Jo Konta loses 5th straight match

[Mainad]

Moeen Ali-although he is of Pakistani descent. Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, Chris Woakes, Johnny Bairstow, Joe Root, Dan Evans, Barry Hawkins, Stuart Bingham, Mark Williams.

I'm afraid I only recognise 2 of those names: Broad and Evans (naturally) but I freely admit I don't know much about sport, tennis excepted of course.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Most of our top sportspeople are born overseas, the England Cricket team has been mostly South Africans, Australians, New Zealanders, West Indians, Indians & Pakistanis.

KP ftw

 

[George Turner]

1. Give bland interview about how tough your opponent is & how much you love this venue & the fans.
2. Walk on court looking stern.
3. Keep losing your ball toss after your incredibly irritating serving style annoys everybody.
4. Fall over.
5. Start crying.
6. MTO.
7. Return & win.
8. Talk about how tough it was out there, how much the fans support means, how tough your next opponent is.
9. Rinse, repeat.

Watch any interview by a British footballer, it's exactly the same. Cliches about *how fantastic the fans are* *we fully support the manager* *it's not about me it's about the team* etc etc.

Here in Britain we don't like people who deviate too far from the norm. Kevin Pietersen got exiled from the Cricket team because of personality clashes, while Ben Stokes is a *proper British lad* so everyone loves him even though he beat someone up recently.

That's why Konta and many others are media trained Robots, that's what the public like.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Out of interest, are there any British sportspeople you actually like?

I loved Flintoff. KP was a brat, but him too. I am not much into F1 anymore, but used to like Hamilton. Oh and Murray is quite alright. I think the media coverage itself is far more cringeworthy than the players. Once an interviewer asked Graf and Agassi about Murray's chances and they were like, "Not that one again!" I can relate to that because that's how our media behaves too. They will interview a Hollywood superstar and ask him what does he think about Bollywood; yeah, what makes you think he gives a **** about Bollywood.

 

[Searah]

Ha! As soon as I read "slice forehand" I knew it was Niculescu. I don't watch much pro tennis but she is by far my favorite WTA player. Junky slice FH, moonballs, dropshots, lobs, but... she can crank her BH and, bizarrely, has a really nice traditional FH passing shot using a semi-western grip (why she doesn't use this FH more in baseline exchanges I have no idea). Probably one of the fastest WTA players and so much fun to watch. Most of the other women (and men, for that matter) bore me to tears with their unwatchable robotic games.

got me watching her now on youtube i want to try a forehand slice!

 

[MatsPhilander]

Watch any interview by a British footballer, it's exactly the same. Cliches about *how fantastic the fans are* *we fully support the manager* *it's not about me it's about the team* etc etc.

Here in Britain we don't like people who deviate too far from the norm. Kevin Pietersen got exiled from the Cricket team because of personality clashes, while Ben Stokes is a *proper British lad* so everyone loves him even though he beat someone up recently.

That's why Konta and many others are media trained Robots, that's what the public like.

Not really that true-Botham was a maverick & was loved, O'Sullivan, Alex Higgins etc. Pietersen was exiled because he was a constant source of problems/divisions in the locker room with his behaviour-texting disparaging stuff about his captain to the opposition, forcing the board to sack a coach, being rude about teammates publicly etc. In reality he actually got away with so much for so many years that others didn't or wouldn't have because of how many runs he made, when that standard dropped dramatically he no longer had his bargaining tool. There is quite a backlash against Stokes from a lot of fans & people in the game, the ones who tend to support him are more the soccer fans who like a punch-up.

 

[MatsPhilander]

I'm afraid I only recognise 2 of those names: Broad and Evans (naturally) but I freely admit I don't know much about sport, tennis excepted of course.

 

[BringBackWood]

.
That particular hype started because, after losing to Federer in his maiden Slam final at the 2008 USO, he then beat him in their next 2 encounters (in the semis of Madrid and in his debut appearance at the WTF). The British press got over excited and thought that Murray had turned the tables on Fed and would likely beat him at the AO as well hence their dubbing of him as the favourite! Both Federer and Djokovic, the defending champion, had some suitably witty put downs on hand when they got to learn of this.

Something I don't feel Murray is given enough credit for by fans and detractors alike is how he himself never bought into all the hype and hoopla. He just ignored it and kept his head down and maintained his own focus and counsel. Eventually he fulfilled almost every expectation the overly excitable press had about him but he did it his own way and not by talking to them. He is very much a role model for other British players in this aspect as much as anything else.

