US Open Tennis

[splott parker]

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

[the other bob wilson]

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]

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]

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

...and 2 inches taller.

[Bobby Dandruff]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.

[Moodybluebird]

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

You just did......

[the other bob wilson]

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

He came after the sort of players I mentioned, he was the main reason we got to a Davis Cup Final in 1977 I think it was.

[Bobby Dandruff]

You just did......

See Citizen’s Nephew’s post above.

You are welcome.

[Moodybluebird]

See Citizen’s Nephew’s post above.


You are welcome.

Can you believe Buster had a songwriting partnership with Kenny Lynch ?!! Too surreal for words.

[Enoch Mort]

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

Perhaps it is because he is now more famous for his links to the National Front and BNP rather than his tennis exploits

[Citizen's Nephew]

He came after the sort of players I mentioned, he was the main reason we got to a Davis Cup Final in 1977 I think it was.

He was more well known for his Davis Cup tennis than anything else until the BNP and other unsavoury activities. He wasn't a very well-liked player and is even more unpopular now. You have to be a right knob to not be granted full membership to the AETC after 30 years! It's normally 10 years after temporary membership.

[Citizen's Nephew]

Can you believe Buster had a songwriting partnership with Kenny Lynch ?!! Too surreal for words.

That's another reason to not grant him full membership!

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

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

I meant Sarah played there, not her brother - not my clearest of sentences!

[Citizen's Nephew]

I meant Sarah played there, not her brother - not my clearest of sentences!

Are going to Manchester this week?

[Bobby Dandruff]

That's another reason to not grant him full membership!

lol.

I have to look this partnership up now….

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Are going to Manchester this week?

No. Interesting to see how we get on with in the post-Murray era with no Norrie either.
Are you?

[Citizen's Nephew]

No. Interesting to see how we get on with in the post-Murray era with no Norrie either.
Are you?

Wednesday. Just for the day. It’s going to be interesting. BTW the 2025 Wimbledon ballot closes soon (around 15th I think) which is worth a shout for extra tickets.

[Citizen's Nephew]

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.

It’s incredible isn’t it? The height a player can get on their serve now, with arm length and racket technology is immense.

[the other bob wilson]

He was more well known for his Davis Cup tennis than anything else until the BNP and other unsavoury activities. He wasn't a very well-liked player and is even more unpopular now. You have to be a right knob to not be granted full membership to the AETC after 30 years! It's normally 10 years after temporary membership.

His father was a tennis player as well, seems he was banned from tournaments like Wimbledon for being a professional in the 50 and 60s.

https://www.scotsman.com/news/obitua...-1970s-1464130

[Citizen's Nephew]

No. Interesting to see how we get on with in the post-Murray era with no Norrie either.
Are you?

I was hoping Norrie would be available having pulled out of the US Open. A lot of pressure on all of the team.