The Tennis thread

[Carver]

I'm surprised if that is still the perception, certainly in Scotland cricket is perceived as being far more posh than tennis.

But it feels like a bit of an excuse, golf is universally perceived to be a rich mans sport (Scotland a notable and historical exception) but very few if any of the current great golfers are rich or posh in the slightest. Consider Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy - people from a wealthy background are the exception not the rule.

In certain aspects tennis is still posh, certainly in London, but around the country Murray is helping to break down this barrier. 20 years ago he, and his voice, would have been mocked at Queens Club - they aren't mocking him now.

The way Wimbledon looks to the general working class public can be off putting to people thinking of getting into tennis as the Wimbledon tradition is to look posh especially on centre court where you see all the toff looking people and how they still call it the Gentleman's singles and the Ladies singles. The whole thing is just too posh looking for some for this day and age and quite cringy too.

 

[SALTIRE]

I was no Henman fan back in the day, but to compare him to Jacob Rees-Mogg is harsh!

 

[St. Juste]

By whom? Never heard that uttered before in my life. Although playing football was my first sport, I played cricket on a casual basis for many of my younger years and with a team whilst at secondary. It was also watched regularly by many youngsters in my area as there was an amateur team played every weekend nearby.

Where did you grow up?

As a quick straw poll, there are 3 cricket clubs in Aberdeen and 6 tennis clubs (in addition to other free courts). In the West Coast the difference is even more stark.

I do not know of any area in Scotland where cricket is a major sport. At an event in Largs once, I observed the Scottish 1st male cricket teams was given lower priority (in terms of accommodation and catering) than Scottish football referees.

I do know of any state schools that have cricket on the curriculum.

Beyond a summer sport for fee paying schools, I wasn't aware it registered at all in this country.

The way Wimbledon looks to the general working class public can be off putting to people thinking of getting into tennis as the Wimbledon tradition is to look posh especially on centre court where you see all the toff looking people and how they still call it the Gentleman's singles and the Ladies singles. The whole thing is just too posh looking for some for this day and age and quite cringy too.

I find Working Class a generally quite out dated term to be honest, but anyone who looks at Andy Murray and thinks posh needs their head examined. There's nothing pretentious about him.

I was no Henman fan back in the day, but to compare him to Jacob Rees-Mogg is harsh!

It's solely in relation to his very privileged background.

Although they do look a little alike....

 

[Super_horns]

Doesn't help Wimbledon if people still have this snobbish attitude towards the fans and players who go now (with a little dig at football ofcourse!)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...Wimbledon-today-stylish.html#comments-4691420

Least the spectators are getting a match now - first semi was one sided to say the least!!

 

[Leo]

Where did you grow up?

As a quick straw poll, there are 3 cricket clubs in Aberdeen and 6 tennis clubs (in addition to other free courts). In the West Coast the difference is even more stark.

I do not know of any area in Scotland where cricket is a major sport. At an event in Largs once, I observed the Scottish 1st male cricket teams was given lower priority (in terms of accommodation and catering) than Scottish football referees.

I do know of any state schools that have cricket on the curriculum.

Beyond a summer sport for fee paying schools, I wasn't aware it registered at all in this country.

Born, raised in Falkirk area though I fail to see what that has to do with the price of fish.

Nobody has said that cricket in Scotland is a major sport however there is a vast difference between 'not' being a major sport to the degree Football is and being considered 'posh'. Not having had any reason previously to enquire as to which schools (fee paying or not) include cricket in their sports activities I honestly couldn't say & suffice to say I have no inclination to now apart from the following link which gives an indication as to how cricket Scotland involves schools. I did read something also to the effect that cricket is undertaken at Scottish universities.

Not being played as much as other sports does not mean it is 'posh'.

http://www.cricketscotland.com/national-schools-week-of-cricket/

 

[St. Juste]

Duplicate post.

 

[Super_horns]

Looks like it's going to be Venus in the final against a player 14 years younger than her!

Has there ever been such a big gap age wise before?

 

[St. Juste]

Doesn't help Wimbledon if people still have this snobbish attitude towards the fans and players who go now (with a little dig at football ofcourse!)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...Wimbledon-today-stylish.html#comments-4691420

Least the spectators are getting a match now - first semi was one sided to say the least!!

There is something wrong in virtually every paragraph of that troll article.

In some ways it's quite impressive, he has gone for the scatter gun approach of offending seemingly everyone.

Born, raised in Falkirk area though I fail to see what that has to do with the price of fish.

Nobody has said that cricket in Scotland is a major sport however there is a vast difference between 'not' being a major sport to the degree Football is and being considered 'posh'. Not having had any reason previously to enquire as to which schools (fee paying or not) include cricket in their sports activities I honestly couldn't say & suffice to say I have no inclination to now apart from the following link which gives an indication as to how cricket Scotland involves schools. I did read something also to the effect that cricket is undertaken at Scottish universities.

