Wimbledon 2013

[jem]

Murray's two major championship wins dwarfs Federer's seventeen but he is the only British men's winner in the open era. The last time a Brit won a major was Perry in the '36 US open. Everything is relative. It is a significant achievement for a person of British origin. He broke the shackles with the US open win last year and won the grand daddy of it all last Sunday.

I am not a Brit, so it is not for me to judge whether he should be knighted or not. IMO, it won't be undeserved.

I'm teaching my students the passive voice. This sentence could be useful...

 

[jem]

I know I'm late on this, but was Nadal injured or just played crap?

If you are a Nadal fan, then the latter is inevitably a result of the former, every single time he loses.

 

[Snake Plissken]

So can anyone tell me why Wiggins was deserving of one but Murray isn't?

Maybe people just don't realise how big that Wimbledon win is for British sport.

 

[Waldner]

So can anyone tell me why Wiggins was deserving of one but Murray isn't?

Maybe people just don't realise how big that Wimbledon win is for British sport.

The simple answer is that he isn't deserving of one really.

 

[Mockney]

If David Cameron can't think of a single person in the United Kingdom more deserving of a knighthood, then he's an even worse leader of this country than I'd previously thought.

 

[Stick]

Delighted for Murray. Dont really care about the knighthood stuff but as a fan of tennis in general I've watched Wimbledon every summer and am delighted the home crowd got a home winner. It just makes it that bit more special.

 

[Brophs]

If David Cameron can't think of a single person in the United Kingdom more deserving of a knighthood, then he's an even worse leader of this country than I'd previously thought.

Pippa Middleton deserves one for her services to being a bum in a dress.

 

[alastair]

I'm teaching my students the passive voice. This sentence could be useful...

It isn't written in the passive voice. It's very much active, I can assure you.

 

[Sixpence]

Why though? He's not the best in the world, he's literally won one tournament of note for the British public (ok, there's the Olympics too). Give him one at the end of his career, fine. Let him become the type of success you should be to receive a knighthood first! But for Cameron to come out with 'I can't think of anyone more deserving of a knighthood' is fecking abysmal. It's an insult to everyone who has dedicated their lives to helping others or their profession, and for that to come from the current PM... well, it's disgraceful.

Hasn't accumulated the points over the year to take the official title but he did just demolish the best in the world in straight sets. If he retains the US then it'll be undeniable, regardless of what the rankings may say.

 

[Cutch]

I see 24hrs after Wimbledon, Djokovic hosted a charity auction in London last night for the 'Novak Djokovic Foundation' which raised 1.7 million for disadvantaged children. What a guy

http://www.tennisgrandstand.com/201...ises-1-7-million-at-star-studded-london-gala/

 

[Irwinwastheking]

He's always come across really well.

 

[Bread]

Very much credit to Djock, he has come across brilliantly in both his final defeats to Murray and in general just always seemed a great bloke. I find the current crop of top Tennis players just a very likeable bunch, Murray and Federer very much included.

And again with the Knighthood stuff, the problem comes with where your issue lies, because in terms of people and particularly sportsmen who have knighthoods then Murray definitely deserves one but you could argue and I'd say pretty correctly that they have been handed out way too easily, do Geoff Hurst and Trevor Brooking really deserve one for example?

My personal opinion is seeing as the bar has been set by others with knighthoods, then give one to Murray as what he has done can almost never be matched in British sport and he is a far more deserving candidate than a lot of others.

 

[Mockney]

Does he deserve one at 26 though? How many 26 year old knights are there?

Admittedly the whole business of knighting people in a non-medieval military era is farcical anyway, but at least Geoff Hurst had to wait 32 years for his, and Steve Redgrave had retired form his epic knightly quest to paddle backwards in a small boat before he got one.

 

[SteveJ]

In an age when the last two Prime Minsters telephone Simon Bloody Cowell in order to secure his oh-so-important vote, I'll not begrudge the likes of Andy Murray a knighthood.

 

[Abbsta]

Does he deserve one at 26 though? How many 26 year old knights are there?

