NEW RULE: WIMBLEDON SPECTATORS SHOULD BE ABLE TO NAME 5 TENNIS PLAYERS TO WATCH MATCHES

I'm back, my exams are finished. Seems like Nadal was so kind that he didn't want me to miss out on any action of him playing while I was studying, so withdrew in my honour. Great guy.

Anyway, this OP isn't about tennis or any players, but about the people who go and watch Wimbledon.

Now I've watched Wimbledon a few times, and I've also been to the O2 quite a few times. A big difference to me is in the crowd who watch. Now in terms of politeness of the behaviour, of course Wimbledon fans are number 1. They are stereotypically very posh and reserved, while O2 crowd are much more rowdy. I even remember being in the O2 when the crowd were booing Murray.

However the most stark contrast is the interest in tennis between the two sets of fans.
Now I'm not being snobbish here, I'm not saying that to be in an audience you have to follow tennis closely or be able to name random players in the top 100.

We have all these people, which makes going to Wimbledon an absolute pain (either 10 hours of queuing or paying ridiculous prices at Debenture, or getting lucky on some ballot), and they literally don't have a clue about tennis.
They're on a fucking camping trip. I'm not even kidding, every time I've been the people on the queue seem to love the idea of camping and queuing. They treat their trip as some sort of hike.
The funniest thing was when a couple in front of me, when given the choice between the chance to get the resale tickets to watch Federer followed by Nadal on centre court, or watching Kvitova on Court 1, chose the latter. And the boyfriend kept rambling on about how Kvitova was the 'reigning champion' and how it would be a great chance to watch the 'defending champion' play. I was obviously happy as it meant I could get my centre court tickers quicker, but it was clear this guy has literally just mugged up the names of the defending champions before his camping holiday, and was now repeating them in front of his girlfriend to seem impressive. Everyone I talked to in the queue didn't care about tennis. One big American family had only heard of Roddick and 'Rafael Federer'.

At the O2, there are passionate fans of Stan, Federer etc; I went last year and it was really fun. I asked these people about getting tickets for Wimbledon, and they said due to their jobs etc. it was practically impossible due to the queuing, and the ballots are potluck.
We need some sort of rule to discourage people from going to Wimbledon who don't care about tennis. Maybe set up another Wimbledon where campers can fantasise about camps and queues all day, and let people who actually like tennis watch Wimbledon.

Well come back Donald. Hope your exams went well.

I m not that bothered about going to Wimby nowadays. Though if I have a chance to have tickets I will take it. I am not however desperately looking for tickets.

Donald,

firstly,
are you Temporary21 mod on v2?
Just my curiosity, nothing else...I love cracking who's behind which name, esp thise who say they found otf by chance (not you).

Second,

I actually like the colourful crowd in Wimbledon...but I feel your frustration esp as I bpnever won any tickets in any ballots.
As you probably know my legendary tale, I was even kicked out of my CC seat 5 mins before Nole-Nadal 2011 final....

It's always "an idiot" that gets tickets in my club...

This year I decided I wasn't going to care. I was stil fuming after the ballot, though...but I calmed down and resigned myself I would not be going this year...u til one of those "idiots" gave me his tickets for CC on second Monday!!!

And need I say another one of them gave me a ticket for last year's final...

It really is a crazy story, my Wimbledon visiting life....

Trump has either been abused in recent exams (hope you did good btw) or been refused a date by a tennis fan queuing for W tickets 

so, in short...enjoy the queue if you can afford the time..and be kind to "idiots" who don't know why they are in the queue..share some of your knowledge and adventures with them, they will love it!

Whenever I am in a Pimms queue in Wimbers, I make sure I ask people around me: Are you having a fabulous time?

And people open up...they tell me who they have seen...where they have travelled from, all kind of things...they smile...Winbledon is special.

...do you just do the asking, or is it how you look and people open up?

Elaborate...

Jahu wrote:...do you just do the asking, or is it how you look and people open up?

