WIMBLEDON 2010: Women's Semifinals Preview

BY Mad Professah

Here are my predictions for the women's semifinals at the Wimbledon Championships for 2010. This Wimbledon is very special for me, because it will be one where I will finally visit the All-England Tennis Club for the first time.

I previously predicted the women's quarterfinals and was right in 2 of 4 matches.

Serena Williams USA (1) vs Petra Kvitova CZE. This match could be trickier than it looks on paper. Although I predicted this match up, not playing her best tennis and experiencing movement difficulties. The two have played once before, in the second round of this year's Australian Open, with Serena winning a straight sets match which was closer than the 6-1 6-2 scoreline. Kvitova is a lefty, and has a good serve and powerful groundstrokes. She's also a good mover. But with Serena serving up an average of a dozen aces per match, she is practically unbeatable. This match will be closer, but the end result will be the same, with Serena Williams the overwhelming favorite to reach her third consecutive Wimbledon Ladies' final and win her fourth Wimbledon singles title.
PREDICTION: Serena in 2 sets.

Venus Williams USA (2) Tsvetana Pironkova BUL vs. Vera Zvonareva RUS (21).One of the most stunning upsets in Wimbledon history occurred earlier this week when 5-time Wimbledon champion lost in straight sets to the unheralded Bulgarian. Pironkova is dangerous, with tricky spin and deceptive power, but clearly she can be overpowered. Venus hit 29 unforced errors in 17 games of tennis (but she also hit 22 winners). The problem was with her feet, which got her to balls late (or early) causing her to hit them feet out of the court. Zvonareva has long been one of my favorites (so is Kuznetsova) but there's no question that she's a headcase. Getting through a 3-set slugfest with Kim Clijsters was an excellent result for the Russian. It's possible that Venus' loss today and Clijsters' win yesterday were the bigger factors in the Belgian's defeat in the quarterfinal. The two have played once before, last year on hard courts in Moscow after Zvonareva had been out for months with a tn ankle injury and Pironkova won easily in straight sets. That will not be the case this time. Zvonareva deserves to win this match and I believe she will. PREDICTION: Zvonareva in 3 sets.

Quote For The Day

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"That's [Tomas Berdych's] game. He took a lot of chances, you know. I tried to slice it; I tried to play aggressive. You know, first you just want to try to make the returns.

"But, you know, I mean, I had my chances. I don't think I needed to change much. The way I returned, this match I could have won as well, you know.

"But, uhm, I was just not playing well enough. And when he had to, he was able to come up with some good stuff, you know. But I definitely gave away this match, I feel." --Roger Federer

::

Guess I watched a different match, because the match I saw, Berdych took the victory, Raja didn't give it away. Certainly not the way Alejandro Falla gave away the match in the first round.

But what do I know?

WombleTown: ‘Surly Fed’ and the Case of the Linguistic Warthogs

PA

 

It’s a sorry state of affairs when a presser assumes more importance than a Wimbledon QF featuring the world’s best player being played on Centre Court.

 

Even sorrier when those contending it are Rafa and Sod. One of the most tantalising rivalries of our age.

 

But that’s exactly what happened today.

 

Some time after his defeat today, and some way into the Rafa/Sod QF,  details of Fed’s “surly presser” as it’s now known, began to emerge.

 

Judging by the reaction it garnered on Twitter, you’d almost think he’d begun extolling the virtues of cannibalism. Baby cannibalism.

 

The effect was as overwhelming as it was immediate. Suddenly, no one cared when Rafa got cheated out of being allowed to replay a point Hawkeye had ruled in Sod’s favour, but one in which he, nonetheless, got a racquet on the ball – a disagreement that saw him get more unhinged than I’ve ever seen.

 

No one seemed to care Sod almost got his way with….how-you-say….an opportune injury timeout. A situation, Rafa thankfully righted by winning the set.

 

No siree, it was all about Federer and his newly stated intention to boil babies for a living. Or, you know, this:

 

Q. How do those physical things affect you the most?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, when you're hurting, it's just a combination of many things. You know, you just don't feel as comfortable. You can't concentrate on each and every point because you do feel the pain sometimes. And, uhm, yeah, then you tend to play differently than the way you want to play.
Under the circumstances I think I played a decent match, you know. But I've been feeling bad for the last two, three matches now. It's just not good and healthy to play under these kind of conditions, you know.
So if there's anything good about this it's I'm gonna get some rest, that's for sure.
Q. Some of these big, flat hitters seem to be having an effect on you. Do you need to alter your game to adjust to that?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, if I'm healthy I can handle those guys, you know. Obviously it's a pity that Del Potro is not around, because I think he would have a run at world No. 1 or a run at another Grand Slam. It's unfortunate for him.
But, you know, he's been playing well, and these guys do play very well. I played these guys 10 times. They're not going to reinvent themselves in a year, you know.
But I'm definitely struggling at the moment. That's a bit disappointing.

…

Q. I wonder if you think this might be his [Murray] year, given some of the really threatening players haven't been doing so well this year.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, true, Rafa played terribly lately; Soderling is not a threat either. He's got an easy ride to this victory, that's for sure. Djokovic can't play tennis anymore it seems like.
Got to make your own work, please. Respect the players. Obviously Andy is a fantastic player and he's got all the chances to win here. We all know that.

 

 

Let’s deal with the last question first, partly because it provoked the most controversy, partly because it’s the easiest to tackle.

 

Sarcasm people. As caustic as hell. And yet, it’s evidently still lost on some people. People with the reading age of a 6 year old and the comprehension of a warthog.

 

People that have no business reading press conference transcripts. And certainly no business professing opinions about them. It’s rather closer to opinionated misinformation at any rate.

 

You’d think Fed’s appeal to the assembled hacks to “make you own work” and to “respect the players” would have caused the penny to drop.

 

And drop it did, but it sure took it’s time – and not before making one last bid for immortality by claiming Fed’s snarky remarks were actually a sophisticated ruse – a verbal smokescreen that enables him to say whatever he wants about other players whilst providing him with the very viable, very protective cover of irony.

 

But what do they know? These are Neanderthal-cum-conspiracy-theorists we’re dealing with. The same people that claimed my cat shot JFK. Which of course he did.

 

But what of those injuries? There was a less hawkish feeling prevalent throughout the day from what I’d guess you’d call the mainstream – a feeling that this portion of Fed’s presser wasn’t entirely what the situation called for, something they, frankly, found a little disappointing.

 

I’ve no desire to defend this. I found it a little disappointing too.

 

The unrelenting, brazen-faced assault TBerd waged today warranted, nay, DEMANDED respect. More respect than a conventional nod to his talent alloyed with a litany of Fed’s own physical complaints.

 

How many opponents he’s vanquished over the years have played through similar complaints? And perhaps more importantly, how many times has he done so?

It doesn’t seem like him. Nor is it like Venus ("I don't talk about injuries ever").

