Wimbledon Press Conference Special Report
If you think Wimbledon is only about entertainment on grass, you’re wrong. The press conferences may be just as entertaining, or after some matches even more so than the game previously held. This doesn’t necessarily mean that the amusement is provided by non English speaking players, quite contrariwise, the British journalists are quite able to outshine just about everyone.
Comments (1)|6 Liked It
‘Well, you know, I mean, as I said, I think, you know, yes, I played a good match.’ This is an original quote from a press conference at Wimbledon, and it’s just one find amongst the players’ utterances. And no, it was not Boris Becker, though he was famous for them. The information of having played a good match wouldn’t need to be couched in so many words after winning the match, but a surprising number of players are using them, probably to hide the fact they don’t really have to say that much. But let’s not be harsh, they are here to play tennis, not to be eloquent.
Jelena Jankovitch gave a memorable press conference on Saturday. Asked about her adversary, Melanie Oudin, she said: ‘She plays well when you let her play. But she has nothing to really hurt her opponent. She doesn’t have the armament, as I see it.’ This might sound like devastating comment after having won a game, uttered by a top seed after crushing a qualifier. The crux of the matter is that an hour earlier top seed Jankovitch had lost against this qualifier. As long as it doesn’t hurt, all is well, I suppose.
Serena Williams’ press conferences are mostly a lark as well, but these are funny thanks to the brains of the girl. Asked about the many Eastern European players in women tennis (of the 128 Wimbledon starters 62 are from Eastern Europe, 24 names end on –ova, 7 on –eva), Serena said: ‘I know the standard. They all come from Russia. (How American!) I don’t know any of them. I even don’t recognise any of them.’ This is certainly balm on the pride of spectators like me, who have the same problem. Serena added: ‘Maybe my family was once called Williamsova.’
The real highlight last week was not provided by a player, but by a dummy from the English press. Trying to find out when Roger Federer and Mirka Vavrinec are expecting to become parents, he tried a highly intelligent and well thought out plan in the press conference of Wednesday.
Dummy: ‘The date for the birth is still on the 10th of August?’ (Wow, I’m impressed with the inventiveness of that ploy!)
Roger: ‘I never said that. I don’t know who told you so. But it doesn’t matter; we will not divulge the date.’
Dummy (becoming obstinate and even more intelligent): ‘Mirka told me.’
Roger: ‘Mirka told you? Sure.’
Dummy (still not giving up): ‘Insider information.’
Roger: ‘She invited you, too, didn’t she?’
At this point, it is fair to admit that the dummy was one of the flunkies of the Daily Mail. He cited the above interchange as an example of how Roger Federer was nasty to the press, how he had lost all humility, and how in general he was a person getting above himself. The flunky was showing the usual reaction of a minor brain having been laughed at by his peers.
If we want to look at somebody who really was losing all humility and getting above himself, we have to go back to a Wimbledon in a time when there were no press conferences. A player walked in on the grounds during those early days, saying before the match: ‘I am just glad I don’t have to play against myself today.’ And yes, that player was Fred Perry. Obviously, if you are British, you are allowed to get above yourself.
More tennis:
It is No Fun Being Andy Murray
1 Comment
Lucas, excellent theme. I’ve taken to enjoying post game/match conferences when they are broadcast. Quite interesting for the fanatic. Brian