Why I hate Wimbledon
Here we go: two weeks of wall-to-wall coverage of the sport for people who hate sport. The most boring game ever invented, played by the most boring athletes, watched by the most boring audience, interpreted by the most boring commentators.
In case the penny hasn't dropped, I am of course describing Wimbledon, the only sporting occasion at which the most controversial issue is the cost of strawberries, and the only major competition in which key analysis focuses on the decibel count of female players hitting the ball.
Nothing exemplifies better how Wimbledon is the sporting contest for people with no interest in sport than 'Henman Hill', a patch of grass on which tennis fans congregate to eat a picnic while the actual sport takes place somewhere else.
And nothing better illustrates the intrinsic dullness of the sport itself – watching two people swat a ball – than the fact that the most exotic element of the entire thing is the scoring system.
It used to be that British players at Wimbledon were a microcosm of Britain their country: competetive but with zero chance of success. Then Andy Murray came along – an outstanding athlete who refused to conform to the Tim Henman model of nice but essentially useless. And how did the tennis crowd respond to having an actual winner in their midst? The were horrified by his inability to conform to the accepted gentlemanly model of behaviour, for wearing his competitive heart on his sleeve, for being, as they put it, moody. For being, in other words, the type of character who actually wins things. See what I mean about the sport for people who don't like sport?
Now they have Emma Raducanu all is well with their world and back to the status quo ante. Clearly talented – she did win the US Open, after all – she is now, however, the archetypal British tennis player: a talented loser. And they love her all the more for it.
Because the tennis crowd is the worst aspect of the sport. Is anything more cringe than the squeaks of 'Come on Emma' as their heroine prepares to lose another point? Is anything more representative of a sport for people who hate real sport than having a built-in tea break after every second game?
Tennis is, at root, a 'social sport'
Tennis is, at root, a 'social sport' – where you join a club to play with your friends, and spend more time worrying about the state of the cucumber sandwiches than how you can defeat your opponent. And Wimbledon is the apotheosis of that – a social occasion where the sport is merely the backdrop to the strawberries and cream tea. Real sport is about passion, and is far removed from tennis's 'Oh go on, I'll be naughty and force one more strawberry down'.
In that context, my favourite aspect of Wimbledon is its perfect example of sporting newspeak: the All England Club which runs the tournament. Tennis is about as far removed from All England as it is possible for a sport to be. Don't bother if you're not 'one of us'; you won't get a look in. Which, from my perspective as someone who would rather spend all day in a darkened room than have to endure a minute in the company of a tennis obsessive, is a small mercy for which I am thankful.
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The Independent
5 minutes ago
- The Independent
Emma Raducanu books spot in Wimbledon second round with routine win over Mimi Xu
While defending champion Carlos Alcaraz became ensnared in a five-set epic against the maverick Fabio Fognini, over on Wimbledon 's second show court, another former US Open champion was showing him how first-round matches at grand slams are supposed to go. In fact, his future doubles partner: Emma Raducanu. The pair's paths have diverged quite considerably since breakout seasons as teenagers, Raducanu winning a maiden major in Flushing Meadows in 2021, Alcaraz following suit the year after. The Brit has never been able to replicate the highs of that stunning major win, but is back in the world's top 40 after a more consistent first half of the season, and back in the British No 1 spot. The opponent she faced on Monday evening at SW19 may have reminded her somewhat of herself at a younger age. 17-year-old Mimi Xu has recalled watching Raducanu's US Open win, surrounded by friends she trained with at the LTA academy in Loughborough, and cites the 22-year-old as a 'role model' for her. The Swansea teenager was awarded a wildcard into the main draw at Wimbledon this year, after a brilliant rise to the cusp of the world's top 300, including beating two top-100 players on grass this summer. Her reward was a first-round encounter with Raducanu, and primetime billing on Wimbledon's second-biggest court. It was quite the step up for someone mid-A levels, who - excellent season notwithstanding - largely competes on the ITF circuit. And initially Xu looked a little star-struck. Raducanu opted to receive first and immediately piled pressure on the teenager's serve, breaking at the first time of asking. The 22-year-old often cuts a fired-up figure on court, and Xu's quiet racquet-shakes to herself were drowned out by Raducanu's frequent shouts of 'Come on!' as she raced into the lead. But after the first couple of games whizzed by, and the crowd began to fear a whitewash, Xu seemed to let herself relax. A shout of 'Come on Britain!' offered the reminder that, with this being an all-British affair, the crowd – at least – was guaranteed to be supportive. Xu switched up her game, drawing Raducanu into the net, and after saving another break point, got herself on the board for 2-1. It was to be a fairly brief respite, as Raducanu immediately reminded Xu – and everyone watching – why this was such a lopsided match. The teenager swung for the ball on a lethal body serve and missed completely, before slipping over at the baseline chasing the ball down. Raducanu held to love and despite Xu showing glimpses of her quality – a fine forehand, easy power – she more often than not miscontrolled, and could not keep pace with the clean, destructive groundstrokes of her more experienced opponent. Another error from Xu handed over the first set, 6-3 in 37 minutes. Someone in the