Wimbledon Day 8 or 9

First topic message reminder :

There's some ladies on. I think I want Li Na to win this one, along with Lisicki and whoever. Maid Marion too.

 

Danny_1982 wrote:I only wish he'd topped it off by swinging at Gary Richardson for that appalling post match interview.

It actually managed to be even worse than Murray's performance at the latter stage of the 2nd set

banbrotam wrote: 

Danny_1982 wrote:I only wish he'd topped it off by swinging at Gary Richardson for that appalling post match interview.

It actually managed to be even worse than Murray's performance at the latter stage of the 2nd set

What on earth was he thinking? "Is that a wake up call Andy?" "Will Lendl give you the hair dryer?"

Astonishing! I read online that ESPN America aired the interview live and were absolutely staggered at how he spoke to him.

Oh what a match to miss, must have been a nail-biter till the end.  Well done Andy in the end, though it was way closer than anticipated.  Was Verdasco that good, or Andy that poor?  I wonder if he is feeling the pressure as he is getting closer to his destination.

summerblues wrote:Was Verdasco that good, or Andy that poor?

Verdasco was very good, but Andy was bloody awful the first two sets. Not brilliant in the next 3 either. Great heart and will to win, but essentially percentage tennis because he couldn't keep the ball in court for a long while.

It was his Darcis / SS moment, but he somehow escaped.

From what I could see of the match, Murray has won mainly thanks to an impressive performance in the service department. In most rallies, where the service wasn't a factor, Verdasco had the upper hand, often outplaying and outpowering him from the baseline. It's fair to say that Murray at the moment has probably one the most effective 1st serve on tour and obviously this is one important reason of his recent good results on the fast courts.

Good point JK

Murray's returning game was terrible yesterday and I just hope (but it's a forlorn one) that it was adjusting to a leftie serve as he'll need it to be 'on' tomorrow

In fairness his serving wasn't too bad - he always gets broken at some time and in the firs set broke himself!!! It was only the brain fade couple of service games in the second where he was terrible

14 Aces


69% 1st serve


77% 1st serve win

That's from the beeb website.

Jeremy_Kyle wrote:14 Aces


69% 1st serve


77% 1st serve win

That's from the beeb website.

If Andy serves like that he ususally wins in straight sets - shows that the rest of his game was not in any sort of shape. Hell, even the comeback wasn't really him playing outstandingly, just lifting his level a bit at the same time as Verdaco tightened up.

I feel a bit sorry for the ballot winners who paid £101 for today's Center Court tickets!

HM Murdoch wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I must state that in a Djokovic / Murray final I'm supportive of Andy.

That's the second time you've said that! I'll have to eject you from the fan club if this continues.

Objectively, I'd be happy about any of the remaining 4 winning the title.

But after today...

I just can't take the hype and jingoism. I like Murray a lot but the perpetual hysteria machine that trails in his wake is becoming hard to take.

If he wins, I'll feel pleased for the man but I won't be able to watch TV or read a paper for a few weeks afterwards.

Sorry Andy fans, I'll be rooting for Jerzy on Friday.

Me to. I don't care about the hysteria because I am not in the UK therefore I don't experience it directly. But I will be rooting for Jerzy for a number of reasons:

1. I like Jerzy and he has vaulted to my second or third favorite status after Novak

2. He is a new face and youngster that brings a little ahole factor to tennis and I miss the tennis bad boy act

3. I think Murray would be the favorite against Djokovic in a Davis cup atmosphere on the most preferred surface for Murray, and I am a Djokovic fan

4. Sorry Murray fans, I like all you guys so forgive me, but I would like to hear the explosion on 606v2 if Murray lost to the upstart after all the expectations and hype. I am sure LK will be quite hyperbolic and it would be most enjoyable reading.

oh #5, and Hawkeye would be most enjoyable, you could almost see her dance a jig like Rumplestilstkin getting its baby.

Socal - regarding your number 3... After the Verdasco performance, you really think Murray would be favourite if they both reach the final?

Novak has been imperious and I'm surprised you think that. He's never looked this good on grass in my opinion. He didn't play this well the year he won it!

Murray probably would lose if he played like he did against Verdasco in the final, but the same can be said for the majority of slam winners.

Murray was quite poor against Lopez and the first half against Cilic in New York, yet won the title.
Djokovic nearly went 2-0 against Wawrinka in Oz, yet won the title.
Federer was 2 points away from losing to Benny last year, yet won the title.

Personally I'd place it at 50/50 and sit on the fence, but sometimes the favourite or the winner can have had a rocky road to the title.

Danny_1982 wrote:Socal - regarding your number 3... After the Verdasco performance, you really think Murray would be favourite if they both reach the final?

Novak has been imperious and I'm surprised you think that. He's never looked this good on grass in my opinion. He didn't play this well the year he won it!

Well, Danny, I will say I am more impressed with Novak's current form than Andy's. However the fact here is that Andy will have a significant edge in homecourt advantage, we know that in sports it matters. I think Brazil is favorite or at least second favorite for the world cup because they have the homecourt, in fact I would say this is the most ordinary Brazil team I can ever imagine but look what they did to spain at home. And it isn't just the atmosphere, Murray has grown up with having more grass court experience from his youth. Not that Novak can't move and play on the surface but organically Murray's little offspeed game works better on grass. So based on these two factors I would give Murray the edge of being a slight favorite.

I think we have to remember that Novak went walkabouts in the second set

Earlier rounds with one tough match have no bearing

Murray showing the same snap he had in the fiifth set, when he managed to start serving faster as the match went on - makes him still an equal favourite

Add the weather, which is likely to be 30C on Sunday and we've another variable

But remember Novak could easily have the same result, the last time he played DP at Wimbledon