Wimbledon Day 9: Smile

Tomas Berdych d. Roger Federer, 64 36 61 64

I seem to recall describing Rafa’s 2009 loss to Soderling at Roland Garros as ‘tectonic’. This isn’t quite that, but it comes pretty damn close. The king of Wimbledon has been handed his earliest loss on Centre Court since 2002, at the hands of someone who played exuberant, fantastic tennis that made him look at times both glum and mediocre. It’s a thing.

There will be plenty of good match analysis elsewhere, but I’ve just rewatched most of it and for me the match could be summed up in two moments. Both came in the last game, when Berdych was serving for the match. With Tomas struggling to land first serves, Roger worked his way back in to break point, only for Tomas to miss his first serve again. The second serve came in, nothing special, to the forehand – and Roger dumped it in the net, stiffly and brokenly, all his fluidity having temporarily deserted him. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred you’d back Federer to make that return, especially given his astonishing abilities to make the big play when it counts. Today, it looked like his arm had simply seized up and stopped working, refusing to hit through the ball. It was a miserable shot that distilled a miserable day.

The second moment, the one that I’m taking away from today, actually came a few points earlier. 15-30 down, Berdych had just been passed at the net by Federer, a shot that was greeted by a huge cheer and a roar from the defending champion. Again he missed his first serve and in the ensuing rally, Federer had him well on the run when he hit a defensive lob that just landed inside the baseline. Berdych worked his way back into the point, up to the net, and hit a backhand volley that everyone, I think, expected to go wide. Instead it struck smartly off the line for 30-30. Berdych turned away from the net, bit his lip, and smiled broadly. It was a great smile; half that of a little boy who knows he’s got lucky, got away with something and is almost embarrassed by it, and half that of a man who knows deep down that he’s earned his luck, because he’s playing the tennis of his life and it’s his day for once on Centre Court. It was the same smile on match point. He’s probably still smiling now.

I’m not insensitive to how painful this loss must be for Roger Federer and his fans. I promise, I’m not. I just want to take a moment to celebrate what I watched today; a player coming into a Wimbledon semi-final against the defending champion, and playing with such expansiveness and joy that it put the anxiety-ridden fans to shame. It was infectious. Berd flu; I think I’ve caught it.

Normal cynicism will resume shortly.

Just Getting Started.

Anna Kournikova and Martina Hingis returned to Wimbledon today to play in the Ladies’ Invitational Doubles and made a triumphant return of it, beating senior Tims Sam Smith and Anne Hobbs 62 64. More importantly, they looked like they had fun. Frankly, they looked like they were fun.

I also really enjoyed reading their press conference afterwards. Two ladies who have been there and done it all, sitting back and weighing in on the state of the game. Great stuff.

Q. Anna, we see a Grand Slam winner, a Russian going very deep. Russians have had a huge impact on the modern game. Kafelnikov played a role, Maria. When you reflect, what do you think your impact was on Russian tennis?

MARTINA HINGIS: Huge (laughter).

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: You mean my personal impact?

Q. Yes.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: You know, I mean, it’s nice. It’s kind of a compliment. But honestly I don’t really look at it that way. I don’t want to take any credit.

MARTINA HINGIS: You should, and you have to. You look at Anna, you have the opportunities.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It was all about the timing also. I was kind of the first one after the Soviet Union, you know, to leave outside of Russia, to be able to practice in better circumstances, in a better environment, to go to the academy at a young age.

Before that, we still had great players. We had Likhovtseva, Makarova, who were top 20, 30, 50. They were there. They just weren’t as noticeable. We always had an amazing tennis school and clubs in Russia. It’s just the opportunities never were really there when it was still the Soviet Union for them to travel. Everything was controlled by the Federation.

I think once people and the kids and the parents saw I was the first one to kind of get out, they realized that there is that opportunity to be able to travel, to be able to go outside and compete internationally. I’m looking at all our girls. I’m so proud. It’s so cool they’re able to showcase their talents, they’re able to travel, they’re able to make a great living, to do what they love to do, keep all of their prize money. During Soviet Union, you had to share all of it with the Federation and everybody.

I’m just so proud of the girls. They worked their asses off. Tennis is a grind. I think women in general don’t get enough credit. It’s a full‑time job, it’s 24/7. You’re week in, week out on the road for 10, 11 months out of the year. You have no personal life. You have no home life. It’s very difficult. It’s not glamorous at all as a lot of people think, you know, so…

Q. Martina, obviously with your skill level and with Anna, you could go into the main draw and be competitive.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: No, not me. She could be. Me, there’s no way. I mean, I’m not ready for that at all.

Q. Why not just do it?

MARTINA HINGIS: No, I don’t think we would be.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: You could for sure.

MARTINA HINGIS: I haven’t played that much in the last three years. For me it’s less time being away. It’s only three years. But still, I mean, you have to commit. The commitment is totally different.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Different mental commitment also.

MARTINA HINGIS: Being on the tour full‑time, you can’t pop up and say, I’m going to come back and win Grand Slams, even if you have a great partner.

It’s great fun to be out there again with Anna. We had some great times. We’re sharing some good time again. Totally different ballgame.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: For me it would be impossible really physically to be on the tour. It even bothers me a little bit playing like today. I mean, it wasn’t strenuous match. It was quite fun and giggly. I’m sure I’m going to feel it tomorrow and I’ll be sore. Even to prepare for the specific tournament, the last two months, I’ve had to have therapy, like real therapy, every day for an hour, hour and a half.

