RANDOM JOTTINGS


A blog about music, sports, theatre and rants





I am a nervous wreck.  I have been looking after Florence all day which is exhausting enough but then this afternoon I watched the Murray – Ferrer match.  This was the one I have been more worried about than any other as I have watched a lot of Ferrer over the last few months since getting Sky and have seen just how good he is.  He is like the bunny in that ad for Duracell batteries, he just goes on and on and on and moves incredibly fast around the court.  He also beat Andy recently in the French Open so it was finger nail biting time again.

The one thing that Murray does time and time again, and I wish he wouldn't, is to start slowly.  He then has to play catch up before becoming dominant and winning the game.  He did it again today but believe me, should he get through to the final and I SO hope he does, then whoever he meets will not allow him to catch up.   As the match progressed today you could see him growing in confidence and the ground strokes got better and the serves, both first and second were earning him a huge percentage of points.  I had to drive home from London and left just as they had a break for the rain.  Part of me wanted to watch, part of me couldn't bear to and so I set off and by the time I arrived home and checked my phone, there was a text from my daughter to say that he had won.

Tsonga is another hurdle to get over, but have seen Murray beat him before and am less fraught about that one but still not totally confident.  My feeling is he will get through, but it may be a four or five setter.  I may have to go out for the day and should Andy get through to the Final may have to get the Mogadon out to get me through it.

I know that Col left me a comment disagreeing about my views on Andy (mark you he is a Scot too), but I stand by my opinion that he needs to get rid of that Kevin the Teenager slouch and body language and come out aggressively and fighting.  And I would add that this was posited by Pat Cash and Boris Becker as well so it ain't just me moaning – those guys know what they are talking about. John Mac said the same and all three of them really really want him to do this.

Have just been reading the online newspaper reports about Andy's win and the nasties are out – there is one commentator who consistently attacks Murray and tells everyone that tennis is a crap game and is awful, which begs the question why does he read about it?   I think he is an internet Troll, I recognise his style now and think he uses several names.  Why people do this is beyond me it really is.  I am not putting his user name here on Random because if it is spotted I know that I will get it in the neck as well.

So we are in the final stages now and who knows what will happen? One thing I do know, it won't be an easy ride either for Andy or for us watching.  Oh how lovely it would be to have a British player who just comes out and wins in straight sets but don't think there is such a creature.

Come on Andy – do us all proud, shut the doubters up (and that includes me) and I shall be delighted to be proved wrong.

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8 responses to “NOT a Wimbledon Rant”

  1. Elaine Avatar

    Col – am just going to post about this but 4th set I had to go out for a walk!

  2. Col Avatar

    Well he’s made the final – and I didn’t spend as much time behind that sofa as I thought I might! Now a day of relative calm before it’s Andy against Federer. I’m just going to hope desperately that he wins – I’ll keep my head out of things and just go with the heart (otherwise instead of saying “Federer” I’d be saying “BUT IT’S FEDERER!” He’s got a great chance – fingers crossed big time!

  3. Pam Avatar
    Pam

    I’m not really much of a tennis fan but I’m really glad for the UK that you have a Brit in the final. Way to go Andy!

  4. Desperate Reader Avatar

    I think it’s great that he’s got to the finals, but at this point it hardly matters if he wins or not, either way it’s already a huge achievement and going to be a great game to watch. (Can you tell sport doesn’t much bother me?) I can’t imagine how hard it must be to go into a game calm with that weight of expectation on you. (Shudders at very thought of it).

  5. Elaine Avatar

    Col – so sorry called you Chris in my post for some reason. This has now been rectified.
    As the match progressed AM got better and better but he was allowed to. Nole or Rog won’t should he meet either one of those in the final. the tsonga match is another tricky one and I daresay I shall be behind the sofa as well. I will warn my poor neighbours I will be watching this match so they will ignore the yelling and shouting emanating from my flat!

  6. Col Avatar

    I guess my Scottish bias stops me seeing this teenage slouch that most others see – either that or all we Scots have a teenage slouch! (I thought I was just stooping with old age!).
    I agree with you about his slow starts – I wish he wouldn’t do it but he seems to be the type who takes the most difficult route every time! I can understand why you were worried about Ferrer, but I’m more worried about Tsonga. I remember vividly how he demolished Federer on grass last year and if he plays as he can I think Andy will have a real struggle with him! However I’ve got everything crossed in the hope that he’ll get through – though I might watch it peeking out from behind the sofa, like I did as a kid trying to watch Dr Who!!!!!!

  7. Elaine Avatar

    I remember years a go Jimmy Connors had a mother who was a pain and who followed him around and was so vocal in her support that she was slung off a tennis court where he was plahying at Wimbledon. He even came up to her and said Mom will you be quiet to no avail.
    Yes Andy is 25 now and at an age where he can deal without her – glad Lendl is with him, his game, particularly his service has imporved since Ivan arrived. But the body slouch is a giveaway to his opponent and though people say he does it to fool them, I am not convinced.
    Once he gets going the slouch vanishes and he starts to play superbly
    Well, perhaps he IS fooling them after all!

  8. Ed Avatar
    Ed

    I agree with you about the teenager slouch. I also think that it is good that his mother is no longer so closely involved in his coaching. Not because she is a bad coach, but because it gives him more excuses to do the teenage moodiness.

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