Wimbledon Day 10

First topic message reminder :

Now it's really business time.

The matches have been previewed a done the order of play is out. Federer will be relieved to be on Centre and hoping for rain and a covered court. Murray too, as both stand to benefit if they win and their opponents have to play Thursday. I have no idea what the forecast is though.

Think I agree with you LK, can't see Serena losing and I don't think Radwanska has enough to beat Kerber, can't see anything other than Serena as champion to be honest but we will see

Spot on Danny. Murray beat the world No.5 in four sets and yet he is being criticised. I can't figure that one out.

Kerbers match with Lisicki was the first i'd ever seen her play. How long has she been in the top 10? Literally never knew she was ranked so high.

Serena hardly ever gets the return in when you make her come forward on a dropshot.

CaledonianCraig wrote:Spot on Danny. Murray beat the world No.4 in four sets and yet he is being criticised. I can't figure that one out.

He beat himself?

killer938 wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:Spot on Danny. Murray beat the world No.4 in four sets and yet he is being criticised. I can't figure that one out.

He beat himself?

Edited that typo now.

To be fair, if he did beat himself then I could see how Josiah etc would criticise him, I mean how could he only beat someone who can only defend, has no attacking game and is a boring slugger from the back of the court in 4 sets, he would have to be ashamed of himself, should have been an easy 3 set win really

Josiah Maiestas wrote:Kerbers match with Lisicki was the first i'd ever seen her play. How long has she been in the top 10? Literally never knew she was ranked so high.

Serena hardly ever gets the return in when you make her come forward on a dropshot.

Kerber is not such a bad little player. It is refreshing to see a woman with power actually have the legs to carry her around the court. Though she squandered match points against Paszek in Eastbourne recently.

Williams can struggle on the drop shots, though I think she will bully Azarenka around the court.

The mens final will only be good on a global scale if Tsonga is in it. Just like Berdych, Tsonga has beaten both Djoker and Fed in the slams. He isn't scared of the big guys.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:The mens final will only be good on a global scale if Tsonga is in it. Just like Berdych, Tsonga has beaten both Djoker and Fed in the slams. He isn't scared of the big guys.

Can someone wake me up when he has changed the record please.

Incidentally, if there is one player I would like to win it in the even that Murray loses then it would be Tsonga, I do really like him and think he is a great character for the game.

Josiah Maiestas wrote:The mens final will only be good on a global scale if Tsonga is in it. Just like Berdych, Tsonga has beaten both Djoker and Fed in the slams. He isn't scared of the big guys.

Ermmm Berdych has never beaten Nadal in a Slam, but I can point to someone who has

Tsonga hasn't the bottle or the fortitude to do it even in the Masters events. Same as Berdych.

I never mentioned Nadal

Josiah Maiestas wrote:I never mentioned Nadal

I wonder why

Is this your life?

Responding to anyone who mentions Nadal?

I have a big carrot you can play with if you're bored.

Tsonga seems like a very nice guy but I do think he gets a free pass because of his whirling dervish celebration. His actual record in tennis terms isn't exactly amazing - way too inconsistent and unlucky with injuries.

It'd be a great story if he got to the final, but an even greater story if Murray managed it.

The only issue if Murray gets through is the ultra nationalist BBC leeching any drop of enjoyment one might feel at the occasion with asinine commentary and hideous slow-mo montages set to the tune of Jerusalem or Snow Patrol or some other trite nonsense. They'd crown him Wimbledon champion then and there, before the final. And for every tennis tournament afterwards Sue and her harem of bozos would chorus "ah but he reached the final / won Wimbledon in 2012 so we know he can win this Masters / Slam / WTF / crazy golf tournament".

Josiah Maiestas wrote:I never mentioned Nadal

But then no-one mentioned Djokovic or Federer.

But I guess we know why you failed to mentioned Mr Wedgie

reckoner wrote:Tsonga seems like a very nice guy but I do think he gets a free pass because of his whirling dervish celebration. His actual record in tennis terms isn't exactly amazing - way too inconsistent and unlucky with injuries.

It'd be a great story if he got to the final, but an even greater story if Murray managed it.

