Wimbledon 2023

Wild cards are announced, the qualifiers are live on the YouTube channel for the next four days, and players from Belarus/Russia are back in. It's time.

alcaraz was impressive @ queens club & got the #1 ranking back but novak is still a prohibitive fav here & would then been the us open away from the calendar slam

I'm looking forward to seeing what he does, it'll make things interesting this year.

Happy to see that Broady is in as a WC, I enjoyed watching him last year.

Also, I never realised that Roehampton had so many courts, I wonder if getting in is doable, might try next year.

I keep forgetting about Roehampton. A few years ago, when rained pushed the final round of qualies into the Friday, I decided on a whim to take my daughter straight from school pick-up out to Barnes and pay on the gate (she was free entry). We saw a couple of hours of great stuff (back then there was even doubles).

They went fully ticketed at some point (and I think 2021 was no spectators) but I think you can still chance your arm on ground capacity after 4pm, for a fiver or a tenner at the gate. Can't remember when the qualies are due to finally move on-site to AELTC but it'll be a shame.

(Rail strike last year nixed my Eastbourne plans (never got my money back!) and I just didn't get my act together this year for anything else - Surbiton would've been good!).

We are long overdue (like, decades) a really popular slightly left-field men's champ. Bublik or Tiafoe, or something totally wild like Maxime Cressy (who plays like a grass court champ of old, but hasn't won a match in months). Anyone but Novak is fine by me.

Kvitova won Berlin last week! That would be a great story too.

Murray vs Rune at Hurlingham is coming up soon live on YT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB_u9ggRUF4

Iplayer appears to have shat the bed for some reason, Downdetector confirms that it's not just me, I wanted to watch Court 15, but can't even seem to get Centre right now.

Kenin-Gauff is a treat right now.

That was some game, I'm sad that Gauff is gone though, it was quite painful watching her forehand kinda disintegrate.

Also enjoyed Liam Broady, a Brit WC, he was good last year and pelted a mardy French bloke yesterday, I like that you can audibly hear him go 'Ohh fuck...!' as he's racing for a drop shot.

I had a day off yesterday and, at a bit of a loose end, went for a wander around the periphery of AELTC, took some photos.
Not sure at what point the queue became this insane thing snaking all around the adjacent park, but it wasn't like that in the late '80s. In '87 I caught an early train down from Liverpool, joined the queue at junction of Bathgate and Church Rds at 11am (which now seems to be the ticket holders queue?) and got in by mid-afternoon, cash on gate. In '89 I caught the sleeper, joined the queue at 8am and was in for start of play (bought court 2 tickets on the turnstile). There were at least two other occasions in the '90s I strolled up at 5pm and got in easily. By the mid-'00s though, that kind of thing was impossible.

'enhanced bag searches' seem to have been blamed for the staggering of entrants yesterday, 500 an hour or so.

Allegedly people who got there at 6am were getting in the grounds by mid-afternoon and people were being turned away pretty early.

Seven DFs from Chardy so far. This could be over in an hour.

Andy Murray about to start his R1 match on Centre Court. He has facilitated an invite for Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe to watch him from the Royal Box today after she told him on Radio 4 that she had watched him win in 2016 from prison in Iran. #Wimbledon https://t.co/hPHIVmAxpe

— Stuart Fraser (@stu_fraser) July 4, 2023

Bonus content on CC

Cameron Norrie? He sounds about as British as Greg Rusedski.

Just read that Kyrgios has pulled out this morning, I think some 12-year-olds pushed him up against a wall and stole his dinner money.

Not sure what the criteria was for Etcheverry v Zapata Miralles to be the extra match they squeezed on to Court 1, while everything was rained off outside. Perhaps they were the first pairing to answer their phones / last still be on site at 7pm. But it was well worth it - high quality battle for the few who stayed.

I'm making a possibly daft prediction that ONS JABEUR wins this year.

Man, today is jammed, idk who to watch

What’s your favourite Wimbledon moment? Captain Tom’s daughter standing up to take applause is up there for me, utterly nauseating even now. pic.twitter.com/m8thZhOxEj

— Liam Arnold (@MrLiamArnold) July 5, 2023

I don't think there would be very much applause for her today!

tsitsy edges thiem in a match tiebreak, gets murray tmorrow

Get in, Broady!

who does murray keep shouting at?? he looks mental

he also is moving like my father in law

Fantastic second set. Andy had to play so well and did, and now it feels like he’s found a new gear

About to get broken back though

Hasn’t happened - every time Tsitsipas closes in Murray has an answer

Speechless

what a warrior

McEnroe sounds like he is saying 'sissypass' in the commentary.

amazing consistency on his ground strokes from sissypass

Really feeling his age out there.

