The only sporting event worth paying attention to at the moment, pt2: WIMBLEDON 2006

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

..aka, Fuck The World Cup It Is Not Proper Sport Or Even Entertainment.

The Wimbledon draws came out this morning! I was actually going to start this thread earlier this week because of the DRAMA in the qualifying tournament. Remember Jelena Dokic and Alexandra Stevenson? Remember Wimbledon 1999, the year in which they turned the women's draw upside down? Remember how they seemed to have glittering careers ahead of them?

Fast fwd seven years, neither are in the top 600, neither have won a WTA match in YEARS - and they face off in the first round of qualies. Dokic takes a 6-4 5-3 lead before double faulting three times; Stevenson takes advantage to win in three sets. Afterwards, she demonstrates that pleasantness and charm which made her such a popular girl on tour the first time round, calling Dokic "a one-dimensional player" and proclaiming that she'd "won one match, had nine to go" to win the whole thing. She proceeded to lose to one Tatiana Poutchek in the next round; good luck in winning nine matches this YEAR, Alexandra!

ANYWAY. All of that is in the past and they are both on planes home. The main draw already has enough drama of its own, viz.:

Federer against Gasquet in round one! With Henman to follow in round two! Let no one accuse Wimbledon of draw-rigging to benefit the Henperson this year. And Safin against Rusedski in round one! Actually, probably more fascinating than any of those is the potential Agassi v Nadal round three.

In the women's, we've got Clijsters v Zvonareva in the opening round - and a very nice draw for Venus Williams...

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 June 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Pah, it's not even on at the moment! The Nottingham Tennis Centre is where it's at.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Friday, 23 June 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

Qualifying just finished! It's been on all week!

We can talk about the closing stages of Nottingham/Eastbourne/'s-Hertogenbosch if you like though. Especially because Miss Anastasia Myskina is still in the Eastbourne draw.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

Actually I'm not in the slightest bit interested in tennis. Just being bothersome. Sorry.

― Hello Sunshine (Hello Sunshine), Friday, 23 June 2006 11:18 (nineteen years ago)

Murray will definitely have a chance against Midnighto Massu, and if he can stay fit then a third round clash with a less-than-consistent A-Rod could be one to savour. It looks like curtains for the Henbot, which is a shame as he's starting to find some form. I can't see Fed blowing a Gasquet (snark ! well, would you ?) though he may drop a set.

My one-to-watch tip is Shahar Peer - tough as old boots, has a good route to the q/f and could well give La Maria a shock once she gets there.

― darren (darren), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

(Grrr. I was going to start this thread yesterday in an attempt to thwart the inevitable soccer-fan baiting title from Lex.)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Btw Lex, I'm covering Wimbers for a well-known hopeless cable tv company's website (not ,alas, from SW19) so I'll try and drop in as many ILX-tennis-names as I can during my stint.

― darren (darren), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.ntlworld.com/microsites/sport/wimbledon/

It's all worthwhile for me just so that I could get the legendary Andrea Temesvari shoehorned in the Wimbledon Babes gallery I was forced into making.

― darren (darren), Friday, 23 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Yes let's talk about Eastbourne. (I was there yesterday and just finished watching the Henin-Hardenne/Clijsters semi-final on telly today. And cor, Justine was on fire yesterday.)

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Rather Henman meets Federer in the second round than in the later stages, I guess. Not that it will make much difference I imagine. Bye Tim...

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

Yes let's talk about Eastbourne - Myskina into the final! Her first high-level final since the end of 2004. I love JHH as everyone knows but this is excellent stuff from Nastya.

I did your quiz Darren:

Quiz Complete

You scored 9 out of 10 answers correctly.

You’re a Federer, with the all-round game to beat anyone on this subject.

The only one I didn't get was the People's Sunday one. However the year Novotna cried was 1993!

All the ingredients are technically there for shock-exit-of-champion a la Graf in '94, Hingis in '99 - Federer's coming off a draining and demoralising loss and plays an extremely talented opponent who a) has beaten him before and b) played him very tough in Halle last week. I still don't think it'll happen though. Henman certainly won't beat him.

Shahar Peer has been pretty special this year and she IS tough - there was a notorious 'episode' between her and Serena last year involving tennis balls aimed directly at heads. I am not sure she's got the hang of grass yet though - and Daniilidou, who loves grass, lurks in the second round.

The best opening round match between players you've never heard of is Radwanska v Azarenka - last year's junior Wimbledon champion v last year's junior No 1. It looks like I may have to miss Wimbledon this year for the first time since '97 though - haven't booked any days off work, too much going on next week to really make it viable :(

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Funny draws. Federer's draw would be fiendishly difficult if it weren't Roger Federer we're talking about here - Gasquet! Novak! Arthurs (maybe)! Berdych! By contrast, Nadal's draw is ridiculously good - all he's got to worry about as far as seeds go are the old (Agassi), ludicrous (Ginepri) or the clay-loving (Gaudio). Of course, in the quarters, he loses to Ljubicic, one imagines. I think we might be hoping Marcos Baghdatis to put out Roddick when they meet to spare us all the angst. Nalbandian appears to also have a not very nice quarter - Chela, Clement, Ferrero, Schuttler, Malisse are all completely dangerous people that could have a nice match and whomp him out of contention. Still, I'll tip him to get through. Giggles corner: a potential Safin/Hewitt in the fourth round. Safin is in "silly hippo" mode at the moment, though. Henperson could possibly get ditched by Soderling in the first round. I bloody hope so.

Federer v Ancic (swap these two around in the draw and Ancic doesn't make it through, though)
Nalbandian v Hrbaty (because Blake never does anything)
Hewitt v Baghdatis (because the narrative needs someone to be annoyed)
Ljubicic v Nadal (because duh)

It shouldn't take a lot to work out that Federer is winning this.

For the ladies in the house, it's another funny lopsided sort of thing. Mauresmo has been touched by an angel. A moderate test early on against either Krajicek or Stosur in round 2 with, lets face it, only Safina to worry about after that. She gets squashed by Venus in the quarters, obviously. Agree that Peer will be the toughest ask for Sharapova, and I reckon she might do it. My Mum's Favourite Player (Eleni Daniilidou) might also pull out a good one. Except she won't. My own Favourite Player (Elena Dementieva) has Our Sania first off, should be good, and should account for Frankie in the fourth as girl's got form. The third quadrant is batshit insane, not just because it has Patty Schnyder in it. Hearts for Patty! But there's also Hingis and Hantuchova to potentially worry Justine Double H. She should still get through easily because it's JHH and she is very wonderful and in great form. Sadly, Alicia "The Love Machine" Molik will, given that she's just coming back from injury, lose to Hantuchova before getting a chance to lose to Justine, which I would like watching muchly. And Clijsters has a not too awful eighth, most of the tricky people being in the top bit of her quarter to make life difficult for Sveta. Vaidisova should do the job nicely.

Mauresmo v Williams
Peer v Dementieva (I am v. unadventurous this year, this is my lash-out)
Henin-Hardenne v Hingis
Vaidisova v Clijsters

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes, my girl The Rad Wanksta is lurking! Hooray for Agneszia Radwanska!

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

Lex said: "However the year Novotna cried was 1993!"

OMG - of course ! Martinez won in '94, didn't she ? Never mind, we can change it in an hour or two ...

― darren (darren), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

You scored 10 out 10 answers correctly.

You're like Balazs Taroczy - deft angles in the forecourt and the finest collection of Hillman Imps east of the Alps.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 23 June 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

I think Blake might do something here! He's been Doing Things all year and I can't see anyone who is likely to stop him in his quarter. He might well beat Nalbandian.

I think Mesmo has the quintessential Draw From Hell actually - Krajicek and Stosur are both of a calibre that they can legitimately think "if Dechy can beat her I can bloody well WHOMP her". Golovin in the third - just coming back from injury but the last time they played Mesmo was v lucky to squeak through. And then Ivanovic or Safina for the right to get stamped on by Venus.

On the other hand, Sharapova. I'll be shocked if any of her first week matches last beyond an hour.

I would totally take Molik over Hantuchova - however I am not sure if I would take her over solid-and-consistent Srebotnik.

One match I am actually very intrigued by is the potential Murray v Roddick. Neither have been in very good form recently, but I can really imagine Murray using the crowd more and getting into Roddick's head...

Ivanovic v Williams
Sharapova v Schiavone
Hingis v Henin-Hardenne
Kuznetsova v Clijsters

Federer v Monfils
Nalbandian v Blake
Hewitt v Murray
Ljubicic v Nadal

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 23 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Go Maria!

http://www.mariaworld.net/birmingham0610.jpg

http://www.mariaworld.net/birmingham0629.jpg

(though losing 6-4 6-4 to Jamea Jackson in the semis in Birmingham, and carrying that ankle injury, things don't bode too well)

― David Orton (scarlet), Friday, 23 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

Dear Columnists, Please Try Harder

The backhand is Federer's weakest shot. Yes it may be pretty, even poetic at times, but aesthetics don't win points in tennis, and with a return as potent as Roddick's he should be all over Federer's feeble backhand.

Um, yes, Roddick has a very potent return. I swear sometimes we're watching a different person to the partisans. Roddick is an uninventive returner if ever there were one. Also, Federer's backhand is not as good as his forehand but it's not usually feeble, though it was exploited beautifully by Nadal.

Oh, whateverpaws.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 24 June 2006 07:04 (nineteen years ago)

Watched some Eastbourne action yesterday (thankfully, Myskina-Kuznetsova coincided with the dullest game of the WC in the form of Tunisia - Ukraine) and Myskina looks v good indeed. Henin-Clijsters was fantastic stuff, there ws actually only a point here and there from going either way in the 3rd, way closer than the scores indicate! Clidge oughta be encouraged by this, should they meet again in the latter stages.

Blake looks ok - ws v disappointed in how he fell against Hewitt in the Stella Artois final.

Part of me is hoping Fed is beaten by Gasquet just so Henman can beat him in a possible 2nd round encounter. For one Fed fucked up badly on the slam -- but also, oh yes, I'd still like Henman to win the thing..the main thing tho' is that it clashes as little as possible with WC action.

Might have to do a rain dance later on..

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

Myskina-Henin going on...Henin got the early break however Myskina hit a cracking lob to win her first 40-0 games, goes on to apply slight variations to get errors out from Henin. M won four games in a row: 6-4.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

Myskina's game falls to piecesin the 2nd -- Henin 6-1.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

Why is there no sound on the BBC website's live stream? :(
Myskina's looking pretty determined to come back again...

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

yeah Myskina got her game back in order. Justine is not at her best but is coming in at the net and hitting the odd winning forehand to counter M's winning backhands.

Myskina to serve 5-4 down.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

what a game from Henin! fantastic shots to being 3 match points then two errors and a good serve from M to save 'em all.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

one hell of a fight - longest game of the match.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

5-5!! M comes back from the dead!!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

I thought H-H was going to keep dragging it back to deuce forever then! Blimey. Now she's really got a fight on her hands...

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 24 June 2006 12:55 (nineteen years ago)

yeah, and in the next HH 40-15 then dbl faults, makes an error but recovers well enough: 6-5.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

6-6. tie-break to resolve this.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

HH wins: 7-5.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

M stayed with her throughout, has some variety (and a plan B), saved four match points to stay with her throughout. Terrific stuff!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

They both pulled off some pretty exciting shots in that final set. H-H didn't make it look easy, for once...

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

I stressed the 'stay with her' twice! But really, after the 2nd set I thought Justine's 'aura' and her record against M ws suddenly going to be the telling factor. It didn't work out like at all and I'm glad.

Now only half an hour to wait till Germany-Sweden :-) Sport is grebt!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 24 June 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Oh I wish I'd seen this! Sounds like a good match. Obviously disappointed that Nastya didn't win but really happy to see that she must be playing well. Her Wimbledon fourth round vs Venus should, hopefully, be interesting.

Other tune-up winners - Gasquet (ominous for Fed!), Michaella Krajicek in controversial circumstances (in her semi-final against Dementieva she was match point down, and her shot which was apparently very much out was called in, leaving ED fuming about home advantage). Mauresmo's second round has much horror potential now!

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 24 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

a second-to-last gasp for the Old Man?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 24 June 2006 21:25 (nineteen years ago)

Arrgh RAIN!!!

― Archelll (what?), Monday, 26 June 2006 06:02 (nineteen years ago)

Bet rain intervenes as Gasquet is 2 sets up helping Fed to get his game in order so he can break Borg's record.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 26 June 2006 09:14 (nineteen years ago)

Rain forecast for tomorrow too. Of course, I'm back at work on Wednesday.

Will lug the portable TV/set-top box downstairs again in a minute in case the weather perks up. I'm painting the living room in Gustav green; could be a good omen for Soderling.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 26 June 2006 10:30 (nineteen years ago)

ok players are out - Fed's jacket c/d?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 26 June 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Is he dressed like a Teddy boy? Right - will get telly now.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 26 June 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

And Fed starts with an ace...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 26 June 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

Good first set; Fedz 6-3 1-2 Gasq as rain intervenes. Hingis a set up, Clijsters almost.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 26 June 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

I have to say that Gasquet looks ridiculous. Wasn't he, um, massively hot once? He was! I don't like his expression, and, as ever, the backwards hat should go.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 26 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

I saw some first sets on my friend Katie's TV today - I had taken the day off to go to the EMERGENCY DENTAL CLINIC because i have massive dental trauma right now - they were useless obv. But Hingis v Savchuk was pretty entertaining - Hingis looked sloppy closing the set out though. Vera Z was unlucky to have gone a break down, hopefully she can recover after the rain. Cavaday was surprisingly powerful for a British girl!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 26 June 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

Play happening. Brit girl beating girl who once beat JHH. Well done, Brit girl.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

Henin-Hardon destroys young, plucky Chinese girl 6-0, 6-1. The Timthing goes a tiebreak down to Bobbysods, Vespertineman lost the first to Tommy Jo Jo but is storming back with one of his own and not just one, but TWO breaks, sucka.

