Tennis 2021

[Harrowby Hall]

Thanks, Trent. Emma is a lovely player to watch, incredible speed across the court and great defence techniques. Amazing, as people are saying, for one so young. What is exciting is she has years ahead of her and for us all to enjoy.

Indeed. But I hope that she does not abandon the rest of her time and youth to tennis. She is clearly intelligent - it would be good for her to ensure that her further intellectual development is not sacrificed to her sporting achievements. Perhaps, in a couple of years time, she could take a sabbatical from her sporting life at one of our fine universities.

[Aruntraveller]

Indeed. But I hope that she does not abandon the rest of her time and youth to tennis. She is clearly intelligent - it would be good for her to ensure that her further intellectual development is not sacrificed to her sporting achievements. Perhaps, in a couple of years time, she could take a sabbatical from her sporting life at one of our fine universities.

I think that is unlikely. As a sport it does seem to consume the individuals. Once you're on the merry go round very difficult to get off.

[SusanDoris]

I'm delighted that Emma Raducanu is a British player, but I cannot find the answer as to why she is British. Her father was born in Rumania and her mother in China and there is no indication that her father is a naturalised Briton. Am I right in assuming therefore that her birth in Canada automatically gives her British citizenship?
Just curious.

[Harrowby Hall]

Why should you not accept that her parents settled in the UK and at the appropriate time decided to take British citizenship? if they considered that their futures would involve staying in the United Kingdom then acquiring British citizenship would be a natural coursr to follow.

As for Emma, she will have no recollection of her life in Canada and will be aculturated English. She is very fortunate to come from such a diverse background. She speaks at least three languages.

[ekim]

From Wikipedia:

"As a child, she participated in various sports and activities, including golf, karting, motocross, skiing, horse riding, tap dancing and ballet. She is a fan of Formula One.

Raducanu holds both British and Canadian citizenship. She speaks Mandarin, watches Taiwanese television shows and enjoys Romanian cuisine, courtesy of her Bucharest-based grandmother. "

I hope she can be symbol of unity rather than being 'claimed' by nationalities.

[jeremyp]

Indeed. But I hope that she does not abandon the rest of her time and youth to tennis. She is clearly intelligent - it would be good for her to ensure that her further intellectual development is not sacrificed to her sporting achievements. Perhaps, in a couple of years time, she could take a sabbatical from her sporting life at one of our fine universities.

If she wants to be the best she can be at tennis, that is unrealistic.

And so what? She's got maybe 20 years of playing tennis if injury doesn't get her first. There will be plenty of time for intellectual development after that.

[jeremyp]

I'm delighted that Emma Raducanu is a British player, but I cannot find the answer as to why she is British. Her father was born in Rumania and her mother in China and there is no indication that her father is a naturalised Briton. Am I right in assuming therefore that her birth in Canada automatically gives her British citizenship?
Just curious.

She's lived in Britain since she was two. I think that should be enough.

[SusanDoris]

Why should you not accept that her parents settled in the UK and at the appropriate time decided to take British citizenship? if they considered that their futures would involve staying in the United Kingdom then acquiring British citizenship would be a natural coursr to follow.

As for Emma, she will have no recollection of her life in Canada and will be aculturated English. She is very fortunate to come from such a diverse background. She speaks at least three languages.

Okay, but if the international aspect is the one to emphasise, why the constant reference to her being a brit?!

I think it is wonderful that nowadays so many relationships are multi-cultural etc, and I am so glad I have visited so many countries for longish periods of time so that I can get am understanding of the way of life there,  and, as JeremyP says, it doesn't make a difference to her sporting skill and her supreme talent for tennis, and to have several languages at your fingertips is to be mightily encouraged  but I was just curious as to the reason for her nationality.

ETA: Nationality still tends to be taken from the father. Is he a Rumanian or a Briton? No, it doesn't matter, but why shouldn't I be slightly curious, especially with all the details of Emma's life being made public and being of much interest to all.

[jeremyp]

Okay, but if the international aspect is the one to emphasise, why the constant reference to her being a brit?!

Good question. She is not representing there UK in most of the tournaments she plays in. I think it's just that people use nationality as one criterion for deciding who to support.

and, as JeremyP says, it doesn't make a difference to her sporting skill

Actually, where you live can have a huge effect on your sporting skill. For example, if you live in the USA as a child, you are unlikely to become a great cricket player. A fair number of top UK rugby players learned their rugby in New Zealand. Where you live as a child determines what sports are available to you and the quality of the coaching available.

[Harrowby Hall]

ETA: Nationality still tends to be taken from the father. Is he a Rumanian or a Briton? No, it doesn't matter, but why shouldn't I be slightly curious, especially with all the details of Emma's life being made public and being of much interest to all.

Why are you so concerned about this? Given the circumstances it seems likely that Emma'a parents have acquired British citizenship and in doing so ensured that their daughter did too.

[Udayana]

Okay, but if the international aspect is the one to emphasise, why the constant reference to her being a brit?!
...

