The Official Tennis Thread

Started by Doogie Browser, January 26, 2010, 11:25:28 AM

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Captain Obvious

Quote from: ONeill on July 09, 2012, 12:31:47 AM
Federer reminds me of me to be honest.
The big nose and the huge bank balance?

nifan

I like murray - he doesnt try to perform all the time to the medias expectations like tim henman - hes focused on his sport but he has a real sarcastic sense of humour too with the media, when they want emotion.
Made yesterdays emotion at the end more real too - you know he doesn't put the tears on at the drop of a hat.

Tony Baloney

Quote from: Captain Obvious on July 09, 2012, 01:01:55 AM
Quote from: ONeill on July 09, 2012, 12:31:47 AM
Federer reminds me of me to be honest.
The big nose and the huge bank balance?
Either being the father of twins or having a mop of thick dark hair.

AQMP

I like Murray...he doesn't seem to have much time for all the media bollocks and is not Tiger Tim, though he is 10 times the player Henman was.

Federder is a genius though.

ONeill

#169
Quote from: AQMP on July 09, 2012, 11:10:32 AM


Federder is a genius though.

I think that's how the announcer pronounced it too when handing over the trophy.

Around 59 seconds. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7dseNuNqpw
I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames.

AQMP

Quote from: ONeill on July 09, 2012, 11:24:06 AM
Quote from: AQMP on July 09, 2012, 11:10:32 AM


Federder is a genius though.

I think that's how the announcer pronounced it too when handing over the trophy.

Around 59 seconds. - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7dseNuNqpw

I got a bit mixed up, I meant Anton Federder in the other thread...

johnneycool

Quote from: Tony Baloney on July 09, 2012, 09:20:54 AM
Quote from: Captain Obvious on July 09, 2012, 01:01:55 AM
Quote from: ONeill on July 09, 2012, 12:31:47 AM
Federer reminds me of me to be honest.
The big nose and the huge bank balance?
Either being the father of twins or having a mop of thick dark hair.

Or the appalling fashion sense?

AQMP

Good piece by Charlie Brooker in the Guardian about Andy Murray (written before yesterday's match)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/08/andy-murray-not-miserable-just-normal

Congratulations to Andy Murray, who either did or didn't win Wimbledon this afternoon. Since I'm writing this almost immediately before the match itself kicks off, I've got no way of knowing what the outcome was. Is. Will be. Whatever.

I think I can safely predict one thing, though: whatever happens, win or lose, in the post-game interview, he won't do a double thumbs-up, gurn joyously down the lens, waggle his tongue around like Gazza, then moonwalk off, waving, grinning, and making comedy trombone noises. That's not the Andy Murray we know and sort of love.

People say Murray's miserable because he doesn't smile very often. He's not miserable. He's normal. Have you walked down a street recently? Any street in the country? Go on, pick one. Take a stroll. Bring a notepad. Make a note each time you spot someone walking around beaming like they just taught their dog to shit money. Chances are you'll cross six postcodes before you glimpse so much as a smirk. Which isn't to say people are inherently unhappy. Just that they've got better things to do with their faces than walking around bending their mouths up like idiots.

The people who want Murray to smile are the same ones who try to make me dance at weddings. They want the world to conspicuously enjoy itself in a manner of their choosing, and they turn vaguely sanctimonious when they encounter pockets of resistance, as though their definition of fun is the only one that matters.

So Murray isn't going to win the Merryville Festival of Grins any time soon. What difference does it make to you, you needy pricks? Can't he just play tennis without having to turn around after each point and pull a happy face just for you, like he's your dad watering plants in the garden and you're a toddler watching him through the kitchen window? What do you want, a tennis champion or Mister Tumble? Make your mind up, because you're not getting both.

Perhaps part of the confusion is that despite being very much in the public eye, Murray refuses to play along with the patronising emotionalism demanded by the media, where sporting stars are expected to put on showy displays of "passion" that look good in a highlights package at the end of the show. If you're not a natural cartwheels-of-victory type, it must be a pain in the arse to know everyone's expectantly gauging your reaction. You know how when you're opening a birthday present in front of a crowd, all your brain can do is scream: "FOR GOD'S SAKE LOOK DELIGHTED!" at you? Multiply that by ten million. I'd say Murray's ability to ignore this pressure is almost more impressive than his racquet skills.

Moments after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-final, Murray was interviewed by the BBC's Garry Richardson, who found himself repeatedly trying to squeeze some kind of rousing sentiment from a man intent on describing the game in technical terms, like a straight-faced IT consultant explaining how he fixed a problem with the server.

After trying and failing to get him to describe the match as a rollercoaster of emotions, Richardson brought up Murray's mum and dad, who'd been sitting in the audience. "What can it possibly have been like, Andy, for your parents watching there?" he asked, presumably hoping to prompt a moment of choked-up pride. Murray handed him a cold stone in return.

