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Well, Blue, I'm hyperlink challenged. But that's the
article. Enjoy.
Well, Blue, I'm hyperlink challenged. But that's the
article. Enjoy.
The tennis thread
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 Betuska |
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Posts: 257 (06/24/09 02:41) |
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Bluekygirl |
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Posts: 878 (06/24/09 22:58) |
Thanks for the article, Betuska. It's good to see someone giving Mecir his due. Do you know what has happened to Stefan Edberg (another graceful, quiet
player!)? Has he simply gone into private life and left tennis behind? I never hear anything about him and he was a great favorite of mine.
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Betuska |
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Posts: 258 (06/25/09 14:25) |
Stefan Edberg is back in Sweden after having lived in London during his professional days. He's gone into the investment business and has his own company.
He occasionally plays the senior circuit or shows up at some events but he's moved on. He was a very elegant player with classic form and a placid
demeanor on court. I miss that these days when you have players hitting themselves out of anger in the forehead drawing blood, grunting, screeching, smashing
rackets etc. Of course, the previous era had McEnroe and Connors and Nastase a little earlier than that. Every era has it's loons.
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 JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9019 (06/25/09 16:17) |
I loved Connors and Nastase. I used to rush home from school to watch them (when I wasn't going to Wimbledon after school). Their doubles matches
were such fun - to a child at least.
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Bluekygirl |
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Posts: 881 (06/25/09 16:37) |
The Wimbledon final I saw was Borg-Nastase. Borg won of course, the first of his Wimbledon wins.
 I was cheering for Nastase.
I always liked to see McEnroe play, petulance and all. I loved the way the racquet looked in his hand, like it was an extension of his body. No one else holds a racquet like that. Thanks Beth, for the Edberg update. So many athletes struggle with life after sports, it's good to hear about one who has moved on. |
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9022 (06/25/09 17:26) |
"I was cheering for Nastase. "
Me too. Though Borg was a great player. I wonder how he'd do now against Federer. It's tempting to think that current champions must be the best, but a young Borg with modern equipment - I wonder. |
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Betuska |
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Posts: 259 (06/26/09 03:16) |
So Wimbledon was (and still is) your local tournament, Jas. Lucky you. I've been there three times. There was always this sense of privilege and
accomplishment that I'd gotten in after waiting on the ticket line for hours. And Henman Hill - ya gotta love it - hanging out and talking to folks from
all over the world at dusk at 9:30-10:00 pm!!! Nothing like summer solstice in London.
I loved Nastase, Connors, and McEnroe - the brat pack of tennis. Andy Murray's fiery temperament reminds me a bit of McEnroe - McEnroe never really cared much what the public thought of him. And his temper spurred on his genius. Murray's brashness is somewhat appealing-at least he's being himself and his anger seems to spur him on as well. He's no Gentleman Tim. (not a swipe at Henman btw-just pointing out the opposite type of British player) Who can forget Connors and Nasty dropping their pants at the US Open......where else would they get away with that. 
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9026 (06/26/09 09:44) |
"where else would they get away with that"
Not at Wimbledon, that's for sure! Though I don't know - it's tried to get away from its stuffy image in recent years. I have to say though that going there was a nicer experience all those years ago when I used to hop on a bus from school, simply because it was a lot less crowded in the grounds. It was easy to get into the grounds at about 5pm, and my friend Camilla and I used to stand at the bottom of the stairs up to the special enclosure, and very politely ask people who were leaving if we could have their tickets because we were huge tennis fans - of course they always said yes, and we got into the special enclosure several times (and once the Royal Box) - the two of us children in our school uniforms and everyone else in their summer finery. Happy memories.
I had an email from Camilla recently after many years, and almost the first thing she said was "do you remember how we used to go to Wimbledon in our school uniforms and ask for tickets to the special enclosure? I'd never have had the nerve, but you did!" - whereas I always thought it was she who was the ring-leader. 
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Betuska |
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Posts: 261 (06/26/09 14:10) |
My eye picked up Wimbledon, Royal Box, and Camilla in the second paragraph and for a second I thought you were talking about Camilla Parker Bowles.
