Tennis Prose




Oct/12

9

Players Talk About Their Favorite TV Tennis Commentators


Vince Spadea: “I like Patrick McEnroe and Luke Jensen. I like the former players. The guys who are young and hungry and excited about doing it. And they know the information and they know the players. And they get the inside scoop much easier than someone from a computer. I’m not trying to knock anyone who is doing that. I like to listen to people putting enthusiasm and personality into talking about tennis, not just about the exact match. Patrick is a very intelligent guy, been around a lot of years, obviously had a great career himself. He has a brother who is a legend. There’s so many aspects from tennis that he can kind of dig from. Luke is high energy. He’s inspiring. He comes up with little phrases, little nicknames, little inside stories about each player or certain individuals. He’s always been into participating and trying to inspire tennis fans and trying to grow the game. I like Chris Evert too. Articulate and smart and obviously a legend in her own right.”

James Blake: “Cliff Drysdale is my favorite. He’s the most underrated. Because he’s so good at kind of playing the straight man and like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about [smiles]. And if you really listen to him, you know he knows exactly what he’s talking about. And was one of the great players. And he has one of the great voices that can do anything with that voice. So he’s my favorite to listen to. He does a great job whether he’s teamed with Patrick McEnroe or whoever, he’s my favorite.”

Justin Gimelstob: “Patrick McEnroe. I think he does a great job with the combination of combining inside experience yet still being supportive of the players. And yet honest enough to give an honest critique. I think some of the commentators are too hard on the players. And some are too soft. But I think Patrick does a great combination.”

Scott Lipsky: “I like to listen to John McEnroe. I like both McEnroes, Patrick and John. I loved Bud Collins. They’re both kind of the same, kinda tell it like it is. Those two guys I really think are the best two.”

Ivan Ljubicic: “Patrick McEnroe and Cliff Drysdale, they’re pretty cool, I like them. And I like the guys from Eurosport as well, David Mercer and Frew McMillan. You can see they play tennis and know a lot about tennis. And it’s a really relaxed feeling. They talk like they only commentate techniques or tactics. I have to say I don’t like Pam Shriver. She’s always so technique that it’s, I mean, it’s really boring. But the other guys, they know how to laugh, they know how to entertain people I think.”

Bob Bryan: “I like to listen to Jim Courier. He’s been there. He knows what he’s talking about. I think Pat Mac’s good. I like Cliff Drysdale. I think all the guys are pretty good. As long as they’re positive about tennis.”

Brian Baker: “I like John McEnroe a lot. And I think Patrick’s very good. Overall I think tennis is good right now, commentating. I really like Cliff and Patrick, they are always an excellent team and they compliment each other pretty good.”

Jonas Bjorkman: “John and Patrick McEnroe. They know the game very well and they know the players very well. They sort of know the weaknesses and strengths of the game. And the players. That’s important. Some guys who commentate are not down in the locker room and checking out things. Both of them are down here. They know a lot of the players still, even if they are not playing. So I think that’s a strength as a commentator. There’s a few out there who are very good. But those are the guys who I find are doing a good job.”

John Newcombe: “John McEnroe’s good when he doesn’t talk about everything besides the tennis match. When he sticks to the tennis match it’s pretty good. When he starts talking about everything else that’s important to him, I kind of lose it then. But when he’s talking about the match I think he has something good to say. I think Cliff Drysdale does a good job. And I like Jim Courier, I think he does a good job. I think his analysis of what’s happening out there is quite good. Tony Trabert I’ve always thought was great. I worked with him on CBS for ten years. And I’ve worked with him on Australian television for 12 years. I really enjoyed working with Tony.”