And that's that. Maybe the last time :-(

Maybe, he's awfully tenacious, maybe he'll be wild-carded until the end of time.

Jarry has taken the TB again Alcaraz. He is a really good player. 1-1.

Jarry couldn't quite keep it up and is broken. 1-3

Jarry just looks spent now. Alcaraz has the 3rd.

Alcaraz won.

Eubanks - Tsitsipas should be amazing.

Andreescu is making all the moves against Jabeur. Variety with some pounding returns.

On serve at the 2nd, but only just. Andreescu is really on top.

Jabeur hung on and on...and now she breaks!

And wins the set - a terrific contest

All I’ve seen today was Rune-Davidovich Fokina 5th set tb on my phone on a train and that brought the goods.

berrettini/alcaraz should be Good

LOL have just seen there’s a tennis player called Andrey Rublev!

wow @ that rublev diving get off a blasted bublik backhand @ 5-4, 30-15 5th set

Bencic looking to shock us all. Playing awesome stuff and Swiatek is looking down

Swiatek dug herself out of two MPs to win.

Azarenka - Svitolina. 9-9 on the deciding set TB

Svitolina does it with an ace!

Hurkacz..had set point on the TB and just skanked it. Djoko goes onto win.

That's just the aura around him. Hurkacz hit 88% 1st serves at one point.

They fall apart at the smallest bit of challenge.

The complacency with which these very serious accusations are bandied about is scary. Hard to overstate how bad this is for politics and anti-racism. https://t.co/fS72gLizgZ pic.twitter.com/q3aQ0LE1vs

— Tom Williams (@shirleymush) July 10, 2023

Lol sorry please get a mod to delete this filth!

Madison Keys has to hold serve to stay at Wimbledon against Andreeva!

Onto a TB.

Keys gets it. Amazing, she was a set and 4-1 down. Now looking great

Might be the end of Andreeva's run here

xps: lol I was like “did this interview happen during a changeover“

😂

Keys totally nailed Andreeva in the end.

Haddad Maia - Rybakina on serve so far

Maia retires with injury. Real shame as she has made big breakthroughs this year.

Eubanks has won the TB to even it out against Tsitsipas, who was looking better but couldn't break Eubanks.

have loved watching eubanks find his stride at, what, 27? really like his style and hope he can keep it up for awhile, win or lose here.

Hurkacz has broken Djoko for the third set. That fucker could've beaten him.

The guy has served 80+% 1st serves throughout the match.

eubanks up a break immediately in the 5th!

Nice, did lose touch and chose instead to watch Djoko finally break Hurkacz, about to serve for the match

Eubanks broken, some bad errors in that game..

Now playing great tennis to break back again lol

BH down the line to break back straight away!

This is really something..

Bp Tsitsipas..

Awesome FH dtl to win the match for Eubanks!

amazing run by eubanks

Jabeur returns a drop shot to break Kvitova again. 5-0 in the first set.

6-0. Shock of the day on the women's side

Kvitova breaks. Problem is she was double break down. Much to do.

Jabeur has absolutely fucked Kvitova. What a win! Just unplayable.

Berrettini breaks! To serve for the match

Sorry the set

One SP..

Goes to deuce but gets it.

This is the first real, real test for Alcaraz.

Fucking hell that BH dtl. Bp for B..

Beautiful rely with that FH A!

That was a hard fought hold.

Tame from Berrettini

Very sure from Alcaraz. Held it fairly comfortably for the set.

Rune - Dimitrov also really entertaining btw. 1-1, 5-5 atm

Rune wins on the TB; Alcaraz passing the test with flying colours. In control at the 3rd

Alcaraz has power but also such nice touches too. 2-1

Rune wins. Not seen him before.

i know he won a set but berrettini had no chance in that match.. only pts he could win consistently on alcaraz serve were when carlos double faulted

Yeah, in the end he quickly faded once Alcaraz got going.

Swiatek Svitolina trading breaks

Swiatek to serve for the set but it's been tight

Utter disaster from Swiatek. Broken to 40

Swiatek's game has collapsed

Svitolina has broken her with ease for 7-5.

Swiatek cannot buy a 1st serve. Her Forehands are gone.

2nd set went to a TB. Swiatek recovered from 4-1 down

Svitolina blowing Swiatek off the court

Has the double break

Firing aces now, 5-1

And wins.

