Mixed Zone

A staple of sports journalism

Any sports journalist who has worked at a tournament or event knows that the words “mixed zone” can spark all sorts of feelings and memories — not many of them very good.

A mixed zone is just journalist lingo for an often cordoned off area near the pitch or court in a sports stadium, where the athletes meet reporters for questions. They are sometimes very useful, but can also be the least glamorous part of being a sports journalist.

Speaking with some colleagues this week, they remarked how nobody tells you how much of this job is spent waiting around in these areas. They’re completely right. Especially in a sport like tennis, where orders of play have few fixed timings, matches can range between 50 minutes and close to six hours and, when it comes to interviews pre-tournament, let’s just say schedules are flexible.

I have spent more of my life hanging around mixed zones than I would like to admit.