The youngest is/was Ellen MacAthur at 28.

 

[JaffyJoe]

He will get one eventually no rush imo but i'm not fussed if he gets one now. It was a HUGE achievement i'm so proud of him and happy for him the draw opened up perfectly for him and he seized the moment he really stopped Djokovic from playing his game but Djokovic missed a few shots that surprised me. The fact Djokovic struggled just shows you how hard it is to consistently be at the top like these guys are nothing is taken for granted.

Murray is top 3 at least now, I want Nadal back at his best because those 3 are all around the same age seeing them go at it for the next 2-3 years would be great. Del Potro IF (big if) he can stay fit is among them also gives all the top players trouble. Federer's back makes him an outside bet these days but on his day he can beat any of them and they know it I don't think there has ever been a finer technical player. Great era for tennis so many quality players and to think a Brit among them.

 

[JaffyJoe]

Why though? He's not the best in the world, he's literally won one tournament of note for the British public (ok, there's the Olympics too). Give him one at the end of his career, fine. Let him become the type of success you should be to receive a knighthood first! But for Cameron to come out with 'I can't think of anyone more deserving of a knighthood' is fecking abysmal. It's an insult to everyone who has dedicated their lives to helping others or their profession, and for that to come from the current PM... well, it's disgraceful.

He is a Brit winning grand slams and is an Olympic champion if he does nothing else his entire career he has already earned it.

 

[Count Orduck]

I wouldn't begrudge him a knighthood at all, but I think we should wait until the end of his career first.

 

[Zen]

Why didn't the 2005 Ashes team get them? or the Rugby 2003 team? or the England 2016(WHAT) team?

Seriously.....or Phil Taylor. How about Rory Mcilroy?

These things shouldn't be handed out mid-careers imo, otherwise yeah, you have to give them to anyone who does anything that's the pinnacle of their sport.

 

[rcoobc]

Why didn't the 2005 Ashes team get them? or the Rugby 2003 team? or the England 2016(WHAT) team?

Seriously.....or Phil Taylor. How about Rory Mcilroy?

These things shouldn't be handed out mid-careers imo, otherwise yeah, you have to give them to anyone who does anything that's the pinnacle of their sport.

Sir Clive Woodwood did.

There is around a 50% chance of winning the Ashes every tournament, so giving Knighthoods for that would be ridiculous.

Darts, really?

Rory Mcilroy hasn't won The Open or the Masters. In fact you could argue he is behind Murray now (2 majors (including the best one) and the Olympics vs 2 majors).

Other than that I agree, handing out Knighthoods mid-career is stupid. But then again so is handing out knighthoods.

 

[Waldner]

He is a Brit winning grand slams and is an Olympic champion if he does nothing else his entire career he has already earned it.

I couldn't disagree more. Do his achievements so far match up with those of Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Alex Ferguson or Sir Chris Hoy? Hell no. Will they ever? Maybe. He 100% does not deserve one yet. If you want to honour the man, give him an MBE or OBE. Why award him with whats supposed to be the pinnacle of recognition when he's not reached heights deserving of that yet?

But for our Prime Minister to come out and say that he is currently the person most deserving of one is outrageous. It's the rudest and most condescending statement to make, and that's what I have the most issue with here. No-one else would be giving this as much attention if he hadn't been so much of a twat.

 

[StuCol]

Sir Clive Woodwood did.

There is around a 50% chance of winning the Ashes every tournament, so giving Knighthoods for that would be ridiculous.

Darts, really?

Rory Mcilroy hasn't won The Open or the Masters. In fact you could argue he is behind Murray now (2 majors (including the best one) and the Olympics vs 2 majors).

Other than that I agree, handing out Knighthoods mid-career is stupid. But then again so is handing out knighthoods.

Why not darts you pompous gimp?

 

[rcoobc]

Why not darts you pompous gimp?

I just cant compare it to the likes of Tennis, Cycling, Rowing, Boxing, Rugby, Football or even Golf.