Also.

Pegula's now 0-6 in Grand Slam quarterfinals. That's a bit on par with her reputation as a player who generally loses to other big guns/redlining opposition. Some of the defeats were almost unavoidable (Barty, Świątek x2), but the ones this year must hurt, 4-1 up in the 3rd today

— Damian Kust (@damiankust) July 11, 2023

Keys lost the 1st but is well into the match now.

Rybakina - Jabeur re-match is terrific so far

J has broken with some terrific tennis. Terrific defence for 15, good crosscourt on the line.

To serve for the set.

Jabeur showing nerves. Two bps

Has done brilliantly to engineer a sp

Two UEs and it's a break back for tb

Rybakina went on to win as well. All about temperament here.

On serve in the 2nd. Jabeur was nearly broken but played great tennis to get out of it.

2 SPs Jabeur..

At the first time of asking. Played some great stuff and didn't let Rybakina off

Come on Jabeur!

Really playing great. Mix of counterpunching and winners.

Jabeur all over Rybakina and has broken

Jabeur has just about got through her serve there..

Want Jabeur to win but I love Rybakina and her coldness

Jabeur saving more bps

Excellent

Two more bps Jabeur

Brilliant, 5-1 Jabeur

Awesome

Eubanks has lost the 1st set but broken Medvedev's serve in the 2nd

Extraordinary. 6-1, 1-1.

Eubanks breaks at the 3rd!!

eubanks is in a great rhythm now

About to serve for the set.

If Eubanks keeps this up for another 40 mins he will win

2-1.

Medvedev is waiting for a dip, it's not happening

Med is playing better this set. Strong service games. Eubanks is resisting though.

This is going to a 5th after TB.

Med serving a bit more solidly.

Eubanks broken straight away. what does he have left?

don't know much about tennis but half of Medvedev's serves look utterly unhittable

Not much, 3-0.

xp - he was serving that much better in the 4th set and has been able to get Eubanks into a few more rallies.

Eubanks was given a couple of chances and didn't take it :-(

medvedev looks like an egon schiele painting

Vondrousova breaks first, to 40.

2 DFs, back on serve

One more. Vondrousova is playing better, just whether she can keep her nerve and see it through

Confidently holds now.

Squash shot from V

Wins the set, 6-3. V is playing better, she has a beautiful range of shot, great serving.

V breaks, more beautiful shots. If she keeps her nerve this could be over soon.

She's unplayable rn

Oh no. Had an open court for double break...

Roar as V eventually breaks. 4-0.

Svitolina not playing as well as she can I think

Svitolina finally breaks. V was 40-0 so it could be a turning point..

Now playing better. One more break needed

Very nervous..deuce...the drop shots aren't working. Bp

Broken, what a turn! That's pure nerves from V

Svitolina just not playing consistently well. Vondrousova to serve for the match

V's serve gets her there!

Jabeur has variety but Sabalenka has that rock of a serve...

TB to decide the set

Jabeur will need to come from two sets again

Jabeur broken midway through the 2nd set :-(

Great rally, coverage and shot from Sabalenka at a crucial point.

Jabeur pushing all the way

Breaks back!!

Amazing game!

Match is incredible rn. Blow by blow. Deuce

Awesome hold Jabeur. From 30 down

Sp Jabeur!!

Amazing!!!

To a final set we go.

Sabalenka did not play badly here. Jabeur dug it out.

Strong Sarah Connor vs the Terminator vibes to this match.

Another epic game

What a break Jabeur!

Just piled on the returns

Astonishing. Come on Jabeur!

Jabeur to serve for the match

Jabeur does it!

Tremendous.

I will sadly miss the final but this feels like Jabeur's to lose. Hopefully she can see it through though Vondrousova has wonderful variety as well.

Fingers crossed for a pair of six-letter champs. (Last time: 1958: Gibson and Cooper, fact fans).

Don't know if a closed roof favours Djoko or not.

Appalling how this piece talks about a "charm offensive" wrt Russian/Belarus players. Like how there might have been something calculated about it.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2023/jul/13/russians-neutrals-wimbledon-belarusians-tennis

UK tennis should be concerned with praying for Raducanu and buying passports for migrants to pass off as 'British'. That's their only hope.

I'm making a possibly daft prediction that ONS JABEUR wins this year.

― the pinefox, Wednesday, July 5, 2023

Should have put money on it.

It wasn't a daft predictions. Jabeur was one of the faves.