The extremely dull and annoying Rainer Schuttler is losing to a Croatian I've never heard of. Super Mario about to go two sets up, "Tax" Garbin recovering over Plucky Brit. James Blake getting a right fight from Kristian Pless. Of Denmark. No, me neither.

Mark Bloody Philippoussis is on. GO AWAY I HATE YOU.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Maria Elena Camerin! Be still my beating heart!

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

Will Henman EVER break Soderling's serve? The suspense is... not killing me at all come to think of it.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

She's not doing so well against Hantuchova, is Camerin. Match not on my TV, but I think we can assume you can probably just about see Hantuchova's nipples.

And look! Big Gae El is losing to (WATCH YOUR TYPING) Igor Kunitsyn - down two sets to one. Ivo-9 down a set to Swiss Stan, and, proving that when you're a female seed I've never seen play, you're probably rubbish, Sofia Arvidsson down a set to Eva Birnerova. Since when has there been a decent female Swedish tennis player. All their quality girls become pop divas, no? Wane Arfurs comes back after an injury time-out against the Fabuliser. World stifles yawn.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

Henman has a break point!

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

And (finally) wins it.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

Gasquet ws really getting into the match yesterday before the rain intervened...now they've come back and Fed runs through the first four games: 5-2 in the 2nd, and now serving for the set.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

Plucky Brit lost to Tax Breaks in the end.

Soderling looks awful. I mean his looks, not his tennis.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

BWARGH I DO NOT CARE WHAT SPEED PHILIPPOUSSIS SERVES AT HE IS BORING BORING BORING BORING. Please show someone else, I'm begging you.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

I agree Soderling is ugly. Are we sure he's really Swedish?

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

I know, it's like some kind of ugly contest between his no chin and knobbly knees, and Henman's jug ears. Sigh.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

Blake through in four, and doesn't he look nice.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Mathieu just got the first set of Big Ouzo with three really fantastic returns. Good!

Elsewhere, it's not a good time to be young and French. Gasquet about to be blown out by Feddy, Monfils down what is almost certainly a decisive break in the fourth (Is he ever going to break through?).

That said, Instamatic is now close to winning the second set over Breadstick! Tamarine The Tennis Machine a break down to Castanets. I would like to be watching Paradorn Srichaphan right now.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Fed through in straight sets. Looking dapper w/ his jacket.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

Maria Elena (I will not soil her lovely name with a crass sobriquet) serving for the 2nd set!!

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

Wicked - the Gazelle is playing a lady by the name of E. Laine :)

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

Maria Elena takes the 2nd! I wonder if she's single?

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Henman seemingly having no trouble with the Soderling serve now. LOOK! The Dushebag up a break on Mpaperfolding!

Birnerova through over Arvidsson. If anyone had noticed her, people might have tipped her as the first seed to fall.

xpost.
Emma Laine is quite a decent player. I expect that game vs The Graceful Gazelle is probably not a bad one to watch.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

I really must see this Federer jacket. I hope it's not like the Carl Lewis tuxedo tracky top.

Just back from a useless trip to Ikea with a pounding headache (as opposed to Pounnig Hedaark, which is a sort of frog-shaped ice-cube dispenser - £4.99) and no real urge to carry the TV down a flight of stairs again, so I'm relying on the BBC web feeds. And they're rubbish over my broadband connection.

Bad day for last year's semifinalist ToJo, whipped un et un in the third and fourth by Jonas the Postman. Isn't he older than Agassi?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:11 (nineteen years ago)

ToJo has won all of one match since returning from a freak eye injury in May :(

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

And Windy, My Son is out to Igor Kunitsyn. Someone else, please nickname this fellow.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

(the mens draw has just got quite a lot less hot :( )

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, Mariaelenapaws :(

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

There are NO hot men left :(
But there were always more hot women to start with.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

Oh come on Safin and Ferrero are both left - old standbies both (and I am not sure what the current state of Marat's facial hair is) but STILL.

Talking of hot women - Maria Kirilenko will be making history this year! She is Stella McCartney's latest 'muse' and will accordingly be the first player ever to appear at Wimbledon in proper designer high fashion label type gear.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

That sound you hear in the background is the collective wailing and gnashing of teeth and mutters of "I will kill that fucking bitch" from Maria and Serena.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

Is James Blake no longer hot?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:26 (nineteen years ago)

i've never thought blake was that hot.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, and our crispy, crunchy, bejacketed, good-with-bangers-or-Mexican-tuna ILX mascot Potito Starace won only five games vs Youznhy. I feel we're putting too much pressure on the lad.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

Kirilenko's previous Stella-designed dresses have been fucking hideous.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

*sob*

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

Agatha's lost the first set 2-6 to an inspired Pashanski. Could be Bye-Bye.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

And Henmang/Sod is going to a fifth set, it seems.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

If ever there was an argument for only playing three sets, matches like this one are it. (Oh and then maybe the women's prize money could be equalized too, hm?)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

It's Hen-Fed in r2.

Agz isn't done yet - roaring back 2-6 6-2 3-1 vs PashernateLove.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

Come on Henbot!

Agassi wins the 3rd.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

After doing some research I stand by there being no hot men left in the draw. I am pleased that Mardy Fish is playing though, just for his name.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

What about Mario Ancic? He's beautiful!

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

There's a plucky Brit absolutely hammering a top-100 player! And then I noticed he's Argentinian. Seriously, why do they bother even turning up?

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Philippoussis won :(

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Kirilenko is 0-3 down to Asagoe! HAH! High fashion, low performance. If it's as bad as the one she wore at the Australian, that pink monstrosity, it will be merciful if she's dumped quick-smart.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

massu is self destructing a bit vs murray

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

Massu seems to have no notion of the effectiveness of the drop-shot on this surface; maybe he thought it was illegal on grass. He's totally flummoxed by Murray's dinks. However, he has just broken AM as he served for it.

Bogdanovic really giving Nadal a test - into a second set t-b. Greg has gone - fourfourfour vs Safin.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 27 June 2006 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

I am slightly surprised that we have not yet commented on the fact that one B BECKER is in the men's draw, back to haunt Mike!

(Benjamin Becker, also from Germany, not related to Boris unfortunately)

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 07:36 (nineteen years ago)

Poor lad, it must be a bit shit having that name to live up to.

I am being entertained by quirks of the draw such as a second round match with the fewest possible letters in the players names combined: Tu and Li.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 07:58 (nineteen years ago)

Oh and yes Ancic is attractive in a sort of dark hollow-eyed Croatian way.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:03 (nineteen years ago)

I bet Henman (which I have taken to pronouncing in French - 'Ongmong) is actually relieved he's got to play Federer next - for the first time in history the pressure's off at Wimbledon.

Would people mind discussing which of the women's players are particularly foxy? I am unaware of any that take my fancy (lovely, tragic Maria Elena is a purely romantic ideal, though she's sort of sweet looking too).

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:24 (nineteen years ago)

and Myskina looks v good indeed

― TS: Alan Stivell - A l'Olympia vs. Magma - Live/Hhaï (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:27 (nineteen years ago)

Anna-Lena Groenefeld is lovely I think, though sadly knocked out yesterday. Um, and I like Myskina and her shorts.

xpost

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:36 (nineteen years ago)

Are you sure?

http://sport.ard.de/sp/tennis/news200510/04/img/1groenefeld_peking3_300_dpa.jpg

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

Few people look good in the middle of playing a tennis shot

― TS: Alan Stivell - A l'Olympia vs. Magma - Live/Hhaï (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 08:58 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah. Monster biceps though. But anyway she didn't look like that in Eastbourne!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

Too blonde + Scandinavian for my (weird) tastes

― TS: Alan Stivell - A l'Olympia vs. Magma - Live/Hhaï (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:01 (nineteen years ago)

The legs *are* good though (feel free to do your own GIS :))

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

Gisela Dulko is clearly the hottest girl left. Hantuchova would, if she would just eat something, be vaguely in competition. Genetic influence should ensure Michaella Krajicek is hot fairly soon - as it is she is just cute at the moment.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:12 (nineteen years ago)

best-looking female player - Gisela Dulko! Amazing facial features. I've never actually found a photo which fully does her justice though.

xp!

Krajicek is not hot, she is sturdy.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:16 (nineteen years ago)

If you search google for "best-looking tennis player" the only results are the following (one mention each):

Tommy Haas
Pete Sampras
Daniela Hantuchova
John McEnroe
Feliciano Lopez
Anastasia Myskina
Elena Dementieva
Maria Sharapova
Mary Pierce

...and no less than 6 (six) entries for Anna Kournikova :/

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:18 (nineteen years ago)

I only have eyes for Anastasia

― TS: Alan Stivell - A l'Olympia vs. Magma - Live/Hhaï (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:19 (nineteen years ago)

I have a slight thing for Nathalie Dechy actually. Is she playing today?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:45 (nineteen years ago)

And the BBC like Vaidisova.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:48 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mariaworld.net/indianwells06121.jpg

Good luck today, Maria.

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 09:54 (nineteen years ago)

Q. What was on your iPod?

ANDY MURRAY: I listened to LL Cool J and Jennifer Lopez, "Control Myself" before I went out. I listened to a few other ones before that, but that was the one I was listening to when I went on.

I like Murray! He has good taste in music. Maybe the days of unexpected horror when you discover that eg Justine HH is a Celine Dion fan, or Venus Williams likes Green Day, are in the past, given that all of the new generation seem to be r&b or hip-hop fans.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe the days of unexpected horror when you discover that eg Justine HH is a Celine Dion fan, or Venus Williams likes Green Day, are in the past, given that all of the new generation seem to be r&b or hip-hop fans

I'd agree with that, except replace "unexpected horror" with merely "the unexpected".

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

I was so upset when I found out Sam Stosur likes James Blunt. Silly girl, arne't you supposed to be a lesbian or something?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

oh look play has started. Mesmo breezing through so far against qualifier Ivana Abramovic, presumably no relation to that cute teddy bear Roman. Two games away from the double bagel.

Two Estonians in action, two first sets lost for the wonderfully if tersely named duo of Maret Ani and Kaia Kanepi; and that awful woman Lisa Raymond is being ushered ever further along the road to singles retirement by - what could this possibly be - a talented Russian teenager making her Wimbledon debut! Yaroslava Shvedova leads 5-3.

Did anyone else read Dmitry Tursunov's blog earlier this year? The ATP are making a player blog on their website each week, and Tursunov did it from Estoril, and it was quite something. If you go to atptennis.com and hunt around it should be easy to find.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 10:45 (nineteen years ago)

Sam Stosur likes Rhyming Slang Blunt?!?! That is the worst to date.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 10:45 (nineteen years ago)

... and yet nothing when compared to the fact that Henman named Bono as the person he most admires.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:02 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, what a clown

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:07 (nineteen years ago)

Long socks and short shorts as sported today by Mattek: C or D?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:15 (nineteen years ago)

GAH Shvedova retired at 5-3 up! Aaargh just fuck off Lisa you are old and past it.

Mattek is a well-known walking fashion disaster area on the WTA Tour. Be thankful that Wimbledon prevents her from indulging her penchant for colourful outfits, which - if memory serves correctly - run along the lines of lime green and neon pink. Together.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:17 (nineteen years ago)

http://img452.imageshack.us/img452/1411/grabbedframe144au.jpg

!!!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:22 (nineteen years ago)

Is Anna Smashnova now not Pistolesi? Did she remove the name for a reason other than it lessoning the oh-so-devastating punning of commentators?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

Commentator on the Sharapova match: "She [Sharapove] is well turned out, as usual. She's into all the things a young woman should be: fashion, dancing, modelling, singing".
Singing!!??!

Shara proving far too strong for Smashnova so far, 6-2. Go Maria!

Anna Smashnova is like a parody female tennis player name.

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Quite.

Meanwhile on court no 1, Smashnova unfortunately not living up to her promising name.

heh xposts

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:42 (nineteen years ago)

Is Anna Smashnova now not Pistolesi? Did she remove the name for a reason other than it lessoning the oh-so-devastating punning of commentators?

she divorced her husband!

smashnova is about as dangerous on grass to ANYONE, let alone sharapova, as a bunny rabbit.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

i'm really surprised that daniilidou lost to peng - daniilidou's game is very well suited for grass and she's had good results on it, whereas though peng is mor epowerful, she's more of a novice on the surface, and those double-fisted groundstrokes aren't ideal. nevertheless - straight sets for shuai!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:46 (nineteen years ago)

justine henin still gives me a hardenne every now and then

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

it's an irrational love. i think i like her cos she looks like a robot

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

Mattek: I am finding the school socks approach rather attractive - mind you, I'm in a bit of a strange mood today.

I'd better make the most of it because she is getting steam rollered by Venus.

― Guilty Boksen (Bro_Danielson), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

What would Maria Sharapova sing? Amazing Europop, I would hope. Maybe she should form a girl rap duo with Nicole Vaidisova as they're both quite tall.

On other courts: Helen Demidenko proving that maybe underperformers should have their seedings garnished, two sets down to a fella called Falla, Jark The Shark two sets and a break up, Stobshite cruising over Rochus Inferior, Ljubicic making short-work of endangered Spanish grasscourter F-Lo, the splendidly-sobriqueted Melle Van Gemerden is winning over a Not Plucky Brit, ... and! What time is it? It's time for a comeback, Flav! Flavia Pennetta comes back from a set down to begin clobbering some German bird.

And to get the "Bitching about the Australian Media" out of the way, Anna Smashnova's birthplace is "Minsk" not "Minx" and it is not in Russia. PILLOCKS.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:51 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, that's better. This time they've said "Born in the Soviet Union". Well done, idiots.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

No messing, Sharapova wins 6-2 6-0.
Little more than a training game and a chance to work on some shots for The Siberean Wolf - and some of Shara's shots were sublime. Needs some real opposition to see if she's back anywhere near her best though, after months of underperforming and being dogged with injury.

What game to watch now?

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

Are there any Italians playing?

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

Not Myskina/Black. If you read the Sports Illustrated site, or the Yahoo Tennis page, you would have seen their columnist Jon Wertheim predict that Cara Black might beat Lady Miss Kina.