This is just for kind of the fun matches. I would have to live in the trainer’s room for three hours every day. I have five different things wrong with my back from two herniated discs.

MARTINA HINGIS: It’s a good day off tomorrow.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: From two herniated discs to four cracks that I have. The right side is smaller than the left side.

MARTINA HINGIS: I don’t want to hear it.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: All kinds of weird stuff.

Q. Do you not have any regrets when you see the Williams sisters dominating the women’s game like they are? Do you wish you still could be out there challenging them?

MARTINA HINGIS: I did it. I had my comeback. I was very happy with it. I lived through all the emotions. I missed it when I was away for three years. That’s why I did the comeback.

Now it’s different. I’m going to be 30 years old. Like I said before, it’s a commitment you have to do. You travel 35, 40 weeks a year. I think I’ve played enough tennis in my life. Tennis gave me everything I have today. I’m grateful every moment.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It’s time to experience other things and grow and move on.

MARTINA HINGIS: Like I said, the commitment.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: The commitment’s hard.

Q. With Venus going out today, do you think there are other women’s players that can stop them?

MARTINA HINGIS: There are the young ones, hungry ones. It’s not only the Williams sisters you have to face.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: They’re triple the size and strong.

MARTINA HINGIS: You have to face every day, every hour. Like I said, it’s not only like going out there getting the glamour, the glitter. Playing on Centre Court. It’s six, eight hours of practice at home. Then you get the glitter and glamour at the end of the day.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It’s only for the top 10, the glitter and glamour, it’s only the top 10 that can have a nice lifestyle.

MARTINA HINGIS: It’s when I was young, 15, 16, you get on the tour, you’re young, fresh, hungry.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Everything is new, you’re excited.

MARTINA HINGIS: When you get older, you have different priorities, lifestyle changes.

Q. Martina, are you a little bit sad when somebody like Venus has a match like today where she loses badly that most people didn’t think would beat her?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: She lost badly?

MARTINA HINGIS: 2‑3.

Q. Do you feel badly?

MARTINA HINGIS: I mean, like I said, you have to go out there. They played yesterday, played a match, then you go out there again. Grass court can take you any day.

I didn’t always have the greatest moments at Wimbledon myself.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Come on. Winning is not the greatest.

MARTINA HINGIS: Next year or the year after, it was first round. It can happen to you on grass. I watched the match Clijsters‑Henin. It was so one‑sided, and Kim ends up winning that match quite comfortably. It can turn around.

[...] Q. You were both household names at an early age. Doesn’t seem to be that many teenagers at the top. You say the game has changed. Is that the explanation?

MARTINA HINGIS: I think it’s mainly because of the rules, that they have so many restrictions, which I don’t always agree upon.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I was under the restrictions.

MARTINA HINGIS: Now it’s even harder.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I could only play eight tournaments a year when I was 16.

MARTINA HINGIS: Now it’s even 18 and all these age rules.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: There’s got to be a balance.

MARTINA HINGIS: You always have to find, like everyone peaks at a different time. When you’re younger, you learn faster. I think when you’re like 18, at that time it’s already harder to learn.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: You’re starting to analyze more, starting to be afraid more. You’re not as fearless. When you’re younger, you just go out there and you don’t think about the consequences and stuff like that. You’re fearless.

MARTINA HINGIS: Today you see the top girl who has pretty much been around Wozniacki, under 20.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Is she under 20?

MARTINA HINGIS: 19, 20. She’s there. But then you see always the older generation still being there.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It’s hard to handle the pressure.

MARTINA HINGIS: I think it might be part of that, mainly the rules, the age restrictions.

Q. Could you both analyze the state of women’s tennis right now, the popularity of the game, what you think it’s lacking maybe.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I think that right now there’s still those amazing names: the Williams girls, Henin, Clijsters. Thank God they came back. I just think, to me personally from the outside, it looks like there’s not that many household names besides those really four girls, plus Sharapova.

MARTINA HINGIS: It’s quickly changing.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: A true tennis fan, he will know who Jankovic is, Wozniacki, people that are between 5 and 10.

MARTINA HINGIS: Even Ivanovic.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Before, I think it was many more household names. Hingis, Williams, Clijsters, Henin, Pierce, Sanchez, Graf, Capriati. We played in an era where I think there were many generations. There was the older generation, the medium and the younger. I think I played the late ’90s. It was such a huge mix of generations and people.

But right now, anybody who is outside of top 5 or 10, a normal sportsfans, I don’t think they would recognize the names of the girls, even though they’re amazing and good.

MARTINA HINGIS: We just had different style. Everyone had its own style. That made it unique. Pretty much now it looks very much the same, like the hard hitting, yeah.

I think they just don’t teach it anymore.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Now it’s about the power.

[...] Q. Anna, you did not reach a slam final. But you achieved such an incredible fame, really more than any other tennis personality. Could you talk about that. Were you surprised sometimes by your own fame?

MARTINA HINGIS: It’s great we got such a great crowd again, even today.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, it’s good for tennis, I guess, hopefully.

No, honestly I don’t really ‑‑ I never really thought about my fame. To me when I was playing on tour, I stopped at 21, but every time before that I never really even thought about it, analyzed it, planned it. There was no marketing strategy or anything.

When I was playing, I played the match, I would come here, talk to you guys, just because it was obligatory. I can’t say that word. I had to do it, I did it.

