feather_ghyll

I'm talking about the fall of so many favourites. On Tuesday, it was Kerber beating Sharapova in three, which I didn't expect. I haven't seen any of that, so can't comment, except Kerber did have that run at Wimbledon. I had to watch bits of the Kyrigos vs Nadal match, because I honestly thought that all it had taken the teenager to get to this point plus Nadal's style would do for him. But it really didn't. There were points where the Aussie outpowered Nadal, excellent serving and all sorts of shots coming off, promising that this is real talent.

Meanwhile, this is Nadal's third dodgy Wimbledon, and even if injury contributed to one of them, players figuring out how to play him on grass is a big part of it. If he wants to win here again or even to be talked about as a likely candidate, surely a rethink is needed. (Well done, seeding committee.)

So, that was Tuesday. The women's quarter finals provided less surprising results (Bouchard is a more attacking player than Kerber, I think and the German was playing a day after a tough match and Lisicki may have been injured). I would love to see the Halep vs Bouchard semi, because Halep's movement is a thing of wonder and it'd be good to see how she's taking to the surface and how both respond to the pressure. Are they the new guard?

Meanwhile, Kvitova really should beat her lower ranked countrywoman for pride's sake.

But one doesn't dare insist too much on the form book (is that a gambling phrase?) at this Wimbledon.

I saw the results coming in for Murray. Oh dear. While I'm really dismayed by how people have got the knives out, I think that the manner of his defeat wasn't great. Barker and Inverdale cooing over the possibility of a Murray vs Dimitrov QF always irritated me, because I always thought it would be difficult, with Dimitrov on the rise, and I'd have rather he faced someone else. Anyway, Dimitrov seems finally to have figured out how to use his talents and is making a bit of a breakthrough.

Ditto Raonic, whose serve and the occasion made it one match too many for Kyrigos. Looking like an Enid Blyton character all grown up, he had more to his game than the serve, which we've long known about, and seems to have also made forward strides. I like to think that equalling Bouchard at this slam was something of a motivation too.

We might see a Dimitrov vs Raonic final, and it might be the beginning of a top-flight rivalry. That the women's game is in flux has been clear for a while, but the certainties about the big four have definitely been shaken. Cilic pushed Djokovic much harder than I thought he would, although Novak found another gear. Wawrinka pushed Federer, even though he was fatigued and maybe ill. Will Federer's lovely tennis and will to win continue?

(I actually only watched bits of the Nadal match, the end of the Raonic match and last night's Tonight at Wimbledon.)