The first set? Um, 6-0 to Nastya. As it should be. Go Nastya!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

No Italians on atm, Flava Flav got through in the end.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

Also, we regret to advise that Tatiana Golovin's breakthrough has once again be delayed. Apologies for the inconvenience. Down a set to Mariana Diaz-Oliva-Olivs.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

WTF TATIANA I KNOW YOU HAVE JUST COME BACK FROM A HORRIBLE INJURY BUT DIAZ-OLIVA SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS YOU SHOULD BARELY BE LOSING GAMES TO HER

GET THAT HOTPANT-CLAD ARSE IN GEAR RIGHT NOW TATIANA

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

Another one for Lex's you're-old-now-fuck-off-and-retire pile - Amy Frazier. She is playing Mara St Angel, who's bloody seeded! OK, 32nd, but still.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

And some more Pluck Action (I believe in pluck) - British person Alan Mackin lost the first set to Bombs Over Baghdatis but has a break in the second. Please be keeping in mind that we need Marcos to pwn Dik-Dik later on, don't tucker the boy out too much.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.despardes.com/Entertainment/chanachoor/Tatiana%20Golovin.jpg

This hotpant-clad arse?

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

That's the one!

I hate Amy Frazier too. JUST QUIT NOW WOMAN. I love Mara though! She won her first title earlier this year, that's why she's seeded.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Also ITALIAN, Mark!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Oh hurrah, Mardy Fish stayed in.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

Seconded. He was playing Ginepri, which means that he gets the tick by default!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

And Myskina wins easily 6-0 6-4 yay.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

Golovin has steadied. Nicole Pratt is winning! Her opponent is a nobody, quelle surprise. Falla did put Davydenko out, not that anyone is surprised because Nicky D has done precisely nothing ever at Wimbledon. Plucky Brit gave the break back to Baghdatis, and, goodly, Janko Tennis Raver is holding his serve omre easily than Dik Dik. Glee. BREAK HIM.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

Oh good, thread no longer SFW. I shall switch images off...

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Mark, Volandri is on, he's Italian. And playing Lleyton! Double the barracking!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Schiavone about to start against Plucky Brit South too. Though delayed because her shirt wasn't regulation or something?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

Hewitt up a break quick smart, 4-1.
Tipsarevic and Roddick in a tie-break. GO!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

Hewitt gets the first set in 18 minutes.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

RODDICK LOST THE FIRST SET

GO GO GO JANKO

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

...and immediately goes a break down in the second. Idiot boy.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

This Hewitt/Volandri game is just terrible.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Watch South/Schiavone instead! Our Mel is coming back strongish in the second set.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

Two epics on right now - Golovin/Diaz-Oliva and Lopez/Ljubicic both at 7-all in the final set...

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

I don't have the luxury of a choice of matches to watch. WE GET WHAT WE ARE GIVEN HERE.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

Well you can watch online. I don't have a tv anyway.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Swygart led me to believe only Englishers could use that. URL?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:05 (nineteen years ago)

That may be true.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/default.stm

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

You could use an IP proxy and pretend to be an Englisher.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

Pam tells me that Clijsters' opponent has pulled out, leaving Hen-Fed as the third match on Centre - is this true? I don't know whether this is a good thing or not; if Bandy finishes off Clement sharpish, I could conceivably follow the whole match in work time. Or, if Henman makes a fight of it, I'll be on the bus home (with NO RADIO - damn our unpackedness) as it gets interesting.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

Yes Kutuzova has pulled out ill.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

They've given up on the whole "he might win it" thing what with the unseededness and having to play Fed less than 24 hours after a 5 setter, haven't they?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

C'mon Tipsy McStagger!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

Mel South has won the second set in style. Will she redeem the GB women's crap showing of yesterday?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

Tipsy has converted 0 of 9 break-points - this is clearly one of those immensely frustrating matches where Pandy is smacking down aces whenever threatened. Defeat here would be the best thing ever, wouldn't it?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

And the Dick just lost both service points and chicked his racket to open the tiebreak... glee ish

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:41 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no, Tipsy lost both his. Silly boy.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

Blimey. South wins 3-6 6-3 6-4! Blinding tennis.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

Sammy the Stote vs The Most Delicious Piece Of Tennis Playing Man Meat's Little Sister is on. It's 3-3.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

Bollocks, A-Spod win the t-b.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

South beating Schiavone - upset of the YEAR!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

South had better make up for beating one of my beloved eyeties by becoming a top ten player by the end of 2006. Hmph.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

A new heroine for British tennis? At last?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

Stosur 7-5 over Krajicek! Wow! Wouldn't have picked it.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

Fed takes the first 6-4. Henman almost broke back.

The key word is 'almost', blah.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

Despite all that guff about the pressure being off, Henman is playing like he's scared.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Stosur 7-5 over Krajicek! Wow! Wouldn't have picked it.

I'd totally have picked it. Krajicek a vg prospect but come on, Stosur has that massive serve which always makes her dangerous on grass, as well as those volley skillz.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

Stosur is flaky, though, and her volleys occasionally go completely to shit (see: final of Australian Open doubles). Plus, she LIKES JAMES BLUNT.

Fed looking good now. Two breaks in the second set.

Look! Marta Domachowska won a set against a Brit. The same Marta who LOST TO BRENDA SCHULTZ MCCARTHY LAST WEEK.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

'Scared'? Maybe - Henman 5-0 down in the 2nd. Think if he had taken that one break chance (which Fed did incredible well to save, btw) he could've gotten the crowd in (although he's incredibly bad at doing that) and it might've been a scrap.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

Fed may as well have been playing me for the last 8 games.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

Is Henman going to win another game here? It would be quite funny if his parting shot from Wimbledon was a match in which he lost the last 13 games.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

Match I wish I could be watching; Radical Stepladder vs the X-Man.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

Hopefully he will play another year, whatever happens.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

Connors got his clock cleaned a couple of times when he was 31 or 32 (McEnroe final, Curren semi, out in the first round to Seguso) but kept coming back and had some great matches in his mid-30s. I think Henman is fading like Edberg did though.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

A plucky brit triumphs! (no, not Henman's single game, but Sarah "Sarah" Borwell)

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

oh my god marta domachowska we are THROUGH. i have tried and tried to make this work, i have supported you through thick and thin, but losing back-to-back matches against a retired grandmother and a british player is the last straw.

it's over for us.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

i don't care how pretty you are! i'm transferring my polish allegiance to agnieszka radwanska. she's younger than you, she has a cooler name, and LOOK SHE WON A MATCH AT WIMBLEDON.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

"I think Henman is fading like Edberg did though."

Have fading memories of watching Edberg. But i think Henman can't quite commit to serve and volley like he used to; maybe he ws tired after the five-set match yesterday, and probably none of these things would've mattered in the end.

Hopefully he'll use this to his advantage, get to a higher ranking and have a more um...dignified exit.

Meanwhile Ancic is looking good.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 28 June 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, my. Our nutitious, delicious and all-round good pal Poito Starace is playing the doubles with someone called Lovro Zovko, a name that sounds less like a name than some variety of Croatian euphemism for sex.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 01:11 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mariaworld.net/wimbledon0631.jpg

"HUUUGHHHHYARRRRR...!"
"AUUUURGGHHHHHHH...!"
"OUUUURRRRGGHHHH...!"

RUS vs USA on court 2 and it's like a re-run of that comedy classic, Rocky IV. "I must break you" grunts Shara-Drago to the plucky Yank.
Harkleroad is mincemeat.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 29 June 2006 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think I've ever heard such an extended SCREAM in a tennis match before.

Meanwhile, a linesman collapses in the Nadal/Kendrick match...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

CALLING ED O - it would appear that one of the Plucky Brits is a turbofolk fan!!!

Q. Any lucky charms that helped today?

SARAH BORWELL: No, I have I listened to some Yugoslavian music before I go on. Everyone thinks it's horrendous, but it pumps me up.

Q. Yugoslavian?

SARAH BORWELL: Yeah, well, my best friend is from Montenegro. Unfortunately, I seem to have been taken to a concert when I was over there and actually quite enjoy the music.

Q. Folksy music?

SARAH BORWELL: Yeah, I have no idea what the lady is saying. There's some drum beat at the beginning and it gets me fired up for the match.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Just fainted apparently. Hurrah for the St John's ambulance.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal just double-faulted his way out of a tie-breaker vs the qualifier Kendrick. Shock looming?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my god. Turbofolk liked by Brit! I am verklemft. I don't like turbofolk that much, actually. But it's hilarious, isn't it?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

I've only heard one turbofolk song ever, 'Gili Gili' by Jelena Karleusa. It's brilliant! 'Turbofolk' is almost as good a genre name as 'plip-plop', too.

Nadal a break down in the 2nd immediately, too - come ON, boy, remember this is not clay you are playing on!

Nastya through in straight sets hurrah.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:18 (nineteen years ago)

Gili Gili is amazing, yes. What is plip-plop?

ANd look, here's Srebtonik. She is from Slovenia, where I gather they don't like Turbofolk that much. Do you think that crabby bitch Jankovic likes it?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

They should all be listening to anything produced by Colonia, aka the Xenomania of Eastern Europe. (Okay, nobody else calls them that.)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

Plip-plop is a particularly clicky, techy strain of minimal house, though I assume that the dance genre fascists would disagree here. It's really really good and a lot more fun than I made it sound. Get Luciano's SciFiHiFi Vol 2 mix!

Jankovic, I would assume, does not like turbofolk. This site has an astounding amount of player ipod playlists and questions, and Jankovic's favourite albums of all time are by Dr Dre and Eminem. The first CDs she ever bought were Madonna and Celine Dion, she listens to 50 Cent and Beyoncé when she trains, Eminem to psyche herself up pre-match, and Usher and Destiny's Child to chill out. Hurrah for Jelena!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

So it's duhnce music for indie kids, innit?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Fallout from the Turbofolk wars of 1913? Sod Gavrilo Prinsep, WWI was really caused by a troupe of itinerant gypsy minstrels with a fine line in shit-stirring.

What do we know about Kendrick, then?

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

So it's duhnce music for indie kids, innit?

No it's dahnce music for dahnce kids, indie kids would totally not get it. The beats go PLIP and PLOP!

Kendrick is a nobody who's getting lucky, that's all I know about Kendrick.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

He's never got beyond the first round in any of the grand slams before.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal two sets down, Agassi two sets up. Someone isn't keeping a date, here.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:49 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal is getting pwned, like, two rounds too early here!

Molik isn't doing very well. Oh Alicia. :(

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

Spain's premature world cup exit has clearly affected Rafa!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 12:56 (nineteen years ago)

Alicia got pwned by Srebotnik. I guess it should have been expected, when you're coming back from injury, you don't like a steady, consistent one like Robotnik being steady and consistent and all.

Nadal, Nadal, this is totally what we expected against Ljubicic!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

NOTE that two long-serving ILX favourites are on the verge of elimination - Batty Patty is 3-5 down in the third against a nonentity by the name of Bremond, while the Demented Diva is a set and 0-3 down to - oh god her again - Meghann Bloody Shaughnessy.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

ELENA! IDIOT GIRL! SHAUGHNESSY IS OLD AND RUBBISH! YOU ARE WONDERFUL! MAKE HER YOUR BITCH!

Oh, for fuck's sake, NO MORE!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal rallies to win the TB! We have a match, and stuff.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Lena got the breaks back, Lex!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:33 (nineteen years ago)

Hurrah Nadal! Hurrah Elena!

Haha Patty. You lost to SEVERINE BREMOND! Still at least you managed to - JUST - beat Antonella Serra Zanetti and her - OMG - 64mph average serve, which is more than you could do last year.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

GO JAMEA JACKSON!!!!!!!!!

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:43 (nineteen years ago)

Where oh where can I find a wall chart that I can obsessively fill in for the men's and women's singles? The Guardian used to do them many years ago, but I can't find one anywhere. Upon googling, I found a link to Archel's blog - an entry from this time last year detailing her glee at filling in her Wimbledon wallchart.

― M (Madeleine), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:50 (nineteen years ago)

at www.wimbledon.org, if you go to draws and click printable draws!

my Wimbledon wallcharts are on my fridge and my kitchen cupboard respectively, having replaced the completed Roland Garros ones.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

GODDAMMIT JAMEA JACKSON

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

I thought she'd beat Hantuchova! then again I usually think everyone will beat Hantuchova. Jackson beat Sharapova the other week!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

Thank you so much. I looked there, but obviously not hard enough. I shall hang it inside my wardrobe at home - hidden from the geek-baiting prying eyes of housemate and partner.

― M (Madeleine), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Jackson beat Sharapova the other week!

That was a fluke though.

Nadal - Hendrick game becoming tight as a gnat's chuff. I hope plucky-underdog guy hangs on in there. 5 games to 4.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, Miss Golovin. You were doing so well against Pratt. And you're going to lose a SET now. UNACCEPTABLE. Also, your facial expression is most unpleasant. You're a pretty girl! STOP IT.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Will Nadal snatch victory from the jaws of defeat? Nooo, c'mon Hendrick!

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

The tide may finally be turning against Ken Drick - twice with a couple of points of victory, he's broken at 5-5 in the 4th. All the Union Jack bowler twits can wait - this is too good to hurry Murray.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

with = within

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

And Nadal has two sets now... I reckon it's going to go his way now.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Tatiana this is embarrassing.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Gaston Gaudio certainly going to go out to sartorially-challenged Georgian Irakli Labazde, who I fancifully assume to be a singer of Russian filter-pop who has the same first name, even though he isn't.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

NOW VENUS. Why are you having trouble against Lisa Raymond? UNACCEPTABLE.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

I am filling in my wall chart right now Maddie!

I'm watching South again - she lost the tie break in the first set but Perry could still fall off her game again.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

NO NO NO ELENA. Please stop doing this to me. I love you so, but I can't handle you losing to Megan Shaughnessy. (cries).