MARTINA HINGIS: Mandatory.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Yeah, mandatory. It wasn’t that I wanted to come talk to you guys. Now I enjoy it. But before all I really wanted was get back into the locker room, get my therapy done, get my stretching done, go home, have my room service, get ready for tomorrow.

Really, uhm, you know, the fame and everything, I guess most of it was created by you guys, by the media a lot of times, most of the time the yellow press. Never tried to pay attention. I mean, obviously it was a little hard times dealing with it being 16, 17 years old, reading some kind of crap about yourself, you know. Most of it was made up.

But at the same time I understand why because I wasn’t giving a lot of information. My mom tried to keep me very protected, which a lot of times people didn’t really like her that much for that because she was trying to guard me in a way. If I had a 16‑year‑old kid, I would try to guard them as much as I can and keep the focus on what the kid is supposed to do: play tennis, work out, do your therapy.

It’s hard. I was being pulled in every single direction. Really there was no guides or rules. My mom and me, we were just learning everything as we were going through it. I was here 15 years old, Wimbledon. I played a Centre Court match. I wasn’t even seeded or anything. It’s a lot for a kid.

MARTINA HINGIS: Because of you, it reached also other people, not like just tennis fans, but sportsfans in general. I liked reading your stories (laughter).

Q. It seems you’re fairly determined not to be at the competitive level again. You’re fit enough, as far as I’m concerned. You were saying we need household names. We do need you.

MARTINA HINGIS: Thank you.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Thank you so much for saying that. It’s really nice of you.

Q. It would be nice to see you back. No way you want to come back?

MARTINA HINGIS: We’re going to play TeamTennis, like Anna said.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: I would love to. I’m really afraid. I’m the kind of person that I don’t want to come back unless I’m a hundred percent fit. I wouldn’t put myself in that situation. I wouldn’t want to let me team down around me that I’m going to get hurt. I wouldn’t want the fans let down. I don’t want to set myself up knowing that there’s a chance I can’t perform, that I can’t be healthy a hundred percent. I’m kind of OCD that way. I need to practice my three hours, my four hours, to feel confident, to feel good, to be able to go on the court.

Honestly, I don’t feel that my body can survive it. I have five different problems with my pelvis area, torso, back. I don’t want to go out there false. It’s like going on the court injured and you call the trainer two games later. It’s unprofessional, unsportsmanship‑like to me.

Q. What was the trainer coming on today for?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: (Holding her hand up.)

Q. What is it?

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: It’s a blister that’s like bleeding.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

ANNA KOURNIKOVA: Really, that’s it? Suddenly when I’m older, I’m enjoying the press conferences (laughter). I thought we were just getting started.

source

Those of you in the UK and missed it can catch a glimpse of Anna on Graham Norton (with Jason Manford and Katy Perry) here.

“Cramp!”

In case you weren’t aware, John Isner is the new darling of the talk-show circuit. Here he is on David Letterman (which I know is an American thing), doing some sort of ritualised top 10 list:

Top 10 thoughts that went through my mind while watching this video:

1. Is that Jon Lovitz talking just off-camera, or someone doing an impression of him? Or are American talk shows generally populated by people who talk like Jon Lovitz?

2. So, this Letterman guy is a bit old. Like, Parkinson old.

3. His comedy is also old. Jonathan Ross would be ashamed of that mocked-up photoshop bit.

4. Isner looks hot.

5. Isner looks actually really hot.

6. Isner does not have very good comic timing.

7. Isner looks hot, though.

8. Remember when Marat was on this show?

9. Did Delpo go on this show when he won the US Open? And if not, why not?

10. I miss Delpo.

Wimbledon Day 8 Results, Day 9 OOP

Singles – Quarterfinals
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (9) Li Na (CHN) 75 63
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d. (2) Venus Williams (USA) 62 63
(21) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (8) Kim Clijsters (BEL) 36 64 62
Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. (Q) Kaia Kanepi (EST) 46 76(8) 86

Centre Court 13:00 Start Time
1. Gentlemen’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Tomas Berdych (CZE)[12]
2. Gentlemen’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA)[10] v. Andy Murray (GBR)[4]
3. Ladies’ Doubles
Lisa Raymond (USA)[7] v. Liezel Huber (USA)[5]
Rennae Stubbs (AUS)[7] Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)[5]

No. 1 Court 13:00 Start Time
1. Gentlemen’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Novak Djokovic (SRB)[3] v. Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE)
2. Gentlemen’s Singles – Quarterfinals
Robin Soderling (SWE)[6] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2]
3. Ladies’ Doubles
Gisela Dulko (ARG)[4] v. Julia Goerges (GER)
Flavia Pennetta (ITA)[4] Agnes Szavay (HUN)

Court 2 12:00 Start Time
1. Ladies’ Doubles
Serena Williams (USA)[1] v. Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Venus Williams (USA)[1] Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
2. Gentlemen’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Wesley Moodie (RSA)[7] v. Bob Bryan (USA)[2]
Dick Norman (BEL)[7] Mike Bryan (USA)[2]
3. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Nenad Zimonjic (SRB)[1] v. Xavier Malisse (BEL)
Samantha Stosur (AUS)[1] Kim Clijsters (BEL)
4. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL)[8] v. Lukas Dlouhy (CZE)[9]
Zi Yan (CHN)[8] Iveta Benesova (CZE)[9]

