. Back in 1977.

Then how come I've never heard of her? Because journalists have forgotten she exists.

Really? Really. Wade has been written out of the headlines in several major newspapers.

Such as? On the front page of the Times today: "Murray ends 77-year wait for British win."

Ouch. And, on the front page of the Telegraph: "After 77 years, the wait is over."

Oof. And, on the front page of the Daily Mail: "Andy Murray ends 77 years of waiting for a British champion."

Jeez. Even the Daily Mail forgot about her win? Yep. Which is especially unforgivable, since they also published an interview with her, in which she told the paper: "You never forget how it feels to win Wimbledon."

Incredible. So where does the 77-year figure come from? That's the figure for the men's championships. The last British man to win before Murray was Fred Perry in 1936.

Meaning the real wait was actually just 41 years? No, in reality, British tennis fans were never made to wait at all. Dorothy Round Little won the women's singles – for the second time in her career – one year later, in 1937.

So there have been two British winners since? No, actually there have been four.

Four British women have won Wimbledon since Fred Perry? Yep. Partially deaf player Angela Mortimer won the championship in 1961, and underdog Ann Haydon-Jones beat legend of the sport Billie Jean King to win again in 1969.

This is a dark day for sports journalism, isn't it? Afraid so. But a good day for feminist writer Chloe Angyal, whose tweet "Murray is indeed the first Brit to win Wimbledon in 77 years unless you think women are people" has been re-tweeted, at time of writing, 9,425 times.

That's a lot, right? It is. But it only really counts when men re-tweet it.

Do say: "If Murray wins, he's British. If he loses, he's Scottish."

Don't say: "If Wade wins, she's forgotten."

[meffin]

His stamina is incredible, he practically sprints for a full match, even the 5 setters. And in that heat in the final? Crazy stuff.

[Vermilion]

One of the bad points about Wimbledon is how much air time celebrities get. It does my nut in.

In the interview shown on Sky Sports, Murray says that he spoke to Beckham, to which one female journalist proceeds to asking 'what did he say' in a tone that suggested she simultaneously gushed at the same time.

I've heard more about what Cameron and co have had to say than any real analysis on the match. The BBC's coverage was diabolical as well.

I just heard Cameron say that as far as knighthoods go, he couldn't think of anyone, no one at all that is more deserving.

Fair play to Andy Murray, i'm as happy as the next man, but perspective has gone out the window these days.

[Shaggy]

Fantastic updated documentary tonight. The footage of him back on Centre Court this morning was lovely. Murray

[Buzzo]

Yeah that bit was cool.

"do you mind if I go and speak to the groundsmen?"