Wimbledon

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
What an incredible game between Kevin Anderson and John Isner yesterday! I didn't watch it all as I was too busy and dipped in and out but they played 99 sets of tennis over 6 hours 35 minutes! I meant to post this immediately afterwards but got distracted by other things. How could I forget to do that??!!

The fitness of these guys is simply amazing. Footballers gripe and moan about their sometimes heavy work load but it's not on the same planet as what is demanded of tennis players. As I well know, when you get tired playing football, there's always an opportunity to grab a rest and there's plenty of ways to do it. But on a tennis court there's no hiding place! These guys are running, stretching, jumping and using virtually every muscle in their bodies in a relentless way. I sometimes get exhausted just by watching them. There's no way they can sit back and take a breather while team mates share the load. It's down to them and no one else.

Same with boxing. Stopping working and moving is an invitation for the other guy to step in and punch your lights out, so you have to keep working or lose the fight. Once a fighter stops throwing, the ref stops the contest anyway. And having done both football and boxing training, I can tell you that football training is a breeze in comparison. And I only boxed as an amateur! What the top pro boxers have to go through is mind numbing.

But back to the tennis. With every joint in his body aching beyond description, Anderson will have to go again on Sunday and against either Novak or Rafa, two of the greatest and fittest players to ever grace the game. I don't think he stands a chance now tbh but credit to him for getting there. And equal credit to poor Isner who flogged his mind and body for over six hours to get nothing. Mind you, the prize money will be nice consolation and he gave full value for it.
 

The Blobster

Prediction Champ
The men's game of tennis is a different world to that of women's tennis.
Without wishing to appear sexist you simply cannot compare the two games.
Women wanting equal payment with the men is simply ludicrous.
Regarding training I remember training with mynyddbach rfc at mynydd newydd. We'd be on the pitch an hour before the football teams put in an appearance , we'd still be out there a good half hour after they'd showered and gone to the pub !
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
The men's game of tennis is a different world to that of women's tennis.
Without wishing to appear sexist you simply cannot compare the two games.
Women wanting equal payment with the men is simply ludicrous.
Regarding training I remember training with mynyddbach rfc at mynydd newydd. We'd be on the pitch an hour before the football teams put in an appearance , we'd still be out there a good half hour after they'd showered and gone to the pub !
Whether one prefers the mens' game to the womens' game is subjective, a matter of taste. As it happens I prefer the former but sometimes there are some terrific games by the ladies. But what is NOT subjective, and is a matter of fact, is that men play the best of 5 sets whilst the ladies only play best of 3. On that aspect alone I believe the men should be paid more.
 

Jackflash

Midfield General
Staff member
The men's game of tennis is a different world to that of women's tennis.
Without wishing to appear sexist you simply cannot compare the two games.
Women wanting equal payment with the men is simply ludicrous.
Regarding training I remember training with mynyddbach rfc at mynydd newydd. We'd be on the pitch an hour before the football teams put in an appearance , we'd still be out there a good half hour after they'd showered and gone to the pub !
Prepare yourself for the backlash.o_O
 

Ladygargar

Fox in the Box
Staff member
Sorry boys - I’m with the boys on this one I’ve never been interested in the women’s game, not sure why and no disrespect to the sisterhood but I can’t stand all that caterwauling - bleughhh
 

Borini

Key Player
If Serena played any of the top 4 men she would lose 6-0 6_1
( The one game would be a gimme so she would not be too embarrassed)
 

ivoralljack

Grizzled Veteran
Staff member
I wonder. Serena, a great player, is a powerful woman and might win more games than that..... but she'd never win the match. Billy Jean King beat a long past it and fat Bobby Riggs a few years ago..... but so she should have.

Martina had a good idea. When asked, in her prime, if she could beat the top men she said, no way. But she did say that restricting the men to just the one serve instead of two would have made it a much closer game. Interesting thought and I'd like to have watched a game under those conditions.
 
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