You've contradicted yourself there. The press believed that Murray had turned the tables on Federer i.e. one day they expected him to be favourite in their meetings, but then you say Murray has fulfilled almost every expectation. Pretty sure if the press believed Murray would start consistently beating Fed, they would expect more than 3 slams as well

 

[deacsyoga]

You've contradicted yourself there. The press believed that Murray had turned the tables on Federer i.e. one day they expected him to be favourite in their meetings, but then you say Murray has fulfilled almost every expectation. Pretty sure if the press believed Murray would start consistently beating Fed, they would expect more than 3 slams as well

The British press or probably a lot like the American press and even Canadian press. Fickle and up and down. There was probably a point even while full of praise of Murray they wondered if he would ever win a slam in the Fedalovic era. So 3 slams and his other achievements which are well beyond a typical 3 slam winner (eg- 11 slam finals, 11 Masters, 2 Olympics golds, YE#1 and YEC winner) probably atleast meet the medium point of those widely spectrumed expectations.

 

[Mainad]

You've contradicted yourself there. The press believed that Murray had turned the tables on Federer i.e. one day they expected him to be favourite in their meetings, but then you say Murray has fulfilled almost every expectation. Pretty sure if the press believed Murray would start consistently beating Fed, they would expect more than 3 slams as well

Because he bloody well has! The guy's won Slams and, more importantly for the home fans and press, TWO Wimbledons, the holy grail of British (and world) tennis for which the home fans and media had been waiting 77 years for a British guy to accomplish! He has won TWO Olympic gold medals for GB, one of which was in front of the home fans on home soil at Wimbledon again and beating the great Federer into the bargain! Last year he capped off a great year by winning the World Tour Finals again in front of the home fans and securing the world #1 ranking into the bargain by beating the guy who had held it for FOUR of the previous 5 years! He has done practically everything the home fans and press could possibly ask of him!
Okay, he's not managed to overtake Federer but I don't think any reasonable tennis fan or reporter is ever going to hold that one against him and if you were ever to take off your incredibly blinkered goggles and wake up and see what an incredible Godsend he has been for British tennis in the last decade, you would be able to see and acknowledge that too!!!

 

[BringBackWood]

The British press or probably a lot like the American press and even Canadian press. Fickle and up and down. There was probably a point even while full of praise of Murray they wondered if he would ever win a slam in the Fedalovic era. So 3 slams and his other achievements which are well beyond a typical 3 slam winner (eg- 11 slam finals, 11 Masters, 2 Olympics golds, YE#1 and YEC winner) probably atleast meet the medium point of those widely spectrumed expectations.

I don't agree. I think @Mainad is correct; he was expected to be an equal with Djokovic. Of course, Murray decided to turn himself into an inferior version of Novak, which was naturally a losing strategy.

 

[Mainad]

The British press or probably a lot like the American press and even Canadian press. Fickle and up and down. There was probably a point even while full of praise of Murray they wondered if he would ever win a slam in the Fedalovic era. So 3 slams and his other achievements which are well beyond a typical 3 slam winner (eg- 11 slam finals, 11 Masters, 2 Olympics golds, YE#1 and YEC winner) probably atleast meet the medium point of those widely spectrumed expectations.

Medium point...lol! See my reply to BBW above. The British press can have NO complaints against what Murray has accomplished for them in the last few years. That would be like the American press moaning that Sampras had never won Roland Garros or the Spanish press complaining that Nadal has never won the WTF! They should wake up, smell the coffee, get down on their bended knees and thank the Almighty for what he HAS accomplished and I suspect most reasonable fans and reporters will have fully realised that by now. After all, I can't think of many British tennis players who have enjoyed near unanimous calls for a knighthood recently!

 

[BringBackWood]

@Mainad Yeah Murrays achieved stuff but it hasn't matched early expectations, as you yourself concede. How does winning things at home make an achievement greater. If anything it would be more impressive to win in front of a hostile crowd.

Edit Ok your latest post 'bended knee...etc' tells me you are blinkered beyond reason with your love for Murray. His Wedding day must have been very difficult for you.

 

[Mainad]

@Mainad Yeah Murrays achieved stuff but it hasn't matched early expectations, as you yourself concede. How does winning things at home make an achievement greater. If anything it would be more impressive to win in front of a hostile crowd.

Winning things at home makes things immeasurably greater! How many tennis players do you know who have managed to win their home Slams recently or even win anything else of significance on home soil? France has been waiting since 1983 for a male successor to Noah, and they have enjoyed a whole batch of good players in the years since who can't manage it (Gasquet,Tsonga, Monfils, Simon etc.) the Aussies haven't seen a home champion of either sex for the last 43 years and none of their best players during that time eg. Hewitt, Cash, Rafter, Philippoussis could manage it. The Yanks have been bewailing the lack of a successor to Roddick at their home Slam for the last 14 years now. Do not ever underestimate how incredibly hard it is for players to face up to the incredible pressures of expectation to perform well at their home events which is why you should never ever attempt to belittle what Murray has accomplished for the home fans at Wimbledon, Queen's and at the O2 Arena!!

 

[Mainad]

@Mainad Yeah Murrays achieved stuff but it hasn't matched early expectations, as you yourself concede. How does winning things at home make an achievement greater. If anything it would be more impressive to win in front of a hostile crowd.

Edit Ok your latest post 'bended knee...etc' tells me you are blinkered beyond reason with your love for Murray. His Wedding day must have been very difficult for you.

