Rackets and Balls - Tennis News

July 2nd, 2008

Men’s Final Four at Wimbly: Roger and Rafa on Collision Course

As Sally so graciously pointed out below, my picks were right for the Wimbledon quarterfinals (Well, except for Rainer Schuettler and Arnaud Clement who haven’t finished their match yet)! I’m amazed at myself.

The most impressive of the three completed matches was Rafael Nadal’s pounding of Andy Murray. I knew it was coming. I think a lot of us knew it was coming, and since I’m not British, I wasn’t forced by birth into rooting for lost causes.

Three lop-sided sets later (6-3, 6-2, 6-4), Murray was wiping his brow and Rafa was looking like a dominant front-runner to win Wimbledon.

On the other side of the bracket, Roger Federer continued his impressive style, winning in straight sets over Mario Ancic. Prior to the match, reporters were touting Ancic’s position as the last man to beat Federer at Wimbledon. That was in 2002. Riiiiight. That was so far from being a factor in this match that it was a non-factor. It had nothing to do with it at all, and the results (6-1, 7-5, 6-4) proved it.

Two things to note about the top two players, though.
1) While Federer hasn’t dropped a set in the tournament (Rafa only dropped one against Ernest Gulbis), Rafa is playing his way into dominating form. That scary type of domination where he’s untouchable; the same type that led him to another French Open title a few weeks ago.
2) Federer has to face down Marat Safin in the semis. Safin is on his last hurrah (until the next one comes six years from now…), and players who think their last chance is at hand can be really dangerous. Even if there wasn’t that factor, Marat is the real deal. This isn’t his first time at a grass court hoedown, and Federer could have some trouble with the big-serving Safin. However, Rafa is going to have an unknown player who is unfamiliar with this type of stage. That player - Clement or Schuettler - will have also been on the court longer, been through more stress because of rain delays and generally will probably be less on point.

Speaking of Safin, how about his comeback against Feliciano Lopez? Safin lost the first set 6-3 but a long rain break helped the Russian regroup his commonly scattered concentrations and won the next three sets 7-5, 7-6, 6-3 to set up his date with God Roger in the semis.

Ultimately, I think we see Rafa and Roger in the final again. I want Roger to win this title. I’m cursed with being a realist, however, and I’m well aware that Rafa is playing with pocket aces.

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July 2nd, 2008

Rain Suspends Play in Men’s Quarters

Roger Federer took a commanding 6-1 first set from Mario Ancic, and it was 1-all in the second when the rains shooed them off court.

In the other quarter of this half of the draw, Feliciano Lopez holds a 5-2 first set lead before the rain break over Marat Safin. Granted, a lot can happen in a best-of-five match, but it’s not a great way for Safin to start out.

But here goes my picks. Roger over Ancic. Safin takes advantage of the rain break, comes back and takes out Lopez. In the other half of the draw, Rainer Schuettler over Arnaud Clement (I don’t know much of anything about either one of them), and as much as the entire population of the British Isles would love to see Andy Murray win, it’s going to be Rafael Nadal into the semis.

There - I’ve predicted. And since I’m quite horrible at calling games (hence why I’ve never taken up the occupation of gambling), I’ll be lucky to get two of the four.

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July 1st, 2008

Final Four: Women’s Field at Wimbledon

Venus Williams is another step closer to defending her 2007 Wimbledon title. In one of the most crazy, convuluted Wimbledons in recent memory, Williams became the first woman into the semifinals after dispatching Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-4, 6-3. ‘

Elena Dementieva, the highest remaining seed at number five, managed to come through a tough quarterfinal match to set up a meeting with Venus in the semis. Dementieva blew Nadia Petrova away with a 6-1 first set, but Petrova bounced back and won a tiebreak second set. The swing set went to Dementieva with two breaks at 6-3.