Elaborate...

Hehe....I can't really explain it!

I do make an effort for Wimbledon as its my tennis highlight, for us women, when you look good - you feel good, you're kind of  90% there...add cool Pimms in your hand and sunny blue sky above, and hey.....I hope I never tire of it!

Perfect, now just confirm that you say to all there that you are a Fed fan and hope you never tire of it 

Tenez wrote:Well come back Donald. Hope your exams went well.

I m not that bothered about going to Wimby nowadays. Though if I have a chance to have tickets I will take it. I am not however desperately looking for tickets.

Thanks Tenez!

I don't know about being fussed for Wimby but even if you are fussed it's so hard to get tickets. And those that do, often don't even appreciate tennis.

noleisthebest wrote:Donald,

firstly,
are you Temporary21 mod on v2?
Just my curiosity, nothing else...I love cracking who's behind which name, esp thise who say they found otf by chance (not you).

NITB, as I said I'm 'It Must Be Love' on 606v2. Temp has good intentions, but can make some mistakes. He once banned Bogbrush, and I convinced him to change his mind and unban him.
Also I agree with your scepticism with people finding OTF by chance 'on google'. Someone would literally have to type in 'ourtennisforum' onto google.
Anyway it doesn't matter how people find the site I guess, they can use it all they like.

noleisthebest wrote:
Second,
I actually like the colourful crowd in Wimbledon...but I feel your frustration esp as I bpnever won any tickets in any ballots.
As you probably know my legendary tale, I was even kicked out of my CC seat 5 mins before Nole-Nadal 2011 final....

Yes, I remember what happened to you before that final.
As a crowd, Wimbledon audience is fine, I mean I prefer their behaviour and respect compared to Paris crowd; but I stand by mr critiques in the OP.

Jahu wrote:Trump has either been abused in recent exams (hope you did good btw) or been refused a date by a tennis fan queuing for W tickets 

You can call me Amritia or IMBL, not Trump haha. (Btw for anyone of any doubt I don't support or endorse Trump in any way at all... but frankly he is very entertaining. Also funny how when I first changed to this nick, NITB had not heard of him and thought he's Donald Duck, and now he could be on verge of becoming the most powerful man on the planet, scary thought.)
No I've not been abused in any exams, they all went decently I think. And no lol, I've never been hurt or even personally offended by anyone at a Wimbledon queue.
My problem isn't st any individual, it just sucks that the most prestigious tennis in the world is the one tennis event where most of the audience/crowd don't give a crap about tennis, they're either there just for the name or because they get high on the idea of fucking camping and long queues.

PS I noticed your breakdown on 606v2 again, caaaalm it.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:
As a crowd Wimbledon audience is fine, I mean I prefer their behaviour and respect compared to Paris crowd; but I stand by mr critiques in the OP.

I enjoyed RG crowd.  They are very knowledgeable and passionate, so I felt like duck in water there

Esp Langlen which is considerably smaller than Chatrier so the atmosphere is fantastic.

In comparison, Wimbledon is dead.

I think the temper of both French and Brits suit clay and grass tennis, it would be odd to have impassive Wimbledon silence when watching fierce battles on clay.

But that cold silence is perfect at Wimbledon where it's all about speed and precision.

I would love to go to all 4 slams...I think I'd be able to enjoy even the burger eating MacDonald Trump  crowd in USO night session.

I hope your exams were a uuuuugee success DT.
I disagree though. It makes me feel better mocking the idiots at Wimbledon.

luvsports! wrote:I hope your exams were a uuuuugee success DT.

Look they were tremendous, I can guarantee you that. The Mexicans and Latinos in my year are going to be beaten so badly, you're not going to see anything like it.

luvsports! wrote:
I disagree though. It makes me feel better mocking the idiots at Wimbledon.

True, but then on the other hand people who actually like tennis can't get any tickets. If you think about it, as a percentage of people who care about tennis/ people in the audience, Wimbledon probably has the lowest ratio. And it's the most prestigious tournament. Sad!

