Anyone like Tennis?

At first, I felt the same level of sympathy for the loser that I always do - until he cried - and mentioned his crying. It was a bit much for me. England waits all this time for a champion - and then the one who gets close bawls. I really liked Federer's interview.

Murray had huge pressure from all over the place, Ivan Lendl by definition, and the British community en masse, and did - at least in my view - take control of his irascible self pretty well in the match.

I need to read Federer's interview. He is taken as arrogant but I don't take that as deliberate, usually. Drama queen is one of the things people say about Murray, and he reined that in during the match.

This is what I read, or similar, re an interview with Pete Sampras -

http://www.tennisguru.net/2012/07/pete-sampras-roots-for-federer-to-win-seventh-wimbledon-title/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TennisViewer+%28Tennis+Guru%29

What was it about the crying you didn't like? Did his mentioning it seem not genuine, or did his crying at all seem weak?

I seem to remember Federer tearing once, though not on this occasion. Maybe I'm miss remembering.

I don't have a problem with him crying. You could tell it meant a lot to him. A lot of emotions going on.

If a person's voice becomes tremulous while they are trying to speak publicly, I don't know why I am very sympathetic to that and not this. Murray's display did seemed overdone and weak to me - with the added piece of representing his country poorly. Personal, I know, but I don't like to see men OR women just bawl in public - especially when the reason was losing a sporting event. (LOL why does that make it WORSE for me!?)

Anyway, just the feeling I got as I watched.

How evolved you are, darling! (Cooks rock soup for dinner)

... but to him and those athletes ... at that level of excellence ... it's not JUST a sporting event - it's their life's work! It's Wimbledon and he'd be declared number 1 tennis player in the world --for the first time! Against the perennial #1 player.

And all of his family (both his wife's and his) plus his whole country was shrieking their fool heads off for him to win. pressure wuill bring most people to their knees, He was showing his human-ness.

Federer cried after losing the 2009 Australian Open. Sampras was in a tough match at the Austrialian before the death of his long time coach when a fan yelled out "Do it for your coach". Sampras was practically bawling and still won the game.

Sport is often intense. Sometimes it is a kind of substitute for war (see the Palio in Siena over the ages, orange hurling in Ivrea). For individuals in a sport like tennis, there is immense effort in the everyday part, and it balloons up in a match. In Murray's case, he'd the world on his shoulders and he's not the coolest player on the block. Plus a history of not winning slams and in this case having a chance.

Me, I think people sometimes cry from relief mixed with sorrow after a close loss, a letting go. I don't mind that men can do that.

and I don't mind that you don't mind.

Coolest player on the block, the guy who gave up and enjoyed losing to Federer. I read about him quickly (think he has a PhD of all things); he asked, depending on what you read, the Royals or Agassi in the royal box, the equivalent of HELP ME.
He got pretty far in the standings.

Naturally I forget his name, but I'll remember it when I see it.

And I'm glad to see you on a tennis thread.

Looked it up, that was Mikail Youzhny.

Enjoyable article re both Federer and Murray (maybe not at first but keep reading):
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/sportingscene/2012/07/legacy-match-at-wimbledon.html?mbid=gnep&google_editors_picks=true

As proud as the UK is ...Despite Andy Murray, GB trails Spain in tennis

Andy Murray isn't English.

But he was British whilst he was winning.

That's true enough.