Discount Booze doing well, at least.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

OMG Raymond got the set in a tie-breaker. VENUS! IDIOT GIRL!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal breaks in the 5th - Kendrick serve has held up till then but Nadal forced him to make a couple of errors on the volley and Ken double faults.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

wtf is Venus doing a set down to Lisa Raymond?!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

actually I just remembered that one year Venus went a set down to Maurren Drake and ended up winning like 5-7 6-0 6-1 so I'm not worrying.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

The Diva/Shaughnessy game is mental. Diva down a break, gets it back. Starts well on serve, drops it. BREAKS BACK TO LOVE. Elena, my darling, I have a heart condition, why are you so cruel to me?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

Safin wins the first against Gonzalez 6-4.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:42 (nineteen years ago)

ed have you never watched a dementieva match before. SHE CAN WIN NO OTHER WAY. i mean, did you see the scores from the tokyo tournament she won in february? they're mental:

32 B BYE
16 W Katarina SREBOTNIK (SLO) 2-6 6-1 7-5
QF W Nicole VAIDISOVA (CZE) 3-6 6-1 6-2
SF W Anastasia MYSKINA (RUS) 6-4 3-6 6-4
FR W Martina HINGIS (SUI) 6-2 6-0

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

I only get to see Diva matches when they show them! But I keep thinking that she will get some consistency because she's so talented and her touch is great and her forehand is to DIE for.

But she looks home now.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Viva la Diva. 7-5. Few deuces in that last game. ALSO! The Bryan twins lost a set. Glee. Golovin still having trouble with Pratt. THIS IS EMBARRASSING.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

It's a mixed-up world. It's a mixed-up world. Raymond gets a break! Up 4-2. PRATT SERVING FOR IT. Don't wanna hurt no more.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

Bye bye Mel :(
7-6 6-2

Only two Brits left now... currently one set all for Delgado-Grosjean.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck. Dogtanian-faced Nadal steals it.

His uncle's t-shirt reads "Kiss My Ace". Twit.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

Williams serving to stay in the match: 5-2 down in the 2nd!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Yay Nadal!

Venus is down 6-7 2-5. WTF.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no wait, Borwell still in too isn't she. Will the turbofolk save her?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

Raymond is broken - williams still in it!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Dear Anal Alf was so strong that Sarah had to turn the TV over to escape his biceps.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Wow. It's hard to stop Venus once she starts on a comeback - would not give Raymond much of a chance now.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Although if she misses a few more backhands like that Raymond will not have to do very much!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

I'm sure Nadal used to be skinny. He'll always be ugly though unfortunately.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

haha, Williams smashes Raymond to bits to break again. awesome.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think Rafael is ugly, really. I love his bicepses though.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

omg Raymond looks shattered - she looks like she's lost now, with a set to go.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

I wonder if Venus had a bet with someone: "How far ahead can I let Raymond get ahead before I start playing, and STILL win?"

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

The TV has just gone on and again I say: how the FUCK did Raymond get to 7-6 5-2?! She looks barely capable of winning points at the moment.

Rafael is a bit ug but with biceps like that no one's ever going to look at his face.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Cyril Suk is 39.

Delagdon't has gone busto, plucky British watchers.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

Not only is Cyrik Suk 39, his sister Helena, who made a grand-slam final in the 1980s, is still playing with her sometimes!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

With him, rather. Oh Helena, just stop it. YOu're not Martina.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 29 June 2006 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

Pigeons land on court. Hilarity ensues.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 29 June 2006 17:06 (nineteen years ago)

Hm, I sem to have overlooked Monsieur Benneteau in my hotness audit. Which isn't to say that I don't want young Braveheart to consolidate his lead and beat the bugger. Come on Andy, keep hammering his useless forehand and you'll be home free.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:26 (nineteen years ago)

... or not. Benneteau takes the third and play is suspended for the night.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 29 June 2006 18:52 (nineteen years ago)

Lee-Hewitt ws an absolute cracker, btw, its 2-2 in sets. Great atmosphere, wish I ws there etc etc.

Play suspended.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 19:18 (nineteen years ago)

Hm, Roddick appears to have discovered something of his grasscourt form of '03-'05 in demolishing Mayer and now Our Andy has to play at least a set on what was nominally his rest day ahead of facing him on Saturday. Not looking good, is it?

Eng-Por, Bra-Fra, Rod-Mur*, Aga-Nad - all Saturday. What's a boy to do?

(* - dejinxing asterisk)

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 29 June 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

Dunno watched Rod at Queens. If Murray* gets an early break i reckon he can easily get in his head. He'll use the crowd, too.

Anyway, Eng-Por you'll only need to watch the Pen shoot-out. That's 10 mins, max :-)

The tennis should get over by 8 in time For Brazil-France.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 29 June 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

Hewitt goes through in the end: 6-4 in 5th.

JHH through and Bandy down a set in the tie-break (he had 12 break points till then). This is another one of those "lose the first 2, win the next 3" - jobs, innit?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 30 June 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

The most Bauhaus/Krautrock/Dada doubles match ever is currently on court 5 - Cakl & Snobel vs Kubot & Zib.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Friday, 30 June 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

It's a see-sawing contest day today. Sveta-Na Li went initially to Sveta, but Li is up in the second. Mirnyi got the first, Blake the second, and JCF seems to be well on the Radical Stepladder. Ferdasco got the second in a tie-break over Bandy. I'm thinking minor upset here ("Nalbandian stunned" they will say, whatever. I want a moratorium on that word.)

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Oh wow Li pulled the upset off! Sveta was a bit of an unforced error machine against Peschke but I'd thought these kinds of losses were behind her - still, Li's had very good results, I think she's by far the most talented of the wave of Chinese players.

I'm shocked (stunned, even!) by Nalbandian's loss too (in straight sets!) - like Sveta he's been so consistent this year, rarely losing to lower-ranked players. And Verdasco didn't seem very comfortable at Queen's.

Mirnyi up in the fourth against Blake! I have no cheering interest in this match but I thought it deserved an exclamation mark.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't expect Sveta to do fantastically, but she's gone out a round too early, I think. Sveta has problems with the net-a.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

Sveta has problems with hitting groundstrokes in the court.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

It could've so easily gone the other way for Bandy but Verdasco did raise his game well on the big points.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

MARIA ELENA WINS!! She and Tatiana Garbin beat the no. 14 seeds in the ladies doubles. :))))

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

No. 14 seeds. Tch. They really should only seed to 8 in the doubles. I would have expected Instamatic and Tax to beat Emmie and Pratt.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

GODDAMMIT JAMES BLAKE

I'm going to stop rooting for people; I seem to be cursing them by accident.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:45 (nineteen years ago)

what has happened to blake in the last two sets?! 6-1 5-0?!

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Miryni stomped all over Blake's second serve, basically.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 30 June 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

ALSO, for fuck's sake, The Graceful Gazelle had a first-set break and is now about to lose to the Coco-Dancing French lass Severine Bremond.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Murray quite impressive in the fourth against Benneteau, all told.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

Severine is presentable, too:

http://www.challengebell.com/images/fiches_joueuses/bremond.jpg

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

Though I like this photo from the tennis-watching serial killer site:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Tennis/photos/TennisImage3066_off.jpg

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

Scot-boy does it in style, and Anita will have to be at the top of his game tomorrow.I really hope Murray does it. He's got way more spunk than any British sportsman, let alone tennis player, of his generation.

― darren (darren), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:49 (nineteen years ago)

I agree. Murray can beat Anita. I think he in fact will.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

it will be so good to be part of the national mood in supporting murray! I hardly ever get moments like that.

Except oh damn I will not get it because everyone will be watching the bloody fucking crap football at the same time instead.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

I just did the BBC's draw predictor, knowing the results as they are at the moment: came out with these semis:

Sharapova v Myskina
Hingis v Vaidisova

Federer v Mirnyi
Hewitt v Ljubicic

erk !

― darren (darren), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Hingis over JHH? Bold! I'd like to see that, because any match where Martina beats Justine would probably be AMAZING to see and would be hugely entertaining.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

Hingis is actually outplaying Sugiyama most of the time at the moment but she is not doing so well on the big points. On serve, but I reckon she could have been 6-2 by now not 4-4.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

And now Martina's serve has gone a bit dicey. Sugiyama's not got any fantastic weapons but she's so suited to the grass - actually, her running backhand's terrific.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my god, the Angelic JCF and the Staircase Of Love are 8-8!

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

Interesting scheduling problem tomorrow - Murray-Roddick, then a women's r3, the Agassi-Nadal seems to make the most sense for Centre, considering the 4pm k/o for Eng-Por, but putting Murray on at noon (cos it is noon on Middle Saturday, innit?) when he played today isn't usually the done thing.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

i would be furious if wimbledon allows the football to affect in ANY WAY its scheduling especially if it could hurt the last british hope!

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Triumphant Teeth gets broken on a double-fault (a few of those so far) and Boom Crash Sugiyama is serving for the first set. Hmm. Martina, Martina, this isn't very good from you, Ai's a lovely girl but you should really me whomping her.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Stepanek-Ferrero inching toward the four hour mark.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

So of course Hingis breaks to love to open the second set, nad it might as well have been 1997 for those three minutes.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

11-9 in the fifth to Stepanek. Is Tomas Berdych the highest-ranked player that the average tennis watcher has never clapped eyes on? I actually quite like him.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Dulko lost :( :( :(

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

berdych is one of the atp's rising stars! he hits the ball v v hard - like safin but skinnier. i like him!

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, he's very lanky, and pretty. It's an attractive game. And he's winning in the match against - ho - Tommy Haas.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

I know Martina is mostly only losing to top-10 players, but she's either going to lose to Sugiyama here or get squashed horribly when she actually meets one...

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

From 3-0 up to losing 4-6 in the third. Martina's skill was always her placement, but she had none today. When opponent has good backhand down the line, don't hit to her backhand when the line is open, M.

Bremond, Sugiyama, Hantuchova, Henin, is that bit of the draw. Um, yes, I'm sure we know who's getting out of there alive.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

oh my GOD tennis. has sugiyama ever beat hingis before?!

Bremond, Sugiyama, Hantuchova, Henin, is that bit of the draw. Um, yes, I'm sure we know who's getting out of there alive.

ALL WILL CRUMBLE BENEATH THE MIGHTY SERVES OF SEVERINE BREMOND

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

she has - when Hingis was 15!

HINGIS, Martina (SUI) Versus Ai SUGIYAMA (JPN)

Year Tournament Round Surface Winner Score

1996 Tokyo 16 Carpet (I) M.HINGIS 6-0 6-3
1996 Atlanta 32 Hard (O) A.SUGIYAMA 4-6 4-6
1998 Canadian Open 16 Hard (O) M.HINGIS 6-3 6-0
1999 Tokyo 16 Carpet (I) M.HINGIS 3-6 6-1 6-2
2000 Indian Wells 32 Hard (O) M.HINGIS 6-1 6-2
2001 Tokyo QF Carpet (I) M.HINGIS 6-0 5-7 6-2
2001 San Diego QF Hard (O) M.HINGIS 6-3 6-4
Martina HINGIS (SUI) Leads Ai SUGIYAMA (JPN) : 6 to 1 *

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

Anticipating Ag-Raf. I find Nadal's earnestness and groundedness charming, but I will be rooting as always for Our Andre. I'm trying to figure out the most cost-effective way to ensure seeing him in Queens this year.

I am never surprised by Mirnyi and would love to see him up against Rogwell.

Hingis might be the only person I'd consider rooting for (other than the lovely Mary P) against JHH.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Friday, 30 June 2006 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

The Rad Wanksta beat the Ton Of Sugar, as well. Agnieszka Radwanska - fourth round at first attempt. HOORAY! Hantuchova beat Srebotnik, which surprises me as well.

― edward o (edwardo), Friday, 30 June 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

Myskina and the shorts of sex are through 6-3 6-4 :)

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 1 July 2006 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

And in the battle of the Elenas, the Diva prevailed over Discount Booze, and is now going to play Shenay Perry. Who! Coincidentally beat Sybille "Bummer" Bammer, 7-5 6-3, the same score Diva won by. Hurrah.

How many games will Pratt get off Mauresmo? One?

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Hewitt breaks quickly, and, as alluded to by Lex on the Wimbledon thread, there's the Rad Wanksta's little sister Ueszula. Bloody hell, Polish names are bloody stupid aren't they. All those Ks and Zs in impossible combinations. Now where have I seen those before. Flava Flav up a break on Peng, and, Nadal-Ag in a tie-break. Hmm.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my GOD, Nadal was down 5-2 but has pulled back in the tie break with the best passing shot I have seen in aeons...

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

The camera angle just then made Rochus look like a midget next to a ball-boy. Oh, and he's being pwned by the Llonely Llout.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal two sets to the good. Looking again at the girls' singles, Ueszula Radwanska is just the tip: Dilyara Saidkhodjayeva and Magdalena Rybarikova also won.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 13:19 (nineteen years ago)

Brace yourselves, Agassi is going to cry big time at the US Open unless he wins it. He's holding them back here...

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

Amy Frazier is old, lol. And my god, she looks it against Sharapova. She can't buy a serve - first or second. RETIRE, IT IS NOT 1995 anymore.

― edward o (edwardo), Saturday, 1 July 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

Williams goes out!!!

― Archell (what?), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

And after that cruel defeat in The Other Sport, all my remaining patriotism is rather desperately fixated on Murray. Who is fortunately a set up.

― Archell (what?), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

Roddick's had so many break points and nada so far - looking good for Murray.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

Fantastic hold from Murray at 4-4. Half-watching but seems Roddick and Murray exchanged a few words after the umpire ruled in Rod's favour, kept his nerve at 2 break points.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:29 (nineteen years ago)

Murray goes two sets up! This is awesome stuff.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Of course, if you want bad omens, there's not only the third round match vs Bandy last year, but the fact that we've already had two recoveries from two-set deficits today: Turso over Ljub and Ferrer over Gonzo.

Murray is playing phenomenally gutsy tennis though.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 1 July 2006 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

7-6 6-4 6-4. Genuinely brilliant by Murray; this was no error-fest from Roddick - AR hit 20-odd aces too. Great day for Scotland all round.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 1 July 2006 18:24 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mariaworld.net/wimbledon0655.jpg

6-3 6-2

And Murray won? woo-hoo!

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 1 July 2006 23:10 (nineteen years ago)

Murray-Baghdatis will be v interesting. Not seen B since his terrific run to the final of the Australian open. May go all the way..

