Tennis Commentators: Pet Hates

Confession time:

Listening to tennis commentators can sometimes drive me up the wall
I don't know what's worse: them blabbing non-stop or using those tired, tatty, bland and meaningless cliches.

The worst bit: the are actually paid to annoy us.

I often wonder how they get those jobs and what their bosses tell them to do, also how they get marked.

I wish there was an option for us to watch matches WITHOUT a commentary.

In the meantime, I usually give myself a break now and then by turning the sound off.

There's only so many times one can hear phrases such as :"digging deep"


What are your "favourite" phrases or "memorable" lines?

Oh I say, that's a dream of a pass

One of my pet peeves with commentators (and tennis players in general) is their general aversion to the use of the adverb in their speech.

Statements such as "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressive and serve huge" really annoy me.

How difficult is it for a commentator to say "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressively?"

Just heard one: Djokovic "nursing" a break lead the two muppets commentating are HAIR PULLING PATHETIC

kemet wrote:One of my pet peeves with commentators (and tennis players in general) is their general aversion to the use of the adverb in their speech.

Statements such as "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressive and serve huge" really annoy me.

How difficult is it for a commentator to say "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressively?"

yeah, stg like:
Q How are you?
A: I'm good

there's a lot of ammericansims creeping in, personaly I can't stand it when they don't use "on" in front of a day e.eg.

Play starts Monday 26th.....

He's in a war, Bahgdatis is in a war"

Commentator" Whe I was growing up I was told :"Tennis is just like a war without guns, and Djokovic is there with a machine gun"

Priceless!

'someone call 911, federer just got out of jail'
'that's why the pay him the big bucks!'
'he carved that volley out beautifully, like a south african diamond cutter!'
'phenome-nadal'
'roddick-culous'

just a few from robbo

Best commentators ever though imo were 1) bill mclaren 2) david coleman 3) murray walker 4) motty

LuvSports! wrote:'someone call 911, federer just got out of jail'
'that's why the pay him the big bucks!'
'he carved that volley out beautifully, like a south african diamond cutter!'
'phenome-nadal'
'roddick-culous'

just a few from robbo

Best commentators ever though imo were 1) bill mclaren 2) david coleman 3) murray walker 4) motty

Well remembered

kemet wrote:One of my pet peeves with commentators (and tennis players in general) is their general aversion to the use of the adverb in their speech.

Statements such as "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressive and serve huge" really annoy me.

How difficult is it for a commentator to say "Tennis Player A has to serve aggressively?"

Totally agree - it is ubiquitous throughout the sporting community!

Hate it when Shiras will say something like "He's gotten himself a good break there"

"Gotten"! Grrrrr....learn English!

I cant stand 'too good'.

This annoyed me a lot at first. They switch their sentences around like Yoda.

example: "Trying to win his first Indian Wells title in 6 years, is Roger"

Why???

And also one of their favourite words is "elude" used in abundance at the French 09.

HarpoMars wrote:This annoyed me a lot at first. They switch their sentences around like Yoda.

example: "Trying to win his first Indian Wells title in 6 years, is Roger"

Why???

And also one of their favourite words is "elude" used in abundance at the French 09.

What you saying about yoda boi!?!?!?

Well Yoda is special so he's alright, but there's no need for the commentators to imitate him in order to appear cool

NITB I think it was Sam Gore who annoyed you last week. I heard Robbie say last night that he'll be coming to Miami later on this week, so look out!

Nothing wrong there is for speaking like master yoda!

I sense great fear in you harpo, you have hate, you have anger, yet you do not use them!

Nooo I don't want to turn to the dark side...!!

Hey hang on, thats Count Dooku's line not Yoda's

i know, but i love using that line

oooo we can hijack this thread into a star wars ting

What about "Nadal and his BELOVED clay"

HarpoMars wrote:Well Yoda is special so he's alright, but there's no need for the commentators to imitate him in order to appear cool

NITB I think it was Sam Gore who annoyed you last week. I heard Robbie say last night that he'll be coming to Miami later on this week, so look out!

That guy was tragedy!!!!!
It got so bad last night that another guy that was commentating with him (turns out to be called DOUG) made him (Sam Gore) look quite balanced and "reasonable"

In the end, I just gave up and killed myself laughing....

bogbrush - I can understand why you don't like "too good" - but then again I do also think there are times when it can be an effective & concise way of summing up a particularly fine winner, and better than rambling on & on. Over-used perhaps, and I imagine you feel it's just a lazy way of describing something we can happily see for ourselves.

My own pet hate is Sue Barker, not for any specific phrase - but just Sue Barker generally !! As a tennis fan I really hate knocking a former Slam champion (and a rare British one at that.... !!) but for someone who played at world-class level she seems to have remarkably little technical knowledge or analytical ability, and hence brings little to the table in her cushy role as the Beeb's favoured 'anchorwoman' and on-court interviewer. Nice work if you can get it ....

Some of her typically tedious remarks/ comments ahead of a big match (or during rain interruptions) .....

- "Just how important do you think it is that Andy makes a really good start here ?" (oh, not at all important Sue, I'm sure he'll be hoping to lose the 1st set.....)

- "Just what does Tsonga have to do to win this match?" (how about play better than his opponent, Sue .....)

- "Having dropped the first two sets he'll be wanting to try and get a break early in the third, surely" (no Sue, he's keen to lose the third as well....)

Yeah I know what you mean about Sue though.

Also, some commentators can't help but praise the players. I remember an occasion where one was praising Fed sooo much about his game and in general, and he mentioned the stamps made with Fed on them. The other one (presumably fed up with him) said, "You'd lick those stamps if you had half a chance".
He just 'laughed' it off awkwardly.

one that got on my nerves was when connors commentated in wimby 07 and he did his stupid annoying sound of 'mmm' every time there was a good shot. Was so annoyin!