On the other half of the draw, Jie Zheng is already up a set on Nicole Vaidisova, winning it 6-2. You know, the further Zheng moves in the tournament, the better it makes Ana Ivanovic’s loss to her look. Don’t get me wrong. It doesn’t justify it or make it ok. It’s just that when you start out with something so horrible as the beating Ivanovic took from a relative no-name, it doesn’t take a whole lot to make it look a little better.

Agnieszka Radwanska or Serena Williams in the bottom quarter?

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June 30th, 2008

British Star Still Shining!

England has got to be hoppin’ tonight!

Andy Murray pulled a miracle out of his scrawny little butt. Two sets down to the eighth-seeded Richard Gasquet is really not a great way to try and get into the quarterfinals of Wimbledon. But if Murray just wasn’t the little tall Brit that could.

The third set went the distance, and Murray came out ahead in a tiebreak. It was the turning point of the match, and Murray had all cylinders firing in the last two sets (6-2, 6-4) to make his come-from-behind victory over Gasquet complete.

Bad news for Murray and all the Brits though - Rafael Nadal is Murray’s quarterfinal opponent. ‘Nuf said.

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June 30th, 2008

Jankovic Ousted, Federer Coasts

Well, it wasn’t the match I was hoping for. It wasn’t anything really. Roger Federer imposed his will on Lleyton Hewitt and ousted the Aussie in straight sets (7-6, 6-2, 6-4) to move into the quarterfinals. Federer looks good, folks. He looks really sharp.

Holy whoa! What have we got going on Court 11?! Fernando Verdasco and Mario Ancic are in an old-fashioned brawl. Verdasco won the first two sets 6-3, 6-4, but Ancic counter-punched by winning the next two sets 6-4, 6-3. Neither one is giving way in the fifth set; they’re deadlocked at 9-all. Man, I wish I was there.

How ’bout my girl Jelena? Yeah. Le sigh. Jelena Jankovic didn’t do much of anything in a piddly, po-dunk match against Tamarine Tanasugarn. T-squared gave the second-ranked Serb the boot 6-3, 6-2. I may end up having two today, but early morning Slacker of the Day honors have to go to JJ.

Both Serena and Venus Williams moved into the quarters with ease and the path to an all-Williams’ final is looking pretty sweet for the duo. Gosh, it’ll be like rolling back the clock a few years.

And Nicole Vaidisova, not at all known for her mental strength, came from a set down to move past Anna Chakvetadze for a quarterfinal berth.

The round of 16 - so very exciting - so very many matches and so very much drama!

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June 29th, 2008

Rafa Gets it Done From All Angles

In all of yesterday’s happenings, there was one amazing move that I’ve replayed again and again.

In Rafael Nadal’s match against Nicolas Kiefer at Wimbledon, Rafa came into the net. He slipped to the ground on his butt just as Kiefer’s volley was coming at him. Some how, some way, Rafa got his racket on the ball to flick it back over the net. Kiefer knocked a forehand in the open court to ultimately win the point, but it was really a moot point.

The athleticism and abilities of Rafa never cease to amaze me…

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June 29th, 2008

Venus, Rafa and Murray into Round of 16

The down and dirty on today:

- Rafael Nadal is rolling. Rolling! Three sets later, Nicolas Kiefer is no more. I’ve never seen Rafa look so dangerous on grass. Anyone in his way is in for a serious fight if they want to move past him.

- I get such a kick out of watching Mikhail Youzhny on court. The man is just spastic or something. Whatever he is, he’s still finding a way to win. A see-saw five-setter with Radek Stepanek was more than enough to send Youzhny into his usual antics, and he just managed to come out on top (7-5, 6-7, 6-4, 6-7, 6-3).

- The Brits still have hope in the round of 16? Why, yes they do! Andy Murray dropped a set against Tommy Haas but powered his way through the final two sets to ink in an appointment with Richard Gasquet.

- Venus Williams allowed Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez to work her way back into the second set, but Williams still moved on in straight sets (6-1, 7-5) to continue her march to defend her 2007 Wimbledon title.