Court 5 12:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)[9] v. Eleanor Dean (GBR)
2. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Laura Robson (GBR)[8] v. An-Sophie Mestach (BEL)[11]
3. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Liam Broady (GBR) v. Tobias Blomgren (SWE)
Tom Farquharson (GBR) John Morrissey (IRL)
4. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Lucy Brown (GBR) v. Timea Babos (HUN)[4]
Laura Robson (GBR) Sloane Stephens (USA)[4]
5. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Marco Cecchinato (ITA) v. Lewis Burton (GBR)
Alessandro Colella (ITA) George Morgan (GBR)

Court 6 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Renzo Olivo (ARG)[9] v. Jiri Vesely (CZE)[5]
2. Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
Ilana Kloss (RSA) v. Conchita Martinez (ESP)
Rosalyn Nideffer (USA) Nathalie Tauziat (FRA)
3. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Sebastian Lavie (NZL) v. Richard Gabb (GBR)
Renzo Olivo (ARG) Ashley Hewitt (GBR)
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Darian King (BAR) v. Filip Horansky (SVK)[8]
Mate Zsiga (HUN) Jozef Kovalik (SVK)[8]

Court 8 11:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Ons Jabeur (TUN)[12] v. Monica Puig (PUR)[5]
2. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Tiago Fernandes (BRA)[3] v. Benjamin Mitchell (AUS)
3. Girls’ Doubles – 2nd Round
Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR)[5] v. Jovana Jaksic (SRB)
Cristina Dinu (ROU)[5] Alison Van Uytvanck (BEL)
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) v. Tom Allen (GBR)
Ben Wagland (AUS) Jack Carpenter (GBR)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Polina Pekhova (BLR) v. Nigina Abduraimova (UZB)
Demi Schuurs (NED) Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)

Court 10 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Facundo Arguello (ARG) v. Filip Horansky (SVK)
2. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Denis Kudla (USA)[7] v. Ben Wagland (AUS)
3. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Facundo Arguello (ARG) v. Peter Heller (GER)[5]
Agustin Velotti (ARG) Kevin Krawietz (GER)[5]
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Francis Casey Alcantara (PHI) v. Denis Kudla (USA)[3]
Oliver Golding (GBR) Raymond Sarmiento (USA)[3]

Court 12 12:00 Start Time
1. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Pat Cash (AUS) v. Peter McNamara (AUS)
Mark Woodforde (AUS) Paul McNamee (AUS)
2. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Tara Moore (GBR) v. Nigina Abduraimova (UZB)
3. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Marton Fucsovics (HUN)[13] v. James Marsalek (GBR)
4. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Miyu Kato (JPN) v. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)[2]
Harriet Sheahan (AUS) Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)[2]
5. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Mansour Bahrami (IRI)[1] v. Joakim Nystrom (SWE)
Henri Leconte (FRA)[1] Mikael Pernfors (SWE)

Court 14 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Jason Kubler (AUS)[1] v. Oliver Golding (GBR)
2. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Timea Babos (HUN)[3] v. Sloane Stephens (USA)
3. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Denisa Allertova (CZE) v. Sachie Ishizu (JPN)[10]
4. Boys’ Doubles – 2nd Round
Guilherme Clezar (BRA)[7] v. Jason Kubler (AUS)
Tiago Fernandes (BRA)[7] Andrew Whittington (AUS)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Sachie Ishizu (JPN) v. Daria Gavrilova (RUS)[8]
Akiko Omae (JPN) Ilona Kremen (BLR)[8]

Court 16 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
Justin Eleveld (NED) v. Damir Dzumhur (BIH)[6]
2. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Clothilde De Bernardi (FRA) v. Irina Khromacheva (RUS)[2]
3. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Jeson Patrombon (PHI) v. Damir Dzumhur (BIH)[2]
Ahmed Triki (TUN) Mate Pavic (CRO)[2]
4. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Eugenie Bouchard (CAN) v. Cecilia Costa Melgar (CHI)
Ulrikke Eikeri (NOR) Clothilde De Bernardi (FRA)

Court 18 12:00 Start Time
1. Ladies’ Doubles
Kveta Peschke (CZE)[6] v. Vania King (USA)
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)[6] Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)
2. Gentlemen’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Jurgen Melzer (AUT) v. Rohan Bopanna (IND)
Philipp Petzschner (GER) Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK)
3. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Mark Knowles (BAH)[5] v. Paul Hanley (AUS)[12]
Katarina Srebotnik (SLO)[5] Yung-Jan Chan (TPE)[12]
4. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Igor Zelenay (SVK) v. Leander Paes (IND)[2]
Alicja Rosolska (POL) Cara Black (ZIM)[2]

Court 19 11:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 3rd Round
Grace Min (USA) v. Yulia Putintseva (RUS)[15]
2. Boys’ Singles – 3rd Round
James Duckworth (AUS)[8] v. Mikhail Biryukov (RUS)[12]
3. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Andrea Gamiz (VEN) v. Ksenia Kirillova (RUS)
Adriana Perez (VEN) Yulia Putintseva (RUS)
4. Girls’ Doubles – 2nd Round
Ons Jabeur (TUN)[3] v. Krista Hardebeck (USA)
Monica Puig (PUR)[3] Grace Min (USA)
5. Boys’ Doubles – 2nd Round
Mikhail Biryukov (RUS) v. Luke Bambridge (GBR)
Alexander Rumyantsev (RUS) Kyle Edmund (GBR)

TBA Start Time
Not Before:17:00 1. Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles – Semifinals
Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) v. Mark Petchey (GBR)
Cedric Pioline (FRA) Chris Wilkinson (GBR)
Not Before:17:00 2. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Jeremy Bates (GBR) v. Peter Fleming (USA)
Anders Jarryd (SWE) Guy Forget (FRA)

Wimbledon Day 8: The Unusual Suspects

Feast your eyes on this semifinal lineup.

