Born_to_slice
Legend
Tennis TV guys are fake AF. Always with some "get out of here!", "out of this world!", etc. catchphrases. Feels like watching NBA or something.
Commentators
- Thread starter Ash Doyle
- Start date
Yep, Koenig and Petchy were all hyperbole, no substance.
That add nothing and in fact diminish the experience.
The best Tennis TV is the doubles, with no commentary.
tennis tom
Legend
Don't know what yu got against Shriver & Arias--They've both been there, having been top world-ranked players. Can you be more specific what you don't like about them--or is it on an irrational subconscious level? Could you be more specific, please? Arias was recently appointed Tennis Director at the prestigious IMG Academy. Personally I look forward to listening to him because he knows and conveys a lot of info on tennis--it's like a master class.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Being a former top ranked player doesn't automatically make you a good commentator. Plenty former players are great. Agassi, Courier, Knowles, Blake to name a few.
I have plenty of reasons for disliking Arias and Shriver. They're terrible. Shriver is pure cringe and after the James Blake incident shouldn't be allowed to have a mic.
Arias, besides having a very nasal irritating voice, is incredibly condescending toward every player and cannot say a single good thing about anyone. Watch one of his matches. If someone hits a great shot he will ALWAYS follow it with a negative statement. That was good, BUT...every. time. I dont mind commentators criticizing when theres something legit wrong but give people their due.
I feel like he has some kind of esteem issue where he just can't give someone a compliment. He strikes me as kind of a sad little man that's bitter the game passed him by and he would suck playing today.
Really, most of the commentators are decent. I like the McEnroe brothers, Cliff, Cahill and most of the TC crew but Shriver and Arias need to go.
tennis tom
Legend
Well, he was #5 in the world and was recently appointed head of the IMG Academy, so I would say he's pretty accomplished then and now. He is 55, so I guess if he went back out on the tour he would get passed by Roger, Rafa, and Nole--but he is 55! Maybe he could get some surgery for his nasality but he's not a professional announcer like the old school guys with the deep voices who do NFL and baseball. I wouldn't take Pam Shriver's livelihood away from her for some trivial incident that happened years ago while just trying to do her job--besides, she hot and tall. If you want to hear someone who is really nasal listen to James Blake--he was a real stiff when he first started commentating but has improved a lot now.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
If you like Arias you can keep him. Dude is annoying af imo. Comparing Blake to him is a joke though. Blake is perfectly fine to listen to and doesn't sound whiney.
I'll let you get back to your stenciling bro. Since I'm sure you're under contract right
tennis tom
Legend
Thank you! He's a keeper.
Thank you for taking a personal interest in me--it's greatly appreciated!
tennis tom
Legend
The free list.I'll let you get back to your stenciling bro. Since I'm sure you're under contract right
tennis tom
Legend
Really liking Nick Pereira! Learning a lot from him--great insights into the player's development and to what's going on in the match before him.
Just heard the mellifluous tones of the Eastern Euro gal, ex-tour player who I haven't heard in a year--if you hate Arias's nasality you will really hate her DEEP accent! But, her knowledge and usage of the English language far surpass other native speaking gringos. I can get over a deep accent or other superficial hangups for the knowledge they impart. I'll dig out her name later--gotta' practice now--It took a while to figure her name out last year, not a common one-it's in the archives from last year.
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tennis tom
Legend
Vladimira Uhlirova--working the Collins/Barty match from Adlaide.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Yeah Periera is pretty good. I haven't heard the woman you mentioned.
tennis tom
Legend
Oh, when you hear here deep accent you'll know she's the one! She's an ex-tour player, a Czech, I know many Czechs and they seem to have one of the deepest accents--Czech women are some of the most beautiful on the planet.
tennis tom
Legend
Jimmy Arias Alert : He's doing the Tommy Paul / Harris match now 11am EST/8am PST. Time for a master class.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
tennis tom
Legend
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Or closed captioning
Nah. Dont need to either see or hear his words.
tennis tom
Legend
Enjoying listening to Pam Shriver working AO for ESPN. Lots of intelligent insights. She actually is paying attention to the match at hand, AND doesn't talk over the play while the point is in progress as the Gratuitous Guffawer has a wont to do .
Cabeza del Demonio
Professional
Mary Carillo and John McEnroe are simply the worst. Robbie Koenig at least offers some good analysis but he's also up there in terms of being insufferably annoying.
tennis tom
Legend
Mike Cation is one of the best! He's on TC now covering the Dallas RBC Challenger. He's a one man show doing it all. Great knowledge of the game and insights into player's lives.
www.mikecation.com
Tennis | MikeCTennis
Follow the broadcasting journey of Mike Cation, aka MikeCTennis. And find the latest episodes of The Coffee Cast with Cation and Rubin, powered by Behind The Racquet.
www.mikecation.com
UnderratedSlam
G.O.A.T.
