14
The TV Commentary Of Frew McMillan
4 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
I couldn’t help but be dazzled by the expert commentary by Frew McMillan for EUROSPORT during the Grigor Dimitrov-Nicolas Mahut match at Queens.
South African McMillan, now 70, a winner of five Grand Slam doubles titles and 73 overall, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1992.
Here is a sampling of McMillan’s excellent eloquence during about 20 minutes of watching Dimitrov-Mahut…
After Dimitrov makes a winning forehand volley while sliding and falling on the turf: “The suppleness of youth.”
“He looks good, he moves well, but does he have a gameplan?”
“It’s almost as if he’s (Dimitrov) playing philosophical, as a fatalist, as if he knows what’s going to happen.”
(An Aegon sponsor flag blows briskly in the wind: “A strengthening breeze.”) …”I think you can apply that to Dimitrov as well.”
(Mahut appears unsettled.) …”It could be the fact that he’s lost to Dimitrov twice – that’s in the back of his mind.”
“Competitively poor serving by Mahut, otherwise the first set would be the Frenchman’s.”
“The mental strain of being a set down – a set he should have won.”
“Just love Dimitrov’s movement to the ball – he almost got there.”
“You get the feeling Dimitrov is actually enjoying this now. So the tension has gone out of his body.”
4 comments
<< 2012 Newport Hall of Fame Championships Features Many Stars
Dan Markowitz · June 14, 2012 at 3:11 pm
That is nice stuff. McMillan seems to have a philosophical and kinetic sense of the game. I wonder what he thinks of his former doubles partner, Bob Hewitt, and if he knew he was a real heel?
Scoop Malinowski · June 14, 2012 at 3:29 pm
I could imagine Frew saying about Hewitt, “Some things are better left unsaid. Now to the task at hand…” Dan did you ever hear McMillan, I rate him with the best of the best. He did a lot of the old Rios 90’s matches I have on DVD and was superb in them also, many of his commentaries which I included in the book. You can catch him on Eurosport feed this week which is available at http://www.sportlemon.tv
TC · June 15, 2012 at 1:19 am
I grew up listening to Frew on Eurosport. A real class act and gentle style of commentary, who knows the game inside out.
Scoop Malinowski · June 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm
Thomas; Frew is an absolute delight to listen to. Really enhances the pleasure of watching a tennis match on grass. Or any surface for that matter. But Frew and grass seem to go hand in hand.