Wimbledon Day 5

First topic message reminder :

Centre Court

Novak Djokovic (SRB) [1] v Gilles Simon (FRA)
Petra Kvitova (CZE) [6] v Venus Williams (USA) [30]
Andy Murray (GBR) [3] v Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) [27]

No.1 Court

Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE) v Na Li (CHN) [2]
Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [11] v Alexandr Dolgopolov (UKR) [21]
Marin Cilic (CRO) [26] v Tomas Berdych (CZE) [6]

No.2 Court
11:30am

Simona Halep (ROU) [3] v Lesia Tsurenko (UKR)
Jerzy Janowicz (POL) [15] 7-5 4-4 Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) To Finish
Michelle Larcher De Brito (POR) v Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) [4]
Jamie Murray (GBR) [14]
John Peers (AUS) [14]
v
Jamie Delgado (GBR)
Gilles Muller (LUX)

Come on Andy!

Murray grabs the break against the Baguette.

Looking ominous now.

laverfan wrote:

naxroy wrote:that might be your tv

You are funny, Nax.  

well my comment lost sense when jahu edited his post

but thanks

Andy 100% on first points won.

The Special Juan wrote:Worried about Tsonga Murdoch?  Grass is his best surface for me and he's potentially dangerous if he gets going but after the season he's had so far, I don't think Djokovic is in any real danger provided the shoulder holds.

I think Tsonga is still struggling for form. I don't see him having a huge chance against even this Djokovic, but you never know! Bo5 is a good protection for Novak. My gut feeling is he will beat Tsonga but lose in the QF or SF. If he meets Murray, he'll get a hiding.

On the fall, I think Novak was making a bit of a fuss. It probably hurt briefly but I think, having made a bit of a scene, he may have felt like he had to go all the way to a MTO to save face! I thought he looked much better after the MTO than did in the two and a half sets before!

I don't like to be a cynic (actually I do) but Novak was in full on Tart Mode today: looking at the ground in incredulity when he slipped, looking to the heavens at the injustice of Simon hitting a good shot, glaring at his box when he missed a shot, etc.

It made me a bit cross. Playing on that court should be a pleasure for a player but Novak is making it look like a chore.

Murray secures the double break.

Will serve for the second set.

Proper power tennis from Cilic and Berdy.

Come on Cilic, deck him.

Plain sailing for Andy. Surely, he is well on his way to the 4th Round now leading Bautista-Agut 6-2 5-2. I was expecting more from Agut to be honest.

Eez-eh.

Jahu wrote:Proper power tennis from Cilic and Berdy.

Come on Cilic, deck him.

Berdy saved a BP. Nice FH.

I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

Baguette breaks. Poor serving from Andy there.

And just as I type some praise, Andy drops serve!

I cursed him. Sorry, Andy fans!

Andy cranking the FH.

Seals the 2nd set with a break.

HM Murdoch wrote:I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

Thats is the problem he will beat Novak the clueless in grass and go onto lose in the finals against Rafa.

HM Murdoch wrote:I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

For me at the moment he's playing the best tennis. Shown the best form so far out the big 4. Fed still looks mentally brittle on shot selection at key points. Nadal is grinding through. And Djokovic also has had mental aberrations. Been plain sailing for Murray.

Still..its only the first week.

Andy gets a break in the 3rd.

Looking very good.

Andy is looking in fantastic knick.   

DirectView2 wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

Thats is the problem he will beat Novak the clueless in grass and go onto lose in the finals against Rafa.

I see where you are coming from. Murray's problem against Nadal is his gameplan. Passiveness won't beat Rafa - he needs to get his heavy groundshots away first which he never does V Rafa which frustrates the hell out of me.

Andy with another break.

34 winners so far. Delightful!

Andy brainfarts!!

Baguette with a break.

Cilic takes the first set against Berdych on a TB.

I swear it's like Nadal and Rosol were playing on a completely different court.

Djokovic vs Simon was one-paced ... Djoko did what was needed, but I think he's in trouble against a person with a better serving day.

Also I'm quite gutted that Li Na is out, I still think she's amazing though. Quite sad about Venus' exit as well, given her travails, it's always welcome when she rolls back the years.

Fognini had an absolute mare in the fifth, and I hope Murray slaughters that Davis Cup-skipping American.

Cor Andy very fortunate there.

I've gone from "Ha ha ha this is great" to "Can we just finish it now please?"

The Special Juan wrote:Cilic takes the first set against Berdych on a TB.

What a talent Cilic is when he is on, I wish he puts the one-dimensional boring Berdych off the Wimbledon.

kingraf wrote:
Djokovic vs Simon was one-paced

Yes! That's the perfect way of describing it.

Strangely enough, after the MTO, Djoko found some extra gears. Maybe he felt he needed to get it done quickly but it makes me wonder about his mindset for the first two and a half sets.

HM Murdoch wrote:

kingraf wrote:
Djokovic vs Simon was one-paced

Yes! That's the perfect way of describing it.

Strangely enough, after the MTO, Djoko found some extra gears. Maybe he felt he needed to get it done quickly but it makes me wonder about his mindset for the first two and a half sets.

ahh thankfully, the best opponents for Simon is Monfils or Granolla bar, they can even make crying babies shut up n sleep.

Andy wins in straight sets.

You have to feel that Andy won't be tested until the QFs. Andy served well and won the majority of his first serve points and was hitting the ball heavy as he grew into the match. Baguette really didn't have the weapons to hurt Murray.

