So, the British Number 1 women’s tennis player, Johanna Konta, is now out of Wimbledon, having been beaten by Dominika Cibulkova. Ms Cibulkova by the way played an energetic and suberb game, at one point losing 4 match points but eventually going on to beat Ms Konta. What with Andy Murray out of the running due to still recovering from a hip operation, it’s down to Kyle Edmund to keep the British show on the road.
I always try to follow what’s happening at Wimbledon, but as far as I’m concerned it was better when I used to come home from school and plonk myself in front of the telly for the evening whenever Wimbledon was on. Mum would be doing whatever she did; dinner would appear on the table, but there was no sitting there watching tennis with a tray on my lap. No, it was a case of eating as fast as I could to be back watching Ilie Nastase, Jimmy Connors, Chris Evert, and Evonne Goolagong et al do their thing. John McEnroe would shout ‘You cannot be serious!’ and I’d lap it all up.
Has Wimbledon changed for me over the years? Yes of course; there’s more money involved than back in the 1970s and the players are more dour-faced these days with the stress of needing to win and keep up their ranking. They don’t piss about as Nastase and Connors often did. Also I can’t sit in the armchair all afternoon and evening and watch the matches as I now have work and household duties that interfere with the games! When my boys were small I tended not to get around to watching it at all, and sadly lost track of new players as the old ones retired or threw their racquets up in the air in disgust.
The days of running out of the school gates as a sixth former with friends and hopping on a train to Wimbledon to stand outside the centre court and watch the evening games for free are long gone. Yes, people coming off the court would give us their tickets, and in we’d run. I saw many of the great players, and for that I shall be ever thankful. Now I live around 150 miles away and the train service is limited to say the least. Driving there would be a nightmare, but now there’s no Mum around to stop me sitting with a tray on my lap and watching the odd game or two on TV if I want to. Dear old Dot – I wish she would appear though…
I know many of you prefer the football, but I don’t give two hoots who wins that. For me it’s always been tennis! Perhaps it’s a girly thing?
dgkaye said:
Does this mean we’re breaking up if I admit I don’t care for either sport? LOL I hope not. 🙂 x
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Stevie Turner said:
Ha ha, no we’re still sistahs from other mistahs.
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dgkaye said:
Lol, great! 🙂
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wellcolourmeyellow said:
I can’t imagine ever being interested in any sports. I’m always down to come to a live football match though, but that’s mostly to erratically scream my support for a team i just, a minute ago, decided to support.
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Stevie Turner said:
Tennis is the only sport I’m interested in. As for football… someone give them all a ball each for gawd’s sake!
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wellcolourmeyellow said:
hahah doing so really would save all of them quite a bit of trouble
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Stevie Turner said:
They wouldn’t all have to chase after the same ball!
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wellcolourmeyellow said:
Exactly! hahah
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Clive said:
I used to get home from school in the 60s hoping that Mum had dragged herself away from the tv long enough to make a meal – which we then ate off trays to the accompaniment of dear old Dan Maskell exclaiming ‘Oh I say!’ As the father of two tennis playing daughters, one of whom was good enough to be picked up by the LTA – until injury brought it all to a halt – our family life revolved around the game late 90s/early 00s. Nowadays, I hardly watch it – the spark has gone, sadly.
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Stevie Turner said:
Oh yes, dear Mr Maskell, he was the voice of Wimbledon for so many years. Now we have ex-tennis players doing his job, which is not quite the same. I’m watching Muguruza’s match tonight, it’s quite exciting.
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Clive said:
That McEnroe drone is so dull and unappealing! Did you see the programme last night about Barry Davies? Another professional voice who will be missed. I’ll probably start watching next week, to fill in the gaps between World Cup days 😊
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Stevie Turner said:
It’s the third and final set for Muguruza and Uytvanck. Exciting stuff because the reigning champion is struggling. Yes, that McEnroe drone is boring…
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Clive said:
I’m now watching it. I blame you!
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Stevie Turner said:
It ain’t my fault whatever happens!
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Clive said:
No, but you got me interested. They both hit the ball hard, don’t they!
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Stevie Turner said:
All that grunting is getting on my nerves though.
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Clive said:
One of the reasons I watch it much less nowadays. It isn’t necessary, the Belgian isn’t doing it. I’ve seen Shriekypova play on Centre with the roof on – earplugs essential!
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Stevie Turner said:
Perhaps they do it to put their opponent off? Shriekypova – I like that!
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Clive said:
I think a lot of it is deliberate, trying to intimidate. Not working at present though!
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Stevie Turner said:
Look at their faces. If you can meet with triumph and disaster …
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Clive said:
Yup. Well deserved, a star is born!
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Stevie Turner said:
Closing down now. Too much excitement for one night! Nice to chat with you, Clive.
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Clive said:
And you too. Back to murder programmes for me now. Hope you calm down 😊
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srbottch said:
Not a girly thing, at all. Tennis is a physically demanding sport. And when playing it leisurely, it was an honorable sport when you made a close call because of where it landed, whether it was in your favor, or not. Almost as honorable as golf which still depends on one’s own sense of honesty to the rules, even at the highest level. But, as far as getting out of school and running home to watch on TV, I was doing the same thing when the baseball World Series was played in the day. Now, everything is evening games to benefit sponsors and players financially. Times have changed.
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Stevie Turner said:
Yes times have changed, not all for the better methinks…
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