Then probably rub them a bit. OK, we expected Serena, despite the fact that Li Na Na Li (still can’t do it) has played her close and in fact beaten her in the past. But Serena has looked fearsome in these championships, with impenetrable serving (she served at an average of 111 mph today), and Na Li couldn’t really do too much about it. 75, 63, job done.

Curtsey still needs work though.

But what about her opponent, little Petra Kvitova? Well, not that little; she’s six foot. But she is quite young; 20. And you know how I know that? Because I am looking her up on the WTA website. It’s not that I didn’t know who she was – she’s had big wins in the past – I just never thought it would be that important. After all, when has a left-handed Czech ever done anything noteworthy?

Trailblazer.

And really, who thought that Vera Zvonareva would beat Kim Clijsters? Especially when Kim took the first set 63 and appeared perfectly comfortable, moving Zvonareva beautifully from side to side and finishing points off with a beautiful touch at net. She appeared totally relaxed; maybe a little too relaxed, as Vera really took it to her in the second and third sets and Kim had no response. Vera paid tribute to her own newfound maturity and emotional serenity on the court in her presser, which was perhaps fortunate, because probably nobody else was going to do it.

Fear her.

And now we come to the most surprising result of the day, Tsvetana Pironkova’s straightforward demolition of Venus Williams, 62 63. Except … was it? I watched it while it was happening, and then just to be sure I watched it again after work, and I still don’t know how it happened. I do think Pironkova played an excellent match and brought a high degree of guile to the court; knowing she couldn’t compete with Venus on raw pace and power, she concentrated on confounding Venus with no-pace balls and scrupulously accurate placement, working the five-time champion into a frustrated lather which resulted in enforced errors time and again. Most importantly, she brought a high degree of self-belief to the court, and not the manufactured sort which melts away under pressure; having beaten Venus once before, as she said to the BBC, “I actually thought I could win.” A praiseworthy attitude.

But Venus definitely contributed to beating herself. For one thing, she consistently failed to attack Pironkova’s serve, particularly her frankly nothing second serve. She simply made too many wild errors. And her choice of tactics was baffling, especially with regards to her stubborn insistence on serving and hitting to Pironkova’s backhand, which stung her time and again. I understand that a part of Venus’ ethos is a focus on her own game and a belief that the result rests largely if not exclusively on how well she executes that game. But when a relatively simple adjustment in tactics could have swung the match in her favour … Well, I suppose even five-time champions have their off-days.

Pictured: an off-day.

That sounds ungracious towards Pironkova, and I don’t necessarily mean it that way. It might just be my own annoyance that a player who I’ve never really thought of as a potentially big talent confounded my expectations so thoroughly. She did play a great match, she really did, and pulled off the upset of the tournament so far – which is a neat trick when Yen-Hsun Lu beat Andy Roddick in five sets. And she was sweet afterwards. So good on you, Tsvetana.

Nickname suggestions gratefully accepted.

Wimbledon Day 7 Results, Day 8 OOP

Gentlemen

Singles – Fourth Round
[1] R Federer (SUI) d [16] J Melzer (AUT) 63 62 63
[2] R Nadal (ESP) d P Mathieu (FRA) 64 62 62
[3] N Djokovic (SRB) d [15] L Hewitt (AUS) 75 64 36 64
[4] A Murray (GBR) d [18] S Querrey (USA) 75 63 64
Y Lu (TPE) d [5] A Roddick (USA) 46 76(3) 76(4) 67(5) 97
[6] R Soderling (SWE) d [9] D Ferrer (ESP) 62 57 62 36 75
[10] J Tsonga (FRA) d [32] J Benneteau (FRA) 61 64 36 61
[12] T Berdych (CZE) d D Brands (GER) 46 76(1) 75 63

Doubles – Third Round
[16] R Lindstedt (SWE) / H Tecau (ROU) d [4] M Bhupathi (IND) / M Mirnyi (BLR) 36 46 63 76(8) 86
[7] W Moodie (RSA) / D Norman (BEL) d M Damm (CZE) / F Polasek (SVK) 76(9) 76(5) 76(3)
[11] M Granollers (ESP) / T Robredo (ESP) d [8] J Knowle (AUT) / A Ram (ISR) 62 76(2) 16 76(5)
[14] J Benneteau (FRA) / M Llodra (FRA) d C Eaton (GBR) / D Inglot (GBR) 26 63 64 64
R Bopanna (IND) / A  Qureshi (PAK) d L Lacko (SVK) / S Stakhovsky (UKR) 75 76(4) 62
J Chela (ARG) / E Schwank (ARG) d S Ratiwatana (THA) / S Ratiwatana (THA) 63 62 76(2)

Doubles – Second Round
B Bryan (USA) / M Bryan (USA) d C Fleming (GBR) / K Skupski (GBR) 62 64 76(5)
J Melzer (AUT) / P Petzschner (GER) d [10] S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) 67(3) 62 63 64