No, it is absolutely the other way round. You are simply blinded beyond reason by your intense personal dislike for him and it's really rather sad and pathetic to have to see from a so-called British tennis fan. No-one is saying you have to like him but, to be ever taken seriously, you HAVE to respect and even admire what he has accomplished for British tennis in the last ten years. Otherwise, it is impossible ever to have a rational discussion with you about him so maybe we should cease trying as of right now.

 

[BringBackWood]

@Mainad The difference is I can say good & bad things about Murray, whereas all you can do is gush over him. That's the difference between objectivity and fanaticism.

 

[Mainad]

@Mainad The difference is I can say good & bad things about Murray, whereas all you can do is gush over him. That's the difference between objectivity and fanaticism.

if you ever follow my posts, you would see that I do anything but 'gush' over him. I'm not afraid to criticise him when I think it's due but I also get irritated by those who simply won't acknowledge what he has achieved because they don't happen to like him and that goes for any other player as well. In any case, what 'good things' have you ever said about him since you started off by sneering at what he had done, dismissing everything as due to 'luck' etc??

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Damn, Jo needing to see Bouchard in a draw more desperately than anything.

Now that you mention it, there are actually some similarities between Jo and Bouchard. Kinda stiff and robotic looking shots. Doesn't feel like whipping through loose. I am sure they are because they are pros but relative to the other players, look more stiff. Also like Bouchard, she separates arms very early. Lot of people do, but she keeps the racquet separated and up as she is running whereas, again, with most players it's a more fluid transition even on the run. IF this is a portent of things to come... Could well be that she has been sorted out now that she's started to have more consistent results. She does have a much better serve than Bouchard but with more losses, even that may desert her.

 

[BringBackWood]

if you ever follow my posts, you would see that I do anything but 'gush' over him. I'm not afraid to criticise him when I think it's due but I also get irritated by those who simply won't acknowledge what he has achieved because they don't happen to like him and that goes for any other player as well. In any case, what 'good things' have you ever said about him since you started off by sneering at what he had done, dismissing everything as due to 'luck' etc??

No you don't win 7 matches in a row by luck. He is a hard worker & a fighter on court.

 

[Mustard]

I'm not aware there is a deliberate strategy by the LTA to adopt foreign-born players but they will certainly give encouragement to any promising ones who seek their support. Examples in recent years apart from Rusedski include Laura Robson (Australian-born but grew up in the UK) ), Jo Konta (Australian born of Hungarian parents), Kyle Edmund (South-African born but grew up in the UK) , Cameron Norrie (South African born to British parents). Konta is the only one who did not have any kind of British connection prior to arriving in the UK.

Of course, other countries do the same but there may be a higher proportion of them in the UK at the moment.

Also Andy Murray's ex-coach Miles Maclagan, who had a 2-set lead, and 3 match points in the fourth set, against Boris Becker in the first round of 1999 Wimbledon. I remember Maclagan being really annoyed that the crowd were supporting Becker more than him.

 

[Mustard]

The British press or probably a lot like the American press and even Canadian press. Fickle and up and down. There was probably a point even while full of praise of Murray they wondered if he would ever win a slam in the Fedalovic era. So 3 slams and his other achievements which are well beyond a typical 3 slam winner (eg- 11 slam finals, 11 Masters, 2 Olympics golds, YE#1 and YEC winner) probably atleast meet the medium point of those widely spectrumed expectations.

I remember the days when Jeremy Bates was the great British hope at Wimbledon. The OTT craziness when he beat Michael Chang in the first round in 1992. Oh my!

 

[Mainad]

Also Andy Murray's ex-coach Miles Maclagan, who had a 2-set lead, and 3 match points in the fourth set, against Boris Becker in the first round of 1999 Wimbledon. I remember Maclagan being really annoyed that the crowd were supporting Becker more than him.

More's the pity then that Miles couldn't have silenced the crowd's sentimental feelings for the ex champ by converting one of those match points!

 

[r2473]

This is Nastase's fault.

 

[Mainad]

I remember the days when Jeremy Bates was the great British hope at Wimbledon. The OTT craziness when he beat Michael Chang in the first round in 1992. Oh my!

Of course we shouldn't forget that some of our imports lived less up to expectation than others:

At least our latest import, Aljaz Bedene, has managed to win a match at Wimbledon!

 

[Mustard]

Of course we shouldn't forget that some of our imports lived less up to expectation than others:

At least our latest import, Aljaz Bedene, has managed to win a match at Wimbledon!

Oh yes. The annual tradition of Alex Bogdanovic going out in the first round of Wimbledon every year after getting wildcards.

 

[Mainad]

Oh yes. The annual tradition of Alex Bogdanovic going out in the first round of Wimbledon every year after getting wildcards.

I wonder if he would have better luck if he came back as a senior?

 

[Tennease]

It's all in the ball bouncing. The way she bounces the ball is freaking me out. She needs to bounce it like how Federer does it.