Anyone get the impression celebrations in the past were more "muted"?
- Thread starter RF-18
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TheGhostOfAgassi
Talk Tennis Guru
tennisaddict
Bionic Poster
Tennis was gentlemanly when the elite countries of the world played. The spread of the sport has its positives but it has to suffer the negative consequences.
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AnOctorokForDinner
Talk Tennis Guru
Now it's ok to yell & fistpump like crazy and even rip your shirt. Sad times.
And that's only after winning the first point of the match....
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Djokovic ripped his shirt off after 6 hours of the greatest match ever played. That was a thoroughly earned emotional release.
Doctor/Lawyer Red Devil
Talk Tennis Guru
Tennis used to be a lot less entertaining few decades ago so it's no surprise. 
r2473
G.O.A.T.
I remember when Margaret Court ripped her shirt off after beating Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1975
MeatTornado
Talk Tennis Guru
I prefer the more muted celebrations. There's something to be said about walking up to the net like it's just another day.
mbm0912
Hall of Fame
vive le beau jeu !
Talk Tennis Guru
classlessness has become the norm......
D
Deleted member 766172
Guest
It’s all about witnessing someone you respect doing a something and then doing it yourself. That’s how it got started. I wonder who the first to fall flat on there back after winning the last point of a slam was.
Kind of related:
Notice how after Fed admitted that he thought he was going to lose in the Millman match and started thinking about press conference where he would have to explain himself, others started saying the same thing? I noticed a Zverev and Kyrgios both say something very similar.
Kind of related:
Notice how after Fed admitted that he thought he was going to lose in the Millman match and started thinking about press conference where he would have to explain himself, others started saying the same thing? I noticed a Zverev and Kyrgios both say something very similar.
BeatlesFan
Bionic Poster
Social media, selfies-- the whole phone culture. When Borg won Wimbledon in 1980, there was none of that. You might see a 12 second highlight reel on the news and the next day's newspaper would have an article about it in the sports section. There was no need to have over-the-top celebrations because few saw it, and when they did, it was a black and white and grainy newspaper image.
May be, but he wasn't the first to rip his shirt off, it was done many years earlier by Andrew Illie (normally after progressing to the 2nd or 3rd round of the AO) and Pat Rafter (I think after Davis Cup victories).
Shades of Rafas duckwalk.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
Mainad
Bionic Poster
It definitely was far less melodramatic. Players used to just walk to the net and shake hands.
AnOctorokForDinner
Talk Tennis Guru
That doesn't mean celebrating every the least bit significant point won with a fistpump or something.
Actually they tried to run to the net (does'n matter how tired they were) to show sportsmanship.
I remember that great moment.
Im(moral) Winner
G.O.A.T.
Back then you played a five-setter in 30 minutes while wearing sweaters and wool pants against local janitors and your cousins. Hence muted celebrations because it was a leisure activity.
NatF
Bionic Poster
First one I thought of.
Would have loved to see Lleyton's celebration if he pulled that out
OldschoolKIaus
Hall of Fame
Safin @ AO05
"Oh, I won, nice."
"Oh, I won, nice."
Mainad
Bionic Poster
In fact I think it was Borg who was the first to break with the stroll/gentle run to the net to shake hands tradition by falling to his knees whenever he won a Wimbledon title. He unleashed a monster!
RelentlessAttack
Hall of Fame
Legend
RelentlessAttack
Hall of Fame
The true greatest of all time
Musterrific
Hall of Fame
That Tiafoe gif is hilarious because he's achieved nothing in the sport.
Actually i don't remember he was doing it five times in a row during five years period. This picture was taken in 1980 after the toughest final for him.In fact I think it was Borg who was the first to break with the stroll/gentle run to the net to shake hands tradition by falling to his knees whenever he won a Wimbledon title. He unleashed a monster!
Even if it was so, it's ok, because he was an 'Iceman' during all his matches long.
SamprasisGOAT
Hall of Fame
Shows the present big 3 up.
RelentlessAttack
Hall of Fame
Still the GOAT
D
Deleted member 22147
Guest
There are certainly more players making a conscious attempt at looking cool. That is for sure. The handshakes also are more "cool".
I miss the old Sampras Rusedski type handshakes. Very businesslike. More elaborate handshakes should be kept for extra-special occasions. They have lost their charm, by being normalised and even expected.
I miss the old Sampras Rusedski type handshakes. Very businesslike. More elaborate handshakes should be kept for extra-special occasions. They have lost their charm, by being normalised and even expected.
HipRotation
Hall of Fame
Maybe muted but I would say they were still a lot of showboating going on, the most common Wimbledon celebration back in the day was to jump the net for the handshake. It's as if to say "look how much energy I still got, you didn't tire me at all"
SamprasisGOAT
Hall of Fame
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