I record and watch a lot of the Wimbledon Tennis. I think the ball boys/girls do an excellent job. "Back in the day" I seem to remember, I think they were trained by an ex-army RSM. Their movements seem very military, to my mind to an exaggerated degree. They act like automatons on speed, there is no need for all the exaggerated movements. In the end this was funny, but could have been serious. In the Tsitsipas/Thiem game last night, Tsitsipas who was serving and was racing across court for a returned ball, slid in the corner and ended up unmoving on the ground. The TV camera zoomed in so viewers could whether he was injured or not. Fortunately he wasn't. The ball boy, as probably instructed, remained, motionless, as Tsitsipas came sliding towards him. https://i.ibb.co/1fSgR7T/P1000893.jpg Then, he stood, arms stretched out, palms open, to indicate he had no tennis balls, But I think at that moment, serving, was the last thing on Tsitspas's mind. https://i.ibb.co/L04s7Tr/P1000892.jpg I'm presently watching Xinyu Wang v Sofia Henin, playing on court 4, live, on BBC i>player. I can hear the noise of the spectators, the voice of the umpire and the score is on a strap line at the top of the screen. For me, it's as good as being there, no, it's better, as I get shown different camera angles. What's missing? Nothing at all. There's no intrusive commentary by a couple of "over-enthusiastic wannabes a career in broadcasting," trying to get themselves noticed. So I avoid being bombarded with "useful facts" about the competitors which will be available on the internet should I feel it necessary. Sheer bliss. If only this was an option with all sports coverage.
Tennis can have its funny moments there were some exciting matches completed today. Svitolina beating Azerenka in a third set tie-break and Swiatek, a set down, saving two match points in the second set to win it and winning the third set against Bencic. Also Djokovic winning the first two sets (when he shouldn't have) against Hurkacz, before "everything stopped for cocoa." What a contrast with Marin Cilic at the French Open last year, I captured at an unmissable moment, Well... Not for everyone.
I watched more tennis yesterday. Just an observation. The spectators are madly cheering, the umpire is descending the steps, the players are leaving the court, the game was over, Vondrousova had won, But no one had told the ball boy! "Typical Wimbledon!" Earlier in the week "some East European player" when matches were held over because of late finishes, asked why they couldn't be started earlier, say, at 12.30 pm. Oh dear! No understanding of "Wimbledon etiquette." He was unaware that, matches on the Centre Court, can not be started until those in the Royal Box have finished their lunch.
