Tennis

[foxes161]

Konta simply awesome performance

Andy is one set away from the quarters

[leicsmac]

murray cruising vs tomic atm. stan out overnight too, murray's draw could potentially be one of the easiest routes to a slam final in living memory, surely?

ferrer followed by raonic/monfils. joke.

Murray had an easier run at Wimby 2013, if I remember right.

But in any case I find the whole "easy run" argument to be subjective reductive bullshite anyway. It's similar to those morons who think LCFC shouldn't be top because they haven't played the big teams when they're playing well or it's a weak era or whatever other excuse.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters and is remembered is the winner. Everything else is froth. And that will be the case if Murray wins here, or if LCFC win the Prem.

[foxes_rule1978]

Murray had an easier run at Wimby 2013, if I remember right.

But in any case I find the whole "easy run" argument to be subjective reductive bullshite anyway. It's similar to those morons who think LCFC shouldn't be top because they haven't played the big teams when they're playing well or it's a weak era or whatever other excuse.

At the end of the day, the only thing that matters and is remembered is the winner. Everything else is froth. And that will be the case if Murray wins here, or if LCFC win the Prem.

Exactly, Murray will still need to beat Djokovic or the player that beats him to win the tournament

[Manwell Pablo]

Unlike you I watch a lot of WTA, which I have mentioned before.

Allertova has popped up a couple of times and you could easily see she was a basher.

So to quantify this you've seen her a couple of times, ?

This being the bloke who said Jerzy jankovic, who you saw a lot more of and said would (could, whatever) be world number 1 and now isn't in the top 32 and the Danny Drinkwater you said wasn't good enough for the championship and is now one of the hotest properties in the premier and on the verge of an England cap.

I'll reserve the right to make my own judgement Gavin she showed some nice hands during her match.

Edited 26 January 2016 by Manwell Pablo

[leicsmac]

Business end of the tournament now approaching, QF's begin today.

 

Federer about to take on Berdych, with Djoko v Nishikori later on. You know something, I actually feel like there will be a shock in one of those matches and either Kei or Tomas will make it through. I'm not sure which one will be the shocker, but I think one of them will produce an upset.

 

Then, tomorrow, Murray v Ferrer and Monfils v Raonic. The former I expect to be more routine for Murray than you might expect - Ferrer has lost the aura of durability that made him so dangerous against Murray in their early matches. The first couple of sets I reckon will be close, but after that Murray will accelerate away. The other match is insanely unpredictable - both players capable of genius and idiocy in equal measure, particularly Monfils. If he's got his head screwed on, he'll challenge Raonic's service games enough to win, I think. But that's a massive if.

Edited 26 January 2016 by leicsmac

[Manwell Pablo]

Business end of the tournament now approaching, QF's begin today.

 

Federer about to take on Berdych, with Djoko v Nishikori later on. You know something, I actually feel like there will be a shock in one of those matches and either Kei or Tomas will make it through. I'm not sure which one will be the shocker, but I think one of them will produce an upset.

 

Then, tomorrow, Murray v Ferrer and Monfils v Raonic. The former I expect to be more routine for Murray than you might expect - Ferrer has lost the aura of durability that made him so dangerous against Murray in their early matches. The first couple of sets I reckon will be close, but after that Murray will accelerate away. The other match is insanely unpredictable - both players capable of genius and idiocy in equal measure, particularly Monfils. If he's got his head screwed on, he'll challenge Raonic's service games enough to win, I think. But that's a massive if.

 

Only managed to catch the Radwanska match, this it being on the middle of the night is bollocks

 

Could never see Fed losing, right about Murray, I'm about to check the Djok score and I see where your coming from after the Simon match but bet he is running away with it and I actually think the way he is playing both here and in Brisbane Ranoic wont have much of a problem with Monfils.

[ScouseFox]

djokovic will have to cut his arms off to lose this 

[kingfox]

So to quantify this you've seen her a couple of times, ?

This being the bloke who said Jerzy jankovic, who you saw a lot more of and said would (could, whatever) be world number 1 and now isn't in the top 32 and the Danny Drinkwater you said wasn't good enough for the championship and is now one of the hotest properties in the premier and on the verge of an England cap.

I'll reserve the right to make my own judgement Gavin she showed some nice hands during her match.

You can easily tell a ball basher, someone like Camila Giorgi for instance, if you watched her just the once you could easily fathom out her game.

At least I spell Jerzy Janowicz correctly, and yes I got things wrong about Drinkwater & Mahrez tbh but you can only reserve judgment at that particular time. The time I called Drinkwater crap was when he was crap, Mahrez was inconsistent last season & very frustrating at times.

