Anyone forTennis.......Wimbledon 2013

[Mary Chambers]

it's about Britain winning (and no, I am not a Kipper) - it's national pride - it's intensely tribal - you want your tribe to win

This is something I simply don't understand! I'm not a member of a tribe.

I am English, Irish and Scottish. My husband was Australian of French descent. My daughter-in-law is half Polish. Therefore my grandchildren are a mixture of all those nationalities. What tribe do we belong to, except perhaps family?

[Anna]

This is something I simply don't understand! I'm not a member of a tribe.

Are you not British? If you joined our tribe you might find it very exciting!

[BBMmk2]

Personally, tennis is not my favourite game at all, but I salute Andy Murray on a yop quality performance, and to the gracious Boris Djokovic, for being a really good sportsman.

[Mary Chambers]

Just edited my post, Anna, on the subject of nationality.

[mangerton]

Mr Pee - i watched most of it, yes. I'm quite aware that it's enormously skilful at this level, and all the things you say - but. I can't help feeling that in the end it's just a bit....well, pointless.

Yes, I must agree with this. The Lions represent Britain, but at the end of the day, although the Scot in me (and tribally, there's English and Irish there too) is pleased for Murray, he (and the Irish McDowell) are doing it for themselves, just as the members of "Team GB" did.

And yes, scotty, the politicians should keep their noses well out of it, but if there's a bandwagon about.....

[EdgeleyRob]

Mr Pee - i watched most of it, yes. I'm quite aware that it's enormously skilful at this level, and all the things you say - but. I can't help feeling that in the end it's just a bit....well, pointless.

I agree Mary.

I haven't watched any tennis whatsoever this last two weeks,I find it very boring (same with cricket and golf I'm afraid) probably my loss.

As Sir Bobby Charlton said

In the sweep of its appeal, its ability to touch every corner of humanity, football is the only game that needed to be invented.

Congratulations and well done Andy Murray though.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You can't really blame David Cameron. It's his only opportunity to have just about everyone in Britain agreeing with him.

Djokovic? What a gentleman!

[Mr Pee]

I agree Mary.

I haven't watched any tennis whatsoever this last two weeks,I find it very boring (same with cricket and golf I'm afraid) probably my loss.

As Sir Bobby Charlton said



Congratulations and well done Andy Murray though.

I'm with you on cricket and golf, I find them both intensely dull. But I'm not with you or Sir Bobby Charlton on football- I find that incredibly dull as well, 99% of the time, and the yobbish antics and abuse of match officials and other players by many of the over-renumerated players extremely distasteful.

[french frank]

Because sport is not a spectator game you can just sit back and analyse - it's something you throw your heart and soul into - which is why the Lions v Australia was so important, to Britain's reputation and why Wimbledon is so important today - it's about Britain winning (and no, I am not a Kipper) - it's national pride - it's intensely tribal - you want your tribe to win

That pretty much sums up what I have no feeling for - and I quite appreciate great sporting performances - 'sporting' in both senses of the word: that's what gives pleasure. I won't spoil the euphoria by mentioning ... well, I said I wouldn't mention it, so I won't. Well done Murray, well played Djokovic.

[Mr Pee]

http://www.theartsdesk.com/tv/mens-singles-final-bbc-one

[John Wright]

Well, Andy was fantastic, winning in straight sets.

And in these modern days we (Mrs W and I, son, his wife and baby) chose to watch the match on son's i-pad as we ate lunch in a local pub garden, many others watched on mobiles.

Being a Scot I had a tear in my eye and at that point the rest of the family all said 'It's time go John'

Well done Andy Murray!

[Mr Pee]

Well, Andy was fantastic, winning in straight sets.

And in these modern days we (Mrs W and I, son, his wife and baby) chose to watch the match on son's i-pad as we ate lunch in a local pub garden, many others watched on mobiles.

Being a Scot I had a tear in my eye and at that point the rest of the family all said 'It's time go John'

Well done Andy Murray!

I'm not a Scot and even I had a tear in my eye!!

[johncorrigan]

I'm not a Scot and even I had a tear in my eye!!

I had more than one tear in more than one eye....brilliant and so glad it was three sets - don't think I could have held it together much longer... fantastic, Andy Murray!

[DublinJimbo]

which is why the Lions v Australia was so important, to Britain's reputation and why Wimbledon is so important today - it's about Britain winning (and no, I am not a Kipper) - it's national pride - it's intensely tribal - you want your tribe to win

Ahem ... It's the British and IRISH Lions. Tribalism is a terrible thing, but your tribe wouldn't have won without a helping hand from ours.

[DublinJimbo]

Getting back to tennis ... Andy Murray was magnificent today, and thoroughly deserved his win. Despite the final score, it was a finely balanced encounter, with more 20+plus rallies than I can remember for a long time. This sort of play is so much more exciting than the old boring serve-and-folly stuff we had to endure for so long.

Both players played really well, but Andy was definitely more resourceful than his opponent and played some quite extraordinary shots. The winning shot before the one which won him the title was magnificent. Most of all, though, it was Andy's increased confidence and his lack of dwelling too long over mistakes which told the most. The old Andy would have crumbled after missing the three match points he had earlier on. Perhaps it was the win at the Olympics, perhaps it was the US Open, perhaps it was Ivan Lendl's contribution, perhaps it was a combination of all three: whatever was responsible, Andy Murray gave a great demonstration of tennis-craft today. Well done, Andy!