Tennis: waltzing into winter

[JaneJeffer]

Sorry Science - rereading your post maybe you didn’t go that year?- you had a lucky escape!

You had a good run at the O2 Science! Fizzy I don't think I went that year. I think we went 2016/7 to 2019. Or maybe I didn't go last year?? Looking back, they all sort of blend into one as we managed to see Djok (winning, natch) every single time!!

Winning his match I mean, not winning the whole thing. I've never been to the final - only the group matches.

Hi Fizzy sorry for my clumsy sentence structure! I’ve been every year, ever since it started in 2009.

I was at the Saturday semi finals when Davydenko beat Roger. It was astonishing. Davy had never beaten Fed in (I think) 12 meetings?
It was his year though because he went on to beat Delpo in the Final.
2009 was a great year for tennis, with Fed winning the French at last.

I can’t cope with the higher seats at the O2.

After the first year (when I bought tix for all the sessions) I started waiting for the Order of Play and then buying my tickets on Viagogo. For about £100 each we were regularly in Rows A or B behind the Umpire’s Chair. A gamble yes, but worth it. I have a headband from Fed which he threw at the end of the match (narrowly beating a Tsonga fan! 😀)
What year would that have been? Fed played Tsonga in the first round robin match and then again in the Final. Tsonga was at his best then.
2011?

2009 was a great year for tennis

The year Delpo won the US Open! Seems a long time ago now.

I’ve just been listening to the Tennis Podcast and apparently Rafa’s shorts are dangerously short and tight - can’t wait!

They were also laughing about the poster for the WTFs and said that Diego looked like bring your child to work day which I thought was a bit mean but quite funny!

Thiem and Tsitsipas are up first at 2pm - will hopefully get to see a bit of it

Poor Sue and Tim being in AC’s bubble - AC is demanding birthday presents already!

I keep trying to post and then they keep saying more things I want to comment on! Especially the bubble thing!

Glad to see Rafa and the food mixer included in that montage.

Tim mentioning Indian Wells - wow - that seems so long ago now (and also not).

It does doesn’t it Spidey?

I was also pleased to see Rafa and his back to front mixer

I turned on to hear poor Sue discussing bubbles . Drew the short straw there.

I saw the posters- and thought it was very unfortunate placement to have poor Diego at the back, behind Sascha, who is nearly a foot taller . I suppose they were in ranking order on the picture, but still.

I loved the montage with Rafa and his mixer- it feels like ages ago now.

Why are we having to listen to Djok and Sampras? 2 of my least favourite players ever, right there. Pete is looking rough- and he is the same age as me, so I'm not sure what to make of that. My eyebrows are far less bushy. Also made Tim- only 3 years younger look like a child .

I do not like Djoks top? shirt? Jacket? Whatever it is , I don't like it.

And AC has mentioned Murray numerous times in the first half an hour- I swear that's why they employ him.

Perhaps AC was reading your post Raahh as he commented that some people think they talk too much about Andy Murray surely not!

I saw another one of Tim's interviews on YouTube, with Thiem and Hewitt - that one was good!

I know. yes, AC, I do think you talk to much about players who aren't there.

Sue is just as bad- I think she is missing Roger .

Andy was very funny on Children in Need on Friday- he did a segment with Peter Crouch, playing paddle tennis. .

Sue’s already mentioned Roger - she knows that everyone will be missing him!

Poor Tim - ‘it’s going to be a long week’

I managed to miss a Djok earlier - all of a sudden my car needed washing!

I'm not missing Roger .

Yes, poor Tim- fancy being stuck with AC all week.

.

What's up with Tim's voice? It sounds strained and a bit higher than usual
Perhaps having to work with AC is having an adverse effect on him. Understandable.

kazza. Poor Tim.

Both players are getting a bit frayed in this game

Had a chuckle at the CiN skit with Andy Murray and Peter Crouch. Andy has good comic timing and I liked Tim's cameo aswell I like to think that Crouchy being defaulted by whacking the ball at Andy was a sly nod to Cock at the US Open

Did anyone else notice that AC was building up a head of steam criticising Djokovic for his off court antics and poor judgement this year?
I was totally agreeing with him (for once) but Sue kept cutting him off with “yes, but” and “what about” as though she was terrified that the BBC might actually say something honest for once, rather than the endless bland prattling that we have to endure.
There are SO many interesting narratives around tennis, but these pundit sessions and commentaries are bland and repetitive.

Well played, AC. Good effort !

I thought that Science - Tim Henman looked very uncomfortable and kept very quiet. AC has been quite scathing about Djok’s antics this year - especially trying to create a separate body in the middle of a global pandemic. It’s the only time AC’s ever talked any sense!

I agreed with AC- and I think the reason Sue/Tim were uncomfortable was because his rant came before the lengthy Djok/Sampras love-in video with Tim. So maybe they didn't appreciate his timing . But AC definitely had a point.

To be fair to Sue, though, during the Today at Wimbledon-that-wasn't coverage, she was very critical of Djok and the Adria tour, herself.

I liked Sue on the non Wimbledon programme this year Raahh - she was a lot less corporate and on message than she usually is

Fizzy she was, she seemed more relaxed. And of course, there was wheelie bin tennis .