So what if Allertova had good hands, Jerzy also showed good hands when he was going through his good spell but you slagged him off.

[leicsmac]

Good job I didn't choose to back up my feeling with cash, huh?

The Fed match was competitive for about a set, the Djoko match about half that. Bit of a shame really, neither Tomas nor Kei put up anything of a real fight.

Hopefully my predictions for tomorrow might be a little more accurate.

[Manwell Pablo]

You can easily tell a ball basher, someone like Camila Giorgi for instance, if you watched her just the once you could easily fathom out her game.

At least I spell Jerzy Janowicz correctly, and yes I got things wrong about Drinkwater & Mahrez tbh but you can only reserve judgment at that particular time. The time I called Drinkwater crap was when he was crap, Mahrez was inconsistent last season & very frustrating at times.

So what if Allertova had good hands, Jerzy also showed good hands when he was going through his good spell but you slagged him off.

 

Spelling, really .

 

You come across as that clueless I am surprised you manage to fathom what sport you are watching half the time never mind work somebody's game out forgot about Mahrez, thanks, so that's one of the hottest properties in Europe you wrote off as well.......that's shameless........always had great potential. 

 

Anyway enough of this, Tennis thread not the kingfox thread. I didn't think she looked that much like an out and out basher to me at all especially when compared with the rest of the tour which to be quite honest is full of women who don't hit the ball with a lot of spin. Long gone are the days of the Hennins Graphs Hingis's etc a lot of them just hit the ball hard. By good hands I am alluding to the fact she had a bit more to her game  than just smacking it not that she was any good overall, the assessment sounds like something you have pulled out of your behind but then as we've concluded it wouldn't be the first time would it .

 

It's not only the fact you've called her basher as well it's the fact that you seem to think that's a reason Jo Konta should beat her easily. Hardly the case at all is it, Sharapova is the biggest basher of them all and she'd more than likely still be capable of bashing Jo Konta off the tennis court as she did last time they met, nothing wrong with being a basher so long as your good at it.

[kingfox]

Spelling, really .

You come across as that clueless I am surprised you manage to fathom what sport you are watching half the time never mind work somebody's game out forgot about Mahrez, thanks, so that's one of the hottest properties in Europe you wrote off as well.......that's shameless........always had great potential.

Anyway enough of this, Tennis thread not the kingfox thread. I didn't think she looked that much like an out and out basher to me at all especially when compared with the rest of the tour which to be quite honest is full of women who don't hit the ball with a lot of spin. Long gone are the days of the Hennins Graphs Hingis's etc a lot of them just hit the ball hard. By good hands I am alluding to the fact she had a bit more to her game than just smacking it not that she was any good overall, the assessment sounds like something you have pulled out of your behind but then as we've concluded it wouldn't be the first time would it .

It's not only the fact you've called her basher as well it's the fact that you seem to think that's a reason Jo Konta should beat her easily. Hardly the case at all is it, Sharapova is the biggest basher of them all and she'd more than likely still be capable of bashing Jo Konta off the tennis court as she did last time they met, nothing wrong with being a basher so long as your good at it.

It's the Tennis thread not the Kingfox thread.

It's not the Manwell Pablo thread either.

If you reply to my posts I will reply to yours that's how it works.

You could always shut up and block me like chief arse licker Facecloth did.

As for your ball bashing comments, they are not worth replying to because they are laughably bad.

Edited 26 January 2016 by kingfox

[Manwell Pablo]

It's the Tennis thread not the Kingfox thread.

It's not the Manwell Pablo thread either.

If you reply to my posts I will reply to yours that's how it works.

You could always shut up and block me like chief arse licker Facecloth did.

As for your ball bashing comments, they are not worth replying to because they are laughably bad.

 

Why would I put you on block reminding you your an idiot is one of my favourite things to do on here

[Manwell Pablo]

Really should be in bed but want to watch start of this

Edited 27 January 2016 by Manwell Pablo

[foxes_rule1978]

Konta through to the semi final, impressive win 6-4, 6-1... she has weapons, such a great serve and return especially on the backhand side... a great achievement showing some excellent talent.

[foxes161]

What a stunning effort

[ealingfox]

Think Konta is probably the worst example yet of non-British people representing Britain. Born and raised in Australia to Hungarian parents, she only has our citizenship through residency and she was competing as an Australian while living here! Sorry but she is not British.

[leicsmac]

Think Konta is probably the worst example yet of non-British people representing Britain. Born and raised in Australia to Hungarian parents, she only has our citizenship through residency and she was competing as an Australian while living here! Sorry but she is not British.