People always heap all their hope, fears, successes and failures onto those who they think (mostly incorrectly) are representing them - if she succeeds they succeed, if she fails it is sad but it's due to her own deficiencies or bad luck.

My spin class leader is the exact image of Raducanu except that she is about 10 years older and olde-english white - not brown. They both look similar to thousands of Indian girls/women too. Despite tens of thousands of years of dispersal around the world and a possible couple of thousand generations, humans are not very diverse.

Tennis players do not represent nations but for those waving national statistics ancestry is irrelevant and only the legal nationality counts.  In fact we could easily, and correctly, state that both in the final were Canadians. 

[jeremyp]

9
People always heap all their hope, fears, successes and failures onto those who they think (mostly incorrectly) are representing them - if she succeeds they succeed, if she fails it is sad but it's due to her own deficiencies or bad luck.

As in

"Murray is the first Brit to win the mens' singles since Fred Perry"

"Scottish player, Andy Murray goes out in the first round in straight sets."

Tennis players do not represent nations but for those waving national statistics ancestry is irrelevant and only the legal nationality counts.  In fact we could easily, and correctly, state that both in the final were Canadians.

Raducanu has got dual citizenship, although, as she learned to play tennis in the UK, we have a slightly better spurious claim to her than Canada.

[SusanDoris]

Why are you so concerned about this? Given the circumstances it seems likely that Emma'a parents have acquired British citizenship and in doing so ensured that their daughter did too.

I am not in the least "concerned" as you put it. I just like to know what's what and if I think of a question, I like to know the answer; the true answer, not some randomobfuscating or intending to be put off,  one.

[Nearly Sane]

As in

"Murray is the first Brit to win the mens' singles since Fred Perry"

"Scottish player, Andy Murray goes out in the first round in straight sets."
Raducanu has got dual citizenship, although, as she learned to play tennis in the UK, we have a slightly better spurious claim to her than Canada.

She is both UKish and Canadian in that she has dual citizenship. It's her claim. Anything beyond that concerninv 'spurious' sounds a bit Farage.

[ProfessorDavey]

I must admit I find the notion of nationality to be far less important for individual sports. Sure we might get excited about Murray or Raducanu as they are a rare thing - british and successful. But beyond that I think we tend to like, or dislike, players on the basis of their type of play and their personality.

And actually on Raducanu I think there has been too much emphasis on the 'caveated' first british woman grand slam champion for 40+ years etc, when no caveat is needed. Realistically (and probably not exaggerating) Raducanu's achievement is the greatest rise from nowhere ever in tennis. Full stop. No need to caveat by nationality. No need to caveat by sex. Just the greatest - no other qualifier has even reached a final of a grand slam, let alone won it. And her WTA tour debut was in June. From what I can see she has only played in four proper WTA tour events.

[jeremyp]

She is both UKish and Canadian in that she has dual citizenship. It's her claim. Anything beyond that concerninv 'spurious' sounds a bit Farage.

She claims British and Canadian nationality and that is a true claim.

Our claim to her is spurious. We don't own her. Almost none of us contributed anything to her victory.

[jeremyp]

I must admit I find the notion of nationality to be far less important for individual sports. Sure we might get excited about Murray or Raducanu as they are a rare thing - british and successful. But beyond that I think we tend to like, or dislike, players on the basis of their type of play and their personality.

And actually on Raducanu I think there has been too much emphasis on the 'caveated' first british woman grand slam champion for 40+ years etc, when no caveat is needed. Realistically (and probably not exaggerating) Raducanu's achievement is the greatest rise from nowhere ever in tennis. Full stop. No need to caveat by nationality. No need to caveat by sex. Just the greatest - no other qualifier has even reached a final of a grand slam, let alone won it. And her WTA tour debut was in June. From what I can see she has only played in four proper WTA tour events.

Agreed.

First qualifier to win a major. That's all we need.

[ProfessorDavey]

Agreed.

First qualifier to win a major. That's all we need.

Indeed.

[Nearly Sane]

She claims British and Canadian nationality and that is a true claim.

Our claim to her is spurious. We don't own her. Almost none of us contributed anything to her victory.

Interesting take

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19577895.emma-raducanu-go-tell-us-really-need-know/

[ProfessorDavey]

Interesting take

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19577895.emma-raducanu-go-tell-us-really-need-know/

I think 'where are you going?' is a much more interesting question than 'where are you from?'.

[jeremyp]

Interesting take

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/19577895.emma-raducanu-go-tell-us-really-need-know/

Indeed. The trouble is that I don't think the people who revile immigrants think in such rational terms.

[Nearly Sane]

Meanwhile The Ball Boy, The Balls, and The Arse


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58569560

[jeremyp]

Meanwhile The Ball Boy, The Balls, and The Arse


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58569560

A little bit harsh I think.

[Nearly Sane]

Good win for Murray...



https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58645230

[Nearly Sane]

Another good win for Murray


https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58656261