The Tennis Thread

[NakedIfIWantTo]

^Not too bad, she's playing to that ' golden flower of China' accolade
Just wait till you see those shoes...

 

[Chaky]

Can you believe Isner drew Mahut in the first round again? What are the odds?

Hope it's not a massive anticlimax. I know Mahut has not been playing well recently.

 

[NakedIfIWantTo]

I bet Mahut is not thrilled.

 

[Scott]

it's definitely a suspicious coincidence even if it wasn't intentional. i mean indeed what are the odds of that happening again?

like you chaky,i hope it's not a disappointing misfortune for them. mahut has not been playing well,indeed,and isner hasn't exactly been so exceptional lately either.

 

[Chaky]

I'm heading to London today and I'll be at Wimbledon tomorrow. Hopefully I'll see some good matches.

 

[johnnys_girl09]

Federer was working that sweater vest today!

 

[NakedIfIWantTo]

We are outsiders! Serena furious after Williams sisters are 'exiled' to Court 2

Serena Williams has lashed out at Wimbledon chiefs for relegating her and sister Venus to outside courts - and demanded equal billing with the men.

The defending women's champion was sent out to Court 2 for her second-round clash with Romania's Simona Halep, which she won 3-6, 6-2, 6-1. So was Williams' sister Venus, the five-time singles champion, for her opening match on Monday.

Asked if she viewed it as an insult that players such as Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic were not treated in the same way, Serena said: 'Yeah, they're never moved across. Venus and I have won more Wimbledons than a lot of players, even just in doubles. I don't make it a big issue - but I think at some point I should.'

Venus: also 'out in the sticks'
Serena, who together with Venus has won 18 titles at the All England Club, added: 'But they are not going to change what they do.
'They seem to like to put us on Court 2 for whatever reason. Maybe one day we'll figure it out. I don't know.' Serena also sarcastically pointed out that there were other disadvantages to being on Court 2 - the furthest from the players' area.
'I never have too much time to warm up,' complained the seventh seed, back playing after a year out. 'I look at the walk over there as a kind of warm-up. I say, "OK, this gets my legs moving".'
The All England Club insisted there was no agenda against the sisters, saying: 'Scheduling is a complex business and cannot be looked at in the light of just one or two matches.
'The referees team have to ensure a balanced and fair order of play from many interests, including the spectators. What a great chance it was for the 4,000 people on Court No 2 to see our ladies champion.'
Looking ahead to today's mouthwatering line-up, Williams turned her attentions to British starlet Laura Robson. 'I see her a lot here. I think she's a good player ... an all-round good player,' added the champion.
'First, she's a lefty, which automatically puts you a step ahead. She moves well, hits hard and has a good serve. She does everything so well. I can't believe she's only 17.'

dailymail

Good that she still has that fire inside her, and I'm on her side for this. When she played her first match against Rezai it was so so obvious who the crowd favored. Applauding furiously at anything to the advantage of Rezai but so unwilling to show the same for Serena, whatever happened to common respect and decency? Nothing against Rezai, I'm sure she's had a tough year too, in fact it could have been anybody and I know the reaction would be the same, I just thought of all people those at the All England Club should know better.

 

[Chaky]

There have already been some incredible matches this week. Today was particularly good. Hewitt vs Soderling featured some impressive play from Lleyton rolling back the years. A few Becker-like diving volleys in there.

And Sabine Lisicki vs Li Na was an excellent match I thought. Pretty bad luck for Li to draw the most dangerous floater at the moment. That clutch serving from Sabine to save match points was Federer-esque. She hit two unreturnables and two aces all at over 120mph. In fact her fastest one of 124mph is the fastest recorded serve on the WTA this year. It's horrible having your career derailed by injury so I'm happy to see her get this win.

I missed the Tsonga match but I heard it was a cracker as well. Saw the pics of him vaulting the net at the end.

 

[constanceMafioso]

Yes, yesterday had some excellent matches. I'm not sure the Li/Lisicki was an epic, there was many UEs nonetheless and choking especially when Li served for the match both times but the drama really catched up for it's even more greater to see Sabine get the win at the end.

The 1st. week is ending and I'm still staying on my line that Petra will be one of the finalist or at best the trophy holder. She's my favorite for the title and she has really impressed me a lot. She has also made the 1/2 here so I guess it can be a good pick. B)

Hopefully Vika will make the 1/2 too and Maria.

 

[Scott]

i'm incredibly happy for lisicki as well. it's amazing how she's turned so much around in the amount of time she has.

btw,how about nadia petrova? for somebody who hasn't done anything significant for a while now,she took out pavly and then had a comfortable victory yesterday over the bondarenko junior. if she keeps playing like this,she could be a dangerous floater as well in the second week.

 

[Not Plain Jane]

Love the lovely Lisicki!

Hoping that (a) neither Serena nor Venus win Wimbledon and that Venus loses soon so don't have to look at another horrid outfit of hers much longer, want to see a DIFFERENT women's champion, and that (b) neither Fed nor Rafa win Wimbledon, as am so tired of them winning all the slams, and would love to see someone else win it: Murray, Nole, Delpo, Tsonga, Gasquet, anyone but those two!!!

Agree: yesterday some fabulous matches, especially excellent was Tsonga vs. Dimitrov which was full of drama and brilliant shot-making. Oh please tennis gods - more matches like that one!

