YOUR LETTERS

DEAR EDITOR, WITH all things tennis being in the news of late, the letter from a lady criticizing Nadal charging six million euros to feature in adverts promoting Majorca was a little naïve. Most well-known personalities will exploit their fame to promote almost anything for money. What amuses me is when they may advertise a cheap, small Korean car but privately drive a Ferrari or an Aston Martin! Be they tennis stars, footballers or whoever, their excuse will be that they have a “short” career - perhaps 10 to 15 years - so they must earn the maximum available. What would be interesting is to see from the millions they make each year, how much they give to charities .... 10 percent, 5 percent, 1 percent, nothing ....? The all-Spanish final at the Australian open between Nadal and Verdasco, an epic five hours (plus) match played in temperatures of around 40ºC does rather emphasise the difference between tennis players and football players - like separating the boys from the men. It has been calculated that in a football match, players only move flat out/maximum for a total of eleven minutes. Not that it would happen, but what a reward for the long-suffering public if football matches were played to a result for one team. Drawn at full time, extra time played to “golden goal” and if still no result, a penalty shoot out. Apart from the feast of entertainment for the spectators, football “stars” could actually start earning their huge salaries, endorsements, etc. Something else football could adopt from top line tennis is the video replay umpire/referee to cut out all those dodgy or outright wrong decisions that can, and do, totally affect the result of a match. Time football got into the 21st century!