[teejay1]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/27757048


Bring it Rafa

I love the way this talks about Nadal losing to Darcis last year and totally ignores the loss to Rosol the year before. Do they think people are really that thick?

If I remember rightly, Nadal was telling everyone his knees were fine before Wimbledon 2013, right up until Darcis knocked him out. I've heard of a relapse but that's ridiculous.

[Murray Magic]

That article about the saltire waving by Alex Salmond is so bad and lazy bit of journalism which will now be sensationalised to make Andy sound like he's betraying his roots - everybody can see how much his Scottish roots mean to him which was evident when he returned home to recieve the freedom of Sitrling.  He is a very proud scot but also a sporting ambassador for British tennis and with that comes a responsiblity to act professionally which he does.  The infacmous "Anyone but England" line has been dragged up more often than a saturday night curry and 20 pints!!! 
I actually think there will be no decision to be made re. Team Scotland and Team GB as as a nation we are not overflowing with tennis talent so makes more sense to stay together for that.  I am a fervent independence supporter and have a huge admiration for Salmond as a politician as he is very clever and astutue but he does come across as a bit of an ego maniac and his stunt at Wimbledon was a wee bit tacky!!!  (By the way he got round the rules for the size of banner etc. by his wife having the folded up saltire in her handbag - there was an article about it in the press shortly after)
It's ridiculous to ask Andy about the independence referendum anyway because he does not qualify for a vote as he is not registered as living in Scotland.
I don't understand the need to have celebreties stating their opinion and anyone whose vote was swayed by the strength of a celebrity should have their vote struck off !!! 

[althusser]

it is more common than sometimes supposed for players not to be especially liked in their home country e.g. for years Jimmy Connors was not liked by the USO fans. Hewitt has not always been liked by some in Australia.
Sometimes though the tide changes - Connors and Andy are good examples. Personally I think Andy always has been supported by most UK fans of the sport, but he has been dsliked by some of the silver spoon middle England types that turn up at Wimbledon to support Federer. But then look at the support he got at the Olympics when it was big sports fans in attendance - made the usual Wimbledon crowds look pathetic in comparison with their noise.

[teejay1]

I do think in Andy's case the media has a lot to answer for, but so have tennis commentators and the like. Time and time again there have been moments where comms have gone on and on about Andy making so much as a peep, which gives the impression he's badly behaved, but then they've ignored far worse from others.

Andy's big issue has simply been that he isn't Tim Henman. Tim towed the line, said what he was expected to say, which worked for him. Andy has always been himself, take it or leave it, and there are people who just don't like that.

Personally I'm still moved by the support Andy got at the Olympics, but also at Wimbledon last year. Listening to that crowd at the Wimbledon final chanting Andy's name still gives me a tingle. I hope the crowd will support Andy this year and won't dismiss him based on his form since the surgery. Andy's well on the way back now, at least in my mind. A good Queen's, preferably a win, would set him up nicely. Then, my feeling is that if Andy can get to the quarter finals at Wimbledon in good nick, fit and with plenty in the tank, he'll have as much chance as anyone, and more than most.

[Iluvandy]

Did you not watch the Wimbledon final last year. The overwhelming support he got was amazing.

Don't ask silly questions.

[Elly]

Salmond was an embarrassment at Wimbledon, and every one of my countrymen I've spoken to about that agrees.  For me, it just underlined his inbuilt prejudice.  I'm by no means a fan of David Cameron on a political level, but as a human being, you could see he was just about beside himself towards the end, and lost in the match - not waving some political flag.  Have to say, I warmed to him for that.

[Alis]

I also don't know of anyone who thought Salmond's action at Wimbledon was appropriate.  It was embarrassing for Andy and for Scotland.

[*Sparkle*]

Good point Rob.  While some cyber-warriers are claiming Andy's "refusal" to play for Scotland means he's letting 'his people' down, and sucking up to the landed gentry, they forget that Andy is good friends with his Davis Cup team-mates - even the English ones!  And not all tennis players are landed gentry, not even the English ones!