Wimbledon Day Seven: C'mon Tim, Sort Of

In the fourth and probably least interesting match-up, Francesca Schiavone takes on fourth seed and perennial semi-finalist / runner-up, Elena Dementieva.

Franny lives in London, you know. Which makes her as close to a British women’s quarterfinalist as we’re likely to get until Laura Robson improves her footwork and develops a second serve.

Yeah, I’m out of things to say about that match.

Wimbledon Day Seven: Rematch!

YFB fave Victoria Azarenka will take on Serena Williams in possibly the tastiest quarterfinal.

Their last two matches have been promising clashes marred by injury and illness on one side or the other. At the Australian Open, a fired-up Azarenka took the first set before being forced to retire with heat exhaustion; in Miami, a hobbled Serena had to play on virtually one leg and was defeated by Azarenka in straight sets for her first big title. Now both are in (seemingly) good health, and this could be a cracker. I predict two hard-fought sets for Serena.

That is assuming that nerves and emotion don’t conquer Azarenka, as nearly happened in her fourth round match with Nadia Petrova today. She was a break down in a third set she never should have been in, and scraped through by the skin of her teeth. She’ll have to serve much better against Serena.

Go Nads. Go all the way home, in fact.

Serena had a much more straightforward time of it, knocking out Daniela Hantuchova 63 61.

Better luck next time.

Wimbledon Day Seven: Didn't This Happen Already?

Agnieszka Radwanska will face Venus Williams in a quarter-final that I seem to recall happening last year and being a blow-out.

Radwanska put an end to the challenge of teenage qualifier Melanie Oudin, 64 75. I thought she might have one more good match left in her, but regardless, it’s been a genuinely excellent Wimbledon debut for Oudin. I hope to see a lot of her in the future, and I’m sure there are a few WTA players that don’t.

The defending champion progressed through to the quarter-finals via one of the day’s most disappointing developments, Ana Ivanovic being forced to retire after pulling up lame. Venus was well in control of the match, having taken the first set 6-1, when Ana landed awkwardly after a serve and injured her left thigh. She received treatment and tried to carry on, but was forced to retire and left the court in floods of tears.

There is, I think, little doubt that Ana would have lost, but it’s really sad to see her forced out of the tournament this way, especially after looking so good against Stosur. Hopefully she’ll heal fast …

Wimbledon Day Seven: Will This Be On Centre?

Dinara Safina will face Sabine Lisicki in the first of the woman’s quarterfinals … tomorrow? Wow.

They get big pictures because they’re pretty, like Boss.

The fake no. 1 did well to come through a tough three-setter with the 2006 champion, Amelie Mauresmo (a.k.a. my imaginary girlfriend). A lot of people predicted the upset, but she stayed strong to notch up her best ever Wimbledon result. Well done.

Oh Momo.

We’ll always have Paris.

A lot of the same people predicted that Caroline Wozniacki might make it to the semifinals. (I was not one of those people.) But this rematch of the Charleston final yielded the same result. And for my money, it’s going to keep happening unless Caro develops her game. Otherwise she’s going to keep getting bounced in Slams by aggressive players who have found their range.

Delighted for Licky, though. Her serve was on like gangbusters today and that, more than anything, was the difference between them. Her first Slam quarterfinal is made all the more impressive by the fact that coming into this tournament, she hadn’t won a match on grass. Ever. And yes, I’m going to keep reminding you of this fact until she loses.

It was handbags at dawn, however, as the two girls collided while changing ends. I’ve heard a bunch of different versions of this (didn’t see it myself); some people are alleging that Licky deliberately walked into Caro, while others reckon that Caro was trying to cut her off as a form of gamesmanship and that Licky did well not to give in to it.

From Caro’s frequently petulant behaviour throughout the match, I lean towards the second explanation. But whatever. The important thing is that Licky is through to face Dinara, and I couldn’t be happier …

Wimbledon Day Seven: Don't Haas-sle the Hair

In a Halle-final rematch, Novak Djokovic will face Tommy Haas in the quarter-finals.

 

 

And this time you’d better win, kitten-hair.

Nole knocked out Dudi Sela in possibly the most straightforward match of the day, and Haas took care of Igor Andreev.

It’s not the racquet, Igor.

And can we take a moment to salute Dudi Sela, one of the most quietly impressive stories of the tournament?

Get down with your bad self.

Wimbledon Day Seven: The King and Ivo

Roger Federer is slated to meet Ivo Karlovic in the third quarterfinal on Wednesday.

 

 

Dr Ivo knocked out Fernando Verdasco (who by the way was apparently gelled but not faux-hawked. ZOMG IKR?!!), and Federer took care of Soderling, thus proving that no-one beats Robin Soderling eleven times in a row, unless they’re Roger Federer.

Bye Robin!

Ivo Karlovic has, by the way, beaten Roger Federer. Once.*

*facts may not be accurate

Wimbledon Day Seven: Boss-Mandy QF

So in another triumph for the golden oldies, Juan Carlos Ferrero beat Gilles Simon in straight sets. Did I say “beat”? I meant “demolished”.

Wimbledon Quarterfinals. A new fragrance from the Boss.

I’m sad for Gilles, but really, I don’t see his Slam moment coming on grass. And you can’t begrudge a story like this. You really can’t.

Um, unless he beats a certain other person who may or may not have been aforementioned in this blog in the quarters. You’ve done well, Boss. Now go bend over like a good boy.

Wimbledon Day Seven: Rusty-Roddick

Lleyton Hewitt will play Andy Roddick in the first of Wednesday’s quarterfinals.

 

Roddick proceeded in fairly straightforward (and impressive) fashion, defeating Tomas Berdych 76(4) 64 63. It’s particularly noteworthy (sorry, my vocabulary has completely deserted me) given the excellent nick that Berdych has been in throughout this tournament, scoring his first ever win against Davydenko and so forth.

So long, agile skyscraper.

Rusty had what would have been the five-set dramatic win of the day, had he not been thoroughly upstaged by you-know-who. He went two sets down to Radek Stepanek before receiving treatment on his … leg? Something verging on the private areas, anyway.

He then won the third set 61 and quickly went up a break in the fourth, at which point Stepanek decided he needed some urgent treatment too.

It did him no good, however, as Rusty went on to win the fourth and the fifth 62, securing himself a place in the quarterfinals. Great stuff.

Better luck next time, Sexpanek.

And … a Roddick-Hewitt quarterfinal? I’m sorry, is this 2003?

Wimbledon Day Seven: He's Alive

And so are we …

Andy Murray defeated Stanislas Wawrinka in a late-night, under-the-lights finish, 64 in the final set.

I can’t even think about what this means yet. All I know is that I’m so, so grateful that he’s through.

Quarterfinals, baby … he’ll face Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Wimbledon Day Seven: C'MON TIM!

Andy Murray is currently in a fifth set with Stanislas Wawrinka after dropping the first and fourth.

Don’t do this to me, Andy.

Don’t you dare go and be another Tim.