ITV at Roland Garros

Many of you will have seen recent ads on ITV trailing their coverage of Roland Garros. Welcome news - hopefully - for all armchair fans.

Looks like they're planning to put quite a bit of effort into it (check out Telegraph article below). No bad thing.

Interesting punditry line-up, although I'm not sure how many folk will be looking forward to more of Courier's post-match chats with players - if that's what he's been signed up for. I reckon he's very much in the Marmite category wrt his interview technique.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/9232207/BBC-beware-ITV-is-getting-serious-about-its-tennis-coverage-starting-with-the-French-Open.html

I saw that article in the Torygraph - I do hope ITV do it justice!

I agree about Courier - it was funny the first time but his style does grate a bit. The idea is sound but they should change the interviewer occasionally to keep things fresh.

He does a good job commentating/interviewing at the Australian Open, I like him!

He's alright but how bout Agassi once in a while? Or Sampras? Or Ivanisevic? Why just stick with Courier, that's what I don't get.

ITV usually make a pig's ear of sport's commentary though. They've got the Champions League about right and that's it.

At least it wont be Castle...anyone but Castle! (or Reed....)

Courier seems ok with the Australian Open when he has been down there. I really hope we can avoid Greg, Annabel, Barry.

I hope they can get Fleming, Petchey and maybe Henman. McEnroe at a long shot.

Fleming - tick
Petchy - tick
Henman - please no....he's as dull as dishwater.

I'd rather they got someone like Goran or Becker (comes out with some odd sometimes, but he says it like it is)

Well if anyone tried to be too smart with their answers to Agassi, they'd get some pretty challenging quips in return.....

- Sampras would be sure to serve up some tough questions

- and as for Ivanisevic .... would we get bad Goran or good Goran ...

Either none of them have yet been asked or they're just not interested. Anyone know which it might be ....?

(mind you, in the case of RG, I don't think either Goran or Pete have a whole lot of proven expertise/insight to offer ......)

But then neither has Petchy or Fleming theoretically. I think Goran, from what I've heard, is quite an astute if sometimes concise commentator. But agree Agassi would be a top draw choice...but why would he do it?

No, you're right lydian and I sort of regretted taking that side-swipe at two great players (esp. Pete of course) as soon as I had posted. I was, I hardly need add, referring to their own poor playing records there relative to other Slams

But many commentators/pundits/interviewers have done impressively well with far, far less experience (sometimes zero in fact) than guys of the calibre of Pete and Goran.

And in other sports it's long been the case : the best live match commentators in footie are 'professional commentators' rather than ex-players

Boris is too much of Muppet for me. He just wants to shock when he realises he is being outdone by Macca or Petchers.

Think the reason Tim appears dole is because he is never given much of reign. Barker asks the same old less 'harsh' questions unlike Buckland who does go for the jugular. Plus Sky with the whole I-Pad thingy stuff gives Petchers more chances to go technical.

I think Tim could easily offer insight to the game if he is given a bigger bone to chew on. I often find that the BBC tend to go for safe hands. I remember the year they had Connors and I am sure they were so put off by his honest views they never asked him back again

and that stupidly annoying 'mmm' after every good shot i wanted to kill him!

"mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

see here for more details
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd8mPKMhFww&hd=1

Mmmmmmmm Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmm Mmmmmmm

Love that track!

lydian wrote:At least it wont be Castle...anyone but Castle! (or Reed....)

Absobliddylootly... I cannot abide Castle.add to that Pat Cash and its switch off time (Ill watch Spanish TV instead lol)

As it happens I like Marmite and I like Jim Courier so all is well in the world for me

H-n : 100% with you as regards Cash. Easily one of the worst pundits ever IMO.

I get the distinct impression he does absolutely zero preparation or thought ahead of his stints on radio or TV ; add to this the fact that he's not the most naturally articulate of guys to start with and the end result is a fair bit of inconsistent and disjointed waffle. (Plus, I happen to think he has an inflated sense of his own overall career achievements anyway, but that's separate from the commentary issue).

and he is a buzzkill on feds big time

His career achievements lags ??? The one Wimbledon Wonder and he still plays in his Karate Kid head band. He jumps on what ever band wagon is currently running at the time and stays there until a wheel falls off does a U turn and disappears up his own exhaust pipe. Get him with Sue Barker and its like scraping your nails on a blackboard. He doesn´t like Nadal (then lets face it many dont) but his reasons are different to most Rafa beat him when he was 14yrs old... so he has a chip on his shoulder. When he commentates he begrudgingly aknowledges a good shot from Nadal on a good day

i disagree HN i think he usually compliments rafa more than roger for sure, but maybe that is saying much :/

Well LS maybe I catch him on a bad day then... it certainly sounds that way to me whenever I am unfortunate enough to have to listen to him

Can back up LuvSports on this one. To me, he has always appeared to be much more ready to praise Rafa than he has Roger. In fact there are times - notably if Fed's having a bad day or even going through a bad spell lasting a few weeks or so - when Cash talks as though he's the one with 16 Slams to his name rather than just the one.

But - as you say yourself H-n - he can equally do the most ridiculous, instant U-turns depending which way the wind blows. Not a good trait.

Yes lags thats what Im saying he jumps on any band wagon that is running on all four wheels on the day... then he jumps off and finds another.His tennis cannot even redeem his faults as a commentator sadly.
Give me John Mc any day he is a great commentator, he is generous in his praise of all who can hold a racket , knowledgeable and can still play a pretty fair game himself.

lags72 wrote:Interesting punditry line-up, although I'm not sure how many folk will be looking forward to more of Courier's post-match chats with players - if that's what he's been signed up for. I reckon he's very much in the Marmite category wrt his interview technique

Fortunately, I love Marmite - but can understand those who don't. I am a bit puzzled at those who don't like Couriers court side interviews, because behind all the joviality he does actually ask decent questions and get answers

Never understood the continued dislike of Cash either. It was him in Autumn 2010 who stated that Fed wouldn't win another Slam and would struggle to compete if he didn't change his approach. Note it took another year, for Fed to get that message, finally shake off the Murray challenge and move forward again

My point is, that for every glib comment - there is usually a good one. I think some people dislike his personality (i.e. I agree with those who would say that they wouldn't like to have a drink with him) so then can only focus on the negative about him

Unimpressed by the article. It missed out the only really useful info which is how many matches hours of coverage etc. I think I read somewhere 6 horus of coverage per day on a minor channel like ITV4 and a much smaller number of matches on the main ITV, maybe 2 or something.

ITV are going from 9:30am to 8pm on Sunday and Monday. Impressive.

What do you mean Sunday and Monday? Are you talking about French Open coverage? Are you saying that's the hours for the first and middle Monday and the Sunday?

Henman Bill wrote:What do you mean Sunday and Monday? Are you talking about French Open coverage? Are you saying that's the hours for the first and middle Monday and the Sunday?

It you go to the TV Guide on ITV, it shows that they are going from 9.30 to 8 across their channels on the 27th and 28th. The 29th's listings became available today, it's also 9:30 to 8, so I assume that's what it will be for a lot of the tournament. Great if true.