 

Like Venus, I subscribe to the school of thought says if you’re fit enough to play, you’re fit enough to lose without mention of injury.

 

As to his claim of being able to “handle those guys [big hitters]” – there is some truth in that: up to a point, it’s long been my belief that Fed handles pace better than anyone else on tour. Up to a point.

 

Beyond that threshold, “The Delpo-Sod Barrier”, I don’t believe anyone can. Not in this form. You weather the storm and hope for, pray for it to relent. You don’t try and “handle it” unless you want to get burned.

 

What’s quite revealing however is within minutes of the “surly presser” he’d talked to the BBC, this time extolling the virtues of TBerd’s play, how he was outplayed by Falla (taking care to emphasise the absence of any physical niggles) and focussing more on what life will be like outside of the top spot.

 

He had similar unqualified praise for Sod’s win over him in RG.

 

So maybe it’s not as sinister as it seems after all. After what I witnessed on my twitter feed today, I know there’s an element that will seek to advance it’s cause at any cost.

 

But we should be able to call him on it. Whether it was the grumpiness that might understandably come from dropping to number three in the world after one of the worst losses of his career, or a simple off-court miscue, Fed had no business going there.

 

It wasn’t a great day for him either on or off the court – but we’ve no business shooting him down for it. Even though my cat might.

WIMBLEDON 2010: Men's Quarterfinals Preview

Here are my predictions for the men's quarterfinals at the Wimbledon Championships for 2010.

(By the time you read this I will be in the air from LAX to London Heathrow on my way to Wimbledon. Depending on the vagaries (and expenses) of internet access, I may or may not have semifinals predictions for the men's and women's draws tomorrow.)

Roger Federer SUI (1) vs. Tomas Berdych CZE (12). The 6-time champion had started off his quest for a record 7th title weakly but in his last two matches his game has looked strong. Berdych is a very talented, huge serving, huge hitting 6'5" Czech player who has already beaten Federer once this year (even though he needed 5 match points to do it). He is a very similar player to Robin Soderling who beat Federer at this same stage of the tournament at the French Open a month ago, although possibly Berdych is not as good a mover as Soderling (which he demonstrated by beating Berdych in Paris). Before beating Federer earlier this year in Miami, Berdych had lost 8 straight times to Federer, including once at the 2006 Wimbledon. The Mighty Fed will find a way to win. PREDICTION: Federer in 4 sets.

Andy Roddick USA (5) Yen-Hsun Lu TPE vs. Novak Djokovic SRB (3). This is Novak Djokovic's dream draw and Andy Roddick's nightmare. Roddick lost to the unseeded player from Taipei despite losing his serve only once, a repeat of what happened in his loss last year inthe thrilling final against Federer. This time, however, Roddick was much less aggressive at attacking his opponent's serve and mentally was only able to hold his serve until the 16th game of the 5th set, not the thirtieth game like last year, nowhere near the amazing 138th game thatNicolas Mahut was able to do in his jaw-dropping performance against John Isner. Some wags were flogging Lleyton Hewitt's chances of penetrating deep into the draw, since the Aussie had finally ended his 16-match drought against Federer last week by winning the grass court title in Halle. I was not one of them. Djokovic is the #3 best player in the world, and made sure that Hewitt knew it. By the end of this match, Lu will know it as well. PREDICTION: Djokovic in 3 sets.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga FRA (10) vs. Andy Murray GBR (4). This match should be the highlight of the 2010 Men's Quarterfinals. Tsonga and Murray have only played three times, with Murray leading 2-1. That one loss came at the 2008 Australian Open, where Tsonga made his breakthrough to his first major final, eventually losing to Djokovic. There's no question that Tsonga has the weapons to beat Murray. This match should come down to the intangibles, which for Murray at Wimbledon are always difficult to evaluate. Does the fact that the British crowd will be overwhelmingly in his favor help him over the hump to victory, or will their outsize expectations smother his chances? I think it is no coincidence that the two places that Murray has reached major finals (Melbourne 2010 and New York 2008) were in cities where he does not carry the weight of a nation on his shoulders. Last year, he was curiously flat against Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon semifinals. I had picked him to win that match last year but this time I think if the match gets "complicated" it will be the Frenchman who will come out on top. Murray is the only player in the draw not to drop a set and it's possible (but unlikely) that this will happen again. PREDICTION: Murray in 3 sets or Tsonga in 4 or 5 sets.

Robin Soderling SWE(6) vs. Rafael Nadal ESP (2). This is a repeat of the 2010 Men's Final at Roland Garros where Nadal did not lose a set for the entire tournament. There's no question in my mind that the Spaniard is the greatest clay court player of all time. But this match-up is on grass, and of course, these two have a troubled history at Wimbledon. In 2007 the two played a much-delayed 5-set match over 5 days where Soderling made a fool of himself by mocking Nadal's quirks. He has since apologized. Up until his previous round's 5-set match against David Ferrer, Soderling had not dropped a single set in this tournament, the only top player (besides Murray) to have done so. Another problem for Nadal is that he has been troubled this tournament by two youthful, big servers in Robin Haase of the Netherlands and Philipp Petzschner of Germany. Soderling can not only serve regularly in the 130 mph range but he can back it up with power on both wings. But then again, if Ferrer gave Soderling that much trouble and his game is really a weak imitation of Nadal's then surely Nadal will give Soderling trouble as well. Out of the Top 4, I think Soderling (and Tsonga if he can stay healthy) are the most likely to break through to a major title in the near term. Here is where Sodelring will need to show if he can get through Nadal (and later, possibly Federer) to do it. I think he has a fairly decent chance of succeeding. PREDICTION: Soderling in 3 or 4 sets, Nadal in 5 sets.

WombleTown: The Answer to Life, The Universe and Everything is….82. Apparently.

 

 

Yesterday the 82nd ranked Lu downed the ARod in five. Today the 82nd ranked Pironkova downed five time champ and world #2 Venus Williams for a place in the semis.

 

If the numbers really have it, then I’d say the number is 82.

 

I’m sure I’m the eighty-second-best-in-the-world at something. And I intend spending the rest of the week finding out exactly what. Procrastination probably. Which means I’ll likely never know.

 

AP

 

I know I’m meant to say horrible things about V and the remainder of her career and yeah, for someone of her calibre, it was a truly shocking display.

 

But here’s my difficulty. During the match, constant references were being made to the “fine display of tennis” Pironkova was putting on, without truly emphasising how far off base Venus was.

 

Pironkova deserves every possible accolade coming to her and likely many others that aren’t. Like Lu yesterday, never once did Tsveta flinch from taking her opportunities, never once did she appear overawed by the enormity of the occasion and never once did she let the aura of either her opponent or Centre Court get in the way.

 

Now the ugly side of things: 29 UFEs from V (a number only kept that low because of how quickly it was all over) and being taken to break point in every one of her service games in set two.

