Benji Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 how refreshing is this to watch and attacking Englishman playing tennis, never thought i'd see the day!
filbertway Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 how refreshing is this to watch and attacking Englishman playing tennis, never thought i'd see the day! Mr Henman just swore
dandannieldanok Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 This game is bloody good and it is good to see henman passionate. Fuk the portugal vs iran game
Head Honcho Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 Mr Henman just swore I'm not surprised the line calls have been shocking!
Benji Posted 17 June 2006 Author Posted 17 June 2006 The line call has just cost Henman the match one break up... perfectly good shot and overruled for no reason so henman is broken back I'd have gone on a right argument to the supervisor, henman was too nice too him!
Head Honcho Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 The line call has just cost Henman the match one break up... perfectly good shot and overruled for no reason so henman is broken back I'd have gone on a right argument to the supervisor, henman was too nice too him! Stiff upper lip and all that!
dandannieldanok Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 He's just lost all concentration nad composure, apalling line calls and umpiring can't help though
dandannieldanok Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 Oh well he may be defeated but at least he is in good form. Won't get a good draw at wimbledon though as he aint seeded
Benji Posted 17 June 2006 Author Posted 17 June 2006 Stiff upper lip and all that! , one reason why i stopped playing at my club recently (other than exams) was the snobbery surrounding playing. Unfortunately winning is better sacrificed for being a 'gentleman' during defeat in tennis and it rubs off with our professionals. The winners in the world though are different, take the other man on the court, how many times do you see Hewitt get so pumped up, McEnroe etc
Thracian Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 , one reason why i stopped playing at my club recently (other than exams) was the snobbery surrounding playing. Unfortunately winning is better sacrificed for being a 'gentleman' during defeat in tennis and it rubs off with our professionals. The winners in the world though are different, take the other man on the court, how many times do you see Hewitt get so pumped up, McEnroe etc I used to play for a guest squash team run by Tony Henman, Tim's father, out of Weston Manor near Oxfordshire and you are quite right, the Henmans, father and son, are gentlemen. That said there was no keener or more competitive sportsman than Tony and I don't think Tim has failed to reach the pinnacle of tennis because he's soft or because he's the archetypal English good sport. Indeed, I think Tim, like his father, is mentally quite hard and determined. Those are the qualities which have allowed him to dominate the English game for so long and with such distinction without any serious challenge from a fellow countryman, at least until recently. I simply feel that he's never had quite the persistent raw power and instinctive inventiveness to be the Wimbledon champion. To have remained so competitive for so long is testimony to his single-mindedness - and underneath he really wanted/ still wants that Wimbledon title. But whatever he might feel inside and however hard he tries on court, he would never lose his dignity afterwards. Even before Tim had been heard of, his father, an Oxfordshire-based solicitor, had the sort of sporting and academic contacts that read like the pages of Who's Who. One of the players in the team I mentioned was the wonderfully engaging Charles Swallow who I believe was tennis coach to Princess Diana and on the shortlist for headmaster of Eton at the time. Believe me these were smashing people. Look at Tony and his wife at Wimbledon. They simply watch and enjoy the games. There's no histrionics. No publicity seeking. No cheap shots. Nothing undignified. As teammates, the people I mentioned were excellent company but keen, highly competitive sportsmen as well. Pumped up on the inside rather than outwardly was my impression. But, no, they would never be bad losers...and it didn't make them soft, it made them strong. All were men of genuine substance. Since then Tim has made a huge amount of the talent. Maybe he really did have an outside chance on one or two occasions to make some special history but I don't honestly believe he sold himself short. The problem with individual sports is that there's always an oppponent who wants it as badly as you and you cannot draw a tennis match. As for your own tennis experiences don't give up so easily. A ready smile and a splash of well-directed flattery often makes friends of potential enemies. More so if you make sure they get a good game before you beat them!
Benji Posted 17 June 2006 Author Posted 17 June 2006 It depends on every individual really, the likes of McEnroe thrived on bad calls to wind them up and make them play better. I think the only difference today with Tim was that he showed what he was feeling and not just bottling it up. Maybe he prefers to keep it to himself, but it does seem as though he reflects the british attitude. It almost links with everything i said in the world cup thread about who we will face in the next round, we seem to have this English lack of self-belief. Good post Thracian, Henman is a true sporting Gentleman and it is good to see, then again i really found it refreshing to see him questioning the line calls (and rightly so today! some shocking calls) and showing his passion that way. He has always just lacked something though... but i definitiely would not rule him out making a surprise run at Wimbledon this year! As for your own tennis experiences don't give up so easily. A ready smile and a splash of well-directed flattery often makes friends of potential enemies. More so if you make sure they get a good game before you beat them! Yer, the main reason has been exams, come the end of this week i'll have so much free time and i played for the first time in a while the other day and really enjoyed it and definitely going to get back into it. But in terms of extra-curriculm participation of tennis, i can see why many look to other sports, it seems you have to be ''accepted'' to play tennis and although i had been a member since i was 7, it just didnt suit me seeing these senior members walzing around like they've earnt my lifelong respect.