To win a Tennis major you need your body to be in peak condition. I've often spoken of Federer as potentially the greatest sportsmen of all time and forgetting peoples attitude to Murray on here, I think most will respect the sport itself. Darts you don't need to be in peak condition. Of the sports I said, to really excel athletes will fine tune their bodies to a state that the Greeks wouldn't be too shabby with. Look at Ronaldo, look at Nadal, look at Steve Redgrave. In Darts, they just try not to drink too many pints.

 

[StuCol]

I just cant compare it to the likes of Tennis, Cycling, Rowing, Boxing, Rugby, Football or even Golf.

To win a Tennis major you need your body to be in peak condition. I've often spoken of Federer as potentially the greatest sportsmen of all time and forgetting peoples attitude to Murray on here, I think most will respect the sport itself. Darts you don't need to be in peak condition. Of the sports I said, to really excel athletes will fine tune their bodies to a state that the Greeks wouldn't be too shabby with. Look at Ronaldo, look at Nadal, look at Steve Redgrave. In Darts, they just try not to drink too many pints.

Sure they are not Athletes, but have you ever tried to throw a dart accurately? As often as Phil Taylor and MVG do? It's ridiculously hard, and 15 world titles is not something to be sniffed at.

 

[Waldner]

It's not really the same though Stu!

 

[rcoobc]

Sure they are not Athletes, but have you ever tried to throw a dart accurately? As often as Phil Taylor and MVG do? It's ridiculously hard, and 15 world titles is not something to be sniffed at.

No don't get me wrong, I'm shite at Darts and I tried to get good. One summer I basically had a house to myself for 3-4 weeks, so every night I'd practice and practice and practice. I was hitting triple 20's 1 time in 3, so getting the occasional 180 wasn't too hard. Actually that might be a slight exaggeration. I was pretty good at doubles too though.

Point is, when a mate or two came around I challenged them to a game and somehow still lost. I'm almost better when I don't practice. Probably.

Anyway, the problem is I also can't row as hard as Steve Redgrave, hit a tennis ball as cleanly as Nadal, hit a football as cleanly as Ronaldo, etc. It isn't a consequence of this though that I also cant beat any of them in a race. Could I beat Phil Taylor in a race?

 

[JaffyJoe]

I couldn't disagree more. Do his achievements so far match up with those of Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Alex Ferguson or Sir Chris Hoy? Hell no. Will they ever? Maybe. He 100% does not deserve one yet. If you want to honour the man, give him an MBE or OBE. Why award him with whats supposed to be the pinnacle of recognition when he's not reached heights deserving of that yet?

But for our Prime Minister to come out and say that he is currently the person most deserving of one is outrageous. It's the rudest and most condescending statement to make, and that's what I have the most issue with here. No-one else would be giving this as much attention if he hadn't been so much of a twat.

I'm talking about being knighted not the highest honour but in terms of Britain who as a nation is somewhat starved of sporting succes this is a big deal. No Brit has won Wimbledon in 76 years!!! That is a big deal. I agree with you somewhat that an OBE or MBE would be more fitting but if he retires and does nothing else he would have earned it. Wiggins got one for winning the Tour Murray (who i'm not the biggest fan of) he really united the nation with his Wimbeldon performances this year and last has earned it for me. Olympic gold and silver, Wimbeldon and a US Open.

There is a reason Shinji said Murray's 2> Federer's 17 tennis is such a hard sport to succeed in this country has been starved of Grand slam Champions for a long time and he is winning in the hardest era ever.

 

[JaffyJoe]

What Murray has done is a great achievement he is at the pinnacle of his sport currently it is odd to give them out mid-career but like I said if he does nothing else his whole career he has earned one.

 

[Nighteyes]

Wiggins didn't just get one for winning the tour, he also has 6 golds in world championships and 4 olympic golds all done over a 10 year period. But yeah I do agree that Murray deserves a knighthood

 

[jem]

It isn't written in the passive voice. It's very much active, I can assure you.

That was the point. It should have been written in the passive (ie. his 2 titles are dwarfed by Federer's 17,) unless you somehow believe the opposite.