 

“I just didn’t get enough balls in today,” said Williams. “I let it spiral and didn’t get any balls in. I had a lot of opportunities, a lot of short balls and I seemed to hit each one out.

“If there was a shot to miss, I think I missed it. … I didn’t bring my best tennis today.”

 

And now back to the problematic side of things.

 

After the match was over there was the usual sustained bout of hand wringing over how poorly V played, with some suggesting she might never win another Major again and some even calling for her retirement.

 

Somewhere amongst the chaotic deluge of Schadenfreude and opinionated misinformation lies a rational sentiment trying to fight it’s way out. So far I haven’t been able to find it.

 

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Venus either played a shockingly poor match which then, like it or not, simply has to have a bearing on your assessment of Pironkova’s very deserved victory.

 

Or, she simply had a bad day (like many other top seeds at this event) against an unflinching, unwavering up-and-comer who knew the value of taking her chances - in which case we shouldn’t be calling for either her retirement or for her head.

 

So which is it? You sure as sh*t can’t have it both ways.

 

***

 

Yet again, the Belgian performance leaves me with many questions, a certain amount of confusion and some concern.

 

PA

 

When Kimmie’s on (and to be fair she usually is) she can sweep through the opposition and beat the Williamses back-to-back en route to winning a Slam.

 

When she’s not (and there’s been a fair few of those moments too), she can fall in a flat 6-0, 6-1 defeat to Petrova and look desperately ineffective against Bepa - both of whom being players she should beat.

 

I was backing Bepa. I have my reasons (too much talent, not always in control - fan for life).

 

But if I’m being honest, Bepa simply kept her nerve and went through the motions after dropping the first set. Much in the way Kimmie went through hers against Henin yesterday.

 

All this leaves us with Serena/Kvitova and Bepa/Pironkova as our Wimbledon semi-finalists for 2010. 

 

If you were the 82nd best bookie in the world you’d have had a pretty decent shot at calling that.

WIMBLEDON 2010: Women's Quarterfinals Preview

By Mad Professah

Here are my predictions for the women's quarterfinals at the Wimbledon Championships for 2010.

Serena Williams USA (1) vs Na Li CHN (9). The only year this century that there has not been a Williams sister in the Wimbledon final was 2006 (Mauresmo beat Henin) and that fluke will not be repeated in 2010. Li Na is one of my favorite players (my dog is named after her!) and is an excellent grass-court tennis player. She won the warm-up tournament in Birmingham this year (defeating Maria Sharapova) and is the first Chinese player in the world's top 10. These two players met in the Australian Open semifinals this year, after Li had beaten Venus Williams in the quarterfinals and Serena beat Li in a very tight match (in two tiebreak sets) despite not playing her best tennis and experiencing movement difficulties. Serena looks 100% at Wimbledon right now and is serving like a woman on a mission. She has yet to drop a set in this year's tournament (not even against Maria Sharapova, who beat her in the 2004 final) and is unlikely to do so on her inexorable march to Saturday's women's final for the third consecutive year. PREDICTION: Serena in 2 sets.

Caroline Wozniacki DEN (3) Petra Kvitova CZE vs. Kaia Kanepi EST. This is the "anonymous" quarterfinal which will probably not get any television coverage. However, it should be a barn burner. Kvitova has ended her last two matches by bagelling her opponents, World #3 Caroline Wozniacki and former Top 10 Victoria Azarenka. The only person she has lost a set to is last year's semifinalist Zheng Jie. Kaia Kanepi is no joke either, and has long been regarded as a player to watch. Both players simply crush the ball on both wings. However, they are both in uncharted territory playing in their first Grand Slam quarterfinal with a chance to reach a major semifinal for the first time (where they are likely to face defending champion Serena Williams). I believe Kvitova is ready to reach that level. PREDICTION: Kvitova in 3 sets.

Kim Clijsters BEL (8) vs. Vera Zvonareva RUS (21) Jelena Jankovic SRB (4). Many, many commentators were salivating over the 4th round clash between the "Belgian sisters"--their first meeting in a major since they both un-retired. Before that sabbatical, Clijsters had a very unremarkable 2-5 record against Henin and only had won one major (and did not face her nemesis) t her rival's seven. Since their return Clijsters has won another major and has beaten Justine all three times they met. It appears as if the 18-month gap of parenthood and maturity have done wonders for Clijsters' mental toughness. Mental toughness are NOT two words one associates with Vera Zvonareva. She was in the process of demolishing World #4 Jelena Jankovic when the Serbian fell on the court and retired from their 4th round match soon after. Zvonareva has great weapons, but as Svetlana Kuznetsova and Dinara Safina have repeatedly demonstrated, the most important weapon in a player's arsenal is not one that can be developed in the gym or the practice court. PREDICTION: Clijsters in 2 sets.

Venus Williams USA (2) vs. Tsvetana Pironkova BUL Marion Bartoli FRA (11). Mademoiselle Marion Bartoli did not hold up her half of the bargain to have this quarterfinal be a repeat of the 2007 Women's final by losing in two tight sets to Pironkova. Venus was relatively lucky herself to slip past hard-hitting Aussie Jarmila Groth in two very close sets. Pironkova and Venus have played before, most notably at the 2006 Australian Open where the Bulgarian bounced the American out of the tournament in the 2nd round, winning 9-7 in the third set. I'd be shocked if Venus allows Pironkova to win 9 games in the entire match this time. PREDICTION: Venus in 2 sets.

WombleTown: South West London Guide to Road Travel

 

 

Nole, Berdych and Sod all took the “non-scenic” route through (four, four and five sets resp.).

 

Fed, Rafa and Muzz, the “no-nonsense” route.

 

ARod got bogged down somewhere along the M4/M25 interchange, and didn’t get through at all.

 

 

Sod hadn’t dropped a set in reaching this point. Today against Ferrer, he dropped TWO.

 

I’ve long maintained his theoretical prowess on grass – the guys a Kraken on fast, indoor  courts: you would expect some of that, at least, to translate to grass. Yet, until today, along with Kolya, he’d not ever been beyond the fourth round here.

 

All that might be about to change, but if he plays like he did today, I suspect he won’t be around for very long.

 

Masha’s stay here is at an end after going down to Serena in straights in a match where Williams, funnily enough, didn’t play her best tennis. This, after looking like the #1 player she is since the start of the event.

 

And with that ends a short-lived experimental shift in allegiance. It’s not often I root against the Williamses – but Masha looked to me to be playing her best tennis since her return from injury, and I thought the underdog could do with the support.

 

Kimmie/Juju, by contrast, was a horrible let down. I’ve no idea what led to the loss in confidence that was very evident from Juju midway through set two. But it allowed Kimmie back into the match and she eventually sealed the win doing little more than simply going through her very decisive motions. God only knows what would have happened with Serena at the other end.

