When pro tennis players decide it鈥檚 time to step off the court, some of them cross into commentary.
Here are some of their experiences of making the move, and their tips on being a good pundit:
Former players share their tips on being a good pundit.
Boris Becker: When the final starts at two o鈥檆lock you better be ready at two o鈥檆lock. My second career on telly, when the camera rolls, when the microphone is on, when I talk about a match, I have to be sure what I鈥檓 talking about. I have to be, you know, mentally prepared for it and I think that is similar to playing tennis.
Tim Henman: Well obviously when you鈥檙e going into the broadcasting side of tennis then it helps if you鈥檝e been involved in the game and hopefully you know what you鈥檙e talking about. A skill is, I guess it鈥檚 important to sound like you know what you鈥檙e talking about. I鈥檝e been lucky enough to work here for the 成人快手 for the last eleven or twelve years. Obviously we鈥檝e got a great subject, which is the best tournament in the world. We鈥檝e got the best players in the world and again, I don鈥檛 feel like it鈥檚 a job. I don鈥檛 feel like I鈥檝e ever had a real job. I鈥檝e always had a hobby and this falls into that same bracket.
Annabel Croft: I think I have applied my skills. As a tennis player I was very, very tunnel vision, very focused, very dedicated. I always was somebody that wanted to get the best out of myself. So I鈥檝e transferred all that into broadcasting because every time I鈥檝e worked in broadcasting, whatever area it is, if it鈥檚 making speeches or it鈥檚 hosting a show or you鈥檙e commentating on different players. I go that extra distance to try and make sure that I鈥檓 fully prepared for everything that I do and that would be exactly the same if I wanted to play a tennis match.
The pros top tips:
- Be prepared: preparation is key, as Boris Becker says. You need to be completely ready by the time the camera or microphone switches on: 鈥淲hen the finals starts at two o鈥檆lock you鈥檇 better be ready at two o鈥檆lock.鈥
- Do your best: Tracy Austin says that it鈥檚 important to not dwell too long on any mistakes you make and just do the best you can every single day: 鈥淚t鈥檚 about having a tough day and still picking up your boot straps and saying OK I鈥檓 going to go out tomorrow and still go after it with 100% effort.鈥
- Know what you鈥檙e talking about: Tim Henman says it can help to have been involved in the sport or to have a good knowledge of it to start with, but above all else, you need 鈥渢o sound like you know what you are talking about.鈥
This article was published in July 2019
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