The only issue if Murray gets through is the ultra nationalist BBC leeching any drop of enjoyment one might feel at the occasion with asinine commentary and hideous slow-mo montages set to the tune of Jerusalem or Snow Patrol or some other trite nonsense. They'd crown him Wimbledon champion then and there, before the final. And for every tennis tournament afterwards Sue and her harem of bozos would chorus "ah but he reached the final / won Wimbledon in 2012 so we know he can win this Masters / Slam / WTF / crazy golf tournament".

Don't forget the voice over like the beginning to Lord of the Rings or an episode of Merlin. Actually I hear he isn't very good at golf but fancies himself on the crazy course kind so you might not be far off

When I say not very good, I mean prob still ridiculously good for the amount he plays, these people seem to just be good at anything they try when it comes to ball sports.

killer938 wrote:Don't forget the voice over like the beginning to Lord of the Rings or an episode of Merlin. Actually I hear he isn't very good at golf but fancies himself on the crazy course kind so you might not be far off

When I say not very good, I mean prob still ridiculously good for the amount he plays, these people seem to just be good at anything they try when it comes to ball sports.

Yeah probably. But there's a risk it'll kill his career if he does win Wimby - he strikes me as a potential one hit wonder.

I'd far prefer Murray win the USO - you get to be king of New York with none of the BS from the UK.

reckoner wrote:
Yeah probably. But there's a risk it'll kill his career if he does win Wimby - he strikes me as a potential one hit wonder.

I'd far prefer Murray win the USO - you get to be king of New York with none of the BS from the UK.

I happen to disagree - I think if he picks up a slam it will open some mini-slam floodgates, any slam it doesn't really matter.

Even so, I think he'd quite like to have his career killed stone dead with a Wimbledon win, better than go from strength to strength with no slam win .

Re USO and Wimbledon - I see what you mean, but I think your view is a bit of a reaction to something that doesn't actually get in the way of the respective perception of the two tournaments. It was Lindsay Davenport who was comparing the two who said that the recognition and prestige you get from the two of them is chalk and cheese. She was obviously delighted at her new status of slam winner having won the USO, but it was a whole different experience being a Wimbledon Champion. I think pretty much all of the top players think that.

I say this even though, personally, I think that the list of USO winners (on the men's side at least) is a more solid list of Champions than the list of Wimbledon winners - there's hardly a weak link who wins there and there are a few more eyebrow raising winners at Wimbledon.

barrystar wrote:

reckoner wrote:
Yeah probably. But there's a risk it'll kill his career if he does win Wimby - he strikes me as a potential one hit wonder.

I'd far prefer Murray win the USO - you get to be king of New York with none of the BS from the UK.

I happen to disagree - I think if he picks up a slam it will open some mini-slam floodgates, any slam it doesn't really matter.

Even so, I think he'd quite like to have his career killed stone dead with a Wimbledon win, better than go from strength to strength with no slam win .

Re USO and Wimbledon - I see what you mean, but I think your view is a bit of a reaction to something that doesn't actually get in the way of the respective perception of the two tournaments. It was Lindsay Davenport who was comparing the two who said that the recognition and prestige you get from the two of them is chalk and cheese. She was obviously delighted at her new status of slam winner having won the USO, but it was a whole different experience being a Wimbledon Champion. I think pretty much all of the top players think that.

I say this even though, personally, I think that the list of USO winners (on the men's side at least) is a more solid list of Champions than the list of Wimbledon winners - there's hardly a weak link who wins there and there are a few more eyebrow raising winners at Wimbledon.

Ah - poor phrasing on my part. I meant that if Andy wins Wimbledon it might kill his career because of all the ensuing media circus, with any other slam you could be right, it might well open a run - less BS from the UK press so it doesn't turn your head. Actually IIRC Murray said something similar himself at the start of his career.

Having said that, I'll defer to Davenport's opinion - though would point out she is covering Wimbledon - I wonder if she says the same thing when commentating at Flushing Meadows?

I see what you mean - but the other slams are played overseas and Andy plays most of his tennis overseas so I don't think that the media circus back home would be too oppressive for him. He also spends an important part of the off season living and working in Miami.

