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[Aileen]

Watching those matches when he lost against Fed and Rafa were disheartening itself without the added absence of home support. Hopefully it will be different this time around.

Fed, and more particularly Rafa, enjoy a high level of support in the UK, and I really can't see that changing any time soon.  Andy is not, and never will be, as popular as Timbo was.

There has been alot of criticisim about the tie in February being back at the Braehead but to be honest I think they are right (and I live in the south of england) the support is phenominal. Like you I just wish Andy would get that support everywhere he plays in Britain.  Unfortunately we seem to have that knock them culture for alot of our sportsman.

It is because he is Scottish.

I've said it before on this forum, and I'll say it again - contrary to popular belief, there are a lot of Scots who don't like Andy largely, I'm afraid, because of his on-court behaviour.  Also it isn't only English people who perceive him as being a rather dour and unattractive invidiual!  Obviously he's going to get more support at Braehead because it's more easily accessible to most Scots who are his fans than a venue in England.

[Iluvandy]

Yes Aileen there are a lot of Scots who don't particularly like Andy but they are not tennis fans.   Mostly they watch Wimbledon and not much else and keep one eye on
results from the big tournaments but I've yet to meet a Scots TENNIS fan who doesn't like Andy.    In England it is a bit different.    Many people there will dislike his
persona as people here do - then add on the fact that he is Scots - and doesn't apologise for that - it all means he will never have full support in England.   Therefore
he has all the pressure Tim Henman had without the support.    I'm glad to find on MW how many English fans he does have and that they love him as I do - very
smart cookies!!

[deb]

Tried again and its done! Thanks Deb

Great well done Tessie, why do they make it so hard!!! we do not wont Mr Smug winning.

[Grabcopy]

Aileen, can I recommend Steve Tignor's book, "High Strung"? It's mainly about the Borg- Mac- Connors rivalry, but contains lots of other info. as well. I rarely read non-fiction but I loved it. Tignor writes very poetically.

Tignor is the best tennis writer on the planet.

[Grabcopy]

No, but I regularly read him in Tennis magazine online. You inspired me to check out the book on Amazon, and I just did the old 'Look inside' thing. Must ask for it for Xmas, particularly as I grew up in the Borg-Connors-McEnroe time - an era that ignited my passion for the sport.

[deb]

I see Federer's have come off. Why has Andy's points total increased? He went out of Paris at the same stage as last year.

Yes i saw that this morning very confused !!

[Iluvandy]

Many valid points about level of support in cosmopolitan London for different players.   However the overwhelming support was always for Tim Henman which is why we
had (and still have) Henman Hill.    It has never been like that for Andy.

[adb..OH]

The thing is, London is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world.   When you go to Wimbledon you realise that the leafy SW19 courts are not entirely inhabited by the cucumber-sandwich brigade.  Tennis enthusiasts from every part of the globe find their way there, same with the O2.  This is what makes London-based tennis so thrilling, all the players get amazing support.

Our Andy is perceived as the golden boy with the home-grown media going bananas over his every word, action and deed and yet he finds himself playing in packed arenas with the crowd very often leaning towards his opponent.  It was the same when Tim Henman played at Wimbledon.  I was there for his semi-final against Ivanisavic and was amazed, and disappointed, to find so many of the centre-court crowd were there primarily to support Agassi in the other semi with Rafter. 

Andy is very highly thought of by real tennis fans, be they English or any other nationality.  But in London we get a diverse mix cheering on their faves against the apparent home-grown favoured son... even the other players appear to relish his precious scalp on his own turf, making victory over him that much sweeter.   His Surrey home is a little too far away from the centre of London for him to even be able to sleep in his own bed, so he has to stay at the same hotel as the other guys.

The irony is that playing in London is not as advantageous as it might seem for Andy.  For all of that I get the distinct impression that he absolutely loves it. 

Interesting points.  Thanks Clementine.