Ladies

Singles – Fourth Round
(1) Serena Williams (USA) d. (16) Maria Sharapova (RUS) 76(9) 64
(2) Venus Williams (USA) d. Jarmila Groth (AUS) 64 76(5)
Petra Kvitova (CZE) d. (3) Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 62 60
(21) Vera Zvonareva (RUS) d. (4) Jelena Jankovic (SRB) 61 30 ret. (low back injury)
(9) Li Na (CHN) d. (7) Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 63 62
(8) Kim Clijsters (BEL) d. (17) Justine Henin (BEL) 26 62 63
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) d. (11) Marion Bartoli (FRA) 64 64
(Q) Kaia Kanepi (EST) d. Klara Zakopalova (CZE) 62 64

Doubles – Third Round
King/Shvedova (USA/KAZ) d. (3) Petrova/Stosur (RUS/AUS) 64 64
(4) Dulko/Pennetta (ARG/ITA) d. Jankovic/Scheepers (SRB/RSA) w/o (Jankovic: low back injury)
(5) Huber/Mattek-Sands (USA/USA) d. (16) Hsieh/Kudryavtseva (TPE/RUS) 36 62 64
(7) Raymond/Stubbs (USA/AUS) d. (11) Black/Hantuchova (ZIM/SVK) 62 62
Goerges/Szavay (GER/HUN) d. Amanmuradova/Barrois (UZB/GER) 62 76(7)

OOP

Centre Court 13:00 Start Time
1. Ladies’ Singles – Quarterfinals
Kim Clijsters (BEL)[8] v. Vera Zvonareva (RUS)[21]
2. Ladies’ Singles – Quarterfinals
Serena Williams (USA)[1] v. Na Li (CHN)[9]
3. Gentlemen’s Doubles – 3rd Round
Carsten Ball (AUS) v. Bob Bryan (USA)[2]
Chris Guccione (AUS) Mike Bryan (USA)[2]

No. 1 Court 13:00 Start Time
1. Ladies’ Singles – Quarterfinals
Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) v. Venus Williams (USA)[2]
2. Ladies’ Singles – Quarterfinals
Petra Kvitova (CZE) v. Kaia Kanepi (EST)
3. Gentlemen’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Robert Lindstedt (SWE)[16] v. Marcel Granollers (ESP)[11]
Horia Tecau (ROU)[16] Tommy Robredo (ESP)[11]

Court 2 12:00 Start Time
1. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Julian Knowle (AUT) v. Bruno Soares (BRA)
Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ) Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE)
2. Gentlemen’s Doubles – 3rd Round
Yen-Hsun Lu (TPE) v. Jurgen Melzer (AUT)
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) Philipp Petzschner (GER)
3. Ladies’ Doubles
Iveta Benesova (CZE)[12] v. Elena Vesnina (RUS)
Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE)[12] Vera Zvonareva (RUS)
4. Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
Martina Hingis (SUI) v. Anne Hobbs (GBR)
Anna Kournikova (RUS) Samantha Smith (GBR)

Court 5 12:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Oliver Golding (GBR) v. Juan Sebastian Gomez (COL)[14]
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Ksenia Kirillova (RUS) v. Eleanor Dean (GBR)
3. Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles – Finals
Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) v. Todd Martin (USA)
Todd Woodbridge (AUS) Greg Rusedski (GBR)
4. Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
Tracy Austin (USA) v. Helena Sukova (CZE)
Kathy Rinaldi-Stunkel (USA) Andrea Temesvari (HUN)
5. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Vijay Amritraj (IND) v. Pat Cash (AUS)
Wally Masur (AUS) Mark Woodforde (AUS)

Court 6 11:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Sloane Stephens (USA) v. Daria Gavrilova (RUS)[16]
2. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Mitchell Frank (USA) v. Jiri Vesely (CZE)[5]
3. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Grace Min (USA) v. Polina Pekhova (BLR)
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Marton Fucsovics (HUN) v. Micke Kontinen (FIN)
Libor Salaba (CZE) Jiri Vesely (CZE)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Eleanor Dean (GBR) v. Krista Hardebeck (USA)
Tara Moore (GBR) Grace Min (USA)

Court 7 12:00 Start Time
1. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Peter Fleming (USA) v. Joakim Nystrom (SWE)
Guy Forget (FRA) Mikael Pernfors (SWE)
2. Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
Annabel Croft (GBR) v. Ilana Kloss (RSA)
Magdalena Maleeva (BUL) Rosalyn Nideffer (USA)
3. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Benjamin Mitchell (AUS) v. Kevin Krawietz (GER)[16]
4. Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles – Finals
Wayne Ferreira (RSA) v. Richard Krajicek (NED)
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS) Michael Stich (GER)

Court 8 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Marton Fucsovics (HUN)[13] v. Alessandro Colella (ITA)
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Kristyna Pliskova (CZE)[9] v. Doroteja Eric (SRB)
3. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Ana Bogdan (ROU) v. An-Sophie Mestach (BEL)[11]
4. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Facundo Arguello (ARG) v. Francis Casey Alcantara (PHI)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
An-Sophie Mestach (BEL)[6] v. Nour Abbes (TUN)
Silvia Njiric (CRO)[6] Zarah Razafimahatratra (MAD)