 

And what of Bartoli (6-4, 6-4 to Pironkova), CazWoz (6-0 6-2 to Kaia Kanepi) and ARod (five sets to Lu)?

 

That first round win Kanepi had over Stosur is, now, looking slightly less of an upset, though I find ARod, and indeed Bartoli, the more troubling.

 

Both, remember, are Wimbledon finalists here, Roddick three times over.

 

"But through three sets I was playing horrendously, I mean really, really badly. I mean, to the point where I was trying to think of how to put balls in the court," added the American, whose face was partly shaded by a red baseball cap.

…

"I didn't get broken for five sets. It wasn't my serve. It wasn't my service games," he snapped.

"It was my returning. That was crap. It was really bad. I haven't been broken since the first set against (Michael) Llodra (in the second round)."

Roddick also had a terse response when asked by a journalist if he was going to be disappointed when he woke up in the morning.

"I'm going to be thrilled. I mean, c'mon. Of course I'm going to be pissed off when I wake up tomorrow. I mean, if you got fired from your job, you probably wouldn't wake up the next day in a great mood," he said.

-- Reuters

 

If week one’s taught us anything, it’s that no one, not even the top seeds, can always be relied on to pull out a straight sets win. Some would go so far as to say that it’s actually good to detox through these types of matches early on.

 

But all that relies on the caveat that your form, however wavering, is built upon some semblance of working parts – “crap returning”, unlike, say, a poor first serve percentage, is more like a spanner in the works.

 

A real shame, it’s not often you can call Roddick for passive shot selection.

 

Had he had been half as inspired as his opponent was out there today, he might even have put him away in four– he certainly ought to have done so in five.

 

As should Bartoli – a ragged three set win might not perhaps have been the scenic route through – it would, however, have been  infinitely preferable to the pile-up that comes of going down 6-4, 6-4 to a relative journeywoman (do we have those?).

 

I don’t need to have seen the match to tell you how “crap” that is too.

Wimbledon 2010 Middle Sunday Tirade

by Craig Hickman


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Not a tirade at all. Just a bit of melodrama to perk up your ears. Not as though I have a whole lot to say, mind you. But it's Wimbledon. My favorite tournament. I ought to, no?

It was an eventful week. The Queen of England made a rare appearance. Defending champion Roger Federer almost lost in the first round. (Lleyton Hewitt had to be praying.) Victoria Azarenka keeps proving me right. Andy Roddick keeps proving me wrong. Victor Hanescu was defaulted after losing his mind because a fan was allowed to keep insulting his sick mother and he wasn't having it. Svetlana Kuznetsova's slide continues. Unheralded 29-year-old Jurgen Melzer is into the second week of a Slam for the second consecutive Slam for the first two times is his career. Unheralded 23-year-old Jarmila Groth is into the second week of a Slam for the second consecutive Slam for the first two times in her career. And John Isner and Nicolas Mahut played such a legendary match that it ended up as the No. 1 segment on Countdown with Keith Olbermann after it finally finished 70-68 in the final set. 70-68.

I still can't wrap my mind around that.


I can wrap my mind around this, though: the round of 16 match between Tsvetana Pironkova and Marion Bartoli steals the show for the most anticipated round of 16 match in either draw.

I'm serious.

See, Pironkova is a pit bull who can hit the cover off the ball as well as anyone. But she's frail. Unless she's not. Then, she'll kick you in your teeth no matter what your name. Love. That.

Getty

Bartoli is, well, Bartoli. Grass is her favorite surface. When's she's firing on all cylinders, well. I will never forget the way she tore apart Justine Henin the last time Henin played this event back in oh-seven. I'll never forget the extended ovation the fans extended to a player who put on one of the best grass-court displays for the better part of two sets that the stadium had ever seen. I'll never forget how I felt that I'd just seen something utterly remarkable.
,
I'm serious.

Not because I think it takes some superhuman feat to beat Henin on grass. It doesn't. But the way Bartoli went about it can only be appreciated for its remarkability in the witnessing. I really can't begin to describe it.

I understood the fan's extended ovation.

So.

If both of these players bring their A-games and compete as though their egos depend upon it, then we're in for something special. Remarkable. Unpredictable.

If I had to pick a match on the men's side that had the potential to produce the kind of fireworks mentioned above, I would pick, half-halfheartedly, the tussle between Paul-Henri Mathieu and Rafael Nadal. Though I do find it intriguing that Federer and Melzer have never played before....

This is your Wimbledon 2010 Day 7 Open Thread.

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Order of Play for Monday 28 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Roger Federer (SUI) [1] vs Jurgen Melzer (AUT) [16]
2. Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs Maria Sharapova (RUS) [16]
3. Sam Querrey (USA) [18] vs Andy Murray (GBR) [4]

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Kim Clijsters (BEL) [8] vs Justine Henin (BEL) [17]
2. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [3] vs Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) [15]
3. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Jarmila Groth (AUS) vs Venus Williams (USA) [2]
2. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [3] vs Petra Kvitova (CZE)
3. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) vs Andy Roddick (USA) [5]

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Vera Zvonareva (RUS) [21] vs Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [4]
2. Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32] vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [10]
3. Robin Soderling (SWE) [6] vs David Ferrer (ESP) [9]

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Na Li (CHN) [9] vs Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [7]
2. Tomas Berdych (CZE) [12] vs Daniel Brands (GER)

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) vs Marion Bartoli (FRA) [11]
2. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) vs Kaia Kanepi (EST)

Wimbledon 2010 Day 6 Open Thread

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Serena Williams of the United States prepares to serve during in her match against Slovakia's Dominikova Cibulkova at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon, Saturday, June 26, 2010.

::

Order of Play for Saturday 26 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)
2. Philipp Petzschner (GER) [33] vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]
3. Gilles Simon (FRA) [26] vs Andy Murray (GBR) [4]

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Robin Soderling (SWE) [6] vs Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) [25]
2. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) vs Maria Sharapova (RUS) [16]
3. Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs Sam Querrey (USA) [18]

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Sara Errani (ITA) [32] vs Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [7]
2. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [3] vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [29]
3. Tobias Kamke (GER) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [10]

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) vs David Ferrer (ESP) [9]
2. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) [10] vs Klara Zakopalova (CZE)
3. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) [31] vs Kaia Kanepi (EST)

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Petra Kvitova (CZE) vs Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [14]
2. Na Li (CHN) [9] vs Anastasia Rodionova (AUS)
3. Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32]

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START
1. Ladies’ Doubles match
2. Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs Thiemo De Bakker (NED)

Wimbledon 2010 Day 5 Open Thread

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A worker sprays her face with water prior to play on Day Five of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 25, 2010 in London, England.

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Which match on the top two show courts are you looking most forward to watching today?