Thracian Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 It depends on every individual really, the likes of McEnroe thrived on bad calls to wind them up and make them play better. I think the only difference today with Tim was that he showed what he was feeling and not just bottling it up. Maybe he prefers to keep it to himself, but it does seem as though he reflects the british attitude. It almost links with everything i said in the world cup thread about who we will face in the next round, we seem to have this English lack of self-belief. Good post Thracian, Henman is a true sporting Gentleman and it is good to see, then again i really found it refreshing to see him questioning the line calls (and rightly so today! some shocking calls) and showing his passion that way. He has always just lacked something though... but i definitiely would not rule him out making a surprise run at Wimbledon this year! Yer, the main reason has been exams, come the end of this week i'll have so much free time and i played for the first time in a while the other day and really enjoyed it and definitely going to get back into it. But in terms of extra-curriculm participation of tennis, i can see why many look to other sports, it seems you have to be ''accepted'' to play tennis and although i had been a member since i was 7, it just didnt suit me seeing these senior members walzing around like they've earnt my lifelong respect. I imagine you're right that prevailing or perceived attitudes cost the game a lot of players which probably explains our lack of numbers in professional tennis. Our climate doesn't help either. Pity because it can be such a great game.
Matt Posted 17 June 2006 Posted 17 June 2006 [sorry, Know i'll probably get slated for this but oh well ] Tennis.... I nearly got sent to Wimbledon to set up/assemble units/panels, e.t.c ready for wimbledon we do work for it every year apparently, i'm kinda glad I didn't get sent because apparently you get a blocking for sneezing around there, apparently its full of snobs saying stuff like "I'm a memeber of Lords Tennis Club don't you know?!"...apprently you can't touch a thing and you have to take all the work up hundereds of flights of stairs...according to the lads who were sent!
Benji Posted 17 June 2006 Author Posted 17 June 2006 I nearly got sent to Wimbledon to set up/assemble units/panels, e.t.c ready for wimbledon we do work for it every year apparently, i'm kinda glad I didn't get sent because apparently you get a blocking for sneezing around there, apparently its full of snobs saying stuff like "I'm a memeber of Lords Tennis Club don't you know?!"...apprently you can't touch a thing and you have to take all the work up hundereds of flights of stairs...according to the lads who were sent! Wouldn't surprise me at all
Ultra Posted 18 June 2006 Posted 18 June 2006 Tim's a bottler, always has been. Look how often he's lost to technically inferior opposition at Wimbledon and elsewhere... He's past his sell-by date now and isn't worth following at Wimbledon this year...
Matt Posted 18 June 2006 Posted 18 June 2006 I just the love the way they build Andy Murray up as British when he's winning then when he loses he's back down to Scottish and English fans don't want to be associated
Stevosevic Posted 18 June 2006 Posted 18 June 2006 Henman is s**t. Yes he may have been in the top 10 for a few years, however he has never won a grand slam. He will not get past the 3rd round of wimbledon this year.
Ajax Treesdown Posted 18 June 2006 Posted 18 June 2006 I'm not keen on any of our players to be honest. I saw Andy Murray the other day saying he will be supporting anyone who plays against England. Thats really nice, considering the support the English give him at Wimbledon. He is a bighaired t**t. Rant over.
filbertway Posted 18 June 2006 Posted 18 June 2006 I'm not keen on any of our players to be honest. I saw Andy Murray the other day saying he will be supporting anyone who plays against England. Thats really nice, considering the support the English give him at Wimbledon. He is a bighaired t**t. Rant over. So what he's scottish, that's what all scots say. I'll be supporting all the british players and especially Murray as he seems to be the best Brit
Bert Posted 19 June 2006 Posted 19 June 2006 I want Henman to win 'cos he is the only English player. After that i want the Brits but i'd cheer Henman over Rusedski and Murray any day.
Benji Posted 19 June 2006 Author Posted 19 June 2006 Henman is s**t. Yes he may have been in the top 10 for a few years, however he has never won a grand slam. He will not get past the 3rd round of wimbledon this year. how is he sh1t? he can beat every one in Britain hence Britains number 1..
martyn Posted 19 June 2006 Posted 19 June 2006 Henman is s**t. Yes he may have been in the top 10 for a few years, however he has never won a grand slam. He will not get past the 3rd round of wimbledon this year. Wow, you've managed to spectacularly contradict yourself in one sentence, kudos. Henman has been a great player for many years, top 10 IN THE WORLD for 6/7 and has won something like 11 titles. He gets so much unfair stick about not winning a Grand Slam when the truth is, he was never quite good enough to do so. I'd like to see your reasoning for calling him s**t, I guarantee it will be wrong.
Phube Posted 20 June 2006 Posted 20 June 2006 Too true. Most people seem to have forgotten what British tennis was like pre-Henman!! I.e. NOWHERE. Not since the 50's or before have we had something to actually cheer at Wimbledon in the Men's tournament!! Infact I think the furthest a Britisher got was the 3rd round!! And since Tim we've had a player consistantly getting to the Quarter's and Semi's - yup he's S**t allright!!
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.