Weeks 35-36 - US Open main draw (men)

Ratty · County player

RE: Weeks 35-36 - US Open main draw (men)

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Ratty wrote:
This "fan" stuff - isn't it all rather odd? I mean, why does it matter so much to people whether a tennis player wins or loses a match? So Andy Murray is British, and so are we. But he is not is any conceivable sense representing Britain. I only ask because I am interested to know the answer, it is not trolling for the sake of it ...

If your friend's son was playing a match against somebody from the other end of the country, would you not be supporting him? Even if you had never met him?

The fact that somebody is from our country does mean a lot to me, even though I am very far from a Nationalist. It's just that I feel I know more about them - because they get more media coverage than those from other countries. I wouldn't always support someone JUST because they are British, but as I know very little about young players from foreign parts, I'm not likely to support them unless I have seen them play and like the way they play. I'm far more of a Murray fan than any other Brits, because I like the "different" way he plays - I can't stand watching ball-bashers.

Having read your post I have to wonder what you are doing on a Forum devoted entirely to following players because they are British!

steven · Tennis legend

Ratty wrote:
This "fan" stuff - isn't it all rather odd? I mean, why does it matter so much to people whether a tennis player wins or loses a match? So Andy Murray is British, and so are we. But he is not is any conceivable sense representing Britain. I only ask because I am interested to know the answer, it is not trolling for the sake of it ...

It is odd, but I think Madeline explains it very well!

RJA · Hall of fame

Andy opens his campaign on Ashe tomorrow afternoon.

2nd match, not before 13:00 (18:00 BST)

indiana · Tennis legend

Hmm, I am not going to get very deep at all here, because in a way it is just is how it is with me and I suspect many others, and I don't think it's odd.

I suspect from time immemorial people have just liked to see the local getting one over the person from the next village / county / country whatever.

I really like watching and following many sports, clearly including tennis. I have grown up like my family, and continue to have a default position, in generally really liking to see British players and teams do well. Just how it is, and there are a few but just a few players / athletes and teams that I personally don't really get behind for reasons specific to them. I think too Madeline's point about knowing quite a lot about them and their backstories, as I generally do with being so into sports, does also help me feel I'm on their side.

I also generally like to see Scottish players / teams do well even more, but anyway that knows me knows I am very far from nationalistic. It just seems natural to me to get behind most Scots / Brits when competing against folk from other nations, as I said just like folk have always done, and any further analysis of what I just think is a fairly natural process I will leave to others,

I think I just have come to do that naturally like many folk and what it does do is create a real interest in the sport you are watching. Yes, you can enjoy the sport, but rooting for a player / athlete or team just makes the whole experience to me more interesting and satisfying.

-- Edited by indiana on Tuesday 30th of August 2011 08:55:20 PM

Ratty · County player

Thank you. I find myself usually supporting British players, except when they are bratty. So I find myself instinctively supporting Nadal against Murray, but usually I support Murray. But not against Del Potro, who seems a very decent sort, and I enjoy his gamestyle. Robson, Watson, Baltacha, I like to see them all win. Keothavong, don't really care, don't know why, sorry. Lots of the younger uk men I actively like to see lose, the bratty ones, not mentioning names, you know who they are!

Armchair · County player

I think it's possible to watch and enjoy most sports played at a very high level without the need to be supporting a particular team or individual.

Though I do think it adds a lot to your enjoyment if you do have a team, country or an athlete you support.

I think many parents would opt out of watching 8 year olds doing rhythmic gymnastics or hockey without that devotion that comes from supporting someone you know wink

RJA · Hall of fame

Ratty wrote:
Thank you. I find myself usually supporting British players, except when they are bratty. So I find myself instinctively supporting Nadal against Murray, but usually I support Murray. But not against Del Potro, who seems a very decent sort, and I enjoy his gamestyle. Robson, Watson, Baltacha, I like to see them all win. Keothavong, don't really care, don't know why, sorry. Lots of the younger uk men I actively like to see lose, the bratty ones, not mentioning names, you know who they are!

I have watched 6 days at British futures over the last few months and so have seen quite a lot of our younger players and while sometimes their behaviour grates me I do try and take it in context. These are young guys who are trying to make a career out of tennis in a very competitive environment. At futures level there are a great many players of similar levels of ability and the ones that win tend to be the ones that push themselves the hardest. There is a fine line between been fired up and acting like a complete brat and it is hardly surprising that teenage lads (from all countries) sometimes stray to the wrong side of that line. You of course hope that with time they grow up and learn to control their emotion better. After all, how many of us think that we were fully matured and grown up by the age of 18 or 19?

-- Edited by RJA on Wednesday 31st of August 2011 11:08:14 AM