Could see Murray beating Hewitt, were they to meet. Just as key a match ws Nadal's win over Agassi - he looks like he's getting comfortable enough on grass now.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 2 July 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal standing fully 3m further in to return serve in SW19 compared to Roland Garros; seems like he might be able to make that clay-grass technique switch better than anyone since Borg (except Federer is no slouch at changing gears for the June surface change).

Ancic on Wednesday for Fedz? His first Wimbledon five-setter since Sampras '01, perhaps.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 2 July 2006 14:03 (nineteen years ago)

what a wonderful weekend for british sport, eh?

brilliance from andy m and rafa - really enjoyed watching those. shocked at the venus loss, and vaguely irritated that if she was going to lose early why couldn't she have done it a round later to nastya.

both last 16 line-ups are fascinating! so many matches which could go either way, such a good mix of up and coming players/current elite/creaky veterans.

look at this brilliant point by agnieszka radwanska! i think i love this girl. some of the other big hitters (i'm looking at you, vaidisova) would have no idea how to even hit a dropshot let alone construct a point like that.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 07:01 (nineteen years ago)

And who said Poles are stupid! That lob was absolutely terrific - she knew exactly what she was doing there. I actually hope she beats Kim!

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 07:40 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, imagine if the Radwanska sisters totally dominated tennis and American commentators had to mention them lots and lots.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 07:42 (nineteen years ago)

it reminded me of hingis a bit, because the point construction was essentially pure EVIL - you could tell she loved making tammy run and run and run back and forth!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 07:44 (nineteen years ago)

Like Venus but its ok she lost cuz I reckon she might've been the only one capable of stopping JHH from winning this tournament. Its her best chance now.

Yes I think the two players who might give Fed a game will be Ancic, and, if he gets through that, Nadal, were he to get through to the final.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 08:20 (nineteen years ago)

Demented Diva first through to the quarter-finals in bizarrely and unexpectedly comfy 6-2 6-0 win over Perry! It's her first Wimbledon qf EVAH, and means that there are no 'mericans left in either singles event for the first time since a long time ago. The Double H and the Double L appear to have taken easy early leads; Shazbot a set up over Flavia Flav but it was a tiebreak, and the Italienne is giving her all she can handle...

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Severine Bremond is winning. Well, surely this is the last game she wins.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Severine Bremond is winning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Right, I have nothing against Bremond, and I have never seen her play, but for YEARS now her results have barely passed muster in Challengers let alone the WTA Tour proper. And now she is nearly in a Wimbledon quarter-final! Her first two wins were expected - I can't remember which scrub she beat in round one, but Schnyder's attitude to grass courts can only be described as amusingly grumpy, and Dulko is not very mentally strong. But Sugiyama, fresh off a win over Hingis! Wow.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

Mazzy Shar and Flava Flav now at one-set apiece. Justine a set up over Breadstick, good match by the looks of it. HH will whomp Bremond anyway.

Ferrer needs to stop grunting so much.

ALSO. Go go Elena, you still my girl!

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 11:52 (nineteen years ago)

I think after having predicted a whomping for Bremond in both of her past two matches, I will stop talking about her.

Go Flavia! I like Shazbot but upsets are fun ~~and it would clear the way for Dementieva who will never beat Maria on grass in a million years~~

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

JHH to serve for it at 5-1; I can't recall her slicing quite as much as this before, but it's fantastically effective against Han Tuch.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, Na Li has leveled against Vaidisova. Sharapova up a break in the third.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

Oh look, Anastasia Myskina is playing Jelena Jankovic.

Do we remember what happened the last time they played? My heart is palpitating even thinking about what we might now be in for.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

Lleyton will want to savour this one; Jose Ferrer's outbursts and shouting have made this the one match where he's not the most petulant one on court.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Phew! What a scorcher.

Maria wins 7-6 3-6 6-3 by sheer force of will.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

Panetta was excellent, and The Iron Wolf performed below her best - par for the course for her this year - but the nimble Italian was simply muscled out in the end.
Here come the quarter finals - but you need to improve Maria! I know you can do it!

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 3 July 2006 12:51 (nineteen years ago)

Murray loses the first but breaks in the 2nd.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Vaidisova out in 3 sets.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

Wow. Li Na! This is a breakthrough and stuff.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

Murray hands the break back with a cpl of dbl faults.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Argh what is going on with Murray? He looks like a different player from the one who beat Roddick on Sat. Two sets down now.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Chokey McChokesalot chokes! I am already sick of that unprofessional little wanker. Where's compulsory military service when you need it? Etc.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear Murray was not very good at all at the end of that set!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Barry returns!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

MYSKINA THROUGH TO QUARTER-FINALS :D

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:52 (nineteen years ago)

miraculously sparing her fans coronaries this year - not a set dropped so far!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Murray very petulant but has raised his game. Too little too late probably.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Yay Myskina!

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Andy Murray looks a bit like a boy I fancied recently.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:08 (nineteen years ago)

I find Andy Murray quite attractive. I am not sure why as I can see perfectly well that he has terrible teeth and terrible hair.

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no, I'm not sure I want to be sharing your thought processes, Lex. Radwanska is gone, but she was playing Clijsters who is a bit sturdier than Tammy T, admittedly.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

I think Murray is going to grow into good looks.

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

But he'll be growing into them off-court for the next little while as Baghdatis creamed him in the tie-breaker. Two double-faults didn't help - but, well, Murray's got game.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

Bah. Ah well.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

Murray has plenty of time to get an army haircut now. Loses the tie-break in the 3rd. xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

V disappointing :(

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:26 (nineteen years ago)

Oh well. He kind of lost it in the tiebreak. Never mind, plenty of good Wimbledons in his future &c &c, and at least he beat Roddick, eh?

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

Indeed! I could have watched that over and over again.

Also losing, splendidly named Polish boy Blazej Koniusz.

― edward o (edwardo), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ladies and gentleman, we have a Stepanek-Bjorkman Wimbledon quarterfinal. Call in sick, leave the dishes in the sink, take the kids out of school, take the phone off the hook, this is going to be ONE HELL OF A RIDE.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Monday, 3 July 2006 14:43 (nineteen years ago)

Tathiana and Maria Elena have bottled it :(

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Monday, 3 July 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

Ancic-Djokovic ws quite a titanic battle of the balkans, innit? Hope Mario gives Fed a game (or a scare).

Murray also lost his mixed dbls match - maybe Sean's 3am phone call disturbed his preparations.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Monday, 3 July 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

Federer vs Ancic (the most obvious quarter final happened!)
Stepanek vs Bjorkman (I always liked Vespertineman, I hope he wins)
Hewitt vs Baghdatis (Like both, Hewitt doesn't have enough guts, Baghdatis wins this)
Nieminen vs Nadal (Jark The Shark, you know, I think has a very good chance at this)

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 01:53 (nineteen years ago)

It is a pity that Federer v Ancic is not the final - Sultry Brown Cow Eyes seems to be the only credible threat left. (Yes yes yes Nadal but surely not on grass, SURELY.)

Women's qfs:

Amelie Mauresmo v Anastasia Myskina (repeat of last year's qf - Myskina in better form this time round though)
Maria Sharapova v Elena Dementieva (have given up predicting Elena D's form in any given match as it is batshit insane - note that she has never lost a Slam quarter-final though)
Severine Bremond v Justine Henin-Hardenne (well done Severine, nice run, see you next year)
Na Li v Kim Clijsters (could be anything from a thumping to an epic)

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 07:35 (nineteen years ago)

Oh Elena :(

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 11:40 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, a streaker came on court.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

Actually came?

Dear me, Elena.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

No, he didn't come, but he arrived.

Oh, Elena, I'm embarrassed for you, and not just because of your serve. Your forehand is all over the place, except in the court :(

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

Maria does some double-faults. Elena breaks! Hooray! Except, damn, this means she now has to serve again.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

Has H-H despatched Bremond yet? I can't watch at the moment.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Which also means I missed STREAKER damn!

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

HH is having a fair bit of trouble. 6-4 3-2, and she did have 3-0.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

I do like Maria, just not as much as Elena, but really, Maria, PLEASE SHUT UP. People bitched about Monica Seles doing much the same thing, why they tolerate it from you I don't know.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

6-1, 6-4, not the complete embarrassment it would have been, but at no point did they both play well at the same time.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

JHH through 6-4 6-4. It's being shown in delay at the moment while waiting for the other match to start (it has). I don't think JHH is going that well.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Hooray, go Maria! I wasn't able to see most of the match cos of work, but when I turned on it was 6-1 4-1 I thought it's a walk-over, then Shazza's game dropped like it was hot - oh noe, p'raps I should stop watching?
But she soon brought her unforgiving heel down on thingy, and that was that. Yay.

― David Orton (scarlet), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Sexy Space Alien not doing so well against Ammer. Clijsters thwacking Na Li, too.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

So who will win the battle of the Belgians (assuming Clidge continues to thwack)?

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:05 (nineteen years ago)

On the form JHH showed against Bremond, Clijsters would win easily. But Kim has a mental block as far as Justine goes.

Myskina has a break in the second! Come on Nastya!

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:13 (nineteen years ago)

That's my girl! Come on, I know you can break her one more time to take the second. Extra cute shorts today too.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Or, ok, just keep your serve then.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

The fight-back is on - c'mon Anastasia!

― David Orton (scarlet), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:42 (nineteen years ago)

Li served for the second set and failed v Kimmy, and now it's back to near-parity. Gutsy, probably.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:44 (nineteen years ago)

what an odd second set between Li and Clijsters - Clijsters went up 2-0 in about 2 seconds, Li stormed back to take five in a row - and then, I presumed, went EEP EEP EEP and let Clijsters take the following three.

― The Lex (The Lex), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

And Nastya goes down a break.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 13:57 (nineteen years ago)

Kim serves it out 7-5. That last game was tense. Deuces, and such.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

And we're just one game away from having the top 4 seeds as the semi-finalists.

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 14:00 (nineteen years ago)

Some good rallies, but :( 4 Myskina.

I fear Maria still isn't up to snuff enough to beat Amelie, but fingers crossed.

― David Orton (scarlet), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

Adieu Anastasia :(
http://netmode.vietnamnet.vn/dataimages/original/images467075_myskina01.jpg

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Further :( here. Lex! What's going on with this girl?

― edward o (edwardo), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

I was there today!! it was very good, I was pleasantly surprised at the whole great atmosphere all around Wimbledon, I was sat next to a lovely lady (one who lunches darling) and we chated amicably. Li was a true heroine, got a much bigger standing ovation than Kimmy got, she was ace, just couldn't keep some of her baseline shots in check and that's what blew her chances, some great tennis though.

Also saw the second set of Sharapova vs Iris Dement, who was woeful, Sharapova just seemed to drop off for a bit and let her back in.

Other matches watched = 5th set of Hanley/Ullyet (didn't like them at all in matching ugly Diadora nd no personalities) vs Labadze /Vemic who were great, bvery moody and they both had fantastic serves, which unfortunately veered to the wayward.

Saw a wee bit of Stan Smith and Ilie Nastase too along with about 5 minutes of Jarryd/Pioline vs Harrhuis and ..... oh crap, some other dutchman I really should remember.....

anyway, pics to follow

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

Am I sad for being most jealous of the Jarryd sighting?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 20:52 (nineteen years ago)

He was looking pretty buff, there is a photo just for you

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 20:53 (nineteen years ago)

I was talking just this afternoon about my love of all Swedish tennis players from the mid-80s! Wilander, Edberg, Jarryd, Pernfors...

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 20:54 (nineteen years ago)

Yer Dutchman is Jacco Eltingh, btw.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:02 (nineteen years ago)

that's the one, I tried to gop on a Jonesy pilgrimage to see Pernfors, but he'd won easily and we missed him :(

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:07 (nineteen years ago)

I am now having nostalgia x a million looking through the over-35s line-ups for Wimbledon. Even for players I don't like.

(I had completely forgotten the existence of David Wheaton until about five minutes ago)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:12 (nineteen years ago)

Iris:
http://static.flickr.com/67/181912319_9e3426f240.jpg

Maria:
http://static.flickr.com/76/181912321_2fb835e412.jpg

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:22 (nineteen years ago)

Stan Smith!!!!!
http://static.flickr.com/70/181915483_1e00c2dad8.jpg

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

Jarryd & Pioline
http://static.flickr.com/54/181925691_8eb13418c0.jpg

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:34 (nineteen years ago)

Kim
http://static.flickr.com/70/181912323_d7f7320718.jpg

― Porkpie (porkpie), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 21:39 (nineteen years ago)

I hope someone isn't saying bad things bout the real Iris upthread. She's even more admirable then Edberg.

I sort of instinctively dislike Hewitt, but I often find myself admiring some of his play despite myself. He was coming up with some pretty good stuff last round. That said, Baghdatis seems to have a really entertaining game, so I want him to go far.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Tuesday, 4 July 2006 22:39 (nineteen years ago)

I note that Elena did have something to say about Maria's grunting. I think it's getting excessive. It's louder than Cyclops! Obv Sharapova would have pwned even if she'd had her mouth taped shut, but still, didn't _people_ talk to her grunting predecessors? She's nearly as bad as junior Kournikova (whose grunts were like hinn-yeeee! ooo-yaaa! excuse the onomatopoeia).

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 01:43 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm, despite what I said above, HH is only 4-2 up over Kimba in Grand Slams. It just _seems_ like it's more than that. That could be a classic.

Hope Baghdatis/Hewitt is a good one - despite Lleyton's dislikeability, his game, when good, is very likeable, as it Baghdatis'. Federer will drop a set to Ancic, possibly the first one and everyone will go "ooh aah" and it will come to nothing. I think Nieminen will beat Nadal too.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 02:02 (nineteen years ago)

Great photos Chris! I'm very jealous.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 07:22 (nineteen years ago)

those are great pictures porkpie! i am so jealous, this is the first year i've missed wimbledon since '97 (due to bloody work, mostly).

