Wimbledon 1st round: D Evans v N Davydenko

Count Zero · Tennis legend

RE: Wimbledon 1st round: D Evans v N Davydenko

The Knight · Challenger qualifying

sorry on monday Boggo was an ok guy...but now he's lost to top 20 player Tomas Berdych he's the most evil human being in existence LOL

can't be the only person to notice this bizarre attitude from the newspapers towards our scapeGOAT

indiana · Tennis legend

The Hoose wrote:

Ratty wrote:

Rule 1 of interviews with the Press: Be very boring, and never try to be flippant or make jokes. They will come back to haunt you, FOREVER - eg Andy Murray's quip about the England football team.

(Unless you are Marat Safin, of course ...)

Just to prove Ratty's point, here's the start of the Mirror's "article"

King of the bottlers Alex Bogdanovic became Wimbledon's biggest all-time loser as the Brits equalled their worst wipe-out in history.
On a day of crying shame which left the Union Jack at half-mast, Anne Keothavong broke down in tears after her shock defeat by Patricia Mayr as the strawberry fields of SW19 became a showcase for Britain's Rot Talent.
And teenager Daniel Evans, beaten in straight sets by Russia's No.12 seed Nikolay Davydenko, summed up the prevailing mood of desolation when he admitted: "I might not be a tennis player soon - I might be stacking shelves."

Yes that stacking shelves thing is sooo out of the friendly context he said it in in what was actually a pretty upbeat interview from one guy that I think really does feel he's going in the right direction. I feel really sorry for the guys with some of the press we have, it's a no win situation. Be bland and they'll pick on that, try and lighten the mood with a quip ot two and they are liable to be used out of conext to suit a paper's own agenda

By the way, I have seen many east European girls in tears or close to it when their performances haven't net their ambitions. It shows desire and that she really cares. But instead of support a British woman who has made some really genuine progess over the last year or so, they just have to have a pathtic pop.

I am often on this forum really critical of the players themselves as well as the infrostructure. I basically often don't think they help themselves to be all they can be, particularly for intance fitness wise. There are serious discussions that can be had about the state of British tennis but that sort of stuff is more libale to make players think sometimes is this all worth it !

-- Edited by indiana on Wednesday 24th of June 2009 10:30:39 AM

steven · Tennis legend

ForeverDelayed wrote:
The Mirror clearly not one to let actual facts get in the way of a good "let's bash the brits story then"

And Count... tell Boggo to sue for this as Boggo is not Wimbledon's biggest all-time loser. There's another player who was 0-9 at Wimbledon in his career and someone else who is also 0-8 in their career, and there are players such as Christophe Rochus who have lost more matches than Boggo at Wimbledon (although have won one match along the way).

If the Robert Dee tale tells us anything it's that if you make a slight error and make a player out to be a lot worse than they are, they've got a good chance of winning the case.

If Robert Dee could get an apology from the media for being called the "worst professional player" or whatever it was when he wasn't, surely that is on the same level as Boggo being called Wimbledon's biggest all-time loser, when in fact he isn't?

I wouldn't actually suggest that Boggo wastes time going down the legal route, but you've got a good point there!

As for what Evo says, surely it shows a good attitude in the sense that he's well aware that it's a privilege to be able to be a good tennis player and something that could easily be taken away if he doesn't keep working hard. For them to take it that way or just as a joke would be fair enough, but to use it in the way they did just shows what their agenda is.

The Hoose · Satellite level

To be unnecessarily fair to the Mirror, I didn't quote the full article and near the end, they do re-use his quotation in a more balanced manner, albeit in order to have another dig at Boggo...

"While Bogdanovic remains hopelessly in denial, at least 19year-old Evans had the legitimate excuse of never having faced an opponent in the world's top 150 before Davydenko. And Evans admitted he would rather work shifts in a supermarket for a career than chisel out a living in the anonymity of Challenger tournaments.

He said: "I'm not going to be asking for wild cards when I'm 25 - you've got to earn a living sooner or later. I think it's just respect for yourself."

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Really Boggo should tell Evans to STFU (but he wont he's too nice)

so far Dan has achieved less than Boggo, even in juniors. so he cant really comment can he.

indiana · Tennis legend

Boggo "in denial" hey 2 words of truth from the Mirror anyway. Less crap about that he thinks he has been continuously improving ( rather to an extent wasted his talent over the years ) would be good. Id like to hear just that I have really worked very very hard at my fitness ( which he has said and I hope is true ) and I am now confident that I can finally make the most of my talent which I have not done in the past when my career has plateaued and at stages gone backwarsd.

Yes, I agree Dan shouldn't have said that about wildcards, especially with the implication it obviously has.

But I do rather like some of his attitude, and he is currently our next ( and apart fom Boggo only current real hope ? ) of getting into that top 100.

Salmon · Tennis legend

What he's saying is quite valid, I think - Boggo should show some guts and self respect and turn down the Wimbledon wild card one of these days, may do him a world of good.

But it won't happen. He'll get another wild card next year, will accept, will lose, will get bashed.

The Hoose · Satellite level

Salmon wrote:

What he's saying is quite valid, I think - Boggo should show some guts and self respect and turn down the Wimbledon wild card one of these days, may do him a world of good.

But it won't happen. He'll get another wild card next year, will accept, will lose, will get bashed.

Salmon, I trust we can count you in for the new campaign?

Salmon · Tennis legend

Yeah!

Where do I get one of those badges?

-- Edited by Salmon on Wednesday 24th of June 2009 01:31:03 PM

The Hoose · Satellite level

That's the problem - people don't think Boggo should get another wildcard but when they see the badges they're too cool to resist!

(If you want one, just send GBP 19.99 to the All England Club; 50% of all the proceeds go towards Boggo's next loser's cheque)

Count Zero · Tennis legend

whether Boggo should or should not accept a Wimby WC, and the related implication it has for playing Eastbourne, an event where over the years Boggo has had good results, is really none of Evans business and he should show some respect to other players. Especially players who have achieved far more than in him the game. In all Boggo's years i dont ever remember hearing him publicly criticise another player, not even in an indirect manner such as this.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Boggo's too nice to do that. And this was the first ever Eastbourne.

But in any case... surely what Evans plans to do with his career is his business? It's not his fault that Boggo has eight wild cards and that comes against his career building philosophies.

mjd · Challenger qualifying

Salmon wrote:

What he's saying is quite valid, I think - Boggo should show some guts and self respect and turn down the Wimbledon wild card one of these days, may do him a world of good.

But it won't happen. He'll get another wild card next year, will accept, will lose, will get bashed.

Boggo might not be a top 100 player but he's not stupid either - no one should ever be expected to decline a WC that they have earned by achieving sufficient ranking over 12 months to warrant one according to the LTA's 'rules'.
After all it wasn't as if he played that badly he was against a better player.
What is the option give help to yet another foreigh player? Afterall Boggo is still more likely to win a match than other British players - that shows where the real problem is!

Other wildcards -
Dimitrov lost,
Ferrero won but as a former world no 1 was it a surprise? Even though I got it wrong in pickums, which may have placed me 2 - so I know how Alex feels wink

.
Mahut lost
Canas won but not such a great diff in rankings

-- Edited by mjd on Wednesday 24th of June 2009 02:19:03 PM

Count Zero · Tennis legend

Yes it was Boggo's 1st win at Eastbourne but he had won on several occasiosn at Nottingham in the same 'tour week'.

Yes Evans career is his business, but his comment was clearly directed against Boggo.

Maybe boggo should have said well i lost today, but i wont go out and get absolutely smashed and drag my self home at 4am in the morning etc.