 

[Chaky]

I hope one of the Williams sisters loses. Nothing against them particularly, just don't want to see an all-Williams final. Thing is, despite their lack of matches, each round they get through they become tougher and tougher to defeat.

Baghdatis vs Djokovic was fun on Saturday. The crowd loves Marcos and Nole was a bit rattled for a while.

SI.com pointed out the good sportsmanship in Tsonga vs Dimitrov

 

[Northern Star]

^ Have to agree, an all Williams final is just not what this tournament needs, when so many other players are playing well and have a chance of being there.

Baghdatis vs Djokovic was the match of the tournament so far. It really had everything and the crowd were unreal. I can't say they were totally against Novak, as he is popular here, but they were certainly behind Marcos. To describe Djokovic as rattled is an understatement to be fair.......he was gonna make sure that racquet broke once and for all.

 

[Scott]

the sad thing is,many of the top players have bundled out so soon which is making it increasingly more difficult to prevent a sister in the final. unless azarenka,sharapova,kvitova and/or the in-form lisicki can step up,it's hard not to imagine at least one not in a semifinal. even in these next matches,venus against pironkova and bartoli against serena,they have the potential as well. but first weeks of majors are always the time to expose vulnerabilities in the sisters because in that week is when they're trying to find their footing and they grow more confident and comfortable with each match.

anyway,did anybody catch that match between bartoli and pennetta yesterday? bartoli was so stressed and frustrated she actually sent her parents from the stands,which is something you never see her do....ever. oddly enough,she started playing better after that. and how about pennetta....it was great to see her playing well after all these months struggling with injury and confidence. i hope that continues because it's been rather disappointing as she's such a feisty,never-say-die kind of player.

thoroughly impressed with bernard tomic yesterday as well. the way he rushed out to that 5/0 lead over soderling ultimately taking it in straights. outstanding tennis. this guy is destined to be a wimbledon champ,if you ask me. he's got a solid game for this surface

 

[tigerrouge]

May the best woman win. Whoever walks onto that court with the mind and the body to win - and who brings her game together on the day - that woman deserves to win, whatever her surname is, whatever she's wearing, and whatever number of times she has or hasn't won it before.

I've no sentiment about who "should" be in a final, if they're not playing strongly enough in reality to get themselves there. I like the sight of women who win, and who prove themselves champions - and if they can do so repeatedly and dominate the sport, then I admire them as much as the men who can achieve the same. I'm never bored when watching winners, and I welcome whoever steps up to the mark in 2011.

 

[Chaky]

Yes I was very impressed with Tomic. I saw him play at Wimbledon on Court 2 last year and he seemed decent then but he's improved. True Soderling wasn't well but many opponents can find that off-putting. Not Tomic. He got on with it and took his chances.

I've no sentiment about who "should" be in a final, if they're not playing strongly enough in reality to get themselves there.

I'm not stating a dislike for Serena or Venus. I'm saying I dislike watching them play each other. Plus it would be great if one of the newer girls made the final.

 

[Northern Star]

I'm not stating a dislike for Serena or Venus. I'm saying I dislike watching them play each other. Plus it would be great if one of the newer girls made the final.

[/QUOTE]

My sentiments exactly.

Although I totally agree with tigerrouge's post, and that is always the way it should be. If the Williams sisters come into the tournament with very little matchplay this year and get to the final, then so be it and good for them. Personally I would rather that didn't happen, as I get very little excitement or anticipation for it. Although I must add that in the last few years, their matches have been more thrilling than at the beginning of their careers.

 

[tigerrouge]

I feel that this is sport - it's not always going to be entertaining or comply to the storyline that we'd like to see happen - but that shouldn't overshadow the achievements of the winners.

But when it comes to the women's games, when a Williams sister (or two) ends up in a final, it's as if they're standing in the way of a more deserving player lifting the trophy, or have blocked someone who might thrill us more, as we sit on our backsides watching the match, as if the most important part of tennis is about what entertains us, and if someone doesn't entertain us, they shouldn't be on court.

Yes, it's nice if the match is exciting, it's great if a new face makes it through, it's fantastic when someone else makes their mark - but in the end, I won't be wishing for any of that to the detriment of whatever person has the ability to win.

 

[NakedIfIWantTo]

^I can't karma you enough.

 

[Chaky]

Well I guess I got my wish to avoid an all-Williams final. Wozniacki out too. Big upsets today.

Although I totally agree with tigerrouge's post, and that is always the way it should be. If the Williams sisters come into the tournament with very little matchplay this year and get to the final, then so be it and good for them. Personally I would rather that didn't happen, as I get very little excitement or anticipation for it. Although I must add that in the last few years, their matches have been more thrilling than at the beginning of their careers.

Agreed. If both sisters had made the final then fair play to them, they were the best and deserved it. I have found a lot of their matches together lacking an edge, although I do agree recent matches have been better.

as if the most important part of tennis is about what entertains us, and if someone doesn't entertain us, they shouldn't be on court.

But isn't the primary purpose of professional tennis to be entertaining (or entertainment)? Otherwise what's the point? I hear plenty of people saying Wozniacki has a boring game and they don't want to watch her even though she's world #1. The Williams sisters are entertaining.