You're a bit hard on the sports people ttbn.

To get to the top, even in team sports which require a cast of thousands, those who succeed have put in a great deal of effort & training. I don't hesitate to suggest that most top sporting people have put in a great deal more work than the traditional entertainers such as singers & actors.

I can't understand the spectator. You couldn't drag me to a tennis match, or a socker game, with all those thousands of people shouting & screaming every few seconds, but I did watch some of Barty's match, & admired her skill & attitude.

I have never been to a race meeting where I didn't drive, a yacht race where I wasn't sailing, but I did once attend a championship show jumping event. I went to try to find out why they were so good, & found it immediately. It was so obvious that they put in more work in training their horses & themselves than I ever would. I admired their dedication & result, but could not value it enough to ever emulate their effort myself.

I will continue to admire Barty, but also Kyrgios. Who knows how hard he is fighting to contain that which causes his outbursts. Contain that & their may be little left. Meanwhile I will admire all who attain, rather than sit in a stand & kibitz.

I didn't know that Barty was 'aboriginal' until the usual race-obsessed nutters blew their trumpets. She can't be celebrated and praised as the top player and, seemingly, a nice young Australian woman. No, the good old divisive race card has to be pulled out.

I've never been interested in mob spectator sports. OK to keep ancient Romans from causing trouble, but these days, if you can't do it yourself, watching others is pathetic, to me. I was a target shooter and glider pilot. No watching or being watched.

ttbn is, as always, the ray of sunshine and positivity.

The sport that doesn't get the recognition it deserves is Jelly Wrestling down at the Royal on a Friday night.

Ash Barty, is a very nice young Australian who plays very good tennis, my granddaughter is also a very nice young Australian who doesn't play very good tennis.

BTW Australia's greatest spokesperson was Phar Lap, never whinged once, even when he lost.

Time to wash the bong out for Paul 14.05 Klum from Nimbin.

Dan