crowd popped a bottle of champagne behind Raducanu's seat, the cork flying over her head and landing in the service box. But the excitable punter may have been celebrating a win too early, and Raducanu would require digging into the well of that experience in a topsy-turvy second set. Xu left the court to regroup and it was clear Raducanu fancied getting through proceedings quickly, practicing serves while she waited for her to return. A swift hold to love, followed by a break of the Xu serve after a mammoth game, may have signalled the beginning of the end – but as so often with underdogs, Xu had other ideas. She began swinging freely, at the same moment as Raducanu began to falter. Three blistering aces helped the British No 1 to a 40-0 lead, before Xu fought back to deuce. A clean winner brought up break point, and the wallflower of the first set disappeared as Xu broke, gesturing to the crowd to make some noise. Thrilled at seeing the fightback, they duly obliged. Four breaks in succession meant there was little to separate the pair, but Raducanu has been here several times before, and the depth of her experience told. From 40-0 up on serve at 4-2, she was pegged back to 40-30, disrupted by a spectator's alarm repeatedly blaring. But she dug her heels in to back up her break, and did so again as she slipped to 0-30 serving for the match at 5-3. Xu shanked the ball into the net to bring up match point; a blistering serve was thumped into the tape, and that was that. There were no hugs at the net, no warm words between the apprentice and her role model, just a businesslike handshake. But Raducanu was all smiles afterwards – as well as perhaps heaving a sigh of relief at how she avoided getting entangled in a lengthy epic, Alcaraz-style. The back issue that has troubled her in recent weeks also appeared pleasingly absent. 'I'm super pleased to have come through, it's so difficult playing another Brit first up,' she said afterwards. 'I had some really good patches and I had some moments where I lost my focus. I'm really happy with how I toughed it out and won the important points today.' Tougher tests will await, but this was a good one to tick off.
The Guardian
14 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Emma Raducanu too strong for teenager Mimi Xu in British battle
'Come on Britain!' echoed through the sweltering 31C heat on No 1 Court as Emma Raducanu defeated Mimi Xu in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3. The all-British clash featured two players, similarly attired in matching outfits and golf visors, who uniquely captivated the home crowd. Raducanu has been a fan favourite since her fairytale 2021 US Open triumph, while the grand slam debutant Xu, ranked world No 300, has impressed in junior circuits and shown significant promise on the senior tour. However, in their inaugural tour meeting, the gulf in class was evident from the outset. Raducanu's powerful forehands down the line, blistering serves, and astute court craft allowed her to seize control immediately. Xu's opening service game began with a double fault, foreshadowing a series of errors that led to Raducanu breaking in the very first game. A stunning ace from the more experienced player left Xu rooted to the spot, followed by a backhand winner that secured the British No 1's first service game to love, winning eight of the first nine points of the match. For the 17-year-old Xu, this match was a cascade of firsts. The Welsh player, who watched Raducanu clinch the US Open title as a 13-year-old, understandably struggled early on, exhibiting weak serves and even slipping on court twice in the fourth game. Despite an assured hold to get on the scoreboard, Xu's attempts at tricky drop shots often backfired, allowing her opponent to establish a 4-2 lead. Raducanu secured another break before a strong service game from Xu that included a scorching 116mph serve. None the less, she was consistently playing catch-up, battling hard to hold her own serve but ultimately failing to break Raducanu, and conceded the first set 6-3. The second set started as more of the same, with Raducanu asserting her authority. A backhand beyond Xu's reach and a double fault contributed to the younger Briton facing three break points. Xu saved two, including one with a service winner, and clawing her way to deuce. A well-executed smash at the net even prompted a rare moment of frustration from Raducanu. However, the fleeting momentum shifted back when Xu netted a drop shot, forced by an 80mph return from Raducanu. Back at deuce, Xu saved a fourth break point with an ace, but Raducanu responded with two formidable forehands – one down the line, one cross-court – both beyond Xu's reach, finally converting the break for a 2-0 lead. Raducanu then consolidated with three back-to-back aces in her subsequent service game with pinpoint accuracy. But against the run of play, and down 0-40, Xu remarkably broke back. She forced deuce with a forehand winner, then capitalised on a long lob from Raducanu to snatch the game. The turning point felt short-lived for a moment, with Raducanu breaking straight back before racing to a 30-0 lead on her serve again only for Xu to capitalise on a weak first serve. Xu's backhand winner claimed another break point before finishing the game on a high with a forehand high and hard across court, well out of her opponent's reach. Yet as much as Xu's confidence began to grow in the second set, Raducanu never wavered, breaking back once again with a forehand down the line to make it 4-2 and conclude five breaks of serve in a row between the two. Raducanu, seemingly wanting to wrap things up, holds with a lucky clip of the net but Xu, coming forward with confidence on new balls, managed to hold after a neat, serve-and-volley combination. The British No 1 ultimately managed to fend off the late threats and recovered from 30-0 down in the final game to serve out the match.
Rhyl Journal
18 minutes ago
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Carlos Alcaraz survives major scare in gruelling five-setter with Fabio Fognini
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