Order of Play for Friday 25 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Justine Henin (BEL) [17] vs Nadia Petrova (RUS) [12]
2. Gael Monfils (FRA) [21] vs Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) [15]
3. Roger Federer (SUI) [1] vs Arnaud Clement (FRA)

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [3] vs Albert Montanes (ESP) [28]
2. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) [26] vs Venus Williams (USA) [2]
3. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [29] vs Andy Roddick (USA) [5]

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Kim Clijsters (BEL) [8] vs Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [27]
2. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) [28] vs Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [4]
3. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [22] vs Jurgen Melzer (AUT) [16]

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Greta Arn (HUN) vs Marion Bartoli (FRA) [11]
2. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) [15] vs Vera Zvonareva (RUS) [21]
3. Tomas Berdych (CZE) [12] vs [B]Denis Istomin (UZB) [/B]

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [13] vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)
2. Angelique Kerber (GER) vs Jarmila Groth (AUS)
3. Victor Hanescu (ROU) [31] vs Daniel Brands (GER)

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Thiemo De Bakker (NED) vs John Isner (USA) [23]
2. Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) vs Regina Kulikova (RUS)
3. Florian Mayer (GER) vs Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)

70-68

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The match that would never end finally did. John Isner notched the victory, but both he and Nicolas Mahut, who was so gutted after t players deserved every accolade received, including the special presentation by the AELTC after the match. Savannah summarizes the extraordinary event with her usual aplomb.

The story wasn't just covered on the front pages of newspapers across the globe, it also received coverage in segments on political shows.

Tennis. Politics. These are a few of my favorite things.

Great day for the sport.

WombleTown: ‘In Search of Lost Break Points’ and other Proustian Endeavours (Epilogue)

 

 

» Longest match ever played (11 hrs 5 mins)

» Longest set ever played (8 hrs and 11 mins, itself longer than the previous longest match)

» Most games in a set (138)

» Most games in a match (183)

» Most aces served in a match by one player (Isner 112)

» Total aces served in a match (215 - Isner 112 + Mahut 103)

 

It will never be repeated again. Should it?

 

Andy Roddick bought and hand delivered a bucket of Italian food to John Isner last night.

 

I’m hoping a bunch of French players buckled down and did something similar for Mahut.

 

With their World Cup dream in tatters and their squad, by the sounds of it, in shambles, I’d say France could do with a hero right now. And they could do a lot worse than Nicolas Mahut,

 

I was backing Mahut if that’s not already obvious. Nothing against Izzy but I felt the height advantage and that of serving first meant the numbers were stacked against Nico from the get-go. Whenever that was.

 

I suspect only tennis nerds knew this match was even happening when it started out on court 18 a couple of days ago.

 

By the close of play yesterday, even Izzy’s fumes were running on fumes.

 

2 days, 11 hours and 16,000 calories later we have a result.

 

 

To those that say “it’s just not cricket”, or even tennis, for that matter, I say you’re absolutely right.

 

You may or may not believe in mandatory tie-breaks at 30 or even 50 all, but what we saw over the last couple of days transcends not just tennis, but sport itself.

Was there some bravado, just a little bit of machismo at play out there during the match do you think? Taking some pride in it’s length and perhaps wanting it continue? Probably.

 

Not that I care very much.

 

There really are no words to describe the mental resolve that sees you come out and hold serve 70 times.

 

And even less to describe the unadulterated guts that sees you play catch up 68 times.

 

 

At the conclusion of every game a deliciously poker-faced Mohammed Lahyani would read out the farcical scoreline. Never once did he lose control. Never once did it ever seem any less surreal. Like some Summer School workshop in Absurdist Humour.

 

What was perhaps more astonishing was that by the end of it, it was known as much for it’s shotmaking and net play as it was for those big serves.

 

You know your sport has broken new ground when it makes the main headlines, second only to England winning their crucial World Cup match.

 

Right in the thick of it yesterday, the soothing voice of Sue Barker could be heard assuring us that our “regular TV schedule would be restored at the conclusion of this match” (Good luck with that).

 

I couldn’t snap out of it. I didn’t snap out of it, choosing, or perhaps being chosen to, remain transfixed by this bizarre vision of tennis purgatory.

 

But normal service is indeed, now, being restored.

 

 

Whilst ‘Mahisner’ were thrashing it out on court 18, AbFab came through a five setter of his own next door on court 17.

 

The eyebrows still have it.

 

Now who or what will frame their fearful symmetry?

Her Majesty

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Queen Elizabeth II is greeted by tennis world No. 1 Serena Williams and world No. 2 Roger Federer as she attends the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships on Day 4 at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 24, 2010 in London, England. It is the first visit by Queen Elizabeth II to the Championships in 33 years.

::

This is your Wimbledon 2010 Day 4 Open Thread.

Order of Play for Thursday 24 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Andy Murray (GBR) [4]
2. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [3] vs Kai-Chen Chang (TPE)
3. Robin Haase (NED) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) vs Maria Sharapova (RUS) [16]
2. Robin Soderling (SWE) [6] vs Marcel Granollers (ESP)
3. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [13] vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [10]
2. Florent Serra (FRA) vs David Ferrer (ESP) [9]
3. Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
4. Na Li (CHN) [9] vs Kurumi Nara (JPN)

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Gilles Simon (FRA) [26] vs Illya Marchenko (UKR)
2. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) vs Victoria Azarenka (BLR) [14]
3. Ivan Dodig (CRO) vs Sam Querrey (USA) [18]
4. Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) vs Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [19]

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Alberta Brianti (ITA) vs Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [7]
2. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) [10] vs Monica Niculescu (ROU)
Not before 3.30 pm
3. Nicolas Mahut (FRA) vs John Isner (USA) [23] 120 T/F 4/6 6/3 7/6(7) 6/7(3) 59/59
4. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) and Bobby Reynolds (USA) vs Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [2]

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Martin Fischer (AUT) vs Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) [25]
2. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) [24] vs Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)
3. Philipp Petzschner (GER) [33] vs Lukasz Kubot (POL)
4.

COURT 8 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Edina Gallovits (ROU) vs Kaia Kanepi (EST)
2. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) [31] vs Romina Sarina Oprandi (ITA)

COURT 14 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Andreas Beck (GER) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32]
2. Roberta Vinci (ITA) vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [29]
3. Ayumi Morita (JPN) vs Dominika Cibulkova (SVK)


COURT 16 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Andreas Seppi (ITA) vs Tobias Kamke (GER)
2. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) vs Aravane Rezai (FRA) [18]
3. Xavier Malisse (BEL) vs Julian Reister (GER)


COURT 17 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Jie Zheng (CHN) [23] vs Petra Kvitova (CZE)
2. Fabio Fognini (ITA) vs Michael Russell (USA)


COURT 19 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Lukas Lacko (SVK) vs Jeremy Chardy (FRA)
2. Sara Errani (ITA) [32] vs Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP)

59 Games All

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The score board during the Nicolas Mahut and John Isner match on Day Three of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 23, 2010 in London, England. The match became the longest in Grand Slam history.

