Marcus Willis

the addict · Tennis legend

Marcus Willis

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

I really dont know what the obsession is!? He had his moment of glory last year and fair play to him but, unfortunately doesn't take himself or his tennis seriously, he looks in exactly the same shape as last year. Get a decent dubs partner and crack on with that as singles in his current shape isnt happening

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Jimmy09 wrote:
I really dont know what the obsession is!? He had his moment of glory last year and fair play to him but, unfortunately doesn't take himself or his tennis seriously, he looks in exactly the same shape as last year. Get a decent dubs partner and crack on with that as singles in his current shape isnt happening

Well, it's a bit rude to Liam, and all those that he's beaten in singles, to say that his singles is not worth pursuing. Do you think Liam should give up too, because he was beaten by someone like Marcus?

Physique is just one part. And there's a wide range, with some too skinny and some a little heavy. I think people should be giving Marcus a lot of credit for getting to the FQR when he's not been concentrating fulltime on professional tournaments etc.

However, I agree that the continuing hullabaloo about him is all a bit daft, and simply a sign that the media love a 'story' and, often, are too lazy to go out and find new stories so just recycle the old. It will be interesting to see what Marcus focuses on next year now that his 15 minutes of fame has waned.

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

No not really because those guys are taking tennis seriously and giving themselves the best opportunity to persue a carear in tennis. Stick Marcus on another surface thats more physically demanding and we will see what happens. Surely thats more frustrating? Someone not concentrating on tennis and managing to make FQR? I understand he has had other commitments. But if im being totally honest i dont think he will have progressed in the next year, i hope and wrong as he certainly has some talent

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

I take you're point, Jimmy. And it's certainly frustrating.

But in sport, it's results that matter, not getting A* for effort.

Jimmy09 · Intermediate Club Player

Completely agree Coup, but unfortunately other than Wimbledon he doesnt get many results either. Marcus will inevitably be the 'master of his own destiny' and i think this year will be pivotal for him. I hope he comes up trumps. :)

indiana · Tennis legend

All too right, Jimmy. Over to you yet again, Marcus.

I know CD and probably some others think myself for one goes a bit OTT re Marcus's condition. Really, it is built out of frustration for there is a tennis player there that could be so very much higher ranked. And the results that he does get in his little forays only show that more. What he doesn't need told is that he can still win like that. He can't and won't win nearly as much as he otherwise could.

So as a British tennis supporter he's one that's getting away or at least getting far away from where he could be. It's his career, his life though and in future maybe his "what if"'s.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Moving away from the specifics of Marcus, or differing opinions about him, it's very interesting from a cultural point of view.

The British (including me) - and maybe the Scottish in particular? - tend to have a rather Puritanical approach: we expect hard work, and application, and if that's not there then the person is undeserving. On the contrary, if someone is serious and works their socks off, we forgive anything, in fact we have huge respect, we admire the suffering. It's a very Calvinist approach, it seems to me.

My Italian and Greek friends, in particular, appreciate God-given talent and flair far more. Their Catholic/Greek Orthodox view seems to look down on the workmanlike player who makes the very most of his 'average' abilities - if God hasn't picked you out for special talent endowment, then you are mocking 'him'/wasting 'his' time by making such a daft effort.

I know it's a generalisation and my religious scholarship may be seriously questionable but there's certainly some truth to it.

Spectator · All-time great

Always interesting points, CD! I'm not sure I've ever thought about it as a function of theology ... but I would definitely concur in terms of national character. Maybe it's some combination of the two? Spain, for example, is an interesting one - resolutely Catholic in faith (where people have one) but with far more respect for hard graft. One I'll ponder ...

And then there are the French. You will know better than I, but my sense is that in that laicised state it is the aesthetic - doesn't particularly matter whether it's God-given or hard-won, but it's got to be beautiful. You can go up like a rocket or down in flames ... but either way, the arc had best be fairly spectacular, and the sparks flying. I've always felt that the French national play should be Cyrano ... and the last lines thereof engraved on every French player's racquet.

If I remember correctly, the French took to Marcus Willis with great delight - recognising his art and enjoying his story.

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

Yes, Spec. Not wanting to labour my meanderings - or seriously suggest that Marcus should move to Greece

- but I think you're quite right. I don't really know enough Spaniards well but their players are certainly some of the hardest grafters so something is different there...
And the very secular French are most certainly a bunch of aesthetes - it's all in the look, the (pseudo?) intellectualism, the appearance of depth. And they certainly love Marcus

Oakland2002 · All-time great

I don't buy into this talent nonsense (probably because I don't have much) much more of the Gary Player School of thought, "the harder you work the luckier you get".

There are lots of Marcus Willis's and yes his approach is a frustration, however in stark contrast there aren't many Fran Jones' s. What you do with the cards you are delt for me is the essence of sport and something those with talent, god given or what ever should respect.

-- Edited by Oakland2002 on Wednesday 5th of July 2017 05:41:25 PM

Madadman · Top national player

Anyone know of Marcus' plans post Wimbledon? Don't think I've seen him on any entry lists.

Bob in Spain · Tennis legend

Madadman wrote:
Anyone know of Marcus' plans post Wimbledon? Don't think I've seen him on any entry lists.

I have just seen Ken & Neal Skupski tweeting about going to play World Team Tennis. I seem to remember Marcus playing in that as well last year (same team as Neal?) so maybe that is what he has planned.

Edit

A few seconds of research and I have found this.

Introducing the players suiting up for 2017 New York Empire: John Isner, Genie Bouchard, Mardy Fish, Maria Sanchez, Marcus Willis, Kirsten Flipkens and Neal Skupski.

Apparently it starts in about 3 days.

-- Edited by Bob in Spain on Thursday 13th of July 2017 09:22:30 PM

the addict · Tennis legend

Ah, pursuing money and fame then

indiana · Tennis legend

Fair dos and after that I think he may have Moldovan League and Uncle Tom Cobley Cup commitments.