 

As was said on the previous page, we seem to be the only country (barring possibly Aus) that has a problem with naturalised sportsmen and women. I wonder why?

 

First time a GB man and woman in the semis of a Slam since 1977. If they both reach the final...well, I don't think that's ever happened before.

[Captain...]

Think Konta is probably the worst example yet of non-British people representing Britain. Born and raised in Australia to Hungarian parents, she only has our citizenship through residency and she was competing as an Australian while living here! Sorry but she is not British.

 

Aljaz Bedene is worse IMO

 

Johanna came here as a 14 year old, but Bedene came here at 19 solely to get citizenship and benefit from being a "Brit", he also continued to represent Slovenia in that time despite wanting to become a UK citizen to get the funding.

 

It is weird, but when you support your national team you are doing it out of national pride, and I take no pride in a Slovenian or Hungaro-Australian representing my country...

 

...unless they bring it success, which Johanna is doing, and Bedene isn't. Like with Greg Rusedski because she is bringing us success, she is more of a story and so there is more interest in her, so I care a bit more about how she does. I take a lot more interest in Watson and Robson though (and I know Robson was born in Australia but she moved here when she was 6) but someone representing GB in the Aus Open Semi finals can only be a good thing even if they aren't really very British.

Edited 27 January 2016 by Captain...

[Captain...]

As was said on the previous page, we seem to be the only country (barring possibly Aus) that has a problem with naturalised sportsmen and women. I wonder why?

 

First time a GB man and woman in the semis of a Slam since 1977. If they both reach the final...well, I don't think that's ever happened before.

 

One of the main reasons is most people switch for the money, and they feel it will benefit them more and not because of any real association with being British. We are one of the richer nations when it comes to Tennis, and have a poor talent pool so mediocre players will see it as a path to greater success as we put our funding towards them rather than nurturing genuine British talent.

 

Most other nations don't have the spare funding to fund a mediocre player, either because they don't have a huge amount of funding, or because they have talent to already spend it on.

[ealingfox]

As was said on the previous page, we seem to be the only country (barring possibly Aus) that has a problem with naturalised sportsmen and women. I wonder why?

 

First time a GB man and woman in the semis of a Slam since 1977. If they both reach the final...well, I don't think that's ever happened before.

 

A few reasons you could put forward - island mentality, sporting history and infrastructure etc, it's an essay question really.

 

As Captain says above, it's the shamelessness of people doing it nowadays that grates. I don't actually like tennis all that much so don't know anything about Bedene, but its painfully obvious that Konta has done it strategically, because you get more funding, and it's more lucrative being a British celebrity than an Australian one. She hasn't done it because she identifies as British, otherwise she wouldn't have represented Australia for the years leading up to her gaining our citizenship. I'm not having it that on the 2,554th day of living and being based in the UK she saw herself as Australian, then the next day she suddenly saw herself as British.

 

Just read up on Bedene and its absolutely embarrassing. People like him have no right to expect the British public to warm to them or be proud of them.

 

And Captain, Rusedski had an English mother at least. 

Edited 27 January 2016 by ealingfox

[leicsmac]

One of the main reasons is most people switch for the money, and they feel it will benefit them more and not because of any real association with being British. We are one of the richer nations when it comes to Tennis, and have a poor talent pool so mediocre players will see it as a path to greater success as we put our funding towards them rather than nurturing genuine British talent.

 

Most other nations don't have the spare funding to fund a mediocre player, either because they don't have a huge amount of funding, or because they have talent to already spend it on.

 

 

A few reasons you could put forward - island mentality, sporting history and infrastructure etc, it's an essay question really.

 

As Captain says above, it's the shamelessness of people doing it nowadays that grates. I don't actually like tennis all that much so don't know anything about Bedene, but its painfully obvious that Konta has done it strategically, because you get more funding, and it's more lucrative being a British celebrity than an Australian one. She hasn't done it because she identifies as British, otherwise she wouldn't have represented Australia for the years leading up to her gaining our citizenship. I'm not having it that on the 2,554th day of living and being based in the UK she saw herself as Australian, then the next day she suddenly saw herself as British.

 

Just read up on Bedene and its absolutely embarrassing. People like her have no right to expect the British public to warm to them or be proud of them.

 

And Captain, Rusedski had an English mother at least. 

 

 

You both make fair points about the money, but lack of ethics when it comes to money is hardly a problem confined to this area alone.

 

I just find it a bit hypocritical that sportspeople don't seem to be held by the same citizenship rules as everyone else. Why should we put more restrictions on sportspeoples naturalisations than the citizenship process at large? Is it because they're in the public eye? Or do you think that the whole citizenship system is flawed anyway?