::

The fifth set became the longest "match" in tennis history.

I've never seen such a display of will from two players during a tennis match.

It's beyond historic. It's downright legendary.


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WombleTown: ‘In Search of Lost Break Points’ and other Proustian Endeavours

 

 

 

The match that broke Wimbledon’s online scoreboard. No really (it still thinks it’s 8 all in the fourth)

 

The match that gave me a new found respect for Mohammed Lahyani’s sore bottom. No. Er. That came out wrong.

 

When they said “30 all” it wasn’t  points they were referring to, and when they said “40 all” it wasn’t deuce.

 

When Federer went down a set on Centre Court it didn’t seem to register.

 

When Dent served at 148mph - the fastest serve in Wimbledon history against Djokovic on Court 1, no one seemed to care.

 

I’ll stop talking in italics now, because I know how annoying I find it when others do. And because it looks like I’m whispering. Which I’m not.

 

I took a break from proceedings at 51-51 (sue me), and went out to watch the cricket at my local club. A civilised sport with designated start and end times.

 

 

On my way back I talked tennis with a complete stranger in the street. I told him it was 51 all in the fifth. He punched me in the face. Before calling the police.

 

Mahut had completed a 24-22 win over Alex Bogdanovic in qualifying and another five setter in the main draw just to reach this point. Yet still somehow managed to look the fresher of the two.

 

Both superhuman and inhumane in it’s endurance, or one HELL of a poker face.

 

He was also serving second and thus playing catch up for the entire set, yet still managed to ratchet up only four less aces than his taller opponent despite not possessing half his serve.

 

Mahut: He's [Isner] just a champ....crowd are amazing...."

 

Isner: “Nothing like this will happen again. Ever”

 

Djokovic: Maybe they should have agreed to play a tie-break at 50-all!"

 

Federer: "I love this! I don't know if I was crying or laughing. It was too much."

-- BBC

 

As heroic as it all was, should it really have gone on so long?

 

There were those suggesting it wouldn’t have gone on for half, quarter, or even an eighth of the time it did had a Naderer or even a Muzzard or Djoko been on the other side of the net.

 

Heroic Endurance or simply a haemorrhaging break point conversion rate?

 

Next time can we flip a coin or something?

Wimbledon Breaking News

by Savannah

The Wimbledon Referees have released the Order of Play for Centre Court tomorrow. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II will be in attendance.


The Championships 2010 Intended Order of Play for Thursday 24 June 2010

CENTRE COURT ONLY

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Andy Murray (GBR) [4]
2. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [3] vs Kai-Chen Chang (TPE)
3. Robin Haase (NED) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]

Should I go into my conspiracy theory bag and think the WTA wanted Wozniacki on Centre Court as opposed to the defending champion?

More on this later from Craig I'm sure.

ETA:

You know they always say never assume. I assumed that Serena would be on Court 1. I was wrong. Here are the Court assignments for Courts 1 & 2. I can't talk about this now.

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) vs Maria Sharapova (RUS) [16]
2. Robin Soderling (SWE) [6] vs Marcel Granollers (ESP)
3. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [13] vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [10]
2. Florent Serra (FRA) vs David Ferrer (ESP) [9]
3. Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)
4. Na Li (CHN) [9] vs Kurumi Nara (JPN)

Wimbledon 2010 Day 3 Open Thread

Reuters

As I said yesterday, Andy Roddick's day at the office would be a tough one. And so it is as I wake up for oversleeping from my nap after morning chores to see Andy already down a set and struggling to hold his first game of the second set. I suppose this will be the Roddick Upset Thread before the day is done.

Order of Play for Wednesday 23 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Michael Llodra (FRA) vs Andy Roddick (USA) [5]
2. Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) vs Venus Williams (USA) [2]
3. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [3] vs Taylor Dent (USA)

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Kim Clijsters (BEL) [8] vs Karolina Sprem (CRO)
2. Evgeny Korolev (KAZ) vs Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) [15]
3. Roger Federer (SUI) [1] vs Ilija Bozoljac (SRB)

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Justine Henin (BEL) [17] vs Kristina Barrois (GER)
2. Gael Monfils (FRA) [21] vs Karol Beck (SVK)
3. Tomas Berdych (CZE) [12] vs Benjamin Becker (GER)
4. Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) vs Jelena Jankovic (SRB) [4]

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Vera Dushevina (RUS) vs Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL)
2. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) [22] vs Ricardas Berankis (LTU)
3. Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) [15] vs Kirsten Flipkens (BEL)
4. Daniel Brands (GER) vs Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) [7]

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Greta Arn (HUN) vs Alicia Molik (AUS)
2. Nicolas Mahut (FRA) vs John Isner (USA) [23] T/F 4/6 6/3 7/6(7) 6/7(3) 0/0 0-0*
3. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) [26] vs Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
4. Rainer Schuettler (GER) vs Denis Istomin (UZB)
5. Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [1] vs Jonathan Marray (GBR) and Jamie Murray (GBR)

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Shahar Peer (ISR) [13] vs Angelique Kerber (GER)
2. Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) [24] vs Vania King (USA) 10 T/F 6/7(4) 7/6(4) 0/0 0*-0
3. Shenay Perry (USA) vs Maria Kirilenko (RUS) [27]
4. Arnaud Clement (FRA) vs Peter Luczak (AUS)
5. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) and Bobby Reynolds (USA) vs Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [2]

COURT 6 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Nicolas Almagro (ESP) and Santiago Ventura (ESP) vs Jamie Delgado (GBR) and Joshua Goodall (GBR)
2. Fabio Fognini (ITA) and Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) vs Chris Eaton (GBR) and Dominic Inglot (GBR)
3. Jocelyn Rae (GBR) and Heather Watson (GBR) vs Casey Dellacqua (AUS) and Alicia Molik (AUS)
4. Sania Mirza (IND) and Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) vs Anne Keothavong (GBR) and Melanie South (GBR)

COURT 7 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Kveta Peschke (CZE) and Katarina Srebotnik (SLO) [6] vs Jill Craybas (USA) and Marina Erakovic (NZL)
2. Jesse Levine (USA) and Ryan Sweeting (USA) vs Stephane Robert (FRA) and Rogier Wassen (NED)
3. Vania King (USA) and Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) vs Alberta Brianti (ITA) and Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU)
4. Daniele Bracciali (ITA) and Potito Starace (ITA) vs Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) and Travis Rettenmaier (USA)

COURT 8 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Somdev Devvarman (IND) and Treat Conrad Huey (PHI) vs Rohan Bopanna (IND) and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK)
2. Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) and Aravane Rezai (FRA) vs Liga Dekmeijere (LAT) and Petra Kvitova (CZE)
3. Victoria Azarenka (BLR) and Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) vs Chia-Jung Chuang (TPE) and Olga Govortsova (BLR) [17]
4. Xavier Malisse (BEL) and Olivier Rochus (BEL) vs Jurgen Melzer (AUT) and Philipp Petzschner (GER)

