CRAIG CIGNARELLI SHARES HIS THOUGHTS RE: THE BRITISH GRASS TENNIS COURT SEASON & SUBJECTS…

Written by: Staff on 20th June 2015

CRAIG CIGNARELLI SHARES HIS THOUGHTS RE: THE BRITISH GRASS TENNIS COURT SEASON & SUBJECTS... |

Photo by Lovey.

THE BRITISH ARE COMING…FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE

In the early 1700’s, the British Empire was the center of global commercialism. At its height, it was the largest Empire in history – ruling over almost half a billion people – and for over a century, the foremost global power. As with all empires, however, there is always a deterioration of lands, of influence, and ultimately, of power. Of those formidable days, few things remain.

Very soon, we will witness a multitude of players competing upon Wimbledon’s lawns. They’ll represent America and India, Egypt and Australia, Germany and South Africa. They’ll offer different styles of play – serving and volleying, chipping through the blades, bashing backhands and finessing forehands with the sort of artistic nuance one comes to expect from the global population. At the end of the fortnight, someone will raise the trophy and it’s probably safe to assume he or she will not live in Leeds.

A few years back, a UK lad created his own Excalibur story, pulling the silver gilt cup from the grass to raise it above his head. It was the first time in seventy-seven years that a Brit had lifted the trophy. But is that true?

Amongst the younger generation, there’s little understanding of the historical implications of this tournament. In the stands, however, when you plop down next to an older chap with shade-bearing eyebrows and dental issues, a man who can accurately explain the process for loading a musket and how displays deference to a King, a gent who has courtside autographs from Fred Perry and Bunny Austin, when you speak with this man, history reveals itself.

You sense a level of frustration in the knowledge that, more often than not, British genes are probably involved when the gilt cup is raised and when one hoists the Rosewater dish. It’s as if the Brits want to take a bit of DNA credit for the championships. No, they no longer hold dominion over the world, but their spawn are out there, smacking balls against swimming pool walls and over metal nets atop some urban pavement in preparation for this seminal British event. For a time, the Brits pro-created with impunity, and now some other country is getting the street cred. It just doesn’t seem fair.

The truth is, the game is international now and new borders are popping up with greater regularity than political fundraisers. More than seventy nations will have representatives at the Championships this year and the chances of a British passport-bearer garnering the title is less likely than a return of the Blair Prime Ministership. Ministry? Minnie Mouse?

So, as we observe them slurping their strawberries and cradling their cream, while we mock their haughtiness and mangle their speech, when we lampoon their Royals and wonder what the hell happened to their cuisine, let’s try to remember that the British may play a more weighty role in our sport than our initial discernment might allow.

Editors Note : 10sballs’ very own GEEZER sat next to Bunny Austin one Wimbledon Ball. ( thanks to Judge Robert J. Kelleher ) . He was a fascinating and delightful dinner companion. To be a total tennis ” NERD ” and to be sitting with the man that wore the first pair of shorts at Wimbledon ? He showed the world his legs. Wow ! And to later meet & become “besties” with the other real WIMBLEDON clothing rebel Gorgeous Gussy Moran …. (LJ)

Topics: Craig Cignarelli, Sports, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

June 20, 2015 at 10:52 am

-@CraigCignarelli SHARES HIS THOUGHTS RE: THE BRITISH #GrassTennis COURT SEASON & SUBJECTS.. http://t.co/BEfRGhHjQM #tennis #WimbledonAwaits