Don't think Jimbo has ever had a long-term commentator contract - not here in UK at least.

Did they just rope him in whilst he happened to be over for a 'private' visit ....??

noleisthebest wrote:

HarpoMars wrote:Well Yoda is special so he's alright, but there's no need for the commentators to imitate him in order to appear cool

NITB I think it was Sam Gore who annoyed you last week. I heard Robbie say last night that he'll be coming to Miami later on this week, so look out!

That guy was tragedy!!!!!
It got so bad last night that another guy that was commentating with him (turns out to be called DOUG) made him (Sam Gore) look quite balanced and "reasonable"

In the end, I just gave up and killed myself laughing....

Oh it was Doug Adler! Haha
I really like Robbie though, he's good.

that was the only tournament i have heard him commentate in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhCoK-14FO0&hd=1.
im happy he hasnt come back!

Connors was annoying with the 'mmm' but I have to give it to him when anticipated the Federer break in the 5th set after twice fending off 15-40 in the 2008 final.

LuvSports! wrote:that was the only tournament i have heard him commentate in
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhCoK-14FO0&hd=1.
im happy he hasnt come back!

that was disgusting

bogbrush wrote:Connors was annoying with the 'mmm' but I have to give it to him when anticipated the Federer break in the 5th set after twice fending off 15-40 in the 2008 final.

who was he with for 2008? it deffo wasnt the BBC that was castle and henman (making his debut)

Robbie Koenig: 'That's a lovely combination of shots' - he says it all the time.

Whenever Federer uses Hawkeye, someone will inevitably say that he doesn't like using it. That may have been true at the start, but Hawkeye's been around for like 5 years now so I think they could probably stop with that one.

Robbie also does the:
"You've got to be kidding me!" after a spectacular shot.

This Leif Shiras on Sky always looks and sounds decent to me.

Rusedsky on the other hand is every other word "An absolute shocker" everything is a shocker to him.

The joke in my family is that Rusedski's only recommendation for any player is that they should serve volley more.

Petchey and his inevitable "UNBELIEVABLE" and "best ralley ever" comments at least twice every match involving one or other of the top 4.

Chazfazzer wrote:The joke in my family is that Rusedski's only recommendation for any player is that they should serve volley more.

are your family always this funny? OHHHHH noo he deeeedaaantttttttt

The real question is: why do TV channels employ these "experts"?
It's obvious that tennis experience either as a coach or a player does NOT guarantee wit, eloquence and ability to entertain.

So, it must be US they think of when they chose those "familiar" names.

Would you rather listen to somebody interesting and good but with no "celebrity" status, or a "name" (like Rusedski/Henman) who will bore life out of you...

The worse is teh one currently commenting on the Nadal/Stepanek match!

This has no clue about tennis. The good thing is that he doesn't even try to be technical. "brillant", "great shot", "super", "oh that was a mistake"...."break point".....

And the voice......

The worst is that they always committed to the scoreboard rather than what they're actually doing.

Are these people ever at the stadiums or are they shouting from sofas in Sky Studio? I've seen them at GS but Masters?

But this is the thing they go for the "reality" angle the whole time now....putting ex-players in the box thinking they will entertain us with their insights that to be honest most higher club level players can spot. They forget people want to be entertained with wit, sardonic humour, etc. Do people berate Motty for his lack of footballing skills? I used to even prefer listening to guys like Gerry Williams and Bill Threlfall in the 90s than this current crop. I don't mind McMillan or Mercer at times but Reed, and a few others on Eurosport I can't abide.

If the present crop of commentators annoy you, just be thankful you didn't have to endure Anne Jones who the BBC inflicted on us for many years. Possibly the worst commentator on any sport - ever.

lydian wrote:But this is the thing they go for the "reality" angle the whole time now....putting ex-players in the box thinking they will entertain us with their insights that to be honest most higher club level players can spot. They forget people want to be entertained with wit, sardonic humour, etc. Do people berate Motty for his lack of footballing skills? I used to even prefer listening to guys like Gerry Williams and Bill Threlfall in the 90s than this current crop. I don't mind McMillan or Mercer at times but Reed, and a few others on Eurosport I can't abide.

Since there always seem to be at least two people commentating, ideally you'd have a "boring" but insightful expert and a charmer to observe the match and occasionally throw a bit of trivia and spice in.

I think the old guy on EuroSport, who comments and also held the ceremony in Dubai, he has a very calming voice and knowledgeable too.

Jahu wrote:I think the old guy on EuroSport, who comments and also held the ceremony in Dubai, he has a very calming voice and knowledgeable too.

I think you mean David Mercer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rj5fFQbG0

noleisthebest wrote:

Jahu wrote:I think the old guy on EuroSport, who comments and also held the ceremony in Dubai, he has a very calming voice and knowledgeable too.

I think you mean David Mercer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rj5fFQbG0

Yes. I like him too thoughI am told by his colleagues that he is big headed.

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:

Jahu wrote:I think the old guy on EuroSport, who comments and also held the ceremony in Dubai, he has a very calming voice and knowledgeable too.

I think you mean David Mercer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4rj5fFQbG0

Yes. I like him too thoughI am told by his colleagues that he is big headed.

I hear he is a massive Fed fan, too

noleisthebest wrote:
I hear he is a massive Fed fan, too

Difficult not too when one is passionate about tennis.

"Timing his push to perfection" - Jason Goodall

Peter Fleming after virtually every successful passing shot or forehand winner: "Oh yes!"

One of the more bearable pundits / commentators in general, but probably needs to expand his vocablary a little bit. "Oh yes...."