I don’t like Nationalism in tennis

Doesn’t it sound pathetic?

Scottish who pick the Scottish player, English who pick the English, Serbian who pick the Serb, French who pick the French and fan girls who pick Spanish lookers. Isn’t this thing a little bit revolting? Why should you prefer someone just because he was given birth in your neighbourhood? Isn’t this utterly primitive? And what has this to do with tennis, by the way?

As for me I would scrap the Davis Cup tomorrow, if I could, and put in another Master on grass. But it’s just me……

100% agree with the OP.

Actually, if you give it some thought you'll realise that countries don't exist.

bogbrush wrote:100% agree with the OP.

Actually, if you give it some thought and are a nutcase you'll realise that countries don't exist.

Fixed.

Outside DC I don't think there's really a problem, Rafa, Fed, Murray and Novak have fans all over the world.

Personally I like DC it gives fans the chance as a nation to see where their game is at. It gives the lesser known players a chance to perform on a big stage. Maybe think about taking a look at the players who ain't in the team who you feel should be.

Scottrf wrote:

bogbrush wrote:100% agree with the OP.

Actually, if you give it some thought and are a nutcase you'll realise that countries don't exist.

Fixed.

No, they don't.

Agree with erictheblueuk. Being a fan of a player has nothing to do with nationalism. I'm from South America and I'm a Novak , Del Potro, Tsonga and Andy Murray fan. Regarding football I go for Uruguay, cycling, Andy Sckeck and so on. But I really like de DC spirit, see nothing wrong with it. I enjoy rivalries though, it gives an edge to sports. As if sports were not edgy enough!

I think polished man woke up in *Bah Humbug* mood this morning !

I don't like the combination of nationalism and crowd behaviour, i.e. English football supporters abroad kind of thing.

There's a bunch of studies in psychology about in-groups and out-groups and the weird tribal nature of group-identification. Monkeys.

I know that outside a few tournaments (DC, Olympics, Fed Cup etc.) nationality is not a great deal in tennis. However whether you like it or not every player has a nationality. Personally I will always support a GB player as I feel they represent my country. That doesn't mean that I cannot appreciate good tennis being played by players of different nationalities (e.g I think Federer is the most natural looking player on court). Don't think that makes me pathetic or primitive.

Nationalism in tennis exists because people want to get behind something and have an excuse to shout.

Personally I favour everyone apart from Team GB because I find tennis in Britain to be upper class and eliteist. Am always happy to see the dour faces on the toffs when they cruddy team lose to San Marino or yet another year passes when a "Brit" fails to win Wimbledon.

Are there any players who represent EU?

Super D Boon wrote:Nationalism in tennis exists because people want to get behind something and have an excuse to shout.

Personally I favour everyone apart from Team GB because I find tennis in Britain to be upper class and eliteist. Am always happy to see the dour faces on the toffs when they cruddy team lose to San Marino or yet another year passes when a "Brit" fails to win Wimbledon.

"Upper Class"? Really? The Queen doesn't even attend Wimbledon. I've only ever seen about 4 or 5 toffs at a tennis match, in the Royal Box at Centre Court. I wouldn't think that would have any effect on anyone.

I think you mean Middle Class, but even that is a largely meaningless concept now. Maybe you just mean white people who speak with received pronounciation. Why do you have a problem with them?

Nationality in tennis is a factor in supporting a player for me but certainly not the most important one.

Is Scotland even a country? thought it was just a province up north.

polished_man wrote:Doesn’t it sound pathetic?

Scottish who pick the Scottish player, English who pick the English, Serbian who pick the Serb, French who pick the French and fan girls who pick Spanish lookers. Isn’t this thing a little bit revolting? Why should you prefer someone just because he was given birth in your neighbourhood? Isn’t this utterly primitive? And what has this to do with tennis, by the way?

As for me I would scrap the Davis Cup tomorrow, if I could, and put in another Master on grass. But it’s just me……

But the "fan girls who pick Spanish lookers" are not doing it for nationalistic reasons (unless of course they are all Spanish). Why do you disaprove of them?

I don't think there is ANY nationalism in tennis. You seem to be confusing patriotism with nationalsim.

Patriotism is a very noble feeling and it is odd if you don't like your country.
I fear political correctness has already warped some minds into believing we are all the same...

@HE: I admit I got a little carried away here, Hawk my girl, I should have said "Spanish fan girls" ,more coherently......

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Is Scotland even a country? thought it was just a province up north.

I bet your Geography School report read "Could do better"

noleisthebest wrote:I don't think there is ANY nationalism in tennis. You seem to be confusing patriotism with nationalsim.

Patriotism is a very noble feeling and it is odd if you don't like your country.
I fear political correctness has already warped some minds into believing we are all the same...