They aren't going to flood Indian Wells with paparazzi and tennis correspondents.

I dread tomorrow because of the press just going into overdrive with headlines of premature glory before a ball is hit. It is good to read that Murray has withdrawn himself from any form of media.

What's more interesting for Tsonga is again how he would handle himself against a home favourite. We have seen him buckle under the pressure at the French Open, however it is a reverse situation for him.

Andy should have experience having defeated him in a Grass final. Andy has to block out the sense of occasion and treat this like any other match on the calendar year even though we know it's not.

The first set I have no doubt will be tentative and no player will actually force the issue. That situation favours Murray, though he needs to not have a sluggish start.

I think the comparison of what we will see between Federer and Djokovic on court and Murray and Tsonga shall be fascinating. Federer and Djokovic it will feel perfectly natural, whereas Tsonga and Murray will know they both have such a wonderful opportunity and should they blink or think further ahead, will result in such a loss of composure.

legendkillarV2 wrote:I dread tomorrow because of the press just going into overdrive with headlines of premature glory before a ball is hit. It is good to read that Murray has withdrawn himself from any form of media.

I would not bother dreading that - Murray is a pretty shrewd guy and he's got some good people in his corner. He'll be focussing on the match. The press aren't completely silly about him - they know that this is his best SF opportunity for more than 2 years and they are entitled to say that, but they also know that whoever awaits him in the final is the favourite.

barrystar wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:I dread tomorrow because of the press just going into overdrive with headlines of premature glory before a ball is hit. It is good to read that Murray has withdrawn himself from any form of media.

I would not bother dreading that - Murray is a pretty shrewd guy and he's got some good people in his corner. He'll be focussing on the match. The press aren't completely silly about him - they know that this is his best SF opportunity for more than 2 years and they are entitled to say that, but they also know that whoever awaits him in the final is the favourite.

So he can't handle expectation can he?

If he loses it's his fault only not the press.

legendkillarV2 wrote:

Josiah Maiestas wrote:The mens final will only be good on a global scale if Tsonga is in it. Just like Berdych, Tsonga has beaten both Djoker and Fed in the slams. He isn't scared of the big guys.

Ermmm Berdych has never beaten Nadal in a Slam, but I can point to someone who has

Tsonga hasn't the bottle or the fortitude to do it even in the Masters events. Same as Berdych.

Well Tsonga beat fully fit Nadal at a AO semi-final in 2008.

bogbrush wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:

Josiah Maiestas wrote:The mens final will only be good on a global scale if Tsonga is in it. Just like Berdych, Tsonga has beaten both Djoker and Fed in the slams. He isn't scared of the big guys.

Ermmm Berdych has never beaten Nadal in a Slam, but I can point to someone who has

Tsonga hasn't the bottle or the fortitude to do it even in the Masters events. Same as Berdych.

Well Tsonga beat fully fit Nadal at a AO semi-final in 2008.

I didn't dispute Tsonga beating Nadal as I do recall that semi. Not sure how JM justifys Berdych's 1 GS final as being more of an achievement than Murray's 3 GS finals.

Maybe Berdych is so zen that he felt more personal achievement by getting to his one final than Murray has in getting to three?

Banbro when did I call harrison an easy opponent or first round draw? By the way young players can develop very quickly in 6 months so even your criticism of the AO I believe a bit misplaced. Davydenko has never been a challenge to anyone not even my kid sister on grass court. How old Nikolay? Has the guy ever made it past the 4th round of wimbeldon, has even been to the 4th round. Davy is almost as old as Ferrer and has a terrible record on grass, Ferrerro much tougher first round opponent at this tournament or on clay than Davy. On hardcourt I would go the other way around. By the way Harrison Novak's easy second round match that you claim, how did murray do against Harrison at the AO, didn't he almost lose that match to Novak's cupcake 2nd round opponent.

"I meant that if Andy wins Wimbledon it might kill his career because of all the ensuing media circus"

nope it will make his carrer- any slam will also do that and also put media on his back. Its something that he has to deal with if he wins one- if he doesnt he hasnt had a defined carrer and will go down close to tiny tim