Fans slam BBC for relegating champion to red button
The BBC has defended its Wimbledon coverage, after the reigning champion Roger Federer was bumped off BBC Two and onto the red button in favour of a Court 12 match between Britain’s Harriet Dart and the former world No 1 Katerina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic.
At one point, it appeared that the red button feed for Federer’s match against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic was not working, so anyone wanting to see the eight-time Wimbledon champion open his campaign on Centre Court was not able to, causing many fans to vent their outrage.
Federer won the first set in just 20 minutes. The second set took 40 and only midway through did the broadcaster put the match on BBC Two.
One fan, Joan Keevill, said: “I think you got that wrong, BBC Tennis! The quality on the red button is not a patch on the live stream and we all wanted to see Federer!”
“Are you kidding me?” said Joanne Wilson. “To get Federer on Centre Court I have to do the red button, then the blue button, but you have Court 12 on BBC2. Well done BBC, day 1 and your @Wimbledon coverage is already a joke.”
On BBC Two, 21-year-old Dart gave a strong performance against the seventh seed Pliskova, but lost the deciding set 6-1. The first set was won by Pliskova 7-6 and Dart had taken the second set 6-2.
A spokesperson for the BBC said: “We took the editorial decision to show Britain’s Harriet Dart play seventh seed Karolina Pliskova in full on BBC Two. Roger Federer against Dusan Lajovic was available from the beginning on BBC Red Button and was also shown on BBC Two from 1.45pm.”
The BBC has got off to a rocky start with its coverage this year, with Boris Becker swearing live on television before the tennis had even begun.
When asked a question by host Sue Barker on his Central African Republic diplomatic immunity saga Becker said: “That’s one thing my friends told me: ‘You b------, you don’t have to wait in line now!’”
Barker quickly apologised viewers, as Becker clasped mouth, realising his mistake. to his