Hmm, despite what I said above, HH is only 4-2 up over Kimba in Grand Slams. It just _seems_ like it's more than that. That could be a classic.

it probably seems like it because kim pwned justine for the first half of their careers - i remember when people talked about justine's mental block against kim! it turned around in this epic rome/berlin final just before RG 03 and justine's dominated since then.

Further :( here. Lex! What's going on with this girl?

this is really sad and weird - such a pity, as i thought that karatantcheva not only had great game but was a really refreshing personality. she's clearly got a pretty dodgy team around her - for both the doping in the first place, and the bizarre pregnancy excuse.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 07:30 (nineteen years ago)

I note that Elena did have something to say about Maria's grunting.

Yeah, and Maria had something to say right back: "I'm not changing".

Later on a Bloke What's In Charge Of Tennis was interviewed and questioned about this and he said "oh, sorry, I thought this was a spoting event, I didn't realise we were AT CHURCH. For fuck's sake."

― David Orton (scarlet), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 08:33 (nineteen years ago)

I like Shazza, despite the grunting. Thx for posting the Myskina pic above!

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Ancic-Federer is a tasty match so far. God Fed is fast.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

God Myskina is gross. Blech.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ho, Fed up a set and a break on Ancic and we don't have a match on her hand. Scoreline wise, that is. Lots of great play from Fed.

Vespertineman (lol old) vs Stepanek (lol ugly) looked like the first set was going to go to Bjorkman, but he failed to serve it out. WHO CAN WIN? On the one hand, Jonas is 36,000 years old. But Radek dated (is still dating?) Martina Hingis, and no man who dates Martina does well in slams afterwards, surely.

xpost Myskina is NOT gross. Dan you are 5000 shades of WRONG.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

You're much better looking Dan

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

... especially in tight white tennis shorts

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

I reserve judgment until we get a picture of Dan in tiny shorts.

X post OMG!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

Dan! And I thought you were a man of taste.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

You're not seeing that until I lose some beer weight. And my mind.

(xpost: I am! That's why I don't think Myskina is particularly attractive; she's maybe one burger up on Daniela Hantuchova.)

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

A man of taste and a man of contrariness - which comes first?

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:35 (nineteen years ago)

Apparently Ancic ws doing quite well before the rain - Ancic ws broken shortly after, and then in the 2nd, Fed ws too scary to deal with.

Rain again.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Anastasia is nowhere near as skinny as Daniela Hantuchova! Her legs are, frankly, shapely!

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah I mean I don't like skinny women at all but Myskina seems slim and proportional and athletic to me!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Yes that is what I was about to say - Nastya's legs are nowhere near as twig-like as Hantuchova's! She's very svelte but not anorexically so. She's not conventionally hott but I think she's gorgeous. I am shocked that anyone could actively think she's un-hott!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:39 (nineteen years ago)

Also, being the only woman in Russia who is not 6ft and blonde cannot be easy

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

Venus is slim and proportional and athletic; even Dementieva rocks the willowy look better than Myskina does. Seriously, that girl is at about the Clijsters level of UGH.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:46 (nineteen years ago)

(I've said this before, why is everyone acting all shocked???)

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:47 (nineteen years ago)

Dada, what about Petrova and Kuznetsova?

Venus = hot. Was on the phone to my mother discussing the Hewitt/Baghdatis prospect (the only relatively nice phone calls we have nowadays are always about tennis or bitching about other family members) and she said "Venus looks like an Egyptian Queen or something. Serena, facially, looks common.". My mum OTM.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:48 (nineteen years ago)

Ancic is playing pretty well but he's hardly getting a look in on the Federer serve and RF has compiled two flawless only-I-can-do-this breaks. Unless he goes comprehensively off the boil on the resumption this will be over in three. Some suggestion that they hesitated too long in bringing them off for the second rain break and the court might take some time to dry out as a result. Rain on Sunday forecast...aargh.

Brill pix, Chris! I hope you're tagging and grouping like mad on Flickr so you get thousands of hits.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:51 (nineteen years ago)

Kuznetsova is the fugliest Russian player definitely. Sorry Svetlana.

Now has it stopped raining yet so I can watch again instead of contemplating Dan's folly? (Though I like Venus too.)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Venus is slim and proportional and athletic; even Dementieva rocks the willowy look better than Myskina does. Seriously, that girl is at about the Clijsters level of UGH.

I like Venus. Myskina's not tall enough to qualify for willowy anyway. LOL at Clijsters comparison!

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Actually, speaking of the willowy Iris, I have decided that it's time for me to quit Elena. I can't do it anymore :(

I need someone else to root for now. I love Kim, but so do lots of people. Outside this board, nobody I know hearts the Diva. So, who's my new girl, ILX?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Svetlana is not fuglier than Petrova.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 13:55 (nineteen years ago)

Svetlana is definitely fuglier than Nadia - Nadia scrubs up surprisingly well, at her worst she's just a plain Jane, but Svetlana has very odd facial features. I still love them both.

Venus is gorgeous yes, her legs go on for MILES.

Your new girls are clearly the SISTERS RADWANSKA, Ed!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

Of course! I've never laid eyes on Ueszula, though. Please, Radwanskas, conquer globe so idiots have to say your name lots!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

ALSO, Sveta has the sexy Russian newsreader voice in her favour, so her face is less important.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:04 (nineteen years ago)

how many people here who like Nastya are mostly interested in boys, hmm?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

You don't have a statistically significant sample there!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

how many people here who like Nastya are mostly interested in boys, hmm?

Not me!

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

I am 'mostly interested' in boys but that doesn't mean I look for a boyish figure in a girl. I just think AM is pretty and has a nice bod. And nice shorts.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

AM is a pretty geek girl who is athletic and slim. It's an underrataed class! What is not to like, whether you normally like boys or not?

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

She looks like Gumby but without the cool Vegas-road-sign headshape?

It's just that picture, really, she looks fine elsewhere. Though she seems to fit a Britishes aesthetic more than an American one, I think?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

The Wimbledon website allows you to download matches! OMG. I clicked on one, and accidentally downloaded Diva vs Mazza, and didn't realise it. God, that was dismal, 300Mb of my limit gone and I didn't KNOW!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

Meanwhile. Fed making it look bloody easy now. Stepanek doing better in the second. In the girls, Radwanska the younger came back from 5-1 down against some Australian bird to 5-5. Yay!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah Ancic kind of getting creamed now. Still, being outclassed by Fed is no shame.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Haha and Ancic is/was the only credible threat left.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Was! 4-6 4-6 4-6. Efficient.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

Look! Perennial quite good doubles combo Knowles/Nestor serving at 14-13!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 15:26 (nineteen years ago)

Wow. This is bad for Lleyton. 0-5 down. He had three break points on the last Marko Mark service game, and game points on at least one of his. ILX rejoices, presumably. Epic doubles match up to 18-17.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Hewitt was 1-6 0-3 (double-break)...incredible to think that MarcoB almost went out to a Brit in r1. Lleytz gets one break back but still trails 2-4.

Stepanek looks like he's finally steering his way into the semis - Bjorkman double-faulted in the breaker, having served for 4-2 earlier in the set.

Knowles/Nestor-Aspelin/Perry now 21-21 in the 5th. Coming up to six hours.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Insane. The last set was more than 3 hours long!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

5-5 in the second now. Hewitt scrambled that last MB service game out very smartly - though if a few more first serves had gone in it would be 2 sets in the can now for the man who defies age... in the other direction.

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

Oh me, oh my. 7-5 to the Llonely Boy!

― edward o (edwardo), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Baggy is choking in the onslaught of Hewey's spittle-flecked gee-ups: 6-1 5-7. Steppy a break up in the 4th.

Damm/Paes-Hanley/Ullyett having a bash at the new duration record on court 3: 7-6 6-7 6-7 7-6 1-1... Three hours to go.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Who Killed Baggy? Lletyz defers to Albarn on this one, as he goes a break down at the start of the third.

Step On fires down a 116mph second-serve...to double-fault and throw away his break in the 4th. Three doubles in that game...Radz needs a Heimlich. 5-5.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

No Nadal today surely...Bjorkman saves a match point and forces a fifth. Birruvaepic, innit?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

JESUS CHRIST THAT BACKHAND RETURN!

Baghdatis just won the third set with an INCREDIBLE shot and the place went nuts.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

Baggy nicks the third in a fantastic tie-breaker. This is a classic and, with the Pinefox about to arrive for FRA-POR, I'm going to have the get the portable down from the bedroom for hott two-telly action.

Medullaman breaks for the second time in the fifth vs StepOff and win serve for a semi vs Federer.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

I'm stil in work and I'm meant to be writing an article due in today. Aaargh! That tiebreak was awesome though. Mrs Baghdatis is great with her signs of the crosses and all.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:48 (nineteen years ago)

Bjorkman wins and does goofy self-hugging gesture to all sides of the court...commentator (Simon Reed?) says, "Oh, who cares if he's an embarrassment?"

Rafa and Jarkko have presumably gone home.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 17:50 (nineteen years ago)

Baghdatis wins! 6-2 in the fourth!

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

Fed may not play better than he did today - got the distinct impression that the rain breaks, rather than sppeding a boiling off, helped Fed keep to that 'level' for just that bit longer as he dropped off a bit in the 3rd and ws broken. But Ancic ws two breaks down. Still, it might've been the diff btw 3-1 and 3-0.

Think Nadal, while not credible, will be a threat should he reach the final - surely in the mind when it comes to Fed-Nadal and we'll see how well Fed is doing in that department, only one month after that disappointment at the french.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Wednesday, 5 July 2006 21:04 (nineteen years ago)

JHH just broken broken in the 1st!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

JHH breaks back!!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:41 (nineteen years ago)

Clidge loses it completely: JHH 6-4 in the 1st.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:48 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal up a break. I'm surprised, actually. Nieminen is in handy form.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:49 (nineteen years ago)

Dogtanian getting wolf-whistles for getting his shirt off.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

Clidge breaks JHH after just saving two breaks point on her own. Will she able to keep it up?

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Kim has the break in the second set which probably bodes better for Justine. Allez!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

You're mean, Lex! That said, it doesn't matter who wins the tile, everyone left is likeable. I'd prefer Kim, Justine, Amelie to Maria, in that order. Actually, Justine winning would probably rile American people who hate her, so, whatever, GO JUSTINE!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

Very odd match this. Clijsters stubborn refusal to even entertain the idea of attacking the net behind short balls saw her waste her advantage in the first, conservatism her doing; her collapse seemed to be terminal - down 0-1 15/40 at the start of the 2nd - but now she's reeled off three games playing aggressive, all-court stuff. This means JHH will have to raise her game - she's been purring along at about 70%, doing enough. Could finally boil into a classic.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:04 (nineteen years ago)

my order of pref is Justine, Amelie, Maria. I am really not down with Kim Clijsters.

Luckily neither is Justine, and she's just broken back. Allez!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

This American says Justine >> Amelie >>>> Maria >>>>>>> Kim

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

I went into the kitchen to get more cookies and JHH already broke back. Your mouth, God's ears, Michael, or similar.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

xp!

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

x-post

I mostly meant American media commentators who think JHH is ONE GIGANTIC CHEAT WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO WIN EVEN IF IT IS DIRTY.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

JHH breaks back, then. Kim is indeed refusing JHH more but she can't keep refusing her. Justine keeps asking the questions.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

tho admittedly I was at the Justine-Kim US Open final 2 yrs (?) back and think I was the only one rooting for Henin

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Clidge is flirting with calamity, but just about holding herself: 4-4. Great rallies now.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

Where is Dan when he's needed? He's the only other non-Kim-disliker here :(

Wrt the Justine thing, this is what I mean. FUCK OFF, RETARDS.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:20 (nineteen years ago)

A pedant writes: Radwanska the Younger is not actually called Ueszula, but the somewhat more sensible looking Urszula.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:21 (nineteen years ago)

I know, but E and R are next to each other and I can't type on my laptop. I'm not alone here, as the same typo was on the Wimbledon site at one point!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

Both playing very well now, if not error-free. KC will serve to stay in it; JHH's backhand (particularly the near-halfvolleys from deep KC returns) remains miraculous.

My preference: JHH >>>>>> > Amelie > Kim > Maria, but I really don't dislike anyone in this quartet.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

Wow. Kim breaks to love and will serve the second out.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

(What price on her bottling it and going down 7-2 ish in the breaker?)

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

Clidge plays brilliantly to break - she'll now serve for the set.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

Lights-out individual games like that are why I heart Kim. But no, she's bottled it. Then again, JHH is awfully good too.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Tie-break it is! But Henin played some brilliant points - only 'bottling' the break point, really. xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

Genius play from JHH to engineer two b-ps - howler from Kim to concede on the first. 6-6!

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

that cnn article is a funny thing.

I think JHH has done some, um, questionable things on court, but not significantly worse than any other player. And I don't presume that I can judge her character on the basis of them, because we don't know all the circumstances and I don't know her in person - I bet there are players who are all sweetness and light on court, and massive bitches off it. And I find it difficult to make the leap from "dodgy sportsmanship" to "morally reprehensible spawn of Satan who does not deserve to win titles" - and when it comes down to it she still has probably the most aesthetically pleasing game on tour, and that's the reason I cheer for anyone.

I'm not in the least surprised that she broke back! Tiebreak!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:34 (nineteen years ago)

My choice for wimmins: anyone but Amelie.
(pref Maria really but so not gonna happen)

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

I am torn at this point because I really like both Justine and Kim... but that means that at least one player I like will be in the final so :)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

Amelie scares me and Maria I can take or leave really.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

JHH 4-2 in the breaker. come on!!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Well, it won't be 7-2...but only thanks to that flubbed smash.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

JHH is teh awesome.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

ALLEZ!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

JHH wins yay!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

Kim competed well but yes, I'd like JHH to complete the set now.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

I like both Kim and J double-H both equally, but I'm finding I'm getting behind Kim (ooer missus) in this match. It might be the coming-from-behind thing (fnar).

