Matra2, John Mcenroe was whining earlier in the tournament about how Tsonga was a victim of the scheduling in that 2013 match. I've heard it before too. Poor Tsonga had to play after the brilliant match. A good portion of the crowd had dwindled or was trying to recover from the emotions of the marathon and was flat, which made Tsonga less than himself, somehow.
Interesting. I've only had a varying international feed (mostly British and Australian commentators) from different networks year so I only heard McEnroe once - commentating for Eurosport channel. But I remember McEnroe during that famous Djokovic/Nadal semi-final. At the time he complained about the scheduling, not for being unfair to Tsonga, but for relegating the two best players to a kind of opening act status.
Even if it were true that Tsonga was negatively impacted by a flat French crowd he still had them on his side! His opponent Ferrer will never have a home crowd on his side at a major because Spain doesn't have one! I mean, jeez, how much of an advantage is having a major in your own country supposed to be? If you can't make the most of it, especially when you've got at least three sets to get your game together, then you just don't deserve to win.
We'll probably get McEnroe's commentating for the semi-finals and final as he seems to be working for Eurosport this year, along with, I assume both Tennis Channel and NBC.:huh: Maybe even ESPN. (I didn't know there was such a commentator shortage). No doubt his usual hobbyhorses will come up:
Other majors should switch to fifth set tiebreak - I agree but does he need to bring it up every match?
The state of US tennis and the need to get more of "our best athletes"
interested in the sport.
The need for umpires not to inject themselves into the match - it's as if he doesn't want rules enforced.
