Weeks 21-22 - Roland Garros men's main draw

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

RE: Weeks 21-22 - Roland Garros men's main draw

Armchair · County player

Occasionally I have very bad dreams in which Andrew Castle, Annabel Croft and John Lloyd can be heard commentating even with the volume switched off....

Ratty · County player

Actually I think Annabel makes quite a good "feed" for the wisdom of Mats.

But I had forgotten Castle - he really is terrible. I'm so looking forward to listening to the BBC Wimbledon commentary "dream-team" of Lloyd, Castle, Pat Cash, Henman, Virginia Wade, plus sundry other tennis has-been bores.

Aaaargh!

Ratty · County player

Eurosport are not showing it on their HD channel, so I'm enjoying Amateur Hour with Lloyd and Castle.

Pearls of wisdom so far:

"Nadal's playing a guy from Croatia. I don't know how to pronounce his name. I asked someone, but then forgot." (Pathetic, beyond a joke)

"Berrer must be the oldest man in the draw. I can't think of anyone older." (Ever thought of looking on the ATP website, you half-wit?)

And to think we're paying their wages. Marvellous.

-- Edited by Ratty on Saturday 28th of May 2011 11:02:02 AM

jmjhb · Lower Club Player

Lloyd and Castle do seem particularly intolerable this tournament

DavidC · Tennis legend

Andy won 2, 3 & 2 troubled far more by a worrying ankle twist than his opponent

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Andy takes it 6 2 6 3 6 2, playing the last set and three-quarters on one leg. Well done.

We'll have to wait and see how that ankle recovers, at least he has a day's rest tomorrow.

The Magician Santoro · Top national player

I don't think the ankle will be too much of an issue hopefully, I done something similar to Andy and it's a lot more of an impact injury where it hurts at the time then kind of lessens in pain as time progresses. Andy will also be receiving a heck of alot better medical treatment than i received too! So here's hoping he's fully fit to take on Troicki!

RJA · Hall of fame

An awful lot of positives from that match, principally the serve and the forehand. Hopefully the ankle will be okay because the Troicki match will be tricky.

RJA · Hall of fame

jmjhb wrote:
Lloyd and Castle do seem particularly intolerable this tournament

Fortunately Eurosport have the ever excellent Frew McMillan in the commentry box.

RJA · Hall of fame

Ratty wrote:
I'm so looking forward to listening to the BBC Wimbledon commentary "dream-team" of Lloyd, Castle, Pat Cash, Henman, Virginia Wade, plus sundry other tennis has-been bores.
Aaaargh!

I do wish all these people would take a listen off good old Barry Davies. If you haven't got anything worth saying don't say anything. There is nothing wrong with a lengthy period of silence from a TV commentator.

Ratty · County player

RJA wrote:
jmjhb wrote:
Lloyd and Castle do seem particularly intolerable this tournament

Fortunately Eurosport have the ever excellent Frew McMillan in the commentry box.

I agree, but their picture quality is shocking unless on HD. We now have the Smith & Lloyd team on BBC for Djoko v Delpo.

I know I'm going on rather too much about this, but don't they have training courses for commentators? It's the flat whiny tone, random mid-sentence pauses, and strange syllable stresses that make (for me) Sam Smith so irritating. This could so easily be sorted out with a few hours of media training.

Lloyd of course is beyond help. Ditto Virginia Wade, who bizarrely is on Eurosport today.

Armchair · County player

I've never really understood the notion that having retired from a sport you automatically become a TV/Radio commentator. Suddenly gifted with the ability to inform and entertain the waiting public.

The are a number of ex sportsmen and women who prove this is a really bad idea.

I offer you John Lloyd and Sally Gunnell as my evidence. I think I need say no more.

(My possibly irrational and deep loathing of Andrew Castle is a given of course)

seagull · Hall of fame

Tipsarevic/Troicki has just retired at 2-1 in first set of doubles....I wonder which one is injured?

indiana · Tennis legend

Castle very occasionally surprises such as at Queens ( ? ) last year in a fairly valient and informed defense of Boggo, which was partly from his own experiences, while I seem to remember Llloyd was at hand with some typical tosh.

But, generally Castle - nooo !

As to todays match, yes, the ankle looked really bad at first, I got impresion Andy's immediate reaction was he was a goner. But it does look as if it was easing as the match proceeded, certainly his limp was, athough may have been partly painkillers taking effect.

Andy did remind folk he can fair hit a ball when circumstances have changed a bit to him wanting to hit out. OK, he was making more errors too but that I think was also to an extent his movement not being at its best. If it helped the messge get through that maybe sometimes he could and should hit out more, and he can do so effectively, then no bad thing.

It was very kind of Berrer to lose it so much after Andy's injury because well though Andy came through it all, Berrer lost focus badly and didn't really get it back thus saving Andy from suffering a long match, so getting off court relatively quickly and as importantly able to quickly get further treatment.

Does look as if he should be OK, and will certainly need to be. Troicki will be a quite big step up.