Weeks 21-22 - French Open - Roland Garros Men's Main Draw (Clay)

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Weeks 21-22 - French Open - Roland Garros Men's Main Draw (Clay)

indiana · Tennis legend

In team international matters, depending on previous history, the ITF may indeed seek more than citizenship, as Aljaz knows inly too well.

That is a rather separate issue / argument.

BeefyDeedz · Pro player

skibbarriz wrote:
People can claim such things don't makea difference but though reading this thread, I was pleased to learn that Kyle's parents are British. It changes how i think of him compared with if they were South African. I will feel on his side and pull for him a bit more than otherwise. There, that's a difference.

And as for someone like Brydan Klein, well i dont accept he is British one bit. He was tossed out of the Australian set up and rightly so. He is an Australian lad born and bred and if it wasn't for his racism, he's still be playing under their flag. Tennis Australia recruit Russian jnr no.1's by offering them financial aid and chuck out people like Klein. Whereas the LTA......

*shakes head*

So yeah, for me and many others there's more to it than whether it says British Tennis Player on their wikipedia entry. Which it does state for that Klein character.

Well, unluckily for you, he's a British citizen by law, which means a lot more than any of our moanings about such facts.

skibbarriz · Strong Club Player

Thanks CD. Yes, i agree if someone does show reform then forgiveness can be found for previous behaviour. I hope he does show reform. Kline developed a reputation as a combustable, confrontational and controversial character in australia and was linked with other previous on court incidents besides that one. But dont' take my word for it, read this thread initially started by the Aussies www.menstennisforums.com/showthread.php

And yes Beefy, it is unlucky for British tennis that he hauled himself here. It's a shame.

I was unclear if the LTA had anything to do with it but assumed they would have been involved. I'm pleased to understand that they had no role in him coming here.

BradMarx90 · County player

Psyched for our boys tomorrow. I'm in Ukraine at the moment so two hours ahead, so I'm not sure how much of the games I'm going to catch before we head out for dinner and subsequent bar action, but keeping my fingers crossed for Andy, Aljaz and Kyle - especially Kyle!

COYBrits!

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

BradMarx90 wrote:
Psyched for our boys tomorrow. I'm in Ukraine at the moment so two hours ahead, so I'm not sure how much of the games I'm going to catch before we head out for dinner and subsequent bar action, but keeping my fingers crossed for Andy, Aljaz and Kyle - especially Kyle!

COYBrits!

Stay safe.

I am in Brazil which is 4 hours behind UK, so 5 hours behind France. Probably makes me the only person on the board who is relieved that almost all our guys (and girls) have late start times.

RJA · Hall of fame

Coup Droit wrote:
I agree Skib but i don't think it's right to brand someone for life for something they do as a 'stupid' teenager. It can't be something that Klein has to carry, albatross-like, round his neck for the rest of his life, it's just not fair. (Which has nothing to do with his 'british-ness', just the racism accusation).

I don't want to get involved with another in depth discussion about Klein but I feel compelled to say that while I agree that teenage discretions should not be held against someone permanently there is ample evidence that Klein remains a quite simply vile person while on court. I have seen incidents myself in person, heard of incidents through associates and read of them in the media. It is possible that he is a nice person off court but on court he is a disgrace and as such I will not support him.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

RJA wrote:
Coup Droit wrote:
I agree Skib but i don't think it's right to brand someone for life for something they do as a 'stupid' teenager. It can't be something that Klein has to carry, albatross-like, round his neck for the rest of his life, it's just not fair. (Which has nothing to do with his 'british-ness', just the racism accusation).
I don't want to get involved with another in depth discussion about Klein but I feel compelled to say that while I agree that teenage discretions should not be held against someone permanently there is ample evidence that Klein remains a quite simply vile person while on court. I have seen incidents myself in person, heard of incidents through associates and read of them in the media. It is possible that he is a nice person off court but on court he is a disgrace and as such I will not support him.

Yes. I agree with your logic. (And am also not trying to re-open the Klein debate). And I know that people have seen/heard of awful ongoing court behaviour (which changes the whole argument).

But I've only seen him play once, live, in a reasonably stressful match, which he eventually lost, and he behaved absolutely fine. (Wimbly qualies). And so, although I saw five minutes of some pretty pathetic antics on livestream a little while ago, I am basing my comments on my one 'live' experience (which may have been an unnaturally good one, of course, but it's all I've got).

I should add, also, that the worst behaviour that day I saw was James McGee - really disgraceful. And, yes, it clouded my opinion of him. But, again, I'm not holding it against him for life.

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I still have a certain amount of interest in Kleins career and watching it unfold, the racial slur he used in 2009 was punished he acknowledge his bad behaviour and went for targeted training, later in 2009/10 when other persistent episode of bad behaviour were taken into account his funding was cut by the ATA in 2010.

The removal of funding which I feel was aprpriate essentially cut his transition from juniors to senior tennis in its tracks, what he has achieved since has been down to sheer bloody mindedness and I think although willing stand to be corrected playing futures tennis around Australia and working.

He continues to reap the seeds sown as a teenager even though now in his mid twenties appears to have acknowledged the major difficulties he has in controlling his temper in competition and this continues to be a work in progress and indeed probably an issue for him for the remainder of his professional tennis career. I don't think there are any reports of him behaving badly off court but again stand to be corrected and there was some support for his character away from the sport on the Australian forum.

Joe Barton is a regular commentator on Five Live (cigars and eyeballs not a good combo), Suarez is idolised at Anfield and now at the Nou Camp, I even hear the dulcit tones of big fat Ron on the TV all committed stupid acts or made totally unacceptable comments but have been allowed to make a living.

Brydan will always carry an asterisk on his career but if he can manage to create one as a top level pro i think one would have to acknowledge he had won a major personal battle from which he can take a certain amount of pride. In that context he has my support.

murrayman650 · ATP level

Benedne warming up right now

Madeline · Admin:Moderator + Tennis Legend

Well, darn. I paid for Eurosport Player for a month; though Court five shows as an option, all I get is a blank screen. Most other courts seem to be working fine.

BradMarx90 · County player

Bob in Spain wrote:
BradMarx90 wrote:
Psyched for our boys tomorrow. I'm in Ukraine at the moment so two hours ahead, so I'm not sure how much of the games I'm going to catch before we head out for dinner and subsequent bar action, but keeping my fingers crossed for Andy, Aljaz and Kyle - especially Kyle!

COYBrits!
Stay safe.
I am in Brazil which is 4 hours behind UK, so 5 hours behind France. Probably makes me the only person on the board who is relieved that almost all our guys (and girls) have late start times.

Don't worry. I'm not in an affected area. I get back to the UK on Friday week so hopefully in time to see Murray win the Final on Sunday ;)

Side note - does anyone know where the decent live streams of Slams/ATPs/Challengers/Futures are these days? Or is there a thread for that...

Jaffa · Challenger level

Has anyone got a stream for this? Can't find one anywhere!

BradMarx90 · County player

live.drakulastream.eu/players/free-live-video-streaming-thiem-bedene-court-5-tennis-roland-garros-2015-73433.html

BradMarx90 · County player

Bedene just about managed to grind out his service game to make it 1-1 after saving at least two BPs.