Wimbledon!

[Govinda]

Strawberries and cream at the ready, people!

The biggest event in the tennis calendar, and the only one that anybody really pays any attention to.

So who's your bet? Nadal's knee has scuppered his chance to defend his title, so he's chilling in Mallorca.

I'm hoping that Andy Murray can win it this time, but after watching him today, I'm doubtful. Kendrick really took him for a ride. The same Kendrick who lost to Feliciano 'Prettiest Guy in the ATP' Lopez at Queens. How do you lose to Lopez? He's a shampoo advert, not a tennis player. Murray's next match has beaten him before on grass, and the whole UK is gripped by Murraymania...I'm not sure how he'll do. He wasn't that great today. I hope they don't attach Henman stigma, that that horrific desperate 'Come on, Tim!' doesn't evolve into a pathetic chorus of, 'Come on, Andy!'

One thing I will say is that I like the way he consistently pisses off the English. English people, do not be offended by this. It's funny. Plus, we're all waiting for 'The Hopeful Scot' to become 'The Triumphant Briton' if he wins.

Meanwhile, there's big Federer. If he wins this one, he will be the bona fide best player of all time. Quite a target to aim for, quite a feat to achieve. I'm still hoping that his wife goes into labour on Centre Court and something INTERESTING finally comes of Federer's existence. I mean, apart from the flawless tennis. But whatever.

I'm going to write a letter to Rafa's knee. It has made me so sad.



Oh Rafa.

[Zargabaath]

I pay minor attention to tennis only because of Nadal and Federer. Even if Federer wins I don't think he will be considered the greatest of all time for two reasons:

1) Against Nadal he has a losing record and has not beaten him at the French Open, he did beat him quite recently on clay before the French Open though. In order for him to be considered the greatest he has to from this point on dominate Nadal.

2) There is talk of another tennis player who is better than Federer and Sampras, I can't remember the name but the reason behind why is he could have won 20 majors if he had stayed amatuer but he decided to turn pro before the open era. I believe it is Rod Laver who has eleven majors.

For me Federer to be the greatest he needs to at leat get 16 or more majors and dominate Nadal inlcuding clay; the clay fielf can't be his weakness. If he wins another French Open against Nadal that will defnitely help Federer's cause.

[Chez Daja]

I really have no interested in tennis, so the fact that I live a five minute tram ride away from Wimbledon isn't as exciting as others seem to think. Like all other sports, I don't see the thrill of people in little shorts passing a ball back and forth to one another.

That said, it's not quite Summer without hearing about tennis.

[winterborn86]

I really have no interested in tennis, so the fact that I live a five minute tram ride away from Wimbledon isn't as exciting as others seem to think. Like all other sports, I don't see the thrill of people in little shorts passing a ball back and forth to one another.

That said, it's not quite Summer without hearing about tennis.

Exactly what I was thinking, I can never see not all the fuss is about it's not just tennis I feel that way about it's all sports really.
What exatly does strawberrys and cream have to do with tennis anyway? I have never understood that.

[Xanatos]

Because I'm Croatian my hopes go to that either Marin Čilić or Ivo Karlović win the Wimbledon.But the chances are really small.Well Federer will probably win this because there is no Nadal to stop him.But there is also Novan Đoković who is a great player lately.I think that he has won against Federer last few times.

[Unknown Entity]

I'm not a big fan of the tennis. I like playing it myself, but I prefer badminton. =D

I like watching it when there is nothing else on, and thats about it. The thing with watching sports is that I get bored very quickly - I'd much more prefer to be playing. Even with football, I haven't much interest. I just get the results the next day at college. *shrugs*

I don't need a reason to eat strawberries and cream! Yum! =D

[Govinda]

You guys are missing the whole point of tennis. Football is watching and waiting for someone to get it right; tennis is waiting for someone to get it wrong. That's what I love. It's the moments of perfection, and the downfalls.

It's the intense moments...tie break, final set, everything heaped on just two people...ahhh I want the finals to be here like now, I'm bored with the Williams/Federer/Murray/Djokovic just winning everything and not having to pay that much attention (though to give him his due, Kendrick did give Murray a workout).

[Crazy Chocobo]

I love watching tennis but Wimbledon is on way too late for me to sit up and watch. It's a real shame because I enjoy watching. I of course am going for Australia but we never do too good so we'll see how they go. I like Federer, have been a fan of his for a few years. Sharapova was on last night, I cannot stand the way she screams when she hits the ball. Is that really damn necessary? She is so over the top with it and I wish she'd stop. I thought they were banning that crap anyway? ><

[Shan'do Spike]

I find tennis unbearably boring. The matches are so slow paced that I nearly fall asleep, and it always seems to be playing over other programming I'd rather watch on ESPN. Not to mention that the duration of tournaments takes a lot of suspense out of it. It furthermore doesn't help that until the last few rounds, most of the matches (at least televised ones) are unbelievably one-sided.


That being said, with Nadal out, I don't see anyone actually challenging Federer. The two are very clearly the best, and so Nadal being out really feels like it cheapens the event.

I also don't think that just because that Federer will eventually win the most majors makes him the best player of all time. For a lot of his time, he was relatively unchallenged (as compared to Sampras who had Agassi most of the time), and his losing record to Nadal doesn't help at all.


Edit:

And to Crazy Chocobo, a lot of that grunting is completely involuntary. Physical exertions of that magnitude often come with the need to exhale.

[Crazy Chocobo]

.... Right, good to know. I'm okay with them grunting but hers is so over the top and ridiculous. A simple grunt is fine but when it comes to that.. >_> There's couple others as well who go over the top with it, so irritating.

Congrats though to Dulko who actually defeated Sharapova. I hope she does well. I am hoping Lleyton Hewitt will do well but he never seems to anymore! Oh and go Sam Stosur! She was born in Brisbane which is even better, I hope she goes very far.

[Govinda]

Re. the noises they make, that's become a bit of a debate. Coaches say that it's a form of breathing required for that level of exertion; Martina Navratilova says it's a tactic to cover the sound of the ball hitting the racquet, and that it should be banned.

It really annoys me when they do it. Laura Robson sounds like a cat being ****ing squashed every time she hits the ball. And one of Sharapova's screams hit 101 decibels once. Shudder.

[Chez Daja]

Yeah, that's the glory of tennis. "UGH!!!" "OHHHH" "UGH!" "UUUUUHHHHMMM".

I wonder how many men get erections at Wimbledon...? Is that too creepy to think about? Maybe. That Venus woman and her sister, though, God; cockblock. The noises that come out of them...

Thanks for trying Gov, but I'd still rather listen to tennis on the radio than watch it. Now to find Tennis.fm.

[Pete]

Well it's baseball season here in the states, so that's all I really care about, for now.

I'll watch the highlights on SportsCenter, but that's about it. Not really a fan of the Williams sisters, because as talented as they are, I bet they pee standing up, if ya catch my drift. I'll root for Roddick though, just because he's from the good ole US of A.

[MILK]

Ya baseball season is where all my attentions at with the yanks...but that not being the topic when a game isn't on i really enjoy watching wimbledon and such because those balls are flying fast and it reminds me of baseball(hand eye coordination and placement)

[Dr_Flea]

LOL Wimbledon!!!

Personally i don't watch it but my mum does so somtimes i'll sit down with her and watch it.

Although my mum has the annoying habbit of shouting at the screen like "Make her run" or "Fault Fault" to which i get extremely annoyed and yell "They Can't hear you......Shut Up!!!"

But all in all tennis is a boring Game and Can't wait for foxtel to start showing the NFL season!!! WOOOO!!!


~Dr_Flea~