Greg Rusedski: “Whether you like him or whether you don’t, John McEnroe’s always interesting. He’s got a great knowledge of the game. Sometimes he’s fair with the players sometimes he’s not [smiles] but he’s always interesting. I think Patrick McEnroe does quite a good job as well. Patrick is quite interesting to listen to because he was never a top player like his brother John but he was quite astute and he did the best he could with the game he had and got to #30 in the world. He had to find different ways to win rather than pure talent and ability. So he’s got a different perspective on what it takes to succeed in tennis. He’s seen the top side of tennis but he’s also seen the side where the guys are struggling a little bit out there. So it’s nice to have the double perspective out there. Cliff Drysdale – his history of the game, his knowledge of the game. He’s been out there since when the players had their first union in 1973. He’s seen what tennis has become nowadays. So his knowledge of the game and his insights are quite good to have.”

67 comments

  • Dan markowitz · October 13, 2012 at 12:19 pm

    Steve,

    In sure you’ve been told this many times before, but you’re a royal pain in the arse.

  • Steve · October 13, 2012 at 12:35 pm

    HA!

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 13, 2012 at 1:29 pm

    Venus and Serena get a ton of support, I mean what do you want? If white people didn’t like the Williams or secretly resented them, there would be about only a dozen fans watching and supporting them at tournaments on stadium courts. People love the Williams sisters for all they have done for tennis and all they have achieved, they are wonders of the sporting world. I think Venus might have played the victim card a little bit here with that “I don’t feel American” comment.

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 13, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Interesting Dan about Todd Nelson. I remember doing a Biofile with the former boxing champ Michael Spinks in the early 1990s by phone, Spinks won the gold medal in the Olympics and the Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight titles, he had never lost a pro fight until he entered the ring to fight Mike Tyson in June 1988. In the Biofile he told me how he loved Arthur Ashe and followed his career but he added that a lot of blacks in his hometown of St. Louis were jealous of Ashe’s success but that he never felt that way at all as a kid, he always revered and respected Arthur Ashe.

  • Julian Johnson · October 13, 2012 at 9:35 pm

    Scoop, I’ll be sure to let Venus and Serena know how much support they don’t know they have. I’ll tell them that you told me and I’m sure that’ll convince them. I’ll remind them, too, not to play the victim so much; I’ll hip them to ‘Call To Glory’. Much more fun to play that game.

  • Hotung · October 13, 2012 at 10:38 pm

    Jim Courier and Johnny Mac have always been my favorites… and the Eurosport team is good too!

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 13, 2012 at 11:02 pm

    Hotung where are you from? And who is the Eurosport team now is it still McMillan with Mercer? Welcome to the site. Courier and McEnroe are flawless commentators.

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 13, 2012 at 11:31 pm

    Julian, I don’t think they care what any tennis writer or pundit thinks, nor would they care what I think or have to say. But if they do want to get more passionate adoration and support from the crowds, maybe they need to be nicer to the other players and more social and approachable. THe Williams have a rep among some in the media as being a bit aloof and unapproachable. They are nice when the cameras are on and fulfilling their media obligations but not much outside that. They kind of have an us against the world mentality, nothing wrong with that, but this could contribute to the lack of quality fan support that they are looking for. Maria has a similar reputation as being somewhat closed off from all other players, doesn’t say hi to anyone. Not saying the Williams are as extreme as Maria but they are not exactly friendly with everyone like Clijsters is. But hey maybe being the way they are is what has made them so successful in tennis. Another thing I was told is that when US Open officials call them to report to walk out for their next match, both Williams never respond to the call and an official always has to go to the locker room to get them. No other players do this. Little things like that add up. Not trying to be critical here, just saying what I know. Hope for the best for the Williams, would really like to see them get the love and adoration they deserve. They deserve to hear roars from the crowd just like Federer and Nadal get.

