posted Jun 30, 2009

Did anyone else complain about the conditions under the roof? Didn't seem to bother Wawrinka did it.
Instead of being thankful that he has a day off today he focused on the negatives.Imagine the outcry if he'd actually lost the match!

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posted Jun 30, 2009

Closing the roof was a hometown decision by a disgracefully hometown Tennis Club. Stuffed SHirts 1 Gullible Public 0

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posted Jun 30, 2009

"the roof meant I could watch a fantastic tennis match at a very convenient time for me"

Exactly - not only this it's the first time in years that the BBC have shown something I wanted to watch at a time when I could watch it. Justifies the licence fee a little bit at least.

They should use it more in my opinion. Why couldn't all quarter finals today have been on centre court? That way it would still have been going on when I got home. Also they could play three men's matches on centre tomorrow. And the semi finals - why not start later in the day and play in front of a big TV audience?

Wimbledon could become an event that people actually watch rather than one that mainly goes on during working hours.

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posted Jun 30, 2009

I thought last night's televised match was a tremendous success and should be the forerunner for regular floodlit matches at Wimbledon. I don't know what the viewing figures were but this is one viewer who thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle and hope we get more. I understand there are objections from residents in the immediate vicinity of the All England Club as regards evening floodlit games - I wonder how many of these are from people who routinely rent out their properties for £X thousand per week? Again, I say, give us more of the same and schedule prime matches for evening primetime.

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posted Jun 30, 2009

The roof was used so Andy Murray's match would finish. I think the weather was an excuse. The roof itself will come into its own when finals are being played to prevent rain delays which ruin then (and spoil the world wide tv viewing).

As for Murray, I am sick of people regurgitating inaccurate quotes saying he hates the English. I saw him being interviewed after a match during Wimbledon in 2006 when he was asked about the football and he made a joke about " anyone but England" and then added that he had been watching the England matches and was supporting them. He is a British world class player who should receive GB's support. Is it any wonder he never looks at ease talking to the press and the media?

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posted Jun 30, 2009

'I'm no more anti Scottish as the scots are anti English. Didn't Murray once say he hated the English? Is all the forgotten now he's our great hope after the drip that was Tim Henman? My point is that sport itself not just tennis is incredibly false with who people support in the hope of victory. I'm not a fan of the olympics by the way so never watch it.'

Well I am fan of the olympics and when Britain competes as Britain I am British, tennis is competed as Britain not england. I very much support England soccer vs Scotland but we dont have a Britain Soccer team hence why. Just because you for whatever reason dont like Murray, doesnt mean us fellow Britons have to share your opinion, doesnt make me fickle or desperate im just patriotic.

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posted Jul 1, 2009

I see no real sporting value of the addition of a roof on the centre court. Neither is a single roof likely to have a significant impact on easing scheduling during rain dogged years unless needed late into the 2nd of the 2 weeks. It will quite obviously be a commercial success, I'm quite sure the Murray game has already paid back a significant part of the investment but at what price?
One of the aspects that make Wimbledon the unique competition it is, distinguishing it from all others, is the varying natural conditions it throws at the players. The ability of the best players to adapt to wind, rain, sun and cold not to mention disruptions and overnight breaks in play tests their skills and concentration far more than the innocuous artificial conditions provided by a roofed venue.
I can almost accept its use when the only alternative is no play at all but to top everything the outside conditions were perfect the other day so the roof should not have been closed in the first place. I know the excuse given was the threat of rain etc but at £80m one would have expected the capability to open and close on demand. Even where its use is called on I see no excuse for extending the game well past the time when the natural interruption of night would have been bringing the players back the next day.
I’m not an anti technology Luddite I think hawk-eye has been a positive introduction but I personally felt cheated watching last night. The sound reverberating around the enclosed court, the bland artificial light and the game stretching deep into the night simply was not Wimbledon. It might just have been a game played on carpet in the NEC bar the 15000 or so spectators.
Yes it was a tense game but I can’t help feeling that the conditions played a big part in making it more so than it should have been. It certainly would have been one in the eye for the Wimbledon bosses had their decision resulted in our biggest hope for many years going out so unexpectedly.
Hopefully they will be a little more reticent in its use if Murray comes on court late this afternoon!!

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posted Jul 1, 2009

I can see your point, aeastons, but I feel you are slightly over simplifying and ignoring the demands of the mass media (TV) both for sponsorship and keeping the game as a high profile sport in the 21st century.

Until this year only the AO had a roof and all 4 slams are now doing or considering for the mass audience.

Early weather can usually be dealt with by rescheduling but theres no mileage in having the vast audiences watching re runs of 30 year old matches or listening to Sir Cliff as the rain pours down in the latter stages.

Tennis "is" weather reliant and to survive in the big time, needs to be primetime and following a schedule.

It will not satisfy the mega buck input necessary to sustain the game in busy and hugely expensive TV schedules.

It would have been a disaster if last years final had been played out on the Monday when everyone had packed up and gone home.

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posted Jul 1, 2009

"And here was me thinking that this thread was about the roof"

To be fair, the thread is entitled "ENOUGH about the roof" - so when people (including me) commented about the roof, maybe we're the ones who were off subject!

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posted Jul 1, 2009

I get so tired watching Wimbledon, the whole strawberries and cream, Henman Hill, banging on about the stupid roof, I just want to follow Scotland's Andy Murray and enjoy some great tennis. Much prefer the Aussie, French and US Grandslams, they don't come with all the baggage.

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