Where Is the BBC When We Need Them? ESPN and NBC Making a Disaster Of Wimbledon Broadcasting.
Well, NBC and ESPN are making it as difficult as possible to watch Wimbledon with any sense of assurance. Now that we are down to the quarterfinals, DirecTV has been forced to drop their coverage on interactive TV. For the first four rounds, DirecTV has been covering the grand slam tournaments by providing six channels of tennis coverage, all different matches so that the viewer can choose which matches they would like to watch and those they would rather not. The unfortunate part is that by contractual regulations, ESPN and NBC have assumed coverage and now the matches can only be seen on those two networks, one match at a time. Because several matches are being played at the same time, tennis fans are precluded from watching any of the matches but those chosen by NBC and ESPN. For instance, in the quarterfinals this year, NBC chose to televise the ladies match between Venus Williams and Victoria Azarenka. While Novak Djokovic and Tommy Haas were playing simultaneously on another court, fans were forced to watch the ladies match or not watch tennis at all. Also, Roger Federer played Ivo Karlovic today, but it wasn’t covered in its entirety because of the earlier match chosen by the networks to televise the Williams and Azarenka match. Andy Roddick played Lleyton Hewitt, a match that was also played without live coverage. Lastly, Andy Murray who played Juan Carlos Ferrero also got spurned in favor of the ladies match this morning. I’m not saying that there’s anything wrong with playing a quarterfinals match for the ladies draw on live TV. I just think it’s lousy that NBC and ESPN gave the viewers no choices on which matches they would like to watch. ESPN has several channels to choose from. ESPN 2 and several regional affiliates that can be seen on most cable television packages as well as digital satellite television. I hope that ESPN and NBC can do something about it in the future if they continue to compete for the contractual rights to the grand slam tennis events each year. It’s very disappointing to have so many options through DirecTV and some other cable and satellite packages, but when it gets down to the big matches in the quarterfinals, semifinals and such that the viewers have less options than they did when unranked players were fighting just to qualify for the grand slam draws in each of the big tournaments.
On delayed television, the Tennis Channel will televise their daily program called “Wimbledon Primetime” which is a highlight program that chronicles the days matches and shows abbreviated versions of the days matchups, usually omitting the first two sets. Real tennis fans don’t want “Fast Food Tennis”. What they want is the “Full Meal Deal”. This is indicative of the hundreds of Internet blogs discussing how sad it is that tennis isn’t telecast more regularly and live matches, not the continuous replays of the vintage matches from yesteryear and even some highly insignificant exhibition matches including former pros. Yawn! The tennis Channel has a chronic problem of telecasting old tournaments while live tournaments are going un-televised. Again this could be lack of funding in order to contract to televise some of the events going on internationally, or it could be a lack of endorsement financial support, but it does seem silly to keep re-televising tournaments that were played two decades ago and have very little historical significance. I’ve personally watched Jim Courier played Pat Cash in exhibition tennis matches so many times I can’t count them. I’m not the only one with this problem, either. Tennis fans all over the planet are complaining on tennis blogs on the Internet and this is becoming an ongoing problem for tennis junkies all over the world; Spain, England, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, Argentina and of course the United States are all in agreement that tennis just isn’t giving us it’s best and the networks are doing a lousy job of bringing this exciting sport to the fans that keep it alive. Without the international tennis audience, there would be no Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Venus Williams or Maria Sharapova. The endorsements keep these tennis pros on the circuit and without the consumers of products that are being advertised throughout the matches, professional tennis would cease to exist. The game of tennis is here forever, but professional tennis of the ATP and WTA would disappear like dust in the wind.
On the positive side of the net, there are some dynamite tennis matches going on right now on the grass courts of London. Novak Djokovic is going to be tested by a revived and comeback player, German… Tommy Haas. Another comeback player is former number one Lleyton Hewitt, of Australia. Hewitt will take on No.6 player in the world, Andy Roddick. Roddick feels that the grass at Wimbledon suits his game and so far the critics agree, so do his opponents thus far at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Roddick has experience at the Wimbledon finals, playing Roger Federer twice and unfortunately for Roddick, losing to the Swiss phenom both occasions. However, there’s no substitute for playoff experience and Roddick feels he has more than a good chance to nab a Wimbledon trophy on his third try. Third time just might be a charm for the Austin, Texan, Andy Roddick. Andy said he feels more fit than in any of his earlier campaigns and new coach Larry Stefanki has Roddick playing perhaps his best tennis of his career.
