Tennis is a ‘natural’ when it comes to television. The shape of the court fits our screens. The camera slows the ball so we can take in the skills impossible to catch when courtside. We can anticipate where Federer is about to place the ball almost as soon as he does.  Two performers can hold us enthralled for 3 hours or more.

And yet, in every hour the ball is in play for only 6 to 8 minutes! That’s a little over 15 minutes in a three hour match. So what keeps us so engaged? The body language. Djokivic bouncing the ball 15 times before serving, Nadal hitching his trousers, Federer twirling his raquet awaiting serve. We become  hugely expert in reading their expressions and their body language.

 We do not need to know the score, or to hear the  commentary, to tell us which player is totally positive,  performing with confidence, on the attack , winning the match.

It is the same for a pitch. The judges don’t need a score card or to hear your fine words. They can see, and sense, that you are winners. Or not.