It suddenly struck me that I hadn’t updated this page for a very long time! Apologies as I’m sure you have been checking everyday……
It’s an interesting period in the world of tennis sports broadcasting right now. Prime Video’s deal with the ATP and WTA ends this year and Sky Sports are poised to take over once more. Sky will be showing the US Open before unveiling full coverage at the start of 2024.
I have wonderful memories of those golden years on Sky when Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were all at the peak of their powers. We had a fabulous, close-knit team too and, hopefully, there will be an opportunity for some of us to work together again though in this ever-changing industry that is by no means certain. I also want to thank everyone I worked with at Prime. The production values were excellent as was their innovative technology that offered so much choice to the viewer.
The next few months promise to be very exciting. I’m off to Paris soon to work for Radio Roland Garros: do download the app and have a listen, I promise you won’t be disappointed. That’s followed by Wimbledon, the Open Golf and Women’s Open golf in early August with the brilliant team at IMG Audio by which time the football season will be upon us again.
I’ve also spent much of this year keeping an eye on my 17 year old son Luca who has been playing a number of junior ITF tournaments and did well in the 18 and under National Championships at the NTC, reaching the quarter-finals in the singles and semis in the doubles. Watching tennis at that level is a vivid illustration of what a brutal sport it can be. The physical demands, emotional highs and lows and constant need to improve are so draining. Luca is very good but there are some outstanding junior players in this country and around the world that make you fully appreciate how incredible those who finally make it as a pro are. I applaud them all. They demand so much respect.
I hope you enjoy a wonderful spring, should it ever arrive, and a long, hot summer. May Spurs hire a top-class manager and so persuade Harry Kane to stay and may all your sporting dreams come true.
May 2023