No, I am not confusing, I just think that nationalism (or patriotism) shouldn't be part of tennis, as this is individual game. Just that. Far for being politically correct myself or enjoying politically correctness, which I don't.

I think tennis fans are above nationalism. Most tennis fans don't live on council estates and have traveled a bit, getting the perspective on a few things such as the size of the world.
There's nothing wrong with liking your countryman and supporting him/her, because f you like them as a personality as well as their game, then that gives you that extra bit of pride, I suppose.
I guess most tennis fans don't exclusively support their favourite player purely on the basis of their nationality.
Champions like Federer, Nadal and recently Djokovic are well loved all over the world, like I said many times, there's something wrong with you if you don't like Federer's tennis...

noleisthebest

Read your comment and looked up the meaning of nationalism. One of the definitions of nationalism is "excessive patriotism".

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nationalism

What is "excessive"?

polished_man

If the fan girls are Spanish they could be fans because the players are Spanish and not because of how they look. Then you could include them in your dislike. But if they are fans because of the way the players look then you couldn't. Or you would have to dislike them for a different reason.

Just curious. Does your name mean smooth and shiny or does it mean a man from Poland?

Yes its an individual sport in the main but for example Nadal is very proud to be Spanish , Djokovic Serbian, Roddick American. That's great as far as I am concerned. Therefore you can't criticise people for being biased towards suppporting people from their country.

Hawkeye,

patriotisam is on the right/positive side of being proud of your country, nationalism is the other way round, fascism being the extreme end of nationalsim.
Tennis fans are generally citizens of the world in many respects, like someone said somewhere, every trip one complex less....

hawkeye wrote:noleisthebest

Read your comment and looked up the meaning of nationalism. One of the definitions of nationalism is "excessive patriotism".

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/nationalism

What is "excessive"?

polished_man

Thanks for your help, good friend, that's exactly what I mean: I don't like excessive patriotism in tennis, just that.

Calder106 wrote:Yes its an individual sport in the main but for example Nadal is very proud to be Spanish , Djokovic Serbian, Roddick American. That's great as far as I am concerned. Therefore you can't criticise people for being biased towards suppporting people from their country.

I personally remember very well just a decade ago when the superstars of tennis were reluctant to play the Davis because there wasn't enough money and much glory in it…....Now I see some of them play....., I believe just for the sponsors and for fear of bad publicity from the press.

I don't look at nationality in tennis, and frankly I find the Davis Cup boring, that's why I don't get when the Scots say "British when he wins Scottish when he loses", I am sure that Henman was branded English when he was getting beat rather than a Brit.

I generally like a player more because of their personality, and their exuberance rather than where they were born and bred!

Yes, Davis cup is damn boring and I don't see many warming to the cup even on here.......

I don't follow any tennis players for nationalistic or patriotic reasons but still enjoy watching the Davis cup. For some players having the support of a team helps them play better tennis than they would otherwise. Often played in front of a lively crowd. All helps to make Davis cup great fun to watch.

Watched some of the recent Spain v USA tie and can honestly say found it more entertaining than a lot of the earlier round Wimbledon matches.

Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with a bit of patriotism in moderation. But being a person who splits his time between the USA and Iran, over the years I have kind of been left with a fear of excessive nationalism. In regards to tennis, i think at the end it is all fun and games and as long as everyone is respectful that it can add color to the game. For example, the spanish fans or serbian fans wearing football uniforms or supporting players from their own country as long as they obey the etiquette of the sport and respect the game and others I don't have a problem with it. I actually find that the level of pride and confidence Novak has given the serbian people is quite a wonderful story. A nation ravaged by war and economic troubles rallying around a sports champion who in away is giving them great PR and a boost of esteem.

Personally, speaking for myself as grow older I care less and less about patriotism in sports. Right now there isn't a single American player that I really enjoy to watch. And unlike many of my countrymen it hasn't turned me off the sport, I am actually a more avid fan now then I was when Pete and Andre were around. Can't stand watching Roddick, never could.

socal1976 wrote:
Personally, speaking for myself as grow older I care less and less about patriotism in sports. Right now there isn't a single American player that I really enjoy to watch. And unlike many of my countrymen it hasn't turned me off the sport, I am actually a more avid fan now then I was when Pete and Andre were around. Can't stand watching Roddick, never could.

That's probably because you are a true tennis fan and a man of the world Socal my friend, that's why you think like that

Get rid of all national teams, regional teams, local teams - how far should we go? How about all learning to speak Esperanto, not recognising national borders, getting rid of national currencies, taxes etc.

Thanks polished for those kind words. As long as people respect the game and others there shouldn't be a problem. But I think that nationalism is always a bit of a dangerous concotion.

Nore Staat wrote:Get rid of all national teams, regional teams, local teams - how far should we go? How about all learning to speak Esperanto, not recognising national borders, getting rid of national currencies, taxes etc.

No this is bogbrush, not me.....