COURT 9 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Jonathan Erlich (ISR) and Dusan Vemic (SRB) vs Martin Damm (CZE) and Filip Polasek (SVK)
2. Tatjana Malek (GER) and Andrea Petkovic (GER) vs Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) and Tathiana Garbin (ITA)
3. Iveta Benesova (CZE) and Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) [12] vs Eleni Daniilidou (GRE) and Jasmin Woehr (GER)
4. Christopher Kas (GER) and Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Thiemo De Bakker (NED) and Robin Haase (NED)

COURT 10 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Gisela Dulko (ARG) and Flavia Pennetta (ITA) [4] vs Anastasia Rodionova (AUS) and Arina Rodionova (RUS)
2. Leonardo Mayer (ARG) and Horacio Zeballos (ARG) vs Lukasz Kubot (POL) and Oliver Marach (AUT) [5]
3. Natalie Grandin (RSA) and Abigail Spears (USA) vs Sara Errani (ITA) and Roberta Vinci (ITA)
4. John Isner (USA) and Sam Querrey (USA) [12] vs Michal Przysiezny (POL) and Dudi Sela (ISR)

COURT 11 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Leos Friedl (CZE) and David Skoch (CZE) vs Robert Lindstedt (SWE) and Horia Tecau (ROU) [16]
2. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) and Klara Zakopalova (CZE) vs Melinda Czink (HUN) and Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP)
3. Julie Coin (FRA) and Marie-Eve Pelletier (CAN) vs Alicja Rosolska (POL) and Zi Yan (CHN) [15]
4. Marcel Granollers (ESP) and Tommy Robredo (ESP) [11] vs Johan Brunstrom (SWE) and Jean-Julien Rojer (AHO)

COURT 14 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Viktor Troicki (SRB) vs Jurgen Melzer (AUT) [16]
2. Jarmila Groth (AUS) vs Melanie Oudin (USA) [33]
3. Andrea Hlavackova (CZE) vs Vera Zvonareva (RUS) [21]
4. Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) and Max Mirnyi (BLR) [4] vs Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) and Sebastian Prieto (ARG)

COURT 15 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Ekaterina Dzehalevich (BLR) and Tatiana Poutchek (BLR) vs Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) and Meghann Shaughnessy (USA)
2. Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) and Marcin Matkowski (POL) [6] vs Michael Kohlmann (GER) and Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)
3. Rik De Voest (RSA) and Mischa Zverev (GER) vs Lukas Dlouhy (CZE) and Leander Paes (IND) [3]
4. Maria Kondratieva (RUS) and Vladimira Uhlirova (CZE) vs Cara Black (ZIM) and Daniela Hantuchova (SVK) [11]

COURT 16 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) vs Michal Przysiezny (POL)
2. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) vs Edina Gallovits (ROU) and Klaudia Jans (POL)
3. Brendan Evans (USA) vs Albert Montanes (ESP) [28]
4. Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN) and Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) vs Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) and Francesca Schiavone (ITA) [8]

COURT 17 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Florian Mayer (GER) vs Mardy Fish (USA)
2. Yung-Jan Chan (TPE) vs Nadia Petrova (RUS) [12]
3. Victor Hanescu (ROU) [31] vs Marsel Ilhan (TUR)
4. Alona Bondarenko (UKR) [28] vs Varvara Lepchenko (USA)

COURT 19 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Regina Kulikova (RUS) vs Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) [30]
2. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [29] vs Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS)
3. Alejandro Falla (COL) and Santiago Giraldo (COL) vs Lukas Lacko (SVK) and Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR)

WombleTown: Late Night Revellers and Disorderly Grannies

 

Surprisingly little of note happened on day two, what with the top seeds actually behaving like top seeds.

 

Djokovic d. Rochus 4-6 6-2 3-6 6-4 6-2

 

-- This one finished too late for it to get a mention from me yesterday.

 

When the last ball was struck a few minutes shy of the official 11pm cut-off last night in a match that was officially the latest finish ever in Wimbledon history, Djoko simply went over to the net and shook hands.

 

That’s right. Not sinking to his knees, not kissing the floor. Not even hugging his opponent in that way he’s so fond of.

 

 

Ok so there was some of that.

 

But I like the heart Djoko showed to see this one through. The tennis wasn’t always to write home about, but he squeezed out every last drop of adrenaline and sweat to get the win – not that different actually to what Fed had had to endure several hours earlier.

 

 

Big props to the little man by the way – who’s surely, now,  earnt the right to stop being called “the little man”.

 

The reason for the 11pm watershed? Local authority planning permission.

 

How very British.

 

Someone somewhere must have decided that we didn’t want to be disturbing the neighbours of sleepy SW19 with our late night finishes and Vuvuzela-less revelling.

 

Except sleepy suburbia this ain’t. And if anything, it’s the tennis fangirly grannies that are doing most of the after hours revelling.

 

Kanepi d. Stosur 6-4 6-4

 

-- Certainly the WTF result of the day. Perhaps even the biggest upset of the tournament so far, though surprisingly underreported in terms of it’s significance.

 

I didn’t see the match and Kanepi’s no slouch ; still, with the form she’d been in and everything we’ve been hearing of her all-court prowess, you’d expect her to get through.

 

-- Was the fact that he’s contemplating retirement or James Blake’s bust up with Pam Shriver the bigger story?

Wimbledon 2010 Day 2 Open Thread

(Savannah's World)

A slew of unexpectedly long matches yesterday, and while a few huge upsets were avoided, unpredictable was the word for the day.

The women's defending champion and world No. 1 Serena Williams takes Centre Court today. I'm looking forward to the game of her screaming opponent. And virtual defending champion Rafael Nadal plays his first match in two years.

Andy Murray opens on Court 1 while Robin Söderling (and Robby Ginepri!) opens on Centre Court? Interesting. Guess the man in the photo above had something to do with the scheduling.