Roger Federer takes on the behemoth from Croatia, Ivo Karlovic and his 6′10″ frame. This will be a test of wills and who can break serve on the other. Roger Federer is a master volleyer and feels comfortable on all four corners of the court. Karlovic is limited in his mobility by his huge frame, but make no mistake, this man can do more than just serve ace after ace. He does have a dominant serve, perhaps more dominant than any player before him, but he can also hit the ball back-and-forth at times. If he ever improves enough to serve and volley, he could become a very dangerous player to some players who don’t match up well against taller players. For if Karlovic can become a serve and volley player, his ability to protect the net is improved by his wingspan. His arms are longer than his body is tall when he spreads them side to side. Roger Federer catches up pretty darn good against most players. The only player they can consistently give Roger fits, isn’t in the tournament, I’m sad to say. Rafael Nadal, when he’s healthy, can beat everyone and that includes the Swiss player with 14 grand slams to his name. Some players just don’t match up well against others and Nadal is a problem for Federer and his one-handed backhand. Nadal likes to mix up his game speed and he has an awesome weapon most players just can’t counter. Nadal is a natural right-hander, that is in everything in his life except for playing the game of tennis. He has a left handed weapon that utilizes the physicality that Nadal plays with throughout his matches. Rafa has a wicked two-handed backhand and will also use a hard left-handed slice to the righties backyard. This typically takes the opponent off the right-hand side of the court, then the Spaniard will counter with a hard inside-out forehand with that incredible topspin that Nadal generates. This puts a right-handed player in a world of hurt. His opponent is usually already off the court on the right side after trying to contain one of Nadal’s pounding backhand shots that grabs the surface and takes a hellacious leap sometimes over a player’s head, and if you are like Federer and utilize a one-handed backhand, it’s nearly impossible to hit a backhand shot that is almost over your head. If, by some miracle, you have the ability to get the ball back over the net, it usually drops short or at least without much velocity and this is where Nadal seeks and destroys. When the ball is returned short or at least slow, he will come in and with a ferocious topspin inside out forehand, he will blast a shot over the net to the left side of the court… far from where the opponent returned his backhand across the court. This is how you beat a champion like Roger Federer. You find a chink in the armor of the great player and exploit a weakness. Every player has a weakness, but it’s difficult to execute shots that great players find it difficult, or everyone would be doing it and he wouldn’t be a great player anymore. Nadal found one of Roger Federer’s weaknesses. He as filed others, as well. But the Spaniard holds his secrets close to his chest and continues to dominate Roger. I had a thought about future matchups, but unfortunately the matches didn’t go the way I thought they would. My thought was that perhaps Fernando Verdasco had the tools to beat Federer. He’s left-handed, he uses a left-handed slice to the righties back and and also possesses a respectable forehand topspin. But alas and unfortunately for him, he was beaten by Ivo Karlovic and his unbreakable service game. Verdasco played Dr. Ivo very close, but once he was broken, the handwriting was on the wall. This is a man that is very difficult to break serve on. Once Fernando slipped up, it was over for him. Now, Federer and Djokovic will face inferior players in Karlovic and Ferrero, respectively. There are no certainties when you’re playing in the semi finals of a grand slam, but things are looking rather tidy for the world No.2 and No.4 players in the world. This Wimbledon is not turning out as many prognosticators thought it would, but nonetheless, this will still be the Wimbledon championships and they are always exciting. The semifinal will be unlike any semifinal I’ve ever seen at Wimbledon. There could be a rerun of Rogers success, there could be a new champion of high rank and there is still room for a giant upset on center court on the last Sunday of the tournament. The biggest news in London would be a fairytale championship for Andy Murray who has been virtually adopted by the people of Britain, even though Andy Murray is a native of Scotland and lives in Spain. Stranger things have happened, but there are millions of Andy Murray fans in Great Britain and rumor has it, that if Andy Murray advances to the Wimbledon final, there just might be a VIP of great notoriety sitting at center court cheering on the 21-year-old Scot… Queen Elisabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor has cleared her schedule on Sunday and just might be there to cheer on the pride of Great Britain… Andy Murray. My God… can we all stomach it?
Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor
