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YOUR SHOUT
WITH Wimbledon nearly upon us, we can look forward to those greatest of British traditions; strawberries and cream, Cliff Richard crooning to appease rain-soaked fans and Tim Henman crashing out and disappointing us all (well, that last one won’t happen this summer).
Looking back at the tournaments of yesteryear, the ones that really captivated the British public are those that pitted legend against legend, produced the phoenix-from-the-flames comebacks, or featured a plucky loser (runner-up for the sensitive among us).
Who can forget John McEnroe v Bjorn Borg in 1981, or Goran Ivanisevic, ranked 125th, getting a wildcard entry and winning back in 2001? Jana Novotna crying after losing the 1993 final, only heroically to win the final five years later? Or the epic Roger Federer v Rafael Nadal marathon last year. Not many, however, remember Richard Krajicek against Malivai Washington in 1996.
The age-old question of whether we’ll see a British champion getting the top prize looks set to tantalise once again; with Andy Murray bidding to become the first British player to win the men’s singles title since Fred Perry in 1936.
Murray’s best chance will be if he can avoid Nadal and Federer in the opening rounds, and hope that at least one of them gets knocked out early on.
One thing’s for sure, if the rain clouds disappear, and Nadal, Federer, Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic are on song, we’re in for a good summer of tennis.
KARL CHADS, Address supplied |
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