You will make them pay for it, I can assure you.

if you are a real tennis fan you shoudl go to Rohempton qualifying. I am pretty sure it is like Wimbledon in the per-open era....when everything was easy and accessible.

It's free. People bring their chairs and picknick. Bottle of wine on the grass and the atmosphere is excellent. It's great tennis with no star (though I saw Dusting Brown again) and you are so close from the players. A lot of oldies very keen about game. The real fan base.

I saw Salisbury v Krajicek and Salisbury is such a talented player with of course no chance of achieving anything but at the same time it's like seeing real tennis with real people.

Rublev was so disappointing. He simply can't concentrate and is not very professional. So unprofessional that he is teh only player with hairy legs nowadays. How weird!...(are the others).

So DP unless you go to teh qualif, you are not allowed to criticise the Wimbledon crowd cause the real tennis fans are actually at the Bank of England!

Yes, definitely no posers and wannabes there. Not even a Costa Coffee! It has been untouched by money.

Players, crowd, umpires, grass, blue sky...are all one.

I had a wonderful time there last year.

Sad about Rubi.

Tenez wrote:if you are a real tennis fan you shoudl go to Rohempton qualifying. I am pretty sure it is like Wimbledon in the per-open era....when everything was easy and accessible.

Kool, will keep that in mind for future. If I was going to watch a non-prestigious event I would normally prefer clay/hard courts to grass which is a bit serve dominated, but will check this out.

Tenez wrote:
So DP unless you go to teh qualif, you are not allowed to criticise the Wimbledon crowd cause the real tennis fans are actually at the Bank of England!

Hah, why Bank of England?
Also the fact I have waited 10+ hours plus in dumb queues to watch Wimbledon I think gives me the right to complain, but honestly it's not even for me, it's for others who love tennis but due to work schedule wouldn't have the time to queue for 200 hours. Maybe we can trick the people who don't have a clue about tennis into a separate queue where they can watch some golf, they probably wouldn't realise the difference.

Bank of England owns the grounds...it's their "gym"...

Donald, I feel your pain, I was in the same boat once...then I joined a tennis club.

Now, people are offering me tickets every year even though I don't get them in the ballot.
I am even going to Boodles on Saturday!

Shame I couldn't go to qualies, you should try to get there tomorrow if you have time.

There will be some good matches.

Haylis - Nishioka is one of them.

Don't worry, there is no danger of serve fests on grass these days. If you really are a tennis fan you will love the place.

It's both organic and romantic.

noleisthebest wrote:Yes, definitely no posers and wannabes there. Not even a Costa Coffee! It has been untouched by money.

Players, crowd, umpires, grass, blue sky...are all one.

I had a wonderful time there last year.

Sad about Rubi.

Would you believe! On the Bank of England grounds! I guess it is the eye of the cyclone.

DONALD TRUMP wrote:

Tenez wrote:if you are a real tennis fan you shoudl go to Rohempton qualifying. I am pretty sure it is like Wimbledon in the per-open era....when everything was easy and accessible.

Kool, will keep that in mind for future. If I was going to watch a non-prestigious event I would normally prefer clay/hard courts to grass which is a bit serve dominated, but will check this out.

Tenez wrote:
So DP unless you go to teh qualif, you are not allowed to criticise the Wimbledon crowd cause the real tennis fans are actually at the Bank of England!

Hah, why Bank of England?
Also the fact I have waited 10+ hours plus in dumb queues to watch Wimbledon I think gives me the right to complain, but honestly it's not even for me, it's for others who love tennis but due to work schedule wouldn't have the time to queue for 200 hours. Maybe we can trick the people who don't have a clue about tennis into a separate queue where they can watch some golf, they probably wouldn't realise the difference.

That's how it is called.

In my club a few members take their annual leave for Wimbledon. One of them is even a line judge. She is in the famous Fed v Stakovski match fed lost in the 3rd or 4th round.