To think it's all got a bit silly?

British man, I mean!

That's a very poignant article, anno. And a good one. Well done, Andy Murray, and not just for winning this year's men's singles at Wimbledon.

I missed Roger!

My all-time favourite is Roger. I was so disappointed when he and Rafa went out, but nevertheless it's been a memorable Wimbledon.

Somewhere, probably on another thread, I mentioned that Angela Mortimer (1961) and Ann Haydon Jones (1969) were women's champions before Virginia Wade. Both also had wins in women's doubles.

Anno it would be nice to hear the women's champions mentioned by the media when they spout about that 77 year gap! Many of us remember Virgina's 1977 win very clearly

I remember Ann Hayden-Jones playing, and for some strange reason I remember that she had a much older husband called Pip!

(Off to Wiki now to check )

Yes, Notso. And those were the days when Dan Maskell exclaimed, 'Oh..........Shot!'

Dan Maskell merlot!

'Oh, I say!'

Do you remember all the hoo-ha about the frilly knickers? A Spanish or Italian player, but I can't remember her name.

I don't remember who wore the frilly knickers, Notso but Francoise Durr was so slow you could nip off and put the kettle on while she served.

I think she won the mixed doubles though with Tony Roche.

Maria Bueno always wore frilly knickers.

Oh I liked Maria Bueno. And who was the other player I liked [Marion reminded me of her];Sanchez Viccario?

As I have said before I am not a tennis fan but was shocked to see the photos in the paper today of an over-enthusiastic fan who thrust a magazine in AM's face whilst he was leaving a restaurant and caught him in the eye. Whenever I have seen him on TV he always seems happy to sign programmes etc. so why can't he be left in peace to have a meal with his girlfriend.

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario!

Indeed it is a cause for celebration - just as we would for any British sporting triumph. I like tennis, but watch no other sports.

I worry slightly about the dedication required to get to the top in tennis now - huge commitment from a very young age - they cut out all their other options in order to concentrate on this.

And as for the physical toll - how the heck do they not just rip their arm muscles to shreds! And as for when they dive for shots - I would be in bed for a foirtnight after just one such!

But it is brilliant TV - great to watch and to admire their prowess. Only sklight drawback is some of the garbage that intersperses the action, but that is TV for you. Some of the school-leavers who do the technical presentation do not realise we can in the main do without the tat! Did anyone see the weird "cartoon strip" item? - or John MacEnroe talking to a puppet dog??!

nonnasusie; if you wrote that without googling it you get a gold star <[goldstarlookalike]

[from a spelling point of view, that is ]...

I normally don't watch sport, apart from some of the athletics in the Olympics and ice dancing, but I watched just the men's final on Sunday. It was very exciting and I did admire their ability to get back apparently impossible shots.
However, I don't believe they do it for their countries - they do it for themselves. If we have to have honours, I think they should be reserved for people who offer outstanding service to their fellow human beings at some cost to themselves. I am sure the result of this upsurge of interest in tennis is wholly desirable, but I don't believe it is what motivated Murray. I find it ludicrous that a pop star or a footballer should be honoured for being good at their job, for which they are extremely well paid. Same goes for the arts - next thing, somebody will be wanting Tracy Emin to be given a damehood.

I agree that sportspeople do it for themselves initially but I feel that, at some point, wanting glory for their country does become a part of it and probably spurs them on that little bit more.

Well I do think we had our spirits lifted with the fabulous win for AM, I am not a tennis fan but did get caught up with all the excitement, as a friend of mine in Edinburgh is a very good friend of Judy Murray, having played against her when she herself was a junior. As for AS waving the Scottish flag behind DC, well as a dignified politician should it not have been good enough for the flag waving to be left to all the hundreds of Scottish fans who were present in the centre court and on Henman Hill.
The flag was very evident among the crowd, did we need to see it in the Royal box. Poor taste Mr Salmon.

Pity the English haven't had a male champion for ages!!
Cheers
Peter

I do so agree Peter, still good AM won though, WHat !!

How ya doing you sound so much more upbeat , I recken the advice you have been handed might have helped.

Glad we've cheered you up MOGGSY77

To go back a bit, as a Scot who plans to vote Yes, I would like to say that I would be delighted to see English fans waving St George's Cross flags to support an English sports(wo)man playing in Scotland. Indeed, I expect to see many such flags at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year. It was good to see both St Andrew's Crosses and Union Flags out for AM.

Apart from anything else, one thing which seems to be happening, perhaps as a result of devolution of power to the other parts of the UK is that the English are using their own flag rather than adopting the Union flag as "the English flag". That was always irritating for the rest of us.

Apparently it only took a couple of hours until a BBC reporter likened AM's win to - wait for it - England winning the World Cup in (when was it?)!!

I'm enjoying myself watching the antics of a couple I know on facebook. The husband is English and the wife Scottish. They are both tennis fans and were overjoyed with AM's win. It didn't take long before the wife was crowing about theScottish achievement and reminding various folk on fb that Andy Murray is NOT English. The husband retorted, 'Oh, here we go.....I wondered how long it would be before Andy Murray ceased to be British'

This is hilarious because they live in the same house and it's still rumbling on. The wife has just put up a pic of Virginia Wade asking why should Andy Murray get a knighthood?

The husband has come back with, 'This is just a cheap shot by the SISTERHOOD'

Hilarious. It's like being a fly on the wall.