Not being played as much as other sports does not mean it is 'posh'.

http://www.cricketscotland.com/national-schools-week-of-cricket/

It's being compared to tennis, which has significant higher participation levels in Scotland.

In my own experience, I've only ever seen it played in fee paying schools - and I don't know anyone who currently plays cricket in Scotland.

The link indicates 500 schoolchildren are involved, it's not tiny, but as a sport it's not particularly popular in Scotland. I don't agree tennis is perceived as posh, certainly not in Scotland, but generally cricket barely registers here. I don't think anyone is put off by cricket here being perceived as posh, rather the lack of facilities, lack of other people playing, and (perceived or otherwise) lack of enjoyment in the sport itself.

I've honestly never played it, used to always choose tennis. Think I made the right choice to be honest.

 

[DarkSithLord]

The year of the golden oldies then. Fed and Venus for the titles.

 

[Leo]

It's being compared to tennis, which has significant higher participation levels in Scotland.

In my own experience, I've only ever seen it played in fee paying schools - and I don't know anyone who currently plays cricket in Scotland.

The link indicates 500 schoolchildren are involved, it's not tiny, but as a sport it's not particularly popular in Scotland. I don't agree tennis is perceived as posh, certainly not in Scotland, but generally cricket barely registers here. I don't think anyone is put off by cricket here being perceived as posh, rather the lack of facilities, lack of other people playing, and (perceived or otherwise) lack of enjoyment in the sport itself.

I've honestly never played it, used to always choose tennis. Think I made the right choice to be honest.

It may be being compared to tennis but the fact that there are less participants certainly has no bearing on your assumption that it is considered as being 'posh'. There may be alternative reasons, I don't know, but I'm giving my viewpoints as I understand them and people with whom I have associated with over the years who have played the game albeit at a local level. The fact that you say there is a lack of facilities, I haven't a clue as to whether that is correct, may be a reason as to why there is a lack of interest compared to football, rugby, tennis. If people don't actually 'try' the game then there cannot be a lack of enjoyment (I don't think just someone saying...'I don't like cricket'.....would come into that classification). I would never give an opposing opinion on your choice of sport participation...you preferred tennis...excellent.

Just for info, there are two cricket clubs that I am aware of no more than a ten mile radius from my home. That isn't too shabby and one that I looked at offer coaching for kids which I would suspect most do. Having had a wee shifty on google I think there are more participants than you give credit to (certainly nothing on the level of football).

Perhaps (& I use the term loosely) the game is not being utilised early enough for youngsters that gives the perception of lack of participants. You have a point by saying it is not the most popular sport in Scotland but imo it cannot be called 'posh'.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

She moved from Australia to Spain at age 14 - she might have first stepped on British soil at, what, 15? At which point she was already a very promising junior tennis player. Even if she has resided in Britain since this was as a tennis professional who tours around the world. She will have spent significantly more of her life in Australia than Britain

Yes, it's a widespread problem and it has very little to do with identity. The UK gives more funding to its athletes, look at the success of the Olympics, they get more sponsorship money and better facilities. It's not their fault they choose to represent Britain, it's an entirely logical choice for their game and their bank balance. Mo Farah represents Britain, but stays in the US.

The downside is that it doesn't build up sports in other countries - credit to Raonic who could have represented Britain but choose the significantly less lucrative option of representing Canada.

The other downside is that funding goes to foreign ringers rather than people who actually grew up in Britain.

So instead of international spot being a cultural pursuit and a leveler the end game is that it becomes like professional sport with richest nations cherry picking the best players. Messi could represent Argentina, but the Spanish FA have more money, nicer hotels and mean less travelling. Luka Modric is really missing out on sponsorship money representing a small market like Croatia, why not pretend to be English?

Konta is acutely aware of this herself, when asked during the Australian open about this issue she sheepishly stated she grew up in the UK - which is laughably not true. Unless "growing up" solely constitutes the ages of 15-17. She is in it for the money, she knows it, and unlike Bedene is unwilling to admit it.



Correct, although UK wide training is improving significantly. Spain and Florida will continue to set the benchmark but the latter hasn't produced any of the big 4. There was certainly historically a bit of an issue with the motivation of UK based players in the early 2000s - look at the underwhelming careers of David Sherwood, Miles Kasiri and Alex Bogdanovic.

Scotland has no real history in tennis, and there's no rhyme or reason why we should concurrently have an excellent doubles player and one of the greatest players of all time simultaneously. Sometimes it just happens like that. The UK will invest far more into tennis than Switzerland or Serbia.

The class divide was exemplified by Henman, a Jacob Rees Mogg esque figure, but Murray will have done a lot to break down that barrier. He comes from an ordinary background, and is in no way posh.

