Wimbledon

[pevergreen]

SOMEONE BEAT LLEYTON!


GRAAAAAH.

There is an Australian left: good!
Its Lleyton Hewitt:

[King Henry V]

Despite being quite a fervently patriotic Brit, I couldn't help but root for Wawrinka yesterday. Partly because I'm living Switzerland, partly because I felt a bit sorry for Wawrinka when practically the whole crowd was cheering whenever he made a double fault (many of Murray's supporters in the crowd looked and acted more like football hooligans than tennis fans), but mostly because I think he's an arrogant little twerp who needs to learn a bit of humility.

Now Federer, there's a real sportsman, a true gentleman of the tennis courts.

[Rhyfelwyr]

Now Federer, there's a real sportsman, a true gentleman of the tennis courts.

He certainly wasn't when he was Murray's age.

True about the crowd being more like football fans though... I noticed the camera focused a lot on some guy in an ancient Scotland football top, from the accent that kept shouting "C'mon Andy" just when someone was going to serve, I'm pretty sure it was him.

[naut]

Seen the accusations that they only put pretty women in the centre court?

[pevergreen]

Seen the accusations that they only put pretty women in the centre court?

I heard that. Must be the true Aussie scoop.

But strewth if it aint true.

[King Henry V]

He certainly wasn't when he was Murray's age.

I must say that I don't ever recall Federer twisting his face like an enraged gorilla and doing the Henman Fist every time he wins a point.

Federer, in my humble opinion is quite the opposite. He behaved like a sportsman and a gentlemen while he was winning so it didn't much show until last two years. Pretty much every time he loses he belittles his opponent's victory saying how he wasn't impressed with his opponent, how his opponent wasn't really that good etc... After that he shows his disdain for the rest of the tournament (if he gets knocked out before the finals, obviously) and he never praises his opponent's game if he lost. Also, I still remember how he savagely broke his racquet when he was losing to Djokovic. It's not really that hard to be a gentleman when you're winning, it's how you behave when you lose that shows whether you're a gentleman and a sportsman.

I beg to difer. Perhaps it's because I don't watch every single tennis tournament, only the Grand Slams, and then I don't follow it religiously (I didn't see Federer's performance at the Australian Open because I didn't fancy staying up all night to watch the games), but whenever I've seen Federer give an interview after a match he always praises his opponent (though there was a recent occasion where he did belittle Murray's victory over him last year, and said that it was due to his back problems ang glandular fever, before finishing off by saying that Murray "will be a great grass tennis player"). He certainly did not belittle Nadal's playing after Federer lost last year at Wimbledon.

[Sarmatian]

I beg to difer. Perhaps it's because I don't watch every single tennis tournament, only the Grand Slams, and then I don't follow it religiously (I didn't see Federer's performance at the Australian Open because I didn't fancy staying up all night to watch the games), but whenever I've seen Federer give an interview after a match he always praises his opponent (though there was a recent occasion where he did belittle Murray's victory over him last year, and said that it was due to his back problems ang glandular fever, before finishing off by saying that Murray "will be a great grass tennis player"). He certainly did not belittle Nadal's playing after Federer lost last year at Wimbledon.

Unfortunately, it's really hard to find specific interviews with Federer after he lost on youtube, but this is when he breaks his racquet. I'm also not an avid tennis fan but I have never seen something like it.

After losing to Djokovic in AO 2008 semis he said that he himself played badly and that Djokovic didn't impress him and that he isn't developing as player. He also said that he won't stay for the final, he won't watch it and he doesn't care at all who wins. He didn't even congratulate Djokovic for getting to the final, iirc.

Nadal, who was beaten by Tsonga in the same semi final, showered praise on Tsonga, congratulated him, said that Tsonga had a great game and that he didn't know what hit him.

I used to feel the same way about Federer before. After he lost a couple, he has shown his true face and I have the feeling he especially hates when he loses to rising stars (Murray, Djokovic...)

[King Henry V]

Unfortunately, it's really hard to find specific interviews with Federer after he lost on youtube, but this is when he breaks his racquet. I'm also not an avid tennis fan but I have never seen something like it.

After losing to Djokovic in AO 2008 semis he said that he himself played badly and that Djokovic didn't impress him and that he isn't developing as player. He also said that he won't stay for the final, he won't watch it and he doesn't care at all who wins. He didn't even congratulate Djokovic for getting to the final, iirc.

Nadal, who was beaten by Tsonga in the same semi final, showered praise on Tsonga, congratulated him, said that Tsonga had a great game and that he didn't know what hit him.

I used to feel the same way about Federer before. After he lost a couple, he has shown his true face and I have the feeling he especially hates when he loses to rising stars (Murray, Djokovic...)

I suppose that is pretty bad, but I would say in his defence that he was ill with glandular fever during the AO, which hampered his perfomance and I guess made him quite grouchy afterwards due to the exhaustion.

[Sarmatian]

In the few times he's lost in recent years he's been quite humble. That's based on his Roland Garros performances in the games against Nadal and on his defeat to Nadal last year on Wimbledon. He praises his opponents, although it does at times seem rather clumsy due to his less-than-perfect English, and I guess showing 'disdain' (don't quite understand what you mean by that) disdain for a particular tournament when you need every second to get the the next one is to be expected. But then I'm assuming by 'disdain' you mean 'lack of further interest'. Dwelling on a loss doesn't seem like a perfect strategy, and you don't often see knocked out tennis players in the stands when the final is played.

You should have seen it, it's really hard to explain this way. By disdain I meant total disinterest, like AO doesn't interest him in the slightest. Dwelling on defeat is certainly not a good idea but when you give statements how you've recovered from injury, how you're very pleased with your game, how you're excited about AO etc... and then 3 hours later when you lose you declare that you're unimpressed with your opponent, that you have injury problems and that you don't really care about the tournament, it's bad and it doesn't make you a perfect gentleman in my book.

I suppose that is pretty bad, but I would say in his defence that he was ill with glandular fever during the AO, which hampered his perfomance and I guess made him quite grouchy afterwards due to the exhaustion.

I know what you mean, but I held Federer in high regard and I didn't really expect that kind of behaviour from him. My first reaction was "wow, I can't believe Federer said that". Later I've seen him give similar statements again after he loses. Not too many, but then again he doesn't lose quite so often. I've expected better from him.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I must say that I don't ever recall Federer twisting his face like an enraged gorilla and doing the Henman Fist every time he wins a point.

There's a difference between being fiery and competetive, and just being a bad tempered sore loser. Don't get me wrong I've got nothing but respect for Federer, but nobody's perfect and he has wrecked his rackets on more than one occassion.

[Dutch_guy]

Federer had quite the temperament in his younger tennis years, and most of that went down way before his tennis hit the television screenes. Which sort of reminds me of Agassi in his first years in the professional circuit.

In other good news, Verdasco, who can cause Murray problems, is out. On the other hand, Karlovic who got through instead has one of the most monstrous serves I've seen...

Losing to an opponent once certainly doesn't make him an angstgegner. And Verdasco is a gravel player, whereas Murray prefers the faster courts like grass.

Federer, in my humble opinion is quite the opposite. He behaved like a sportsman and a gentlemen while he was winning so it didn't much show until last two years. Pretty much every time he loses he belittles his opponent's victory saying how he wasn't impressed with his opponent, how his opponent wasn't really that good etc... After that he shows his disdain for the rest of the tournament (if he gets knocked out before the finals, obviously) and he never praises his opponent's game if he lost. Also, I still remember how he savagely broke his racquet when he was losing to Djokovic. It's not really that hard to be a gentleman when you're winning, it's how you behave when you lose that shows whether you're a gentleman and a sportsman.

In the few times he's lost in recent years he's been quite humble. That's based on his Roland Garros performances in the games against Nadal and on his defeat to Nadal last year on Wimbledon. He praises his opponents, although it does at times seem rather clumsy due to his less-than-perfect English, and I guess showing 'disdain' (don't quite understand what you mean by that) disdain for a particular tournament when you need every second to get the the next one is to be expected. But then I'm assuming by 'disdain' you mean 'lack of further interest'. Dwelling on a loss doesn't seem like a perfect strategy, and you don't often see knocked out tennis players in the stands when the final is played.

[Sarmatian]

I'm rooting for Djokovic, obviously, although I'm not some particularly great fan of him or tennis in general. He's favourite against Haas and I'm fairly certain he'll reach the semis.

Now Federer, there's a real sportsman, a true gentleman of the tennis courts.

Federer, in my humble opinion is quite the opposite. He behaved like a sportsman and a gentlemen while he was winning so it didn't much show until last two years. Pretty much every time he loses he belittles his opponent's victory saying how he wasn't impressed with his opponent, how his opponent wasn't really that good etc... After that he shows his disdain for the rest of the tournament (if he gets knocked out before the finals, obviously) and he never praises his opponent's game if he lost. Also, I still remember how he savagely broke his racquet when he was losing to Djokovic. It's not really that hard to be a gentleman when you're winning, it's how you behave when you lose that shows whether you're a gentleman and a sportsman.

I'd say Nadal deserves the title of a true sportsman and gentlemen. He gives 100% in every match, he's always in a good mood, he praises his opponents and has respect for all players, doesn't matter whether he won or lost.