Woulda got 9-1 on Jabs winning at the start of the tournament - would have paid for a new LRB subscription at the very least.

Not out on a limb, no, but a pretty good call and she's really stepped up. Up and down year, title in Charleston, early exits elsewhere, two defeats in three in grass warm-ups - I would not have been too surprised if she'd exited first week. But: she's taken out four Slam champs.

Sinner can hit through Djokovic, but not for three sets. Perhaps a little tumble on the wet grass is too much to hope for? Not unreasonable, really - Fed did his knee vs Raonic and Hurkacz here, Rafa ran himself into the ground last year vs Fritz. It's about time we had a Novak retirement. It was a feature of his early career!

"Sinner can hit through Djokovic, but not for three sets"

Let's see, one year on. Although he hasn't beaten a top 50 player to get to this stage.

Seeing, and not liking it. Djoko 3-0

Sinner and is on the board and should've broken back

Reckon Sinner can win this but it's whether he can string them together.

Djoko to serve for the set

0-15, serves three aces and a great 1st serve. See what Sinner has got now

Djoko always getting through his games. Now has 3 bps

Gets the 3rd of these. Disappointing.

Astonishing defence from Djoko to save the bp

What a hold

The umpire put in a hindrance call and later one for time wasting. Sinner is going to lose in straights.

Another deuce, Sinner

Djoko saves another game

And wins the set. Only Alcaraz or Medvedev can stop Djoko from equalling Margaret Court's slam wins record

Thank fuck Djoko ended that in three

Awesome volleying by Alcaraz, just killing off Medvedev here

Alcaraz is a superb volleyer. I hope the final is good.

Med managed to break back in the 3rd. Put together some fine returns to stop this one way traffic

No place to hide. Superb point construction and Med's game at the net exposed.

4th consecutive break. Alcaraz sorta casual.

Alcaraz to serve for the match. There was a df in there..

Awesome pass to finish!!

Booooo

Shame, couldn't see the final. But initial reaction would be to say it's shades of Novotna to this.

Although Vondrousova is a great player (from her SF she showed plenty of creativity, good serves, temperament), been in a slam final before as well.

My Wimbledon prediction proved incorrect.

I was saddened by the result, and somewhat surprised as I thought Jabeur could at least take the 2nd set, especially having bounced back early in it.

The BBC talked a lot of cobblers about her losing because she "wanted it too much" or possibly because she was "playing for a whole continent". What's certain is that after a good start when she looked like going 0-3 up, she just mishit many shots, and hit the ball out when it should have been in. Perhaps best theory is that this opponent made it difficult for her (in ways I don't really understand).

I find Jabeur utterly compelling to watch, so will try to follow her in future.

A player from Merseyside has just won in the Men's Doubles.

"It helps to see players like Ons and Mayar do so well, because you see people from countries that are close to yours, and from cultures that are close to yours, achieving so many great things, while people always say that tennis is not for us." https://t.co/PvzTQCBKVM

— Reem Abulleil (@ReemAbulleil) July 15, 2023

Thinking as long as Alcaraz doesn't come up with an injury or these nerves he wins in four, but who can bet at a 24 time major winner...

We are going to make it one day. I promise ❤️ 🙏🏼 pic.twitter.com/Up0pLT12HF

— Ons Jabeur (@Ons_Jabeur) July 15, 2023

Oda/Hewitt was great. A real tussle for the first set especially.

Djoko breaks. Mix of 1st game and returns

Djoko has been pushed on both services but like w/ Sinner he is getting through.

I wonder if/how they practice 'tweeners

15-40. Alcaraz not settling

I should have carried on watching Columbo.

Saves them but broken in the end. Not enough 1st serves. Djoko managing the windy conditions too

This set us about winning a game now

should have carried on watching Sweet Charity

Was hoping for something more than another Djoko bulldozing sesh

Let's see. Alcaraz has a game..

Alcaraz wins the 1st service game to 15. More 1st serves is a start

Gorgeous drop from Djoko on 0-30 down

Apologizing for being too good lol

Incredible defence from Djoko. Alcaraz would've broken anybody else by now

Alcaraz bp

How does he tighten up so well at the extremities of the court, it's nuts

Another one

Broken!

At last!

Yes Alcaraz, producing the goods at the net

Yes!!

Brea back point

And does so! Some great tennis, now shouting at the crowd. The usual tactics

Roooooar!

Maybe Alacaraz should adopt a more tedious and ornery service ritual

What a rally.