[ealingfox]

You both make fair points about the money, but lack of ethics when it comes to money is hardly a problem confined to this area alone.

 

I just find it a bit hypocritical that sportspeople don't seem to be held by the same citizenship rules as everyone else. Why should we put more restrictions on sportspeoples naturalisations than the citizenship process at large? Is it because they're in the public eye? Or do you think that the whole citizenship system is flawed anyway?

 

Because they are competing in competitive sport, they have people that they are representing, inspiring etc etc. You can't just decide you're Australian/Slovenian and then change your mind as soon as its convenient. I'm pleased to read that Bedene has rightly been barred from the British Davis Cup team.

 

Turning your back on your actual nationality - what does that say to your compatriots? How are minor nations supposed to improve their standing in sports when their best competitors decide to be 'British' in order to gain advantages?

 

If you want to compare it to a general issue, how different is it really to migrants coming to the UK and living off benefits? Both are exploiting our economic resources for personal gain or to make things easier for themselves.

[leicsmac]

Because they are competing in competitive sport, they have people that they are representing, inspiring etc etc. You can't just decide you're Australian/Slovenian and then change your mind as soon as its convenient. I'm pleased to read that Bedene has rightly been barred from the British Davis Cup team.

 

Turning your back on your actual nationality - what does that say to your compatriots? How are minor nations supposed to improve their standing in sports when their best competitors decide to be 'British' in order to gain advantages?

 

If you want to compare it to a general issue, how different is it really to migrants coming to the UK and living off benefits? Both are exploiting our economic resources for personal gain or to make things easier for themselves.

 

How do you define 'actual nationality'? The country of your birth? The nationality of your parents? A combination of the two? Which one is the true one? It's a nebulous concept for a lot of people.

 

This is why I'm saying the issue is much more complicated than just someone being 'British' or 'non-British'. Perhaps it was a mistake to make citizenship definitions so complex around the world, but now that it is (and the world is a smaller place) as far as I'm concerned if someone meets the reasonably rigorous citizenship requirements that both the Home Office and whatever sporting authority place, then they're British. Evidently you think differently, and that's fair enough.

 

Regarding the economic effect, like most migrants who have come here I would say such sporting stars will give more back to the country in terms of financial and exposure-related success than they will take, though of course that is open to question too.

[Captain...]

You both make fair points about the money, but lack of ethics when it comes to money is hardly a problem confined to this area alone.

 

I just find it a bit hypocritical that sportspeople don't seem to be held by the same citizenship rules as everyone else. Why should we put more restrictions on sportspeoples naturalisations than the citizenship process at large? Is it because they're in the public eye? Or do you think that the whole citizenship system is flawed anyway?

 

Sport is different, and when there is limited funding available I would rather see that go to developing the likes of Kyle Edmund, James Ward etc than Aljaz Bedene. especially at 26 he is not going to get much better.

 

It is also about support and fans, and loyalty, which isn't the case in other walks of life. I wouldn't expect any Brits to go out and support Bedene and Konta and if they came up against Edmund or Watson I'm pretty sure I know which side the fans will be on. There is also the fact that they have walked out on their previous nationality, Rusedski, whilst being dual nationality got booed by some Canadian fans for turning his back on them.

 

Imagine Murray decided to represent Spain after moving there to train as a youngster.

 

I also think it is different in individual sports rather than team sports, in an individual sport your nationality is no barrier to success, if you are the best tennis player in Slovenia but ranked 100 in the world, you will still be ranked 100 in the world if you changed nationality. Whereas if the best footballer in Slovenia qualified for a stronger nation he would be more successful if he moved. Your nationality is irrelevant except in the Davis Cup and the Olympics so the only motivation is to get access to more money.

[Captain...]

How do you define 'actual nationality'? The country of your birth? The nationality of your parents? A combination of the two? Which one is the true one? It's a nebulous concept for a lot of people.

 

This is why I'm saying the issue is much more complicated than just someone being 'British' or 'non-British'. Perhaps it was a mistake to make citizenship definitions so complex around the world, but now that it is (and the world is a smaller place) as far as I'm concerned if someone meets the reasonably rigorous citizenship requirements that both the Home Office and whatever sporting authority place, then they're British. Evidently you think differently, and that's fair enough.

 

Regarding the economic effect, like most migrants who have come here I would say such sporting stars will give more back to the country in terms of financial and exposure-related success than they will take, though of course that is open to question too.

 

When there is any grey area you will tend to give the benefit of the doubt to someone, but when someone has no biological or geographical association with a country and moves there purely to adopt a new nationality for their own benefit it all seems a bit dishonest.