Worst commentators on the planet?
Russians, because they talk DURING POINTS all the time. They believe they are the stars.
Also, a Serb commentator for Eurosport makes racist comments about Nadal, and many other very biased and dumb quips, dunno his name. Anyway, amazed Eurosport keep him on. He must be doing sexual favours.
Russians, because they talk DURING POINTS all the time. They believe they are the stars.
Also, a Serb commentator for Eurosport makes racist comments about Nadal, and many other very biased and dumb quips, dunno his name. Anyway, amazed Eurosport keep him on. He must be doing sexual favours.
tennis tom
Legend
Leif Shiras is doing some excellent instructional commentary on the GVC Eastern European Championships on TENNIS CHANNEL.
tennis tom
Legend
Nicolas Pereira is on Tennis Channel 9/24/20 doing his stint there, he's the best for insights to behind the scenes of tennis, discussing the "little people" too like the linespeople and umpires, differences in how balls play on clay, versus grass, etc. He's one of the best to learn from--his commentary is a master-class about tennis, rather then just reading from the crib sheets most of the rest of them do.
Harry_Wild
G.O.A.T.
D
Deleted member 771911
Guest
Tennis tv has a no commentary option. I used it a lot. I think I worked out a lot of stuff about the game just watching. Mind, I learned the fundamentals from some of the great commentators like McMillan, Mercer, Durie and even Wilander who was very good at first. The current crop, no names, are too hyperbolic, talk too much and when they talk about technique, it's not really clear. For example when Durie points something out, it's very clear and she leaves it at that. Some of the current ones, no names, complicate the detail and the point gets lost in the waffle. Amazon prime, which I now use as its cheaper than tennis tv and covers the slams, doesn't have a no commentary option which is a shame but I think it's because they view their commentators as investments.
tennis tom
Legend
Jill Craybas is doing commentary currently for TC, she's another one who's been there and gives useful information about the game--for instance that the WTA did not allow the woman to wear leggings for cold weather until four years ago--that would have been an interesting policy discussion to be involved with.
www.wtatennis.com
Jill Craybas Bio | Bio & Career – WTA Official
Get the latest news on Jill Craybas including her bio, career highlights and history at the official Women's Tennis Association website.
www.wtatennis.com
tennis tom
Legend
For those who may not be familiar with Jimmy Arias's illustrious career :
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
Yep. Good player. Terrible commentator.
Glad TC is getting some new blood like Gambill, Pereira etc. Mark Knowles has been great but kinda disappeared.
tennis tom
Legend
I like him and he gives great insights--great commentator--we've done this drill before on Arias, different strokes for different folks.
tennis tom
Legend
Chanda Rubin does an excellent job, she's been there, knows the game inside and out, gives master class insights and leaves her ego out of it. Chanda Rubin's classy and very professional.
tennis tom
Legend
FYI, my fav Jimmy Arias is on TC right now on the replay of the 2014 Houston doubles final--the Bryans vs Marreero/Verdasco.
Start da Game
Hall of Fame
johnny mac is actually very insightful if you ignore his nonsense sometimes, his problem is he runs with the flow at times and doesn't know where to stop........leif shiras from tennis channel is also a nice voice in the background to go with tennis........
funny accents rob koenig used to be good in the 2000s when he used to analyze the game beautifully but started to sound a bit ott once the atp have asked him to start fanboying big-3........
funny accents rob koenig used to be good in the 2000s when he used to analyze the game beautifully but started to sound a bit ott once the atp have asked him to start fanboying big-3........
D
Deleted member 770948
Guest
Hingis has the highest tennis IQ and best voice.
tennis tom
Legend
Dr. Anne Smith did commentary on a Tennis Channel repeat of a 2006 Zurich final match between Sharapova and Hantuchova--have never heard of her before--she was quite good! Lots of good master class info on strategy, tactics and technique--and she didn't talk over the play.
en.wikipedia.org
Anne Smith - Wikipedia
tennis tom
Legend
Brett Haber is making an azz out of himself being critical of Opelka at IW vs Dimitrov--I try to take it easy on Brett since he's such a tool but when he talks like he knows something about anything he's too much. He's cutting down Opelka for his views on "tennis media". Brett Haber has probably NEVER held a tennis racket in his hand and probably only got his job because he's someone's brother-in-law. If Brett is going to talk smack on real tennis players then he's gonna' open himself for criticism too. He needs to Get Mary Carrillo to get him a gig on the American Kennel Club show with her.
King No1e
G.O.A.T.
I think Petchey and Koenig are polar opposites - Petchey does hype the right way (while also doing really good analysis) while Koenig goes over the top and gets cringe.
