US Open Tennis

[Citizen's Nephew]

Re: US Open Tennis

Yeah, fraid I’m old enough to remember JPR’s tennis career such as it was - there was another tennis player from Bridgend around then called Gerald Batterick who was in the top half dozen male players in the country around then.

Just looking at his Wiki page and was shocked he died at 51 years old. What's striking is that he was 5'10" which is too short for the professional game now.

[Moodybluebird]

Re: US Open Tennis

Yeah, fraid I’m old enough to remember JPR’s tennis career such as it was - there was another tennis player from Bridgend around then called Gerald Batterick who was in the top half dozen male players in the country around then.

The era just after Roger Taylor and you (sorry, Bobby Wilson) were the best we had to offer. Loved Wimbledon in those days but Roger Taylor in particular just couldn't quite make it to the final, a bit like Henman.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Re: US Open Tennis

Jack Draper will be in Manchester this week for the Davis Cup along with Norrie, Evans, Salisbury and Skupski. It puts into perspective the life of pro tennis players and the amount of traveling, adjustment to indoor/outdoor and surfaces. https://www.lta.org.uk/fan-zone/gb-t...tickets/?nis=2

[Tuerto]

Re: US Open Tennis

Just looking at his Wiki page and was shocked he died at 51 years old. What's striking is that he was 5'10" which is too short for the professional game now.

That's 4 years past the average Male life expectancy in Bridgend.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: US Open Tennis

The era just after Roger Taylor and you (sorry, Bobby Wilson) were the best we had to offer. Loved Wimbledon in those days but Roger Taylor in particular just couldn't quite make it to the final, a bit like Henman.

Mark Cox and Mike Sangster were two other names from that era I remember - seem to recall Gerald Batterick was a bit temperamental on court. Roger Taylor was supposed to have his big chance in the year that many of the top players boycotted Wimbledon (1973 I think), but was beaten in the SemiFinalI think.

[splott parker]

Re: US Open Tennis

A bit pedantic but there’s no ‘e’, it was Battrick.

[the other bob wilson]

Re: US Open Tennis

Just looking at his Wiki page and was shocked he died at 51 years old. What's striking is that he was 5'10" which is too short for the professional game now.

Brian Clark, who scored what is,perhaps, Cardiff City’s most famous headed goal, was around that height (think he was 5 ft 11) - it was considered quite tall fifty odd years ago - Rod Laver, one of tennis’ greats, was only about 5ft 8.

[Moodybluebird]

Re: US Open Tennis

Mark Cox and Mike Sangster were two other names from that era I remember - seem to recall Gerald Batterick was a bit temperamental on court. Roger Taylor was supposed to have his big chance in the year that many of the top players boycotted Wimbledon (1973 I think), but was beaten in the SemiFinalI think.

I'd completely forgotten Mark Cox but was able to put a face to his name straight away. I remembered that Roger Taylor got beaten in the semi by Jan Kodes, the eventual winner but completely forgot who he beat in the QF......a certain Bjorn Borg.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Re: US Open Tennis

That's 4 years past the average Male life expectancy in Bridgend.

...and 2 inches taller.

[Bobby Dandruff]

Re: US Open Tennis

I'd completely forgotten Mark Cox but was able to put a face to his name straight away. I remembered that Roger Taylor got beaten in the semi by Jan Kodes, the eventual winner but completely forgot who he beat in the QF......a certain Bjorn Borg.

Why has no one mentioned Buster Motram….. :-/

[Citizen's Nephew]

Re: US Open Tennis

Why has no one mentioned Buster Motram….. :-/

...I think the height of his legacy was being expelled from UKIP for attempting to broker a deal with the BNP....oh no...wait....there's the fact he wasn't granted membership to the AETC for 'looking at inappropriate material'...on AETC computers!

[goats]

Re: US Open Tennis

You probably know this but as goats mentioned draper winning Junior Wimbledon it reminded me that JPR Williams was a pretty nifty player back in the day https://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/news..._open_era.html

Jpr played for wales too, in the same team as my old man….

[goats]

Re: US Open Tennis

Him being sick on court is very unusual. I don't recall ever seeing that happen and as TOBW has just posted it's happened before. You could well be right about him doing better than Henman but there aren't any players with the mental capacity of Djokovic and Nadal. Maybe he'll slot into somewhere between Henman and Murray. I just don't see him winning a Slam. He's won circa $3M on the tour though (singles and doubles) so he's doing pretty well.

For me, his biggest advantage is his left hand serve and two-handed backhand. At 6'4" he's got the height too. Definitely an exciting British player.

Hopefully he will overcome the nerves and sickness as he gets used to playing at the elite level

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Re: US Open Tennis

Yeah, fraid I’m old enough to remember JPR’s tennis career such as it was - there was another tennis player from Bridgend around then called Gerald Batterick who was in the top half dozen male players in the country around then.

He used to have a tennis academy in Bridgend. I had coaching there for a while.
His son was a good player too, Welsh junior champion a few times I think. Was rivals with a lad called Loosemore - younger brother of Sarah Loosemore, who played at Wimbledon and a couple of the other Grand Slams in the early 90s.
Another Welsh player who played at Wimbledon (in the 80s) was Leighton Alfred.

[goats]

Re: US Open Tennis

He used to have a tennis academy in Bridgend. I had coaching there for a while.
His son was a good player too, Welsh junior champion a few times I think. Was rivals with a lad called Loosemore - younger brother of Sarah Loosemore, who played at Wimbledon and a couple of the other Grand Slams in the early 90s.
Another Welsh player who played at Wimbledon (in the 80s) was Leighton Alfred.

Sarah loosemore played at Wimbledon, not sure her younger brother Dave did? Decent player like his older brother mark.