"I've no idea," he replied, deadpan. "I'm not really that bothered. It's a lot harder for me, that's for sure." And there was a glimmer of a dark smirk at the end, the kind that doesn't register in a world in which all emotions must be expressible as emoticons and interior happiness is required to be rendered visible from a range of 200 metres.

That's precisely the kind of sporting hero we need. One who's allergic to bullshit and treats the whole thing like a job that rather than a tear-jerked spiritual calling. He seems to want to ignore the media. Trouble is, he's so bloody good at tennis, the media can't ignore him. But like a bluebottle repeatedly bashing its face against a windowpane, it continually tries and fails to turn him into yet another easily digested celebrity. "Celebrity" is increasingly the only role the media can process, yet it's a role in which Murray looks about as comfortable as a dog on rollerblades.

In the run-up to the Wimbledon final (which, at the risk of repeating myself, hasn't happened at the time of writing), press and broadcasters alike routinely described Murray as some kind of symbolic vessel containing all British hope. All our dreams, all our aspirations – all on his shoulders, apparently. Poor f**ker.

The strong implication was that if he won, it'd solve all our national neuroses at a stroke: like England won Euro 2012, like Barclays behaved, like Diana never died. We'd be commanded to stand outside collectively waving union flags as though trying to attract the attention of some huge intergalactic queen bee hovering somewhere above the atmosphere. But if, on the other hand, he lost we'd either tut and say it's typical – because we're allowed to be grouchy, but the people we pointlessly entrust with our sense of national self-worth aren't – or, more likely, be expected to sit soggy-eyed watching a slow-motion montage of his disappointed face, cut to something mournful-but-unthreatening with a hint of Coldplay about it. Because if he won't supply the emotion, goddamit, we'll make the soundtrack do it on his behalf

Tony Baloney

Thon Garry Richardson fella is a terrible interviewer. I think it was him interviewing Rosol after beating Nadal and when asked how he felt after beating a legend like Nadal, Rosol (obviously dying to escape) said it hadn't sunk in and he couldn't describe it. Richardson, not taking the hint, then asked him how he felt before the match with Nadal  ??? Knob!

ludermor

Quote from: AQMP on July 09, 2012, 12:42:44 PM
Good piece by Charlie Brooker in the Guardian about Andy Murray (written before yesterday's match)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/08/andy-murray-not-miserable-just-normal


After trying and failing to get him to describe the match as a rollercoaster of emotions, Richardson brought up Murray's mum and dad, who'd been sitting in the audience. "What can it possibly have been like, Andy, for your parents watching there?" he asked, presumably hoping to prompt a moment of choked-up pride. Murray handed him a cold stone in return.

"I've no idea," he replied, deadpan. "I'm not really that bothered. It's a lot harder for me, that's for sure." And there was a glimmer of a dark smirk at the end, the kind that doesn't register in a world in which all emotions must be expressible as emoticons and interior happiness is required to be rendered visible from a range of 200 metres.


That was cringworthy alright and i loved Murrays response.

Bill Haven

Richardon is arguably the biggest twat in sports broadcasting. No exaggeration.

He interviewed Marcos Baghdatis after he trounced Murray in 2006 in I think the third round.

Richardson: "So Marcos, surely this is the biggest win of your career!?"

Baghdatis: "Ehhh...well....I reached the Australian Open final a few months ago. I had some bigger wins there."

Richardson: "But this is WIMBLEDON for heaven's sake!!!"


He's OBSESSED with the royal family too.

1st question to federer after quarter-final this year: "Did you raise your game knowing there were so many royal dignitaries present?"

To Murray last year: "So how did it feel to play in front of William and Kate?"

He's a complete cretin. An absolute disgrace to the sport

Hardy

Quote from: Bill Haven on July 09, 2012, 01:55:07 PM
Richardon is arguably the biggest t**t in sports broadcasting. No exaggeration.

Ah come on.




Orior

According to the BBC website, Andy Murray is 'more determined than ever' to win a Grand Slam.

Does that mean he wasnt fully determined previously?
Cover me in chocolate and feed me to the lesbians

Tony Baloney

Quote from: Orior on July 09, 2012, 04:41:52 PM
According to the BBC website, Andy Murray is 'more determined than ever' to win a Grand Slam.

Does that mean he wasnt fully determined previously?
Upping his game from a full 100% to an Apprentice-style 110%!

From the Bunker

Quote from: Orior on July 09, 2012, 04:41:52 PM
According to the BBC website, Andy Murray is 'more determined than ever' to win a Grand Slam.

Does that mean he wasnt fully determined previously?

Ah it's media speak for the fans.