- There was no tricks left in Dinara Safina’s wonder bag against Shahar Peer. Safina scrambled and gutsied her way back into the match to win the second set in a tiebreak after losing the first set 5-7. Safina didn’t have enough in the tank though and Peer won the deciding set at 8-6.

- Even though Safina lost, I can’t saddle her with Slacker of the Day dishonors. No one really stood out with a really poor performance so for the lack of a superstar, today we’re picking on Paul-Henri Mathieu. The 14th seed won the first set in a tiebreak but couldn’t carry the momentum any further, and Marin Cilic strung the next three sets together for the victory. Mathieu: I bid you adieu and bestow Slacker of the Day cords about your neck.

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June 28th, 2008

Jankovic Wins in Three, Roger and Lleyton to Meet

I left off something very important from yesterday’s post about the fall of a very short-term Goliath. Slacker of the Day awards for Thursday go to Ana Ivanovic. Obviously. But it still had to be said, ya know?

Jelena Jankovic just survived a three-set scare from Caroline Wozniacki. The Serb dropped the first set 2-6 but bounced back at 6-4 in the second and closed it out with a dominating 6-2 deciding set. Bet she was wishing the could have pulled some of that out in the first, huh?

I didn’t get around to talking about the men yesterday for some oddly weird reason. I was so sidetracked by Ana’s demise that I forgot. So…Lleyton Hewitt. He’s really playing well. How long that is going to last against Roger Federer in the fourth round, I don’t know, but at least the Aussie is putting together a nice little run at Wimbledon. In this crazy tournament, I think anything could happen. Roger holds a 13-7 advantage over Hewitt but remember a couple rounds ago when Marat Safin - yes, that Marat - beat third-ranked Novak Djokovic? Speaking of Marat, he knocked off another seeded player, taking Andreas Seppi in four sets to move on to the fourth round to face Stanislas Wawrinka.

No big upsets thus far today, so I’ll have to return later to bestow Slacker of the Day honors. Maybe Nicolas Kiefer will take out Rafa.

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June 27th, 2008

Upset City: Ivanovic on Chopping Block

What the heck is going on across the Big Pond? I called my tennis buddy during work to get a much-needed update and when he told me Ana Ivanovic lost to a 133rd-ranked player, I nearly fell off the sidewalk.

Ivanovic? The number one player in the world? Well - very likely to be the ex-number one player in the world in the space of a few days. What the crap, man!

And not only did Ivanovic lose in the third round of Wimbledon mere weeks after rocking the French Open and shooting up to the top slot, she was rolled. Jie Zheng of China dominated the first set 6-1 and went up a break to win the second at 6-4.

Jie who? Yeup. And that’s why, every once in awhile, those wild card entries are the most entertaining of all.

Other semi-big names chalking up early-round losses: Amelie Mauresmo at the hands of Serena Williams and last year’s finalist Marion Bartoli couldn’t cut the mustard.

At this rate, the outlook for Serena or Venus to win Wimbledon again is increasing exponentially. Or Jelena Jankovic. I’m not sure how far Jankovic needs to advance in the tourney to take over the top spot in the world but it can’t be too much.

What a jumbled mess…awesome!!!

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June 27th, 2008

Sharapova Crashes Out of Wimbledon

“Sir that is one really, really purple Russian sir!”

That’s from Miss Congeniality for those who don’t know, and today - I’m betting there’s one really, really red Russian - red from embarrassment that is. Maria Sharapova lost in the second round of Wimbledon today. Yes - you read that correctly.

The 154th-ranked Alla Kudryavtseva demolished the world number three in straight sets (6-2, 6-4) in only her 10th Grand Slam match. Another interesting statistic: this is the earliest exit from a Grand Slam event for Sharapova since her first complete season in 2003.

Wowzer.

I’m not going to lie. I’m not sitting here with water leaking out of my eyes over Sharapova’s surprisingly early demise. But even though I’m not sad, I really am a little shocked that she got booted from the tourney sooooo early. You don’t get to be number three in the world playing crap like that on the court.

You gotta wonder what the conversation around the dinner table is like tonight for Sharapova and Co.

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