British Tennis Forum - Celebrating 20 Years!

PaulM wrote:

---

Katie broken to love serving for the set at *5-3

Takes her third set point of a long game to break for 6-4. Good contest this. I like the American's game and general attitude.

---

 Wow I was thinking that this is one of the worst games of tennis Ive seen in a while. So untidy from both 

I said it was a good contest, not that it was high quality 

Listened to a bit in the car there and Leon is wildly unimpressed it does have to be said!

christ wrote:

---

emmsie69 wrote:

---

There was an article on the BBC yesterday. It did get posted after Emmas but it was there.

Also not usre why there is a need to knock one Woman while building up another.

It's not Emma's fault the BBC chose to ignore Frans result initally. There's some real nastiness on this forum aimed at Emma.

---

I don't think that is what happened, but:

If one player appears to make bad decisions, and/ or plays badly, should they be immune from criticism? Is praise the only permitted sentiment?

Should Women be immune from criticism because "sexism"?

Why shouldn't a tennis player - of either gender - be "knocked" for poor performances and (apparently) poor decisions?

I think that there is more "sexism" inherent in the BBCs method of reporting (young attractive female first, anyone else later or not at all) than there is in this forum's conversation; and I think this forum's discussion of the situation was more a rebuke of the BBC than a "knock" on ms Raducanu.

---

 Firstly, we shouldn't expect anything from the abomination that is the BBC, certainly not fairness. Secondly, our top players receive mucho flak on social media that goes well beyond just criticism of tennis form. It's enough to break anyone's confident when other factors like fitness, and luck conspire against one.

Does that leak into this forum, I'm inclined to side with emmsie69 on this. There's no point in trying to provide examples, because that will never result in consensus. How much of it is down to folk losing patience with a player when results go south, or is some of it down to vindictiveness?

It's not just Raducanu either, I remember a period where Dart got much criticism on this forum. Others too at times.

Then also, we now live in desperate times, where our nation is under the cosh in an organized way. Imho, It's naive to believe tennis is somehow immune from this. 

Anyone can sometimes get a little OTT with a comment. I think encouragement for the most part, is the best thing for our players, because I'm sure they are all busting a gut to do their best on court.  

Im watching their match waiting on the Monfils farewell performance (hopefully he will win), and the level is absolutely awful IMO. The fact that Katie only just edged a first set when her opponent made so many UEs tells the story. If anything the level has dropped since then. I know Katie isnt a clay lover, but surely as a professional player with over 10 years experience, a high ranking in the mid 20s, and having played multiple slams on all surfaces she surely knows how to beat a young debut player who is clearly nervous and spraying the ball to all parts. Surely the level has to improve?!

PaulM wrote:

---

Those four points from 40-15* to lose the set instead of levelling at 5-5 would be funny if this wasn't a Slam.

---

 Maybe the third set will be better. it isn't just the errors it is the distance they are missing by which is quite large.

 

Still feel Katie can pull through.

Yesterday Emma said she was having trouble reading the ball and several players seem to be playing poorly so maybe the conditions are having an effect. The high temperature will make the ball harder and the gut on the rackets will probably behave differently or maybe the courts are drying out too quickly but high temperatures are not unusual at tennis tournaments. Emma, Katie and Katie's opponent all seem to be struggling, even Fran who likes playing on clay struggled for a while yesterday.

Fabulous! Well done Katie!