2-2...beautiful really. He can berate the crowd all he likes

Djoko's play has put pressure on the Alcatraz fh

40-15 but wonderful play Djoko and to deuce we go

Alcaraz gets through it. After all that, we are on serve

Thinking as long as Alcaraz doesn't come up with an injury or these nerves he wins in four, but who can bet at a 24 time major winner...

― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 16 July 2023 bookmarkflaglink

Now seeing it you just have to marvel at what Novak is doing. The odd weakness in Alcaraz's game and Djoko has been great at finding it. Or just not even that but just seeing him use experience in the conditions.

Alcaraz is putting pressure on Djoko, 0-30 down and he has to play god like to even get there.

Then skanks a 2nd serve. Djoko puts in a great 1st serve, 30 all

Goes on to win his serve, 3-3.

Djoko played a ridiculous get. Loses the point but incredible how he is playing as if it's his last shot

Alcaraz has won to 0 though.

Alcaraz should complain about the time wasting

Screaming at his box. Novak getting himself going here.

Djoko to serve to stay in the set..

30 all..

Deuce..

Man I hate dropshots

Brilliant from Djoko he was everywhere

This is what Djoko does..0-15, ue

Brilliant serving from Alcaraz

30-30..

Good serving, tb..

Novak has not lost a TB at the French or here so far

3-0 djoko, beautiful serving

3-2

Crazy dropshot from Novak! 3-3

Now that's a dropshot lol

5-4 Alcaraz

Umpire finally called him out on it

Man that volley...5-5

Fergus grew a pair at last

Brilliant playing from Novak. SP

6-6

SP, Alcaraz..

game on

Yes, what a return!

Novak has not lost a TB at the French or here so far

He's lost one now.

i irl lolled at that last return

Bp Alcaraz, hitting some finer fhs..

Another BP, come on ffs

Yes, fuck you

The Unforced errors are coming

2 break back points

Saves them. Two unforced errors

Yes! 3-1. Some lovely variety from Carlos there.

Deuce on Djoko's serve

Beautiful bh winner from Djoko, follows with a crazy dp

Dropshot, and now UE. Bp..

Djoko trying to fire himself up here. Cunt behaviour

Now df, another bp

This is a 15 min game. BP

Will this game end? Bp

5th bp

11th deuce now

epic game

Good call lol

GP

13th deuce, gorgeous cross court Alcaraz

7th bp

Alcaraz breaks!

25 fucking mins. Huge blow for Djoko

Imagine if Alcaraz gives this back lol

5-1, awesome

3 bps for the set, loving this

6-1, yes!!!

Time clock on this bathroom break

7 mins for a shit is it?

Yes, Alcaraz did well to hold on to serve

Haha fuck off cunt. 0-30

Fall bitch, 15-40

Did well. Onto deuce we go..

Just think, in 15 years time when Alcaraz is going for his 24th slam we'll all hate him too.

1-1. Good hold..match is still alive for now

Alcaraz face deuce but did well..

Alcaraz is facing the bps now

Balls

Still a way to go till we have a decider

Djoko looking again

*good

3 SPS..

Df, and on we go :-(

Magnificent from Alcaraz. He is giving this everything

Saved bps, serving well

Brilliant drop shot from Alcaraz, 0-15

Brilliant return, bp djoko

Smash on the net

Vamps!!

*mos

Love the drop shot cracking fh combo

Alcaraz giving it all!

really good stuff from both guys, bp chances in every game so far 5th set

What a point to break!!!

wow

novak broke his racquet on the post? us feed didnt show it

Yeah he did

Lol he is feeling it in his wrist I think

Great serving for 3-1

Good stuff from Novak, still v much there..

novak broke his racquet on the post? us feed didnt show it

BBC didn't show it either... unless I missed it.

They showed it twice after it happened

LOL, I must have been temporarily distracted.

Good hold Djoko. Alcaraz smashed a mad fh in the middle of that

2 more holds for carlitos

Sigh at net cord

2 more holds for carlitos

― johnny crunch, Sunday, 16 July 2023 bookmarkflaglink

So tough, don't know how this happens

Beautiful dropshot lol

Now break him

Nope, he will have to serve for the Wimbledon title

I love ds, I hate ds

hope carlos doesnt cramp

Brilliant lob, brilliant on the net

30 all

One MP

here we fuckin' go

Awesome

great match

novak can hold off every next gen contender, alcaraz is just different

Fuck yes!

Beautiful match from 2nd set on.

Think Novak will get the 24th eventually, but hopefully not much more.

He's a dick but he's amazing.