Court 9 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Micke Kontinen (FIN) v. Mikhail Biryukov (RUS)[12]
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Nastja Kolar (SLO)[6] v. Denisa Allertova (CZE)
3. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Sabina Sharipova (UZB) v. Yulia Putintseva (RUS)[15]
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Juan Sebastian Gomez (COL)[4] v. Taro Daniel (JPN)
Yasutaka Uchiyama (JPN)[4] Dennis Novikov (USA)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Sophia Kovalets (UKR) v. Luksika Kumkhum (THA)
Sabina Sharipova (UZB) Grace Sari Ysidora (INA)

Court 11 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Filip Horansky (SVK) v. Mikelis Libietis (LAT)
2. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Tiago Fernandes (BRA)[3] v. Dane Webb (USA)
3. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Ons Jabeur (TUN)[12] v. Jana Cepelova (SVK)
4. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Natalie Beazant (GBR) v. Ester Goldfeld (USA)
Santa Shumilina (RUS) Chanelle Van Nguyen (USA)
5. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Duilio Beretta (PER)[1] v. Nick Chappell (USA)
Roberto Quiroz (ECU)[1] Dane Webb (USA)

Court 12 12:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Denis Kudla (USA)[7] v. Liam Broady (GBR)
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Laura Robson (GBR)[8] v. Krista Hardebeck (USA)
3. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Mansour Bahrami (IRI) v. Jeremy Bates (GBR)
Henri Leconte (FRA) Anders Jarryd (SWE)
4. Senior Gentlemen’s Inv. Doubles
Kevin Curren (USA) v. Peter McNamara (AUS)
Johan Kriek (USA) Paul McNamee (AUS)
5. Gentlemen’s Invitation Doubles – Semifinals
Jacco Eltingh (NED) v. Donald Johnson (USA)
Paul Haarhuis (NED) Jared Palmer (USA)

Court 14 11:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Timea Babos (HUN)[3] v. Aliaksandra Sasnovich (BLR)
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Tara Moore (GBR) v. Eugenie Bouchard (CAN)
3. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Renzo Olivo (ARG)[9] v. Lewis Burton (GBR)
4. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Ashley Hewitt (GBR) v. Damir Dzumhur (BIH)[6]
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Fernanda Brito (CHI) v. Nastja Kolar (SLO)[7]
Agustina Sol Eskenazi (ARG) Chantal Skamlova (SVK)[7]

Court 15 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
James Duckworth (AUS)[8] v. Raymond Sarmiento (USA)
2. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Guilherme Clezar (BRA) v. Ben Wagland (AUS)
3. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Francesca Stephenson (GBR) v. Monica Puig (PUR)[5]
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Hugo Dellien (BOL)[6] v. Mikhail Biryukov (RUS)
Dominic Thiem (AUT)[6] Alexander Rumyantsev (RUS)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Katy Dunne (GBR) v. Denisa Allertova (CZE)
Jessica Ren (GBR) Lucia Butkovska (SVK)

Court 17 11:00 Start Time
1. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Clothilde De Bernardi (FRA) v. Ester Goldfeld (USA)
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Jovana Jaksic (SRB) v. Sachie Ishizu (JPN)[10]
3. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Mate Zsiga (HUN)[11] v. Justin Eleveld (NED)
4. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Nigina Abduraimova (UZB) v. Karolina Pliskova (CZE)[4]
5. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Gregoire Barrere (FRA) v. Mitchell Frank (USA)
Mathias Bourgue (FRA) Junior A. Ore (USA)

Court 18 12:00 Start Time
1. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Marcelo Melo (BRA)[10] v. Daniel Nestor (CAN)[6]
Rennae Stubbs (AUS)[10] Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA)[6]
2. Mixed Doubles – 2nd Round
David Marrero (ESP) v. Paul Hanley (AUS)[12]
Alexandra Dulgheru (ROU) Yung-Jan Chan (TPE)[12]
3. Gentlemen’s Doubles – Quarterfinals
Julien Benneteau (FRA)[14] v. Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
Michael Llodra (FRA)[14] Eduardo Schwank (ARG)
4. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Wesley Moodie (RSA)[11] v. Max Mirnyi (BLR)[7]
Lisa Raymond (USA)[11] Alisa Kleybanova (RUS)[7]

Court 19 11:00 Start Time
1. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Jason Kubler (AUS)[1] v. Ahmed Triki (TUN)
2. Girls’ Singles – 2nd Round
Adriana Perez (VEN) v. Irina Khromacheva (RUS)[2]
3. Boys’ Singles – 2nd Round
Jannick Lupescu (NED) v. James Marsalek (GBR)
4. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Sam Barry (IRL) v. Jason Kubler (AUS)
Ben McLachlan (NZL) Andrew Whittington (AUS)
5. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Irina Khromacheva (RUS)[1] v. Gabriela Dabrowski (CAN)
Elina Svitolina (UKR)[1] Jennifer Ren (GBR)

TBA Start Time Not Before:17:00 1. Mixed Doubles – 3rd Round
Jonathan Marray (GBR) v. Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)
Anna Smith (GBR) Vera Dushevina (RUS)
Not Before:17:00 2. Boys’ Doubles – 1st Round
Luke Bambridge (GBR) v. Romain Arneodo (FRA)
Kyle Edmund (GBR) Mick Lescure (FRA)
Not Before:17:00 3. Girls’ Doubles – 1st Round
Veronica Cepede Royg (PAR)[5] v. Mai Grage (DEN)
Cristina Dinu (ROU)[5] Emi Mutaguchi (JPN)
Not Before:18:00 4. Ladies’ Invitation Doubles
Conchita Martinez (ESP) v. Martina Navratilova (USA)
Nathalie Tauziat (FRA) Jana Novotna (CZE)

Wimbledon Day 7: … And The Rest

On the ladies’ side, three somewhat surprise packages join the usual suspects in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. First up, Petra Kvitova, who beat Caroline Wozniacki 62 60 to book her spot. Wozniacki won just five points in the second set.

