Wimbledon 2008
 

To kick things off, looks like Murray is having a tough match against Gasquet.

2 sets down & games going with service in the third, 5 - 4 to Gasquet at the moment.

As an aside, anyone ever seen Murray & Marlon Dingle in the same room? :erm:

Andy the great GB hope
 

I can't get at the TV at the moment..But somewhere there seems to be an exciting tennis match going on..How is he doing?

[Mode Edit - Merged with Wimbledon 2008 thread]

Re: Andy the great GB hope
 

he just won, you could watch on the bbc website ;)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Murray just won! He was two sets down, about to lose the match. But won the set, then another one, and just won this one! :D

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

He won !! (Murray that is).

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

pahh new mods creating threads to be merged ;)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

He's won! :cleader:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

An amazing game

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Well as I hardly ever delve into the Sports forum and I didn't even know there was a thread about tennis..last time I looked it was all Formula 1 or football.

I didn't even know he was playing until I visited another site...;)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

I haven't watched tennis in a long time, but I find myself glued to the screen when Andy Murray plays.
2 years ago he had very little sponsorship and poor coaching and it showed in how early he left the competition.
Now he looks a lot fitter and going by tonights game looks able to go the distance but we'll see. Bearing in mind he's only just left his teens, I hope he does well.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

What's tennis?

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

I for one hope he loses big time against Nedal. Murray is still too arrogant and cocky with no charisma at all. His younger brother is a much better example than he is.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Perhaps arrogance and cockiness are what's needed in a winner?:shrug:

After all diffidence and good manners didn't get Henman the ultimate prize:(.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Still doesn't change the way I feel about him, he's not the right role model for the sport (yet). And I wasn't disputing his ability on the court.

Henman just wasn't good enough, nothing to do with being nice etc. Murray is a bad loser, and don't have the right qualities to be a winner even if he does actually win the tournament.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

It just seems to me that many of Wimbledon's best champions have been bad losers.

Not saying it's right but that's how it seems.:shrug:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Does he have a younger brother who plays, too? Jamie is older.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

I think there is a difference between not wanting/liking to lose and being a bad loser. I haven't seen Murray act or say anything ungracious in defeat. He doesn't like to lose, but thats what will eventually make him a winner?

Bad role model for the sport? He trains hard, he is focused on winning, he's a nice chap outside Tennis. Dont see anything wrong in that.

He definately has the right attitude to win a tournament. He is confident, a touch arrogant both attributes that can instill some fear/doubt in opponents, he is talented too. Did you see some of the shots he played yesterday?

As much as I like Nadal, - after yesterday's epic match I'd have no qualms with Murray beating him tomorrow. In fact I will be rooting for him tomorrow.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

For some people maybe - I don't recall Bjorn Borg or Roger Federer being cocky or arrogant. I think all Henman lacked on grass was the killer instinct.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Go Nad. :D

Looks like a Nadel and Federer final again, should be a very good match.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Older brother ;) Other than that I agree, I don't like him one bit, all that 'anyone but England' crap and he wants us to support him pffft

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

What I want to know is in what sense paying the Williams sisters exactly the same as the the men is an example of equality? When the women have to play the best of 5 sets (or the men the best of 3) parity is warranted.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Are they doing that? Because your are right, it is not fair, and I am pretty sure that they could handle 5 set matchs. I am sure the playing 3 sets is itself a relic of sexism.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/6385295.stm

Yes they are. If the women can't play up to 5 sets then IMO they don't deserve equal prize money on the grounds of equality. If they can play 5 sets then let them do so or reduce the men to best of 3.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

I did think this after Murray lost...

https://www.cableforum.co.uk/images/...008/07/100.jpg

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Yes, That is stupid.

5 set matchs mean the men have to work more, will feel greater physical stress post-match, and are at an increased risk of injury (because of their physical condition). The pay should reflect that.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Well so far as I can see anyone who accused the 'English' media of only bigging up their own got it completely wrong. Plenty of English (and other) pundits jumped on the Murray bandwagon after his thriller against Gasquet only to be shot down by a certain Spaniard.

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:21 ----------

Well of course some still argue that the equality in pay simply reflects the equal entertainment value of the women's, albeit shorter, game. A relative procession to the final for the Williams sisters doesn't bear that out IMHO. I don't see how 5 sets of Nadal v. Federer can be equal in any way to 3 sets of Williams v. Williams.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Well, it's not really a valid comparsion. I am sure they would be equal entertainment value if men did 3 sets as well. A 5 set match vs a 3 set match is not a huge difference unless the tennis is really good in the first place, then longer = better.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Hmmmm must remember NOT to tell my wife that :D

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Well I guess we might well see 2 mens singles champions this year then...