Last Edited By: Betuska
06/26/09 14:13.
Edited 1 times.
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9028 (06/26/09 15:55) |
No, this Camilla became an actor, funnily enough. Lives in France now.
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9049 (07/01/09 13:45) |
Clifton, what do Germans think of Boris Becker? He always commentates for the BBC at Wimbledon, and he's very good - people love him here.
It's very distracting that the BBC shows all matches online. I can watch it full screen whilst pretending to work.  Luckily a big busy patch ended
yesterday so I can do it.
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9050 (07/01/09 13:58) |
Just seen Federer's jacket for the first time (it's been much spoken of). I have to apologise to Sara, but it is a very silly jacket. He's
on fire though - can't see him not winning the final.
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cliftonalreadyexists |
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Posts: 4701 (07/01/09 14:13) in her beautiful balloon |
I'm not sure about Becker. I'm happy that in Wilmbledon he's doing a job that he masters.
In Germany he is reduced to a slightly silly omnipresent public figure: Proposing to his girlfriend in a TV show and selling the rights for the wedding to a private TV channel and so on. He's so busy he always talks in a strained and witless way. I have to concentrate hard to understand what he says. Maybe he behaves differently in the UK. I'm sure he does. Why doesn't he simply start doing a proper job in Germany, too? Maybe because tennis isn't that prestigious in Germany these days?
We must be still and still moving / Into another intensity
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thegirlwhoshotlibertyvalance |
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Posts: 4485 (07/01/09 14:35) The Bookworm
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That is quite an ugly jacket indeed, Jas
But I agree, he seems to own Wimbledon this year.
'The only difference between lunacy and genius is timing.'
http://ishotlibertyvalance.wordpress.com/ |
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9051 (07/01/09 16:20) |
Mind you, Murray was pretty on fire today too.
Oh dear, Becker sounds like a real pain actually. It isn't that he's a great commentator, just that he's quite a cool presenter. I think maybe he lives in London these days which would explain why he doesn't do a job in Germany. |
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Bluekygirl |
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Posts: 888 (07/01/09 16:21) |
Becker was popular here, too, and was a favorite of mine. (I was deeply conflicted when Becker and Edberg played at Wimbledon--I liked them both.) He played
with such passion it was hard not to cheer for him. He seems a little lost these days, though.
I once talked to a German reporter whose job it was to follow Becker around the world. He had done this since Becker was a boy and knew everything there was to know about his game. I can't imagine that kind of attention, or what it's loss must mean to someone who has grown used to it. |
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Bluekygirl |
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Posts: 894 (07/05/09 17:34) |
WOW! Federer and Roddick--what a great match! It was impossible to root against either of them.
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JasmineStill |
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Posts: 9064 (07/05/09 18:01) |
It was. It's ruined my whole afternoon - 4 hours and I couldn't stop watching. In the end I didn't mind who won, though it was sad for Roddick - he
just tired sooner.
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LuvDoggie |
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Posts: 873 (07/05/09 19:53) |
I couldn't hate Federer in the end even though my fav was Roddick from the beginning. Almost missed the match but caught it in the last set (where it
counted).
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Betuska |
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Posts: 263 (07/06/09 03:11) |
It "ruined" my morning and half my afternoon as it was a stunningly sunny day in NYC and I wanted to get out and about. I exhausted myself pulling
for Roddick. He had his chances and he's worked so hard with a new coach, Larry Stefanki and he's made so many improvements. I wanted to see him get
the payoff. Unbelievable stuff from both. The good news is that Andy with his re-tooled game and demeanor can probably beat anyone else in the top 5 and move
up in the rankings. As far as slams are concerned, he may have to wait until Fed retires to win one. On CBS Channel 2 in the States, McEnroe interviewed Fed,
Sampras, Laver, and Borg all together. He put Sampras on the spot by asking him if he felt that Fed was the Greatest of All Time and Sampras didn't want
to take any stand in front of Laver. Borg looked stunning as always.
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