  • marc nichol · October 14, 2012 at 12:54 am

    “a rep among the media” scoop?…it comes right through the screen and to us fans as well, same with maria…impervious,imperious, just lacking in warmth…and you better believe that part about being nice when the cameras are on…i particularly notice serena’s demeanor is so different with the media on-court after a match, but when she hits the interview room, watch out…look, we watch these players for years and their personalities come out…i don’t get to see them behind the scenes like you but i know what i like and what i respond to in terms of an emotional connection, and the williams sisters and maria give off cold vibes, as has tiger woods..they’re all great players and i respect their achievements but in no way do i like them..there’s a reason why fed and nadal and agassi and clijsters get more love..and i’ll also freely admit my guy pete lacked warmth, but he also didn’t put out an obnoxious i’m above you vibe either, just kept his head down, his mouth pretty shut and let the racket do the talking while showing humility, now there’s a word

  • marc nichol · October 14, 2012 at 12:56 am

    although hey, we could compare them all to your buddy on the right of the screen and they all look better..little dig

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 14, 2012 at 2:17 pm

    WELL SAID MARC, you said it better what I was trying to say. There is a coldness there about those players, Woods included. I still like them though just not as much as players like Kuerten, Djokovic, Fed who weara their hearts on their sleeves. Always loved Fed after be broke down in tears during the Sue Barker interview, after he won the first Wimbledon, and also when he took the trophy from Rod Laver in Australia. He also cried after beating the US players in that Davis Cup tie in Switzerland. It all showed just how much tennis meant to Federer. I really like Serena when she showed so much class after she lost to Maria in the Wimbledon final. It was Maria’s first major title and she was overcome and so happy, and at one point the camera showed Serena at her chair watching Maria celebrate with her father and you could see the happy look on Serena’s face that a part of her was actually happy for Maria. Always will like Serena for that moment alone. I have never seen a player who lost a major final actually look kind of happy for his or her conqueror like Serena showed that day. Agree Sampras could be interpreted as cold but he had some emotional moments on court which fans connected with, the Corretja match at US Open, the Courier match in Australia when Pete broke down in tears during the match on a changeover about just finding out that his coach Tim Gullikson had brain cancer. Also the time Pete played doubles with John McEnroe in Davis Cup and Mac was going through the divorce with O’Neal and they were down two sets and then came back and Johnny Mac later said that Pete told him he loved him on the court in the midst of the comeback. So Pete could show emotions but the great champion that he was, he locked them up most of the time but sometimes he couldn’t hold it back.

  • marc nichol · October 14, 2012 at 9:18 pm

    definitely scoop, love hearing nice words about pete..see he’s playing seniors again this fall….really loving the site, glad i found it..what a final today..i just said over at espn, there isn’t a bigger guarantee in sports right now than the men will play one or two epics on the final weekend of a big tournament…especially when rafa’s healthy

  • marc nichol · October 14, 2012 at 9:20 pm

    hey scoop, what is it about the time on the posts btw? not even close

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 15, 2012 at 12:17 am

    Pete was a class champion, the Aussies love him so does Federer. Another class act by Pete was when he beat Brad Gilbert in the final of the Grand Slam Cup in 1990. He won $2 million that week and during his post match speech he said he was donating a quarter of a million dollars to the Cerebral Palsy Foundation because two of his dad’s sisters died because of CP. Pretty commendable action by the 19 year old Sampras. Glad you like the site Marc, we try to cover tennis a little differently and we love tennis here as much as anyone anywhere. Agree with you, it seems every match between Fed, Rafa, Djok and Murray is always a great match no matter what the score. And the quality of tennis is just awe inspiring.

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 15, 2012 at 12:18 am

    Marc, We will try to fix that time thing.

  • marc nichol · October 14, 2012 at 11:31 pm

    sounds good scoop..i’ve been on another site, i’m sure you’ve heard of it, but it gets so personal..this is better, more knowledgeable and fun

  • Scoop Malinowski · October 15, 2012 at 4:53 pm

    Marc, We respect all the players here, even if they do wrong every now and then. Tennis is a tough sport with a lot of pressure and sacrifice and it’s acceptable when a player loses it or says or does the wrong thing in the heat of battle. It’s really hard to understand how anyone cannot like Fed, Murray, Rafa or Djok they all have outsandingly admirable qualities and they personify the word champion as well as any athletes today. Thanks for coming to this site and appreciating what we do. Several people who myself and Dan do not even know have come here and said they like our site better than even tennis.com which kind of blew us away, as that is the #1 site. We don’t operate with even remotely the budget they have but we love the sport not any less. Cheers Marc,

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