Ah, it's JH-H! Good good.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:41 (nineteen years ago)

Yay Justine! (Come to think of it, I did use to have an irrational dislike of Kim when she was still sort of pimply, so I think I was subconsciously rooting more for JHH.)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

Girls' semis: in addition to probably Ueszula Radwanska and certainly an -ova, even the Western Europeans have Eastern-sounding names, ie Paszek (AUT) and Wozniacki (DEN).

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

Hooray, smut! Has been sorely missing from this thread.

Who, apart from JHH, is a current prospect for a future career grand slam, anyway?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:47 (nineteen years ago)

Kim a bit unlucky with a line-call at 3-5 in the t-b (Hawkeye showed it was wrong) but she didn't question it.

Rafa up two sets on Donnie Jarkko.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 12:57 (nineteen years ago)

Well you've got to think that even if Hingis will need a whole lotta luck to win RG, it's a possibility given that so few of the elite players' games are tailored to clay and how fragile JHH's health is.

Venus I would have said was a dead cert at the end of 2001. Right now I would say she's a dead cert not to complete the set.

Sharapova + Clay = LOL. Davenport + Clay = even bigger LOL, and one usually led by Lindsay herself.

Kuznetsova has a v strong game which suits every surface as well as the others but I don't think she'll ever put it together consistently - when she's off she is like an unforced error MACHINE. Mauresmo too has the game to do it but the idea that she'll manage to win four Slams at all seems rather far-fetched right now.

Pierce too old, Nastya...I can dream.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Roland Garros looks like the stumbling block for most of them. If Kim hung around, you'd guess she'd pick up one eventually. I really can't see Sveta winning Wimbledon, although she's a good volleyer who could have success there - those errors that creep in on her groundstrokes are too much with generally short points. Sharapova def can't win the French.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

JHH is going to have at least 5 Roland Garroses, anyway.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:14 (nineteen years ago)

It's odd to think that if JHH does win on Sunday, the likelihood is that the next woman to get the Full House will be someone who hasn't even started winning Slams yet.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

Probably someone who hasn't even started playing them.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

Who would you lot guess as the next woman to win her first GS title then?

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:23 (nineteen years ago)

~~Anna-Lena Groenfeld~~. Oh, probably Vaidisova will have a big one sooner or later.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:24 (nineteen years ago)

It's really difficult to predict which of the Hott Teenn Starrs while break through to being Slam champions - every time I see Vaidisova play I can only think about how one-dimensional she is, but there's no question she's producing results while Ivanovic, Golovin et al are struggling to consolidate. Then again Golovin has a more nuanced game which will take more time to mature, if not Vaidisova's brute force.

Haha maybe ELENA DEMENTIEVA can win her first Slam soon!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

C'mon Maria, hang on in there for gawd's sake.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:29 (nineteen years ago)

Mesmo looking solid, Sharap blowing hot and cold - first set AM 6-3.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:30 (nineteen years ago)

The other thing about Vaidisova is that she clearly has a good work ethic - a few years ago her backhand was a liability, but now it's a very solid shot if not the WMD which is her forehand. Whereas Sania Mirza, for example, actually seems to be slower and more erratic with each tournament.

xps

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:31 (nineteen years ago)

I have to point out, for Lex, or rather, remind that Golovin lost to NICOLE PRATT. Grand slam champions shouldn't do that!

Petrova to bag a French at some point?

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 13:32 (nineteen years ago)

Shazza leads a set for 1st time, come on!

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:02 (nineteen years ago)

Maria snapping at Amelie's heels now. I'm rubbing my Sharapova key-ring for luck.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Haha last time I looked at the scoreboard Mesmo was up 6-3 3-1; now she's 6-3 3-5. Can I deduce that she is doing her now-annual thing of leading a Wimbledon semi-final by a set and a break and then choking?

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

Is that a euphemism?

xpost

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:12 (nineteen years ago)

Oh Amelie. Even when you are the car, you're still a rabbit in the headlights.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

its happening again omg!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

Mauresmo breaks again, but how long can she keep it.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

Mauresmo taken to deuce but a beatiful volley and ace: 3-0.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

Hold up. 4-0!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

4-1! :-)

(but surely...)

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

Surely a FOUR-GAME lead is enough for Mauresmo. Surely.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

4-2...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

5-2! come on Mauresmo! her serve held up v well.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Coem on Mazza!

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mariaworld.net/wimbledon06103.jpg

FUUUUUUCK!

That bitch Amelie went into the dressing room after the second set to get injected with more Hulk serum. That's not in the rules.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Mauresmo breaks again to win!!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

And it's so long Shrapnel...

Will be a quieter final anyway.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

Wow she actually did it! Yay Amelie!

JHH has reached all three Slam finals this year - Amelie has reached two of three. Very impressive.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:12 (nineteen years ago)

Yay! This is brilliant. Either a full house for JHH or Mesmo to say "See, I can beat her even when she's not sick" and get the final word in against people who might say she didn't really win her one slam, which is just madness.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck this.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Maria just looked clueless on the net and ws forced onto it by some excellent counterpunching from Amelie - this match should've ended about 45 mins ago.

JHH the obv fave but Mauresmo just crossed another line. xp.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:15 (nineteen years ago)

In other news, Navratilova's dream of a 21st Wimbledon title shattered for another year, losing twice today in doubles.

― zebedee (zebedee), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

Also, hurrah for glorious and beautiful one-handed backhands! And exquisite finesse and amazing volleys!

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:17 (nineteen years ago)

Grandmartina has, I believe, announced that this year will definitely be her last, honest. How many times has she said this now? She will still be going when she's 80.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.mariaworld.net/wimbledon0647.jpg

Farewell, Maria. You gotta lotta heart, kid. Justice was not served here today.

― David Orton (scarlet), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

Yes it was. She was outplayed. The scoreline flattered Maria, I thought.

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Ugliest ladies final ever :(

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

Until Kuznetsova gets to one that is...
Although I don't think Justine is at all ugly anyway.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

Kuznetsova's been to two!

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

Justine is a weaselly little ugbot with no attractive features whatsoever.

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Not at Wimbledon though (except doubles).

xpost

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

Stop looking at her face. LOOK AT HER LEGS.

xpost

― edward o (edwardo), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:55 (nineteen years ago)

I think J has a perfectly pleasant, if not spectacular, face and a slightly odd but athletic body.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 July 2006 15:56 (nineteen years ago)

JHH looks like an elf, albeit a very buff one.

― The Lex (The Lex), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

Missed the last set and a bit as I had to go to the doctor's with the girls; SHARA GRUNT MAKES MY PARROT HUMP - headline spotted in Sunday Sport on way back. "She makes my pet sex mad!" I somehow knew she'd lost when I saw that.

Henin has a strange prettiness about her - it's the eyes, I think. It'll be an aesthetically pleasing final in other ways, anyhow.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Am I mad if she sometimes reminds me of Brooce?

http://www.theepochtimes.com/news_images/2005-5-9-henin.jpg http://sunday.ninemsn.com.au/sunday/images/arts/bruce_smiling.jpg

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

yes

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

I wouldn't say JHH is attractive in the obvious Shaz way or in the elegant Amazonian Mary P sense, but she's cuet and seems nice in a quiet way. :p

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

she's dignified but also sorta childlike. is it because she's Belgian that she seems kinda boring?

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

Some TV commentator tried to make a Henin : Clijsters :: Sampras : Agassi connection the other day. (Ie one more popular, the other boringer but winning more titles or something.)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 6 July 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

LaConte is doing panto in the seniors on BBCi, tying up the umpire and climbing into his chair.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 6 July 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

Leconte, sorry.

― Alba (Alba), Thursday, 6 July 2006 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

His "I'm so funny, look at me!" schtick is quite annoying. However Goran Ivanisevic has been hit in the knackers, so all is well again.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 6 July 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

Saw Venus get into the semis- of the mixed dbls.

Had to watch the highlights to catch that v attractive drop volley again!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:16 (nineteen years ago)

This ladies' final is going to be really, really, really awesome.

I love that Venus is doing well in mixed doubles because some clueless clod for ESPN made some comment about her packing up her things and checking out of her hotel room to go home after losing her singles match.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

Yes I ws thinking 'its nice she wants to stay here and keep competing' as I hear comments about their commitment to the game or whatever..

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Thursday, 6 July 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

I know we all sort of expected this result, but Federer is astonishingly good right now; some weak second-serves apart, Bjorkman isn't doing much wrong. Fed up 6-2 6-0 3-1 in just over an hour.

Has any male player ever reached a GS final with such ease in the Open era? Borg in '76 at least had a few 9-7s or 9-8s; Federer got what was assumed to be a tough draw - playing four former nemeses in Berdych, Henman, Ancic and Gasquet - and he's only gone beyond 6-4 once (second set vs Mahut).

The bookies who were offering 1/50 (or 1/200 according to Barker) on Federer today knew what they were doing - teasingly ridiculous odds for Bjorkman = free money.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

Am I the only one hoping the Chinese doubles team knocks out Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs?

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

What about Sampras? Did he ever drop a set on the way to one of his 7 titles? xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

I'm totally hoping that as well, the Chinese pairs are fun and Rennae Stubbs is such a dour, whiny bitch. Cara Black is sweet but to be honest has more than enough Wimbledon doubles titles by now.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

They're up 5-2 in the second set tiebreak!

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

6-2!!!!!!!!

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

(xpost)

Talking of Sampras...
http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/articles/2006-07-07/200607071152280745718.html

― zebedee (zebedee), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Yay I like everyone left in the women's doubles now! I wonder if I can get a CLEAN SWEEP of players I like for all the titles.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Sampras never got through a Wimbledon fortnight without dropping at least a set - 1994 was the closest:

1993: 4s vs Borwick (r1), 5s vs Agassi (qf)
1994: 4s vs Martin (sf)
1995: 4s vs Braasch (r1), 4s vs Palmer (r3), 4s vs Matsuoka (qf), 5s vs Ivanisevic (sf), 4s vs Becker (f)
1997: 5s vs Korda (r4), 4s vs Becker (qf)
1998: 4s vs Henman (sf), 5s vs Ivanisevic (f)
1999: 4-6 2-1 rtd vs Philippoussis (qf), 4s vs Henman (sf)
2000: 4s vs Kucera (r2), 4s vs Gimelstob (r3), 4s vs Gambill (qf), 4s vs Rafter (f)

That was all from memory. Nah, not really.

Great news for Jarryd fans - he's returning to the main tour at the age of 44, teaming up with Soderling in the doubles at Bastad later in the month.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, and 4s vs Courier (f) in '93. D'oh.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

another Stat of Dominance - if JHH wins in straight sets tomorrow (and the last time she played Amelie, in Berlin, she was detained for approximately 20 seconds) she will be the first woman to win both RG and Wimbledon back to back without losing a set since Maureen Connolly in 19fucking54.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:50 (nineteen years ago)

I want Amelie to win, she seems so nice

― ¡Vamos a matar, Dadaismus! (Dada), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Its 'reasonable' to think that Fed will drop a set against either of those two out right now in Centre.

Nadal has already broken in the 1st and served out with no problems: 2-0 in the 1st.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, Little Mo - subject of at least one afternoon matinee TV movie. They should make one about Monica Seles. Perhaps they already have.

Looking it up, Borg dropped 57 games en route to the 1976 final (just one t-b [at 8-8 in those days] vs Tanner in the semis and one 7-5 set before beating Nastase 4, 2 and 7); Federer has conceded 53 this year. But, Julio's right, I don't see a third-set match on Sunday.

Funny that Borg should win his first title so easily, considering the epics he was involved in in subsequent years (Amaya, Amritraj, Edmondson, Connors, McEnroe, Gerulaitis).

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

three-set match

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal really Pushing Bagh on to the baseline and forcing errors to get a second break. Probably hasn't relaxed yet but I doubt Nadal will drop off a bit to allow him to do that. 4-1.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:08 (nineteen years ago)

Bagh had two break points and didn't convert, then goes on to break again: 6-1 and making it look easy.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

goes to be broken again, I meant..

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Good stuff from Marcos to hold at 0-1 in the 2nd but Nadal looks like winning this pretty routinely. Rafa's round-by-round improvement reminds me of Agassi in '91 and '92; initially it was just nice to have the guy playing in SW19, having skipped the event three years running, but no one expected much. Sure enough, he struggled in early rounds but by the time he played Becker in the '92 quarters he was as comfortable on the surface as anyone.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

Bagh trying his hardest and is getting a break point but Nadal staying firm. Def more assured: the groundstrokes have more purpose, so does the serve, ever since he saved 3 break points at the start of the 2nd.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

It's really excellent now - Bagh has ironed out the errors and is playing some inspired stuff but Nadal is staying a fraction ahead of him. Maybe Bagh can pinch this in a tie-breaker.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

baghdatis just held for 5-5, saving 2 set points, in a really superb game - i think three consecutive points were clean winners on the line.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 7 July 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

nadal wins second set with absolutely glorious whipped forehand winner on the line - baghdatis made him fight for it though. top stuff.

― The Lex (The Lex), Friday, 7 July 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

2nd set was probably the best set of tennis I've seen this year. Bagh now 1-4 in the 3rd, tho; Nadal even better this set. What a final in prospect...

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 16:59 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal saves four b-ps to hold for 5-2 - one on a duff line-call. Bagh just can't buy a break and it'll be all over inside the next 5min...

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

2nd set => titanic. what a weekend we've got!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Friday, 7 July 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, Lex, I see your 19fucking54 and raise you 19fucking52 - which is the last year the men's singles finals at Roland Garros and Wimbledon were contested by the same two players (Sedgman and Drobny; Drobny won on clay in 4, Sedgman won in 4 in the grasscourt rematch).

So that's my guide. Fed rolls through the first two, Nad wins the third on a t-b, goes a break up in the 4th, RF turns it round and wins it 7-5.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Friday, 7 July 2006 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

I'll predict Nadal in four but if there is a rain break after the first set it'll be Fed in four.

As for today I'll say JHH to complete the set but it'll be in 3 sets. Hope Mauresmo doesn't lose while a set up and a break.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 8 July 2006 10:19 (nineteen years ago)

It's pretty outstanding stuff so far - JHH up a break.

