Serve and Volley

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

LendlFan1 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:24:15 GMT

During the Fed Haas match they actually showed Haas' finacee fist pumping in slow mo! I enjoyed seeing the facial expressions of everybody in the box. I gotta believe the Fed fans have heard and seen cheering for the opposition plenty of times.

Playing on the road against tough competion and the raucous fans goes with the territory. Fed doesn't get bothered by anything. He is very able to stay in the moment. EG the French final when the idiot ran out on court. I thought for sure he would take a break, he is on autoplay when he is on court.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

LendlFan1 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:05:02 GMT

Rafter's wife takes all. Samantha Frankel was Ok too. Nobody complained about Striesand either. It adds to tennis' cache. Tommy Haas's finace was quite animated with him when he was letting the third set slip VS Cilic- never seen anything like that before. It's guys like Yuri Sharapova that drive me nuts. The brothers of Andre, Chang, and Blake WERE always good for fun.

If they ever do remake the friends boxes at the Slams it sure would be nice if they placed them closer to the court so we don't have to have every newly crowned champion making the "Pat Cash climb."

I am also tiring of the knees and prayers and tears at the end. The quiet and humble champions are best.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

vinko — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:57:32 GMT

The parents are adults and should be able to sit near eachother without getting into a trash talking brawl. Boxers beat eachothers brains out and then chat about the fight as soon as the final bell rings. My only problem is that the networks keep showing the parents, spouses, etc. OK we get it. They are at the match. As I recall it, Anna K's mom looked just like Anna, so I'd make an exception for her.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

LendlFan1 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:54:05 GMT

This year at the French I bought a grounds pass, went directly to court 2, and stayed there all day Right next to the "players box," for that court.

The friends coaches and families all get along fine and often find other tickets to sit in other places anyway. I would bet that Roger, Venus, et al can and do find extra seats at the slams.

Staid olde Wimbledon loves their traditions.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

RP — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 19:42:46 GMT

It is a good question TNut. The answer is that's the All England Club tradition. However, given the fact that while adding the retractable roof, they also added more seats to the Centre Court stadium, seems to me like it was a no-brainer to just create two boxes for the players support teams - even if the boxes were adjacent to each other. Some people might like seeing them in the same box, but think about the anxiety for the parents and family members just seems like they could have easily solved that issue during the reconstruction of the Centre Court Stadium. They chose not to.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

LendlFan1 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:50:46 GMT

Paraphrasing Boris Becker once after he lost at Wimbledon, "Nobody died and we aren't at war."

Both sides should show consideration to the other. Hawkeye provides for great fairness. Professional athletes should be able to be professional and their entourages should follow suit. If the players aren't actually fighting then why would the friends?

If a fight actually did break out in the friends box it would probably be Great for Tennis as entertainment.

Best experience I ever had playing a tennis match was when my opponent's parents only clapped for my good shots, while I got tuned. Told me alot about my opponent and his parents.

Re: Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

robertk29 — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:44:15 GMT

and to add..why do they show them so much(plus the ugly coaches' faces), give us a break..they should scan the pretty ladies in the crowds like the TC does..imo.

Why would they put the players’ family members in the same seating boxes?

Tnut — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:25:29 GMT

I think that putting family members in the same seating box(area) is so bad and uncomfortable. Could some please tell the proper authority that they need to change this? I am so surprise that no fight has broken out because of family member being in the same box.