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Less Bouncing at Wimbledon Please!

(39 Posts)
Sparklefizz Mon 07-Jul-25 12:22:37

I am fed up with players bouncing the ball so many times before serving. I don't know if it's done to give them a quick breather or to annoy their opponent, but it certainly annoys me!

I was just watching the Cilic match and one time he bounced the ball 12 times before serving. Ridiculous!!

livelylady Mon 07-Jul-25 16:38:52

Agree bouncing balls should be time limited. Particularly Djokovic today.He bounces, pauses, then repeats, and repeats! Sorry but turned tv off, gransnet wins!

Chardy Mon 07-Jul-25 18:44:34

It's habit, isn't it. And habits like that are hard to break.

Mollygo Mon 07-Jul-25 18:48:47

It’s might be a sort of superstition, and it’s aimed to distract the other players.

keepingquiet Mon 07-Jul-25 18:54:00

I don't mind the bouncing- but Djokovic and his shirt changing, by which he can show off his 'God-like' body haha, is a real turn off.

Also his antics with puffing out his chest and doing the goose step... I really don't like him at all and always switch off when he wins... and his kids should be in school? Oh, private schools may have broken up already, but I think its unfair to make those kids sit there for hours just watching dad be a 'winner.'

I really hope he gets beaten soon...

GrannyGravy13 Mon 07-Jul-25 19:07:52

Rafael Nadal had a habit of pulling his shorts out of his bottom and feeling his shirt whenever he served.

I think many sports players have superstitions to help them.

Tenko Mon 07-Jul-25 20:35:09

I don’t mind bouncing balls , it’s the grunting that annoys me .

Sparklefizz Tue 08-Jul-25 07:28:47

GrannyGravy13

Rafael Nadal had a habit of pulling his shorts out of his bottom and feeling his shirt whenever he served.

I think many sports players have superstitions to help them.

Much as I enjoyed Rafa's tennis, his "tics" before each serve such as fiddling with his shorts were irritating. In fact why do some male players "readjust themselves" every so often? Why not wear supportive pants to keep everything in place? Women don't adjust their breasts all the time - they wear bras to keep them supported.

Anniebach Tue 08-Jul-25 08:31:58

We all have quirks and habits , or even OCD

Luckygirl3 Tue 08-Jul-25 08:37:50

Yes poor Nadal was definitely OCD. But what a player!

I had not noticed the length of ball bouncing till it was pointed out.

ronib Tue 08-Jul-25 08:40:40

I didn’t enjoy watching Djokovic play yesterday at all and ending up cleaning instead.

luluaugust Tue 08-Jul-25 09:07:24

I reckon on the hot days it does give them time to think.

sassenach512 Tue 08-Jul-25 09:12:55

I agree with the grunting Tenko the women tend to be worse than the men somehow. It puts me off watching a match especially if both players are explosively grunting every time they serve

Samsara1 Tue 08-Jul-25 09:18:06

Its a preparation of thoughts. We have something similar in golf you need to be quite still and focused and many sports persons have a routine they follow. I did get a bit cross with one golfer's many practice swings this week.

Labradora Tue 08-Jul-25 11:55:38

Aren't they time-limited to 25 seconds to service and are penalised if in breach of this limit ?
How many times they bounce the ball before they serve doesn't bother me at all.
Samsaral's post about focusing is probably the reason they do this.
All the players have little habits before they serve. In the case of the guys adjusting their clothes or anything else I 'm sure they don't think of the cameras showing them in close-up. It's just as well because that might make them self-concious and they should be thinking about winning.
They are all "working" when they're playing after all.

Mollygo Tue 08-Jul-25 12:10:40

Today there’s complaints about players muttering encouragements to themselves and offending other players.
Tense time.

Millie22 Tue 08-Jul-25 12:15:50

Djokovic shouted out something yesterday. I guess it was in Serbian as nobody knew what he said which is probably a good thing if he was swearing.

Smileless2012 Tue 08-Jul-25 12:34:46

Yes that's right Labradora and there are no rules about how many times the ball can be bounced.

That's why I never watch him keepingquiet. We kept flicking to the channel for last year's final and only watched the last game to see him beaten.

Greenfinch Tue 08-Jul-25 13:02:58

It is the aborted ball toss that annoys me. Sometimes it happens several times before a serve and the server appears to be playing for time. Is it deliberate? It must be distracting for the other player.

REKA Tue 08-Jul-25 13:08:37

I find the dislike of Djokovic baffling. He's a superb player. Best in the world. He has had to put up with horrendous abuse from the crowds over the years.

He loves Wimbledon. He used to have a torn photo of Centre Court on his bedroom wall as a child during the war.

He's very kind. He's funny. He's one of the most popular players amongst his peers.

He started a foundation almost 20 years ago where he helps support disadvantaged children, the homeless, old people. He never talks about it but you can search it to see what he does. He really is a good guy.

Also his little girl is never on a phone. She takes books to read and colouring. They both seem very happy to watch their father play tennis and he clearly adores them.

Smileless2012 Tue 08-Jul-25 13:30:19

Yes he is a superb player but he's arrogant and that arrogance is what makes him for me, unwatchable. He's also not adverse to using tactics to disrupt his opponents concentration, and his 'do you know who I am' attitude to Covid vaccine rules in Australia was appalling.

He's more popular with his peers than he used to be but I don't believe he's one of the most popular.

mabon2 Tue 08-Jul-25 13:50:54

First world problem for goodness sake. If you have nothing moore to be concerned abut, God bless you

Quizzer Tue 08-Jul-25 14:16:46

Watch this video… it’s hilarious!

www.facebook.com/reel/1043526597414769?fs=e&s=TIeQ9V&fs=e&fs=e

Nannapat1 Tue 08-Jul-25 14:24:50

Never mind the ball bouncing - it's the grunting that get me, so called grunts that sound like screams. Wasn't there a call to stop it once upon a time?

Labradora Tue 08-Jul-25 14:38:42

Millie22

Djokovic shouted out something yesterday. I guess it was in Serbian as nobody knew what he said which is probably a good thing if he was swearing.

I've always thought that any of the players who speak one of the more obscure languages , like Serbian, as Millie22 says, or Russian or Greek ( cf Tsitsipas) have much more freedom to swear to their hearts content because almost no-one understands them.
Probably some swear words sound the same-ish in many languages so those words are best avoided......
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