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

It's not the speed of your serve, it's the duration of the rally that makes it enjoyable......... ;)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

lol I'll remember that........ ;)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Well done Laura Robson, youngest player in Junior Wimbledon & she's won the Girls' Singles title...

Link

Will she end up like Mauresmo, Austin & Hingis or Annabel Croft? :erm:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Let's hope for her she gets Hingis' tennis brain, Mauresmo's game, Annabel's looks and Austin's... errrrm. Hmm, let's just stick with those 3.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

hat's off to the 14 year old Laura Robson for going all the way and winning a Wimbledon title

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/7491442.stm

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Indeed - although I hope she stays with the game longer than Croft.

What a composed and focussed attitude she had yesterday compared to her opponent: Slovakian Romana Tabakova, and a seemingly very pleasant lass too.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

What a cracking final so far! :)

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Judging by the noise my hubby is making I'd say so too.:D

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

It's the mens final, not the ladies... :p:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

I think Federer is just teasing everyone...........

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

:bsmack:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

When the ladies can produce a final like the one we've just had they deserve equal prize money.

Two great sportsmen!

Two great competitors!

What a match!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

WELL DONE NADAAAALLLLL!!!!! what an awesome final...... that is probably the best match I will ever get to see in my life...... dnadal has some bottle, missing out on breakpoints and match points earlier..... awesome finish, almost in tears myself.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Absolutely amazing, well done both finalists for serving up such a treat.

Congratulations Nadal, what a battler...

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

If that's what it takes now to win this tournament, god help anyone else.

One of the best finals I've seen, well done Nadal.

Phew

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

And totally humble with it too.... awesome battler

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

An absolute epic. Once in a while you get sporting contests that don't deserve a winner. This one didn't deserve a loser. Fantastic match. One of the best I've seen in my life. :tu:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

agreed, i dont normaly like tennis but this was a good match

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Have to agree. This was a briliant match to end Wimbledon on.
Great play :tu:

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Nadal should really have been disqualified for consistent and repeated time violations. The umpire only had the balls to give him one warning.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Don't agree with that at all..... I don't recall Nadal consistently going over the time limit to serve , especially considering the wind and noise from the audience throughout the game.

He got one code violation - which even the commentators thought was harsh at the time.

Yes Federer did seem agitated once or twice in the final set by the length of time Nadal was taking to serve, but I'm sure it was all within the laws of the game.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

You must not know the rules, then.

He did. Odd that Federer didn't, considering the conditions were the same for him.

What, Henman and Castle? Yes, a fine pair those two are.

It wasn't. You didn't even need a stop watch to catch him. It was quite ridiculous. The inexperienced umpire simply didn't do his job. I don't expect he will be allowed to umpire another GS any time soon.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

As far as I know players have 20 seconds to serve from the moment they receive the ball.

There is nothing against the rules for slowing down a game. I would say that the umpire, match referee and the commentators are in a far better position than yourself to commentate on interpretation of the rules during the match.... Unl;ess I am missin something and you are actually an umpire.

Plus I dont see Federer making any comments regarding gamesmanship now or during the game.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Nadal often took up to 40 and even 50 seconds.

This is something other commentators have often pointed out. Castle even yammered on about it when Nadal played Murray at last year's AO. Funny how it's an issue when there's a Brit involved.

It's well known that Nadal keeps breaking the rules, and that umpires protect him, because he's a top draw. The only thing that made the warning strange was the timing, since he had broken the rules throughout the entire match, and continued to do so afterwards.

Do you have to be a policeman to recognize someone speeding?

Too much class.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

On the program that was played whilst the rain was on about Federer, there was talk about Nadal and his slowness between serves, saying he has always been consistantly slow, it's just the way he plays. He doesn't do it for effect to put off others, just one of his formalities I suppose. Federer says it can be annoying but it's him and he respects him at the end of the day.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

But it's against the rules. What if Federer consistently felt like having 3 serves instead of 2? Or maybe stood a few feet inside the baseline to serve? Not to give himself an advantage, of course, but just because that's the way he plays? Formalities, I suppose. Rules are there for a reason, and the umpire didn't do his job.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Either we're not a nation of racist xenophobes or all the posters here are flaming foreigners :D

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

Pascal Maria (or however you spell his name) is a vastly experienced umpire, in actual fact.

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

looks like someones a bit miffed that their man lost.........

Re: Wimbledon 2008
 

It was his first Wimbledon's men's final, in actual fact. It's not like the weekly grind on the tour, you expect the best of the best in a final like this. A shame he came up short. Sure, it was a long day for everyone, so maybe they should consider changing the umpire between sets, just like line judges and ballboys/girls are routinely replaced.