Re: RF-RN...I only think Nadal can win if Fed's backhand breaks down or his level dips in some other way. We know that Roger has real problems playing his best against Nadal. The way Fed has played in this event (particularly against Ancic), he'd have beaten anyone from any era on any surface. Either he'll have his usual troubles vs Nadal (and possibly lose or edge through in four/five) or he'll maintain this untouchable form, crush Nadal, dislodge the back-hugging monkey and conceivably never lose to him again.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 8 July 2006 12:26 (nineteen years ago)

Justine is looking awesome.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 8 July 2006 12:28 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone But Amelie has come down to one person. And Double H is looking strong at 3 games to 2, so fingers Xd.

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 8 July 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Mauresmo never really got into the first set after JHH broke her serve in the first game, but she's really upping her game now in the second...

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 8 July 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

JHH just hit the sort of second serve that got me laughed out of the Poly tennis club back in '86. It was a long and lonely walk back to Aigburth station.

JHH to serve 6-2 0-3.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 8 July 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

JHH's timing has gone to cock.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 8 July 2006 13:04 (nineteen years ago)

I feel I may have jinxed her by saying she was awesome. She's really losing it here. Come on, JHH! You're better than this.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 8 July 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

I hope Amelie does take this set. I want Justine to win but not TOO easily, or it's no fun.

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 8 July 2006 13:15 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear, what was I thinking? Now JHH is serving to stay in the match...

I would have said she was the mentally stronger of the two but in this final set Mauresmo is looking really tough.

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

It's certainly...tense.

Mauresmo has hit a few tentative shots but JHH has been curiously unable to capitalise on them.

I think I've switched allegiance to Amelie!

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, Amelie has really taken advantage of some sort of collapse by JHH. Does Justine have the strength to break back here?

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:10 (nineteen years ago)

Er, no.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Bah and double bah.

― David Orton (scarlet), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

AWESOME

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Blimey. Well, you can't begrudge her that somehow. Well done Amelie!!

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Well done, though Amelie. Terrific final, but JHH lost that as much as AM won it.

This running-into-the-stands thing is a bit rubbish now? It was great when Pat Cash did it - fuck, nearly 20 years ago! - but it's become like a tradition now.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:15 (nineteen years ago)

Yay for Mesmo! I rate JHH's game and size-underdogness a notch higher, but Amelie needed this one more.

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:16 (nineteen years ago)

Apt that the final shot should be a netted JHH forehand - that underpinned her downfall. Fair play to Mesmo tho', some great net play.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:17 (nineteen years ago)

Hurrah Amelie - the reason I started supporting her midway through was because she did need it so much, I wanted her to have that feeling of winning a championship point, and she looked absolutely overcome when she did it.

― The Lex (The Lex), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

Yay Amelie! She really brought out the Big Accurate Serving Gun in the last set.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Saturday, 8 July 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Well that was excellent.

Ws for JHH but it ws a curious dip at the start of the 2nd that allowed Mauresmo in the match, though she played more aggressively. Her serving towards the end was truly terrific and Henin, as well as she tried and executed her net game just wasn't allowed get back in.

Happy for Mauresmo - now all the doubters can go away. Great to see someone winning with a good serve and volley game. Cor.

Henin will have a few years to do it but wonder whether she'll have as good a chance again..think her career slam (and winning her one Wimbledon) gives her more goose bumps than she's prepared to admit. Either that or what happened in Aus possibly played some part in the match.

8 years ago - French woman in the semis and France in the WC final. Tauziat lost and France won so now we're well on the way for that to be reversed.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 8 July 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

I think it's sad and funny at the same time. I mean, funny cause Henin had apparently said that she could have won from Mauresmo when she dropped out of the finals (Australian Open?) for stomach problems. Apparently they don't talk to eachother because of this as Mauresmo was pissed off. Sad because well... I rather have Henin win of course. Duh.

― Nathalie (stevie nixed), Saturday, 8 July 2006 20:35 (nineteen years ago)

Re: Rafa-Fed..MJ - Reckon that Fed's game will dip, and really don't think he will repeat what he did against Ancic just cuz he knows how to play Ancic but not Nadal. I know its a weird prediction but i reckon a rain break helped Fed maintain his game against Ancic for just that little bit longer so I think a rain break round the 2nd set (what's the forecast?) will help Fed to keep whatever level he's at, or to raise it should he find himself in trouble.

Of course the above could be total and utter rub. They've never played each other on grass so Nadal's adjustments to this surface will be given a full test. Fed had that horrible 1st setter against Bandy in the semis but here no problems whatsoever. This is Fed's best surface, but you wonder whether there will be any reaction from the WAY he lost the French (and not only that he lost) - it'll really hinge on what kind of pressure Nadal can bring onto Fed's backhand on grass. xp

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Saturday, 8 July 2006 20:37 (nineteen years ago)

The commentators are trying to go on about how both players are all keyed up for this. Fed is sloping about with his hands in his pockets not looking in the slightest bit like a man about to play a Grand Slam final.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

Right, this is going to be over in about an hour at this rate.

(5-0 up after 17 minutes)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Fed has barely missed a first serve here.

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal wins two games in a row. This must be one of those "Federer drops serve unexpectedly in a match he's pwning" things. But there were some great shots from Nadal, the pass at deuce was bluddy GRATE.

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I'm inwardly rooting for Nadal for a while, even though I don't actually like him, just because he was getting so horsed by Federer that it's wasn't actually nice.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

OK, I actually applauded that backhand from Federer to bring it back to deuce. And I'm in the house on my own.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:58 (nineteen years ago)

I've decided to stop feeling sorry for Nadal and just be in awe of Federer's total awesomeness again.

(except for that lame shot there)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

"horsed"? I know there have been some doping allegations but this is taking it too far.

Of course, Fed blitzed Nadal for about half an hour at Roland Garros but that 6-1 first set was much tighter than this and Fed's level wasn't quite as high.

Nadal saves a couple of break-back points for a 3-1 2nd set lead - they're both starting to motor now, Nadal not nearly so phased by Fed's variety off the ground and serving better too.

I'm not nearly as tense as I was for the Roddick finals but I DO want Federer to win this.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

Is "getting horsed" not in common parlance, then?

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:08 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was a typo, Ailsa - "hosed"?

Fed has got a real battle on his hands now - he's hitting his groundstrokes phenomenally well now and they're ALL coming back.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:09 (nineteen years ago)

I loved the moment just now (on US TV) where McEnroe and Robinson started talking about Tony Roche (Federer's sort-of-coach) -- the camera panned over to Roche, only to reveal that the former champion was avidly munching away on a rubber band. And they kept the shot going for a good 10 seconds! I half-expected him to pull out his false teeth and start biting his own nose with them, or something...

― lurker #2421, inc. (lurker-2421), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

I'm going to back Fed to attack the net a bit more in this game and break back.

Ah, well...he has to get a return in first...

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:17 (nineteen years ago)

Wasn't quite like that, was it?

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:21 (nineteen years ago)

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=horsed

(explanation number 2, or 5, I guess)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:25 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, fair enough - learn something new every day. (Though I reckon it's just a variant of "hosed"...)

Nadal probably should've won that set...but he didn't and the most likely outcome now is a very swift Fed 3rd set.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:36 (nineteen years ago)

Connors came from two sets down vs Amritraj in '81 (as well as the famous recovery from 1-6 1-6 1-4 vs Pernfors in '87), just in case you felt like shouting facts at Andrew Castle.

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:37 (nineteen years ago)

Amiriteaj

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

lolglen

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Sunday, 9 July 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

The fightback is ON!

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

WOW WOW WOW WOW

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Imagine if these two started a tennis academy together.

― Jesus Dan (Dan Perry), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

Wow Nadal was blindng in the tie break. he deserved that set, and this match deserves a fourth set. Yay!

― Archel (Archel), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:29 (nineteen years ago)

I'm pleased for Rafa, really, I genuinely thought he was going to be overawed and steamrollered into submission.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

all over now really innit

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, it was nice while it lasted...

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

(and I'm not even a great fan of Nadal's, but - oh, hang on, he's coming back again...)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 14:56 (nineteen years ago)

Nadal probably needs to do something about his second serve. The placement is not bad, but it's a bit punchless, and Fed won more than half the points on it.

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

(if he wants to win Wimbledon that is)

― edward o (edwardo), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

I'm pleased Nadal made more of a game of it that the first set suggested. But I am also pleased Federer won because he's just amazing.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

(he REALLY needs to get rid of that blazer though)

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

it's kind of harsh that not only nadal didn't win but his prize for coming second is a mirror

― ken c (ken c), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

Perhaps he could point it at Federer so he can look at himself and realise how stupid he looks in that blazer.

― ailsa (ailsa), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Great final - Fed ws kinda figuring out the Nadal serve towards the end (taking steps, re-positioning himself to go for winners) and coming in at the net more. Incredible how Nadal broke him at 5-1, he never gives up. Thought the match ws over when Nadal failed to serve it in the 2nd. But he came back stronger in the 3rd.

May this rivalry continue.

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

All we need now is a great WC final and it'll the greatest weekend of sport evah evah!

― xyzzzz__ (jdesouza), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Fed looks great in the blazer!

and I loved the lo-five

― gabbneb (gabbneb), Sunday, 9 July 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

the blazer looks great but not with shorts! but I did love the way Fed remembered to go and put it on.

it was a v g final, too many incredible shots to count - the third set tiebreak was awesome. I still haven't worked out who I will be supporting in this era-defining rivalry - I like them both so much! I cheered for Federer at Roland Garros and Nadal here, so, er, I guess I'm happy overall.

roll of honour:

Men's singles: Roger Federer
Women's singles: Amélie Mauresmo
Men's doubles: Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan
Women's doubles: Yan Zi and Zheng Jie
Mixed doubles: Andy Ram and Vera Zvonareva
Boys' singles: Thiemo de Bakker
Girls' singles: Caroline Wozniacki
Boys' doubles: Kellen Damico and Nathaniel Schnugg
Girls' doubles: Alisa Kleybanova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova

!!! at the names of the junior doubles winners, and WELL DONE VERA!

― The Lex (The Lex), Monday, 10 July 2006 06:45 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, well done Fed. Bad luck Dogtanian. It looked a good match from what I could see on the pub TV.

The blazer is okay-ish, but I was slightly amazed at the amount of time Sue Barker spent discussing with him the little emblam on the pocket.

― David Orton (scarlet), Monday, 10 July 2006 08:07 (nineteen years ago)

The new men's top 20 (Blake >>> Roddick, yay!):

(Further down, Bjorkman regains his position as Swedish #1 at the age of 34 [wr: #29]; Murray now top Brit at #36. Always amusing to see the vastly exaggerated leaps and falls for the Challenger-circuit Brits at this time of year; normally they're scrapping week-in week-out for handfuls of computer points and then along comes Wimbledon with its plentiful bounty, and their wildcard either gets them a claycourter who hasn't even practised on grass before or the #4 seed. The latter is hard cheese if last year you had the claycourter followed by the fellow Brit and a run to r3...you won't regain those points in Ghent or Aylesbury).

Pts Pts +/-
Rank This Last Since # Of
Rank Player Nat Diff Week Week +/- Jan 1 Trn*
---- ------ --- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- --
1 Federer, Roger SUI 0 7260 7260 0 535 18
2 Nadal, Rafael ESP 0 5125 4545 580 360 19
3 Nalbandian, David ARG 0 3185 3360 -175 815 18
4 Ljubicic, Ivan CRO 0 3125 3055 70 945 21
5 Davydenko, Nikolay RUS 1 2165 2195 -30 -225 31
6 Blake, James USA 1 2155 2085 70 925 24
7 Ancic, Mario CRO 3 1985 1885 100 625 24
8 Stepanek, Radek CZE 5 1925 1710 215 485 25
9 Robredo, Tommy ESP -1 1915 1920 -5 425 26
10 Baghdatis, Marcos CYP 6 1857 1494 363 1223 24
11 Roddick, Andy USA -6 1805 2430 -625 -1280 20
12 Hewitt, Lleyton AUS -3 1700 1900 -200 -790 20
13 Nieminen, Jarkko FIN 5 1635 1390 245 590 29
14 Gaudio, Gaston ARG -2 1625 1745 -120 -425 22
15 Berdych, Tomas CZE -1 1615 1635 -20 415 26
16 Gonzalez, Fernando CHI -5 1580 1755 -175 -210 22
17 Ginepri, Robby USA 0 1480 1480 0 -40 25
18 Ferrer, David ESP 1 1475 1330 145 -145 25
19 Kiefer, Nicolas GER -4 1440 1515 -75 190 18
20 Agassi, Andre USA 0 1405 1330 75 -870 17

― Michael Jones (MichaelJ), Tuesday, 11 July 2006 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

ah yes and the new women's top 20 too!

1. Amélie Mauresmo FRA
2. Kim Clijsters BEL
3. Justine Henin-Hardenne BEL
4. Maria Sharapova RUS
5. Nadia Petrova RUS
6. Elena Dementieva RUS
7. Svetlana Kuznetsova RUS
8. Patty Schnyder SUI
9. Mary Pierce FRA
10. Lindsay Davenport USA
11. Anastasia Myskina RUS
12. Nicole Vaidisova CZE
13. Martina Hingis SUI
14. Francesca Schiavone ITA
15. Dinara Safina RUS
16. Anna-Lena Groenefeld GER
17. Daniela Hantuchova SVK
18. Flavia Pennetta ITA
19. Ai Sugiyama JPN
20. Ana Ivanovic SCG

Mauresmo surely undisputed No 1 now that she's reigning champion at two Slams and the year-end championships. (For me, the Wimbledon win validated the slightly dodgy Australian win in retrospect - and really, if JHH had crushed her, the doubts over Australia would have got even bigger.) First Williams-free top 20 since...since Venus first got there! In 1998! Venus now 23, Serena now 140. Li Na is the highest-ranked Chinese player in history at 22; the endlessly slumping Karolina Sprem crawls back into the top 50 at 49; surprise quarter-finalist Brémond is up to 65. Everyone's favourite Polish debutante Agnieszka Radwanska leaps from 217 to 127.

― The Lex (The Lex), Wednesday, 12 July 2006 07:43 (nineteen years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.