He is the best man that's ever played the game, even if he is a cunt

Exhausting as it was to watch an extra 90min or so, something very satisfying about Alcaraz getting it done vs a Djokovic who had mostly stopped missing from set 4, after the Inevitable Toilet Break.

yeah 18 winners by carlos in s5, all needed

What a shame to see CC comparatively empty for the Women's Doubles.

It has always been the case. Difficult to stay on after all that.

It's a long way up from the abyss

carlos alcaraz (born 2003) is the youngest atp player with multiple grand slam titles

novak djokovic (born 1987) is the second youngest

— the grass menagerie (@tennisywilliams) July 16, 2023

I suppose Wawrinka is the third (born 1985)

Never mind, Nadal is from 86

Point is players born in the 90s are a waste.

Magnificent final.

I was very glad that Alcaraz won. Another ND win would have increased the already very thick air of crushing inevitability. Another champion feels 'good for sport'.

Tennis, probably like all sports, is repetitive, yet Alcaraz surprises me with what he does with a ball. He makes shots I don't imagine. He plays many drop shots, but also whips the ball across the court into unlikely spaces at incredible speed. He also has an unusual tendency to balloon the ball up into the air, and not always back into play.

The athleticism after almost 5 hours was remarkable.

I don't enjoy watching ND, but must admit he was gracious in defeat - smiling, praising Alcaraz, saying he'd won finals he shouldn't have won so maybe this was due. He couldn't have been a more generous loser. Probably all genuine, though I also have a strong sense of a charm offensive from him lately in an effort to be liked more.

The 'changing of the guard' theme must be real over time due to age, but I suppose there's no great reason that ND can't come back and win this next year. If his fitness isn't much worse in 12 months than it is now then he will still be virtually the most dangerous player in the world.

Todd Woodbridge seemed to hint, jovially, that ND had taken something performance-enhancing during his break. I hadn't thought of it, but is this in fact a widespread rumour?

Not that I really think such a factor is needed to explain the match.

I haven't seen anything, but funnily enough I did think about it. I dispelled those thoughts bcz I want to see something proven.

And I don't how performance enhancing stuff in Tennis works really.

Djoko lost the 2nd set narrowly. The third hinged on that crazy 25 min game. It was the closest 6-1 game I remember seeing.

In the fourth the wind dropped a bit and so he wasn't making as many unforced errors. In the fifth the breeze was blowing again and he started making those errors. Only a few errors mind you. It's all very fine margins.

Want to rep, briefly, weakly, for Dominic Thiem, of the ‘90s kids. He’s beaten the Big Three across Slams, Tour Finals, Masters 1000. But all he will be remembered for is winning a US Open in front of zero fans with ND dq’d, RF injured and RN choosing not to travel. If he’d stayed fit the last 2-3 years I think he’d have another Slam (one of the matches ND alluded to being fortunate to win was probably 2020 AO f v DT).

Truly, briefly, weakly.

xp - fair enough. Did think about Thiem, who was unfortunate with injuries like Del Potro was.

As Johnny C mentioned: Alcaraz was 18-3 in winners in the 5th. An absolute joy to see someone rise to the occasion like that.

I’ve now forgiven Hurkacz for bottling it on the middle Sunday. As good as a second week without Novak would’ve been, we would never have got that finale. In fact, Hubert might’ve 85%-served his way to the title.

Also he is just a prick. Very Mourinho-like bunker mentality of seeing everything and everyone against him, but he feels he needs that to fire him up if things aren't going his way. And when that doesn't work he smashes a racket like a 12 year old.

Him and that homophobe being the top two winners of slams is a real shame. Can't see those records being broken during my lifetime.

I'm just spitballing here but maybe he can't win them over because he's an anti-science, anti-vaccination prick who doesn't think female tennis players should earn the same as men pic.twitter.com/MmSqJXG59u

— Kirsten Amy (@kirstofcomms) July 16, 2023

I used to feel bad for not liking him cos I based it on feeling like he was desperate to be loved which i found off-putting and his early days service routine of bouncing the ball a ridiculous amount of times. as the years have passed he's given me more and more good reasons to not like him.

but as everyone else has said he's incredible to watch even though I've never enjoyed watching him play.

Carayol is a pretty good writer and this is bang on.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2023/jul/17/alcarazs-full-speed-evolution-as-a-proper-rival-may-galvanise-djokovic-wimbledon

He bounced the ball a lot on Sunday.

I started counting, he was averaging about 6 with the racket first, then at least 9 by hand, so fucking tedious, game would probably have been under four hours without it.