Kvitova, who had never won a grass court match coming into this tournament, will meet Kaia Kanepi, who will insist on occasionally being a thing. She took out Klara Zakopalova in straights.

The third unpredictable entrant is Tsvetana Pironkova, who defied my prediction by taking out former finalist Marion Bartoli in straights. Her reward is a meeting with Venus Williams, who – despite a little trouble finding her court – beat a feisty Jarmila Groth to book her spot in the quarterfinals.

Elsewhere, it was a sad day for fans of Jelena Jankovic, as she was forced to retire with a back injury when trailing Vera Zvonareva 16 03. Wimbledon just isn’t her tournament, is it?

Rounding out the last eight is Li Na, who demolished Agnieszka Radwanska in a reversal of last year’s round of sixteen to face Serena Williams, and then offered some wise words for us all:

Q. What have you done well this week and last week and in Birmingham, do you think?

NA LI: After I win in Birmingham, I was feeling more confident, more positive thinking on the grass court. But because my coach didn’t come to Birmingham, so after I meet him, he was like, Just forget Birmingham. This much different tournament.

So every time, he always talk like. Every time he talk like, Forget, forget, forget that one. I was like, Okay. I couldn’t forget. I played five rounds of match, win tournament. How I can forget that? But he always like, Forget. This is much different game.

On the men’s side, guess who is in the quarterfinals! Yeah, you guessed it.

What depth. They will be joined by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who put out Benny in four, and Andy Murray, who was frankly sensational against limited opposition in his victory over Sam Querrey.

C’mon Andy.

Not a bad quarter-finals lineup on either side, is it?

Wimbledon Day 7: There’s No Ferru Like a Five-set Ferru

Because even when he comes out on the wrong end, as he did today to Robin Soderling, the images make it all worth it.

Robin, meanwhile, having dropped his first sets in the championships so far and looking for the first time less than invulnerable, goes on to face Rafa Nadal. Best of luck with that, Robin.

You’re going to be needing that.

Wimbledon Day 7: Auf Wiedersehen, Brands Adonis

Sadly, today saw the end of Wimbledon virgin and all-round bronzed sex god, Daniel Brands, at the hands of Tomas Berdych in four sets out on court 12. I didn’t see the match, and never got the chance to pay proper tribute to such a fine young mannschaft, so have some pictures.

This is the wonderful thing about tennis, however; even as it takes away with one hand, it gives with the other, because Tomas Berdych is in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Yay.

Berdych takes on Federer next, who he’s never beaten in a Slam. So I’d like to wish him luck in my own special way by commending his excellent iteration of the ‘argh no’ maneouvre, first made moderately famous in my pants by a certain Juan Martin del Potro:

Well played.

Wimbledon Day 7: Marquee Matches

Serena Williams d. Maria Sharapova, 76(9) 64

You just knew Maria was going to turn it on for this match, and my god, did she. The first set was ridiculously good tennis – if you didn’t see it, get it – and had it not been for Serena’s phenomenal serving (and a couple of errors by Sharapova at very crucial moments in the hotly-contested tiebreak) it could and would have gone the other way. The second set perhaps inevitably didn’t live up to the standard as Serena got the bit firmly between her teeth, but it was still a great display of first-strike tennis and a very impressive victory for the defending champion.

At some point, though, Maria is going to have to start winning these close ones if she’s going to get back to where she was. After watching her today, I feel more confident than I have done at any point that that will happen. She gave another great presser, too:

Q. The last three tournaments you played very close to very good players in all matches. Do you feel like you’re close to getting over the line? What’s it going to take for you to tip the scales in your favor?

MARIA SHARAPOVA: I mean, I was very happy that I was put in the situations and I got myself in the situation in order to win the match. I certainly could have done a little bit of better job in executing.

You know, I can sit here and whine about that. But the fact that I gave myself a chance and I went out there and I’m feeling, you know, just really happy to be playing out there the way I want to play and the way that makes me happy playing, uhm, it’s a joy to be out there again.

She really means it too. Kudos – and kudos to Serena for another stunning performance. Is there anyone in the game who plays better as the favourite than Serena, who handles that pressure better? Serious question.

Kim Clijsters d. Justine Henin, 26 62 63

Who called it? Oh that’s right. Me. It didn’t play out quite as I thought it would; Justine made a great start and Kim was, by her own admission, nowhere to be found. Justine took a bad fall and received treatment for the elbow injury she incurred, and Kim took total charge of the second set. Then we all sat forward in our seats for the third set.

I honestly thought coming into this match that Justine simply wanted to win here too much, and that it would lead her to over-press – fatal, given the tactical alterations she’s made to her game which sit uneasily whatever she says – and that was very much the way it played out. She simply pushed too hard in a way that looked too uncomfortable, pressing forward down the middle of the court and either missing or leaving herself open rather than working the angles in the way she used to do. And so the grand Wimbledon campaign ends at the hands of someone whose comeback seems to have been a lot more fun than hers so far. C’est la vie.