A Conversation for Etiquette for Tennis Spectators

Watching tennis

Post 1

Also ran 1

smiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borgsmiley - borg
Thank you for the advising us on the gentle art of watching championship tennis smiley - smiley
For the last five years I have been to the Australian Open in Melbourne, the French Open at Roland Garros, the U.K.Open at Wimbledon and the American Open at Flushing Meadows. I have always had superb viewing, never got wet, never had to queue, have been able to choose my commentators, and have skipped from court to court.practically as I wanted. The joy of this is that I have done this from the comfort of my wheelchair in my sitting room, and it is wonderful.
Forty years ago I went physically to Wimbledon and watched a wonderful little man called, I think, Jaroslav Drobny win. The same year I also saw the magnificent Australian men and Billie Jean King play as well as that comedien Pacho Gonzales. But never ever have I ever been as entertained and thrilled as watching that extraordinarily brilliant smiley - artistplayer called John McEnroe. His mantra of "You cannot be seerrrrrious" when his beady eye thought a call was incorrect will be a memory I take happily with me when I leave this smiley - earth
Oh, the joys of TV for those unable to see the real thing. Wonderful
Thanks to all concerned.
I think I should perhaps start painting my face in the colours of the country of my favourite player when I watch. Then everyone will know I'm a fruitcake!. AR1 smiley - schooloffish
Incidentally the French Open starts on Monday at Roland Garros. Top seeds are Leyton Hewitt and Jennifer Capriati.
Happy watching for all of you who are fascinated by the game. AR1 smiley - schooloffish


Watching tennis

Post 2

Demon Drawer

NEVER GOT WET!!! lucky you. Mind you it does add to the flavour of the whole event.


Watching tennis

Post 3

Also ran 1

Dear Demon Drawersmiley - smiley I was going through my post thinking that I had "Lost" some of them and found that I had already talked to you before I mentioned liking your Donald Budge. Then I went to your page. congratulations first on your engagement. Very wise man. And then I found out a whole lot of other things about you. Including Steve Biko and Donald Woods. I was fortunate enough to hear Steve speak on campus in 1972 when I was a mature student at University. And I was also fortunate enough to meet both Donald and his lovely wife Wendy. Wow, that is the wonderful thing about this site. My memories keep flooding back. I really am an extremely fortunate person. Well, I could go on talking to you for a long time but will stop. Go well, my new friend. Sincerely AR1 smiley - schooloffish


Watching tennis

Post 4

Demon Drawer

I joined Surbiton Chess club while I was at University and had seen Cry Freedom the week before on TV and sat down to play this guy in my first night who had a South African accent.

Yes you guessed it it was Donald, which is why the post article I based that entry on was so personal I'd sat there and merely payed chess against him far removed from the the whole South African scene.

Guess we knew different ends of the experience


Watching tennis

Post 5

Also ran 1

Dear Demon Drawer, smiley - smiley What a fascinating meeting. And I am sure that you only recognised the accent because you had seen the film Cry Freedom the week before. I never spoke to the Woods about the film but I knew Steve Biko's great friend who was arrested with him the night when he was ambushed so to speak. Both Peter and his wife lived very near where I lived in South Africa and I was, so to speak, their "white" mother. It is memories like these that come back because I had not thought of these friends really since I had left Cape Town. Peter was placed in restrictive conditions when he eventually came out of prison. When their first baby was on the way I took his wife to the maternity hospital to have a scan. It was so funny because the person who was doing the scan automaticlly assumed that I was her "employer". So she spoke to Pete's wife in Afrikaans and to me in English. We both burst out laughing and had to "confess" that we were actually friends. Oh dear. Those memories are both painful and wonderful. There were so many very brave people in SA who really risked their lives so often. It was Donald who introduced me to Steve's involvement, through his weekly column in the local newspaper. I had been living in Zim for 21 years and did not know the local people who were keeping the flag of freedom flying. They were incredible years. I really should write about them because obviously I am forgetting some of the names - many of the names. My youngest granddaughtewr K3 is busy studying the struggle for freedom in SA at school in Brisbane and she has asked me to write down all sorts of things. Some of which I know nothing about!!. Nice to talk to you. Sorry I am going on and on - it seems to open a floodgate of memories. Regards AR1 <smiley - schooloffish


Watching tennis

Post 6

Demon Drawer

Oh I know.

Strange how small links can bring people together from across the world.

When Donald died I sent a email to the secretary of the Chess Club as I had no other way to contact Wendy and the family to express my condolences.

A few weeks later I got a nice response back, having never meet her she still seemed to realise how much ahving meet Donald must ahve touched me.


Watching tennis

Post 7

Also ran 1

Dear D2smiley - smileyThank you for your reply. I have since remembered Peter's wife name!. Glad you had a lovely response from Wendy. They were such a happy couple it is sad that they did not have longer together. I joined in a demonstration on Wednesday for Trade Justice. There were so many wonderful young eople present it was great. I wonder how on earth the richer countries can possibly understand that the poorer countries NEED to get a fair price for their crops. I have never studied economics(thank goodness - I would never have passed anything!) but it seems to me that manipulation of the market economy for any of the goods produced can only bring harm and unhappiness to those producing the crops and goods.
Perhaps the leaders of the rich countries and also the big business people need to go in live in conditions of extreme poverty when they will have neither piped water, electricity, roads, shops etc. and then they will understand how important it is to help to bring the poorer countries into the 21st century in order to help them survive with the aid of the technology and expertise which the West has been able to develop. Best wishes for a happy weekend. AR1 smiley - schooloffish


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