Monday 13 July 2015

Vintage Wimbledon with the Littleboys

I don't know if this year truly was a vintage Wimbledon, but it felt like it to me.

Even though Andy Murray, who we were loyally backing, didn't make the final, the Federer/Djokovic showdown was brilliant, and I particularly loved the sight of Stefan Edberg, my pinup of the year circa 1988, sitting in the box as Federer's coach with his old rival Boris Becker coaching Djokovic. (Edberg has also aged better, which is rather satisfying).

The women's game was perhaps less interesting, although I think we may have a new star in Garbine Muguruza. Serena Williams is incredible, but I feel as if she's been too dominant in recent years.

I watched more of the tournament than I have for a while, mainly because the boys are now also tennis fans and, thanks to their lessons, understand what's going on. We had many hilarious conversations during the matches and the highlights program, which even Littleboy 2 steadfastly sat up to 9pm to watch two nights running. (Who else was appalled by the new look BBC Wimbledon 2Day? I was so glad when they changed the format back to normal, but the new, dreadfully naff name seems to remain. Macenroe is brilliant, though).

The boys were particularly interested in the seedings, and also in the fact that the women play the best of three sets and then men five. So we had many unanswerable questions such as: "If Serena Williams played Djokovic, who would win?" "If Serena AND Venus played him, would they beat him?" as well as random ones such as"Would Andy Murray ever play mixed doubles with his Mum?"

Littleboy 2 finally got quite existential, posing the question: "If Andy Murray played Andy Murray, who would win?" Answers on a postcard please.

But my favourite comment of his was when I was explaining that the players carry spare racquets in their bags in case one breaks. "The other day Murray got out another racket halfway through a game because his string broke," I said.

Littleboy 2 expressed consternation. "But - he wouldn't have time to label it!"

Clearly all those naggings about lost property have gone in.



7 comments:

Iota said...

If Andy Murray played Andy Murray, I think Andy Murray would win.

Mwa said...

I LOVE the Andy Murray question. Brilliant.

DD's Diary said...

LOVE the questions. Much more interesting than the actual tennis, in my not very sporty view!

Expat mum said...

LOL - love how their minds work.

Place to stand said...

To be honest I watched the tennis intermittently as I found it a touch dull. Your boys questions give the whole thing much more va voom !

have been enjoying and following your blog - again shamefully intermittently - I too have left London ( not quite Nappy valley but close by ) via France to rural Blighty.

My oldest is taller than me,., I love the look of the blog - well done you x

MsCaroline said...

Ah, I miss those questions! We only caught bits of it and are now deep in the throes of Tour de France at our house, which generates only exclamations from MrL - no interesting questions.

nappy valley girl said...

MsCaroline - the boys also watched the end of the Tour with me yesterday, but their comments weren't as funny. Mainly bewilderment about why the person winning the stage isn't the winner of the Tour (which I think many must share).