It's just not tennis.

[red750]

As I mentioned in Willie's Dec 2018 thread 'Australlian Tennis Season', my son is a tennis umpire. Chair umpire in district tournaments, linesman in major internationals. He has been doing the Oz Open for more than 15 years. Met most of the greats, Sampras, Agossi, etc.

 

Today he received an email from Tennis Australia. There will be no linespersons at any tournament this season. Line judging will be done electronically. He can be a toilet escort, escorting players if they need to take a break during a match. Not happy, Jan.

 

On another matter, they were planning a hub in Melbourne during December for international players to quarantine before the Oz Open, just like football teams have done this year. Dickhead Dan hs decreed no international players will be admitted to Victoria. Unless the Oz Open is transferred, looks like an all-Australian tournament. I think the Indian cricket team will be allowed in though.

[willedoo]

I heard on the radio they won't be having the lead up competitions in Brisbane and Sydney. It's going to be a slim tennis season.

[willedoo]

It looks strange with a little electronic box doing the job, and no challenges. Takes a lot of the character away from it.

[old man emu]

6 hours ago, willedoo said:

Takes a lot of the character away from it

Yeah. No temper tantrums from people who think they are above observing the usual standards of sportsmanship.

[red750]

My son was replaced by those black boxes. Now he sits beside the umpire's chair, runs errands for the umpire, and accompanies a player if they need a toilet break. One hour on court, half hour off, over and over. He says he is being paid to watch the tennis. He has today off due to the new covid case.

[Jerry_Atrick]

On 03/02/2021 at 9:57 PM, old man emu said:

Yeah. No temper tantrums from people who think they are above observing the usual standards of sportsmanship.

Ironically, Tennis had rules to deal with the likes of McEnroe, but decided not to. Then they went to tech...

 

The reality is, sport is flawed.. So, allow the flaws.. The tech is also flawed.. (admittedly, the line tech has finally matured). Sportspeople make mistakes, Officials make mistakes.. if I lose a game because of on umpiring mistake - I was neverin a position where my win was assured.

[willedoo]

Have been watching the two Australian girls battling it out, Ash Barty playing Daria Gavrilova. The commentators insist on calling her Dasher like Rudolph's fellow reindeer, or simply Dash. I guess she's just got used to it. Daria is often changed to Dasha or Dascha for familiar use with close friends and family, but it's pronounced how an English person would pronounce it, with a long A, as in Darsha.

 

I remember Maria Sharapova being asked in an interview if it bugged her that they always mispronounced her name. He said you get used to it and just go with the flow.

[red750]

On 19/11/2020 at 10:13 PM, red750 said:

As I mentioned in Willie's Dec 2018 thread 'Australlian Tennis Season', my son is a tennis umpire. Chair umpire in district tournaments, linesman in major internationals. He has been doing the Oz Open for more than 15 years. Met most of the greats, Sampras, Agossi, etc.

My god, how time flies. There was a parcel waiting here for him when he got home from work last night. It contained this award.

 

 

In case you can't read it, the inscription says,

       SERVICE AWARD

         presented to

       Andrew Hough

  in thanks and recognition

            for your

commitment and dedication,

   serving and officiating for

             30 years.

[old man emu]

Good works do indeed get rewarded.