Wimbledon

[Lateralthinking1]

It was splendid tennis wasn't it?

Yes, ferretfancy, a far better Wimbledon than I could have possibly imagined at the start.

After a decade of slap, bang, wallop, the recent era is one that many of us never expected to see. Yes to great volleying in context but we also like our rallies and we have them again. The skills have improved but they have also slowed down the grass.

On the point about interviews, I was in the Department that found a good day to bury bad news. Happy to say that the woman in question was neither a friend or a colleague but I could have spotted her in a criminal identity parade. 'Face to Face' with Tony Hancock might have started the decline but celebrities are now more ready for it. Ordinary folk have no chance. Did anyone see Lendl being interviewed? I didn't. It is easy to be critical of him but he has choice and might just be being sensible.

[scottycelt]

Not for the first time, I appear to take somewhat of a minority view here ...

These guys have made their fortunes out of the game and the media. Of course some of the questions posed to the players are utterly crass, but the players know what to expect, and, though I felt for Murray, I don't like to see grown men bursting into tears and feeling so sorry for themselves in public, especially when, at 25, they are multi-millionaires in the midst of an economic recession, and poor young women in Afghanistan still get filmed being 'executed' for alleged adultery.

Murray is unlikely to be No 1 in the world when there are pure sporting geniuses like Federer around, but he is undoubtedly in the top elite of tennis players, and a grand slam(s) will hopelfully and deservedly come his way eventually.

On the surprise side, it was so nice to see Sir Bobby Charlton, First Lord of the Admiralty, there ...

[Richard Tarleton]

Not for the first time, I appear to take somewhat of a minority view here ...

These guys have made their fortunes out of the game and the media. Of course some of the questions posed to the players are utterly crass, but the players know what to expect, and, though I felt for Murray, I don't like to see grown men bursting into tears and feeling so sorry for themselves in public, especially when, at 25, they are multi-millionaires in the midst of an economic recession, and poor young women in Afghanistan still get filmed being 'executed' for alleged adultery.

My sentiments entirely, scotty.

Lachrymosity seems to go with the territory these days, Federer does it too, or used to, when he won.

Murray is unlikely to be No 1 in the world when there are pure sporting geniuses like Federer around, but he is undoubtedly in the top elite of tennis players, and a grand slam(s) will hopelfully and deservedly come his way eventually.

Being no 4 in the world isn't bad.

On the surprise side, it was so nice to see Sir Bobby Charlton, First Lord of the Admiralty, there ...

[JohnSkelton]

These guys have made their fortunes out of the game and the media. Of course some of the questions posed to the players are utterly crass, but the players know what to expect, and, though I felt for Murray, I don't like to see grown men bursting into tears and feeling so sorry for themselves in public

(Why do all the 'Brits' - as they invariably call themselves - who do tennis commentary have fake American accents like Cliff Richard or Nicey and Smashy? "Godda lurv that backhand." Bah).

[amateur51]

Not for the first time, I appear to take somewhat of a minority view here ...

These guys have made their fortunes out of the game and the media. Of course some of the questions posed to the players are utterly crass, but the players know what to expect, and, though I felt for Murray, I don't like to see grown men bursting into tears and feeling so sorry for themselves in public, especially when, at 25, they are multi-millionaires in the midst of an economic recession, and poor young women in Afghanistan still get filmed being 'executed' for alleged adultery.

Oh dear, scotty I do feel for you in your binary world - which passing asteroid was it you fell from?

[amateur51]

Oh dear, oh dear!

No-one has mentioned that Radwanska the runner-up in the women's final had her lachrymose moment too but then those are the rules aren't they? Women cry, men don't.

How very British!

[Northender]

Oh dear, scotty I do feel for you in your binary world - which passing asteroid was it you fell from?

Perhaps he was serener until he was expelled from - or by - Venus...

[amateur51]

Perhaps he was serener until he was expelled from - or by - Venus...

[JohnSkelton]

There's something (for me) unpleasant about the sight of anyone crying in public because they've lost a tennis match or haven't won a TV competition or whatever. It looks (to me) vastly disproportionate and horribly narcissistic. I associate seeing people cry in public with raw, dreadful events or personal circumstances. Not losing a tennis match. And somehow it embodies the collapse in any sense of proportion represented by the sums of money tennis players or footballers make. Maybe I'm old-fashioned or emotionally repressed, though .

[Flosshilde]

Not for the first time, I appear to take somewhat of a minority view here ...

These guys have made their fortunes out of the game and the media. Of course some of the questions posed to the players are utterly crass, but the players know what to expect, and, though I felt for Murray, I don't like to see grown men bursting into tears and feeling so sorry for themselves in public, especially when, at 25, they are multi-millionaires in the midst of an economic recession, and poor young women in Afghanistan still get filmed being 'executed' for alleged adultery.

I don't think there's anything wrong with grown men crying, for whatever reason, & I can quite understand someone who's spent a large part of his life on one thing, with one particular goal in view, crying from frustration or disappointment when he fails to achieve that goal (again) - it's a perfectly natural release for the emotion & adrenalin that's built up during the match (he'd probably cry if he won). But I think that he should be allowed a few moments to release those emotions, compose himself, & answer questions. Yes, he has been paid enourmous amounts of money because of media exposure, but that doesn't give the media rights to his soul.

(What I would criticise is the inordinate amount of media attention & hype - the Sunday Herald yesterday devoted the front cover, the first 6 pages in the main section & 2 pages in the sports section, plus a double-spread poster, to Murray. A wee bit over the top, I think.)

[BBMmk2]

Quite agree with you, Flossey! I must admit I have had the excpreience when I have won a brass band contest, especially the nationals!

[JimD]

For once I agree with scottycelt. It's not the crying itself but the reason for it that matters. I am reminded of my Dad telling me to stop crying for no good reason or he would give me something to cry about.

[amateur51]

There's something (for me) unpleasant about the sight of anyone crying in public because they've lost a tennis match or haven't won a TV competition or whatever. It looks (to me) vastly disproportionate and horribly narcissistic. I associate seeing people cry in public with raw, dreadful events or personal circumstances. Not losing a tennis match. And somehow it embodies the collapse in any sense of proportion represented by the sums of money tennis players or footballers make. Maybe I'm old-fashioned or emotionally repressed, though .

" I associate seeing people cry in public with raw, dreadful events or personal circumstances. "

Maybe that tells us something about how Murray felt at that moment, after weeks of hype and huge physical effort, being required to deny his true feelings in front of a huge crowd in order to be a chirpy plucky loser.

Maybe it's more about our unrealistic expectations of him rather than his momentary loss of emotional control. I thought it was unpleasant that he was put in such a quandary with no-one to reach put and comfort him.

Remember how the Duchess of Kent consoled the losing Jana Novotna in the Women's Final a few years back?

[amateur51]

I don't think there's anything wrong with grown men crying, for whatever reason, & I can quite understand someone who's spent a large part of his life on one thing, with one particular goal in view, crying from frustration or disappointment when he fails to achieve that goal (again) - it's a perfectly natural release for the emotion & adrenalin that's built up during the match (he'd probably cry if he won). But I think that he should be allowed a few moments to release those emotions, compose himself, & answer questions. Yes, he has been paid enourmous amounts of money because of media exposure, but that doesn't give the media rights to his soul.

(What I would criticise is the inordinate amount of media attention & hype - the Sunday Herald yesterday devoted the front cover, the first 6 pages in the main section & 2 pages in the sports section, plus a double-spread poster, to Murray. A wee bit over the top, I think.)

[amateur51]

Where's scotty when I have need of him?

This reaction to Murray's tears is a rare example of a male victim of sexism, scotty