Order of Play for Tuesday 22 June 2010

CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Serena Williams (USA) [1] vs Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) 2
2. Kei Nishikori (JPN) vs Rafael Nadal (ESP) [2]
3. Robin Soderling (SWE) [6] vs Robby Ginepri (USA)

COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START

1. Robert Kendrick (USA) vs Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) [10]
2. Jan Hajek (CZE) vs Andy Murray (GBR) [4]
3. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) [3] vs Tathiana Garbin (ITA)

COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) vs Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) [19]
2. Nicolas Kiefer (GER) vs David Ferrer (ESP) [9]
3. Anastasia Pivovarova (RUS) vs Maria Sharapova (RUS) [16]
4. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) [14] vs Xavier Malisse (BEL)

COURT 12 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Anne Keothavong (GBR) vs Anastasia Rodionova (AUS)
2. Andreas Beck (GER) vs Jamie Baker (GBR)
3. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) [8] vs Fabio Fognini (ITA)
4. Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) [1] vs Julie Ditty (USA) and Renata Voracova (CZE)

COURT 18 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Sergiy Stakhovsky (UKR) vs Sam Querrey (USA) [18]
2. Kaia Kanepi (EST) vs Samantha Stosur (AUS) [6]
3. Romina Sarina Oprandi (ITA) vs Heather Watson (GBR)
4. Nicolas Mahut (FRA) vs John Isner (USA) [23]

COURT 5 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START

1. Melinda Czink (HUN) vs Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [7]
2. Robin Haase (NED) vs James Blake (USA)
3. Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) [24] vs Lukas Lacko (SVK)
4. Na Li (CHN) [9] vs Chanelle Scheepers (RSA)

COURT 6 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Gilles Simon (FRA) [26] vs Guillermo Alcaide (ESP)
2. Marco Chiudinelli (SUI) vs Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR)
3. Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) vs Lucie Safarova (CZE) [25]
4. Iveta Benesova (CZE) vs Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) [29]

COURT 7 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Marc Gicquel (FRA) vs Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)
2. Monica Niculescu (ROU) vs Gisela Dulko (ARG)
3. Blaz Kavcic (SLO) vs Lukasz Kubot (POL)
4. Sara Errani (ITA) [32] vs Julie Coin (FRA)

COURT 8 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) [13] vs Dudi Sela (ISR)
2. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) vs Stefan Koubek (AUT)
3. Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) vs Aravane Rezai (FRA) [18]
4. Bojana Jovanovski (SRB) vs Casey Dellacqua (AUS)

COURT 9 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Tobias Kamke (GER) vs Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
2. Sorana Cirstea (ROU) vs Petra Kvitova (CZE)
3. Michael Russell (USA) vs Pere Riba-Madrid (ESP)
4. Arantxa Rus (NED) vs Kai-Chen Chang (TPE)

COURT 10 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Oscar Hernandez (ESP) vs Ivan Dodig (CRO)
2. Timea Bacsinszky (SUI) vs Edina Gallovits (ROU)
3. Ioana Raluca Olaru (ROU) vs Alize Cornet (FRA)
4. Frederico Gil (POR) vs Marcel Granollers (ESP)

COURT 11 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Illya Marchenko (UKR) vs Michael Berrer (GER)
2. Alberta Brianti (ITA) vs Jill Craybas (USA)
3. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) vs Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP)
4. Sybille Bammer (AUT) vs Roberta Vinci (ITA)

COURT 14 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS) vs Andrea Petkovic (GER)
2. Ricardo Mello (BRA) vs Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) [25]
3. Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) [31] vs Kimiko Date Krumm (JPN)
4. Thiemo De Bakker (NED) vs Santiago Giraldo (COL)

COURT 15 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Lisa Raymond (USA) and Rennae Stubbs (AUS) [7] vs Polona Hercog (SLO) and Petra Martic (CRO)
2. Ilija Bozoljac (SRB) and Harsh Mankad (IND) vs Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) and Eduardo Schwank (ARG)
3. Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) and Yanina Wickmayer (BEL) vs Vera Dushevina (RUS) and Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) [13]
4. Arantxa Parra Santonja (ESP) vs Olga Govortsova (BLR)

COURT 16 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Go Soeda (JPN) vs Martin Fischer (AUT)
2. Kristof Vliegen (BEL) vs Julien Benneteau (FRA) [32]
3. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) vs Ayumi Morita (JPN)
4. Mariana Duque Marino (COL) vs Kurumi Nara (JPN)

COURT 17 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Jie Zheng (CHN) [23] vs Pauline Parmentier (FRA)
2. Simon Greul (GER) vs Florent Serra (FRA)
3. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) vs Yvonne Meusburger (AUT)
4. Julian Reister (GER) vs Rik De Voest (RSA)

COURT 18 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Sergiy Stkhovsky (UKR) vs Sam Querrey (USA) [18]
2. Kaia Kanepi(EST) vs Samantha Stosur(AUS)[6]
3. Romina Sarina Oprandi(ITA) vs Heather Watson(GBR)
4. Nicolas Mahut(FRA) vs John Isner(USA)[23]

COURT 19 - 12.00 NOON START

1. Flavia Pennetta (ITA) [10] vs Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP)
2. Nicolas Almagro (ESP) [19] vs Andreas Seppi (ITA)
3. Philipp Petzschner (GER) [33] vs Stephane Robert (FRA)
4. Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) vs Elena Vesnina (RUS)

Wimbledon: Fighting Falla with Fire

 

On the  day Portugal trounced poor old North Korea 7-0, it finally seemed some semblance of normality was being restored to Sport.

 

Since Germany missed that penalty and the seed massacre in the grass court tune ups, my rallying cry for Wimbledon had been ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN.

 

The sh*t that went down in the Opening Match of Wimbledon on Centre Court wasn’t just “anything”. And it almost turned out to be everything.

 

 

For around two and a half sets Falla (pronounced ‘Fire’) was indeed on Fire.

 

I switched on just before the halfway mark and have a vague recollection of Fed running down balls he was never destined to reach and Falla, a man by all accounts possessed, stepping up early to nearly every ball, before winding up and ripping a winner any which way but loose.

 

We’ve seen a lot of that over this past year.

 

But from a journeyman in the first round of Wimbledon?

 

 

Fed would spend most of the first two sets on the back foot and some of it on the floor.

 

When Falla went up two sets and a break, the mother of all upsets seemed all but inevitable – one that would eclipse even SoderPop’s RG win over Rafa last year.

 

There was a feeling that Fed came out playing “too defensively”, or as others would put it “playing clay court tennis”.

 

There might be some truth in that. I only know that when someone flattens out and drives through the ball fearlessly and deeply, rarely missing the lines, they drive the course of the match. Not the other way round.

 

It couldn’t last. Well actually it could. And if Falla had served it out at 5-4 up in the fourth it would have been a very different story. Instead he choked. I’m assuming it’s ok to use that word now.

 

 

When Federer did make an impression on the match, it was to be decisive. There was no looking back. No need, even, to “fight Falla with fire”, handing him, instead, a slightly anti-climactic final set bagel.

 

 

“I got very lucky today out there. I’ve lost many matches this year I should have won, this is one I should have lost but I came through. Sometimes that’s how grass court tennis works. Its a tough loss for him. It’s amazing for me because he played incredible.”

-- BBC

 

Indeed.

 

I’m still not completely sure what to make of this.

 

It could be taken to suggest that Fed is indeed vulnerable nowadays, as his recent results suggest – results that now encroach even upon the Slams.

 

It could also be exactly the kind of tune up he needed. The rudest of awakenings, only surpassed by him having gone out. That would, quite simply, have been ruder still.

 

I only know that I’m not counting Bozoljac out quite yet.

 

Anything can happen. And sometimes everything does.

 

(Photos: Getty)