Andy certainly on course to reach the semis at least.

DirectView2 wrote:
ahh thankfully, the best opponents for Simon is Monfils or Granolla bar, they can even make crying babies shut up n sleep.

Ferrer tried something different, IIRC.

CaledonianCraig wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

Thats is the problem he will beat Novak the clueless in grass and go onto lose in the finals against Rafa.

I see where you are coming from. Murray's problem against Nadal is his gameplan. Passiveness won't beat Rafa - he needs to get his heavy groundshots away first which he never does V Rafa which frustrates the hell out of me.

I agree. Murray needs to watch his 2010 AO QF, because that was the right way to play Nadal.

Excellent performance. That guy was no mug.

kneel_before_nadal wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:

DirectView2 wrote:

HM Murdoch wrote:I haven't seen much of the other side of the draw but Andy is playing the best tennis in this half by some distance. Really looking good, a pleasure to watch.

Thats is the problem he will beat Novak the clueless in grass and go onto lose in the finals against Rafa.

I see where you are coming from. Murray's problem against Nadal is his gameplan. Passiveness won't beat Rafa - he needs to get his heavy groundshots away first which he never does V Rafa which frustrates the hell out of me.

I agree. Murray needs to watch his 2010 AO QF, because that was the right way to play Nadal.

The worst part is Murray's mindset against Rafa, he needs to learn from Djoko that to be a no.1 ranked player you should play your opponent without fear and that includes Rafa.

For some reason he always leave his heavy groundies at home when he plays Rafa and play a hide and seek match with him, eventually Rafa will find him out and kill him.   

Djoko gonna be toasted before he gonna make the semi's he has to beat Tsonga followed by Cilic/Chardy/Berdych, ahh that won't be easy even for a no.1 seed.

The Djokovic match was peculiar - I honestly think that against a better serving performance, Djokovic would have been in real trouble - Even from the first three games, I thought it was patently clear that Simon handed slices to the backhand about as well as he handles equal pay questions... Djokovic's slice isn't exactly Dolgopolov-esque, or particularly inspired, but it certainly got enough purchase to cough up errors and short balls on the Simon BH. Overall, I'm not sure what to make of conditions thus far - the court seemed pretty fast in the Rosol match, but you could have put Djokovic-Simon on clay, and I don't think it would have been slower.

^ Beating Tsonga followed by Cilic/Berdych would be no problem for Nadal, because Nadal is the world #1.

Perhaps Murray should also watch Rosol v Nadal W 2012 or the first set and a half of W 2014.

Berdych may not make it past Cilic. Down a set and a break now.

Being World no1 means nothing on court!

Ah I think Murray has to watch himself vs. Nadal. 2010 AO QF is Murray's bet slam performance vs. Nadal. The most aggressive Murray has ever played.

kneel_before_nadal wrote:^ Beating Tsonga followed by Cilic/Berdych would be no problem for Nadal, because Nadal is the world #1.

But he is not the no.1 seed, I am talking about the no.1 seed, check it out clearly bro.

Whether you like it or not The Joker is the no.1 seed.   

kneel_before_nadal wrote:^ Beating Tsonga followed by Cilic/Berdych would be no problem for Nadal, because Nadal is the world #1.

Do you ever wonder if your affection for Nadal is a little beyond the level which healthy?

legendkillarV2 wrote:Being World no1 means nothing on court!

My point its, guys like Berdych and Cilic are a walkover for Nadal at the slams. That's the difference between Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal is simply better.

DirectView2 wrote:

kneel_before_nadal wrote:^ Beating Tsonga followed by Cilic/Berdych would be no problem for Nadal, because Nadal is the world #1.

But he is not the no.1 seed, I am talking about the no.1 seed, check it out clearly bro.

Whether you like it or not The Joker is the no.1 seed.   

That's my point. The number #1 seed is weak. The number #1 ranked player is strong. It shows how Wimbledon got it wrong when they relied on the grass formula.

Croatia fans are happy to see Cilic have a 2-set lead over Berdych.

Super Mario saving Tennis from the clutches of boring Berdych. Punishes the poopie both flanks to go 2 sets up.

kneel_before_nadal wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Being World no1 means nothing on court!

My point its, guys like Berdych and Cilic are a walkover for Nadal at the slams. That's the difference between Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal is simply better.

ahh now your worshipping is going out of bounds, Djoker fans could say the same thing, Rosol, Darcis doesn't stand a chance against him but Nadal struggles against both  

Cilic between once humiliated Nadal pretty badly, I am pretty sure you have an excuse for that loss.   

kneel_before_nadal wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Being World no1 means nothing on court!

My point its, guys like Berdych and Cilic are a walkover for Nadal at the slams. That's the difference between Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal is simply better.

What a silly comment.

Cilic has a 0-9 record against Novak.

Berdych has a 2-15 record against Novak.

One slam win between then against Novak and that was 4 years ago.

Careful HM - those are facts.

kneel_before_nadal wrote:

legendkillarV2 wrote:Being World no1 means nothing on court!

My point its, guys like Berdych and Cilic are a walkover for Nadal at the slams. That's the difference between Nadal and Djokovic. Nadal is simply better.

But Nadal isn't playing Berdych or Cilic at Wimbledon.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves here.

Don't know about Cilic, but Berdych is always a game competitor. Well, you know, until he actually has a chance of winning. Would be a decent game.