If you're taking the position of only supporting English athletes, that's fair enough, but UK funding is central and Murray will have done a significant amount in improving interest and access to tennis.




And that is a minor detail.

Konta's situation really isn't analogous to Bedene though. Konta was still a child when she left Australia and by the time she took British citizenship she wasn't even in the world's top 200. She's spent a significant part of her life, including some of her childhood, here and much of her tennis education will also presumably have taken place in Britain. Her background isn't Australian - her parents are Hungarian - so not sure why people would particularly regard her as Australian, rather than British. In a couple of years time she'll have spent as long living in this country as she did in Aus.

 

[Carver]

Doesn't help Wimbledon if people still have this snobbish attitude towards the fans and players who go now (with a little dig at football ofcourse!)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...Wimbledon-today-stylish.html#comments-4691420

Least the spectators are getting a match now - first semi was one sided to say the least!!

The only thing I agree with him on is how boring tennis is quickly becoming with so many big serving players, everything else he says just makes me laugh because he is so full of shit!

He makes it sound like there are hooligan fans at Wimbledon now and players who are unsporting and cheat to win. Quite the opposite actually. I just don't think he likes people who are not dressed smartly like as in wearing a coat and tie.

However he is right though that sportsmanship in football ended years ago and the whole selfish celebrity culture, I can't disagree with him on that.

 

[The Paranoid Pineapple]

Doesn't help Wimbledon if people still have this snobbish attitude towards the fans and players who go now (with a little dig at football ofcourse!)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...Wimbledon-today-stylish.html#comments-4691420

Least the spectators are getting a match now - first semi was one sided to say the least!!

Usual nonsense "THINGS WERE BETTER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO" Mail fare.


Have only found one thing to be annoyed about, personally - why does the Beeb's coverage switch off for bloody Today At Wimbledon at 7:30pm every day? Really irritating having to switch over to the sodding RED BUTTON in the middle of a tasty doubles match.

 

[Martino Knockavelli]

He makes it sound like there are hooligan fans at Wimbledon now and players who are unsporting and cheat to win. Quite the opposite actually.

 

[Carver]

Shut up Ian.

 

[Leo]

Usual nonsense "THINGS WERE BETTER ONE HUNDRED YEARS AGO" Mail fare.


Have only found one thing to be annoyed about, personally - why does the Beeb's coverage switch off for bloody Today At Wimbledon at 7:30pm every day? Really irritating having to switch over to the sodding RED BUTTON in the middle of a tasty doubles match.

I've got Virgin & the actual red button games are on individual channels via the handset. Handy without having to wait for loading taking place like when I had Sky.

 

[GodsGift]

This serve-fest is rather boring. Might as well just skip straight to the tie breaks.

 

[Carver]

This serve-fest is rather boring. Might as well just skip straight to the tie breaks.

The end of tennis.

 

[Leo]

This serve-fest is rather boring. Might as well just skip straight to the tie breaks.

The end of tennis.

Bring back Borg.....those were the days. him, Nastase, McEnroe, Connors, Gerulaitis.....memories.

 

[SALTIRE]

Aye we don't want to go back to the bad old days of Sampras et al (though Raonic is scarily like him I'm many ways).

 

[Super_horns]

It's why everyone loves Federer!

 

[Carver]

Aye we don't want to go back to the bad old days of Sampras et al (though Raonic is scarily like him I'm many ways).

As I said before, they should change the tennis rule and make it that players only get to have one serve when serving, no second serves.

Should see more rallies then.

 

[SALTIRE]

It's why everyone loves Federer!

I like his tennis, not fond of the man behind it though.

 

[Carver]

I like his tennis, not fond of the man behind it though.

What do you not like about him?

Is he too nice?

 

[SALTIRE]

Is he too nice?

He and his wife are anything but nice. Its a facade.

 

[Aber gas]

He and his wife are anything but nice. Its a facade.

Why is he a bastard? I genuinely want to know.

 

[Carver]

He and his wife are anything but nice. Its a facade.

Why what have you heard about them exactly? Because I have always thought they are spot on.

 

[Super_horns]

Murray and Hingis into the Mixed Doubles final potentially to play Heather Watson and partner (who is the top doubles player around apprantley)

 

[SALTIRE]

Federer isn't as bad as his wife, but he has bad-mouthed Murray a few times in the past, which left a sour taste in the mouth, and there is an arrogance behind the nicety that is off-putting. Can't help but like his playstyle though so I can partially forgive him for that; but imo, Murray, Djokovic and Nadal are more humble people off-court.

 

[Stevencc]

Federer is a gentleman. Djokovic is a jocular little imp. Nadal is a drugged up ape. Murray has the personality of a dead toad and the likeability of a wasp.