Ah, the BBC. As part of the wimbledon fortnight as strawberries and cream, etc etc. In truth, the BBC have upped their game the last few years. <br /><br />Firstly, they have got some great commentators in. McEnroe and Tracey Austin stand out especially. Andrew Castle and Chris Bailey keep the ship steady. Boris Becker and Pat Cash once had a tendency to not bother finishing their sentences, but they have improved in the past few years out of sight. Old John Barrett must be looking over his shoulder, and thank God Virginia Wade’s droning voice is now a rarity. Michael Stich put in a good performance yesterday too. Another two they might try to pick off Eurosport are Mark Petchey and Lief Shiras, who are an excellent combo.<br /><br />Secondly, the interactive service is brilliant, especially early in the tournament. Skipping between matches, you can drop in here and there for set point after set point. Great fun. And nicely designed, too. <br /><br />Lastly, Sue Barker is now a seasoned host. She knows the game so well, and her links are concise and informative. The only shame is that McEnroe hops back to CBS for the second week. But he still does the highlights show, which John Inverdale runs with his usual smoothness.<br /><br />Oh, and there are no ads. Sometimes you just have to love the BBC. The Wimbledon team could teach the football panel a thing or two.
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