TENNIS: Queen's
Jun. 18th, 2008 07:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllHad I been able to, obviously I'd have posted this on Monday. At least Eastbourne starts tomorrow and then Wimbledon. The past few days have been...strange, as there's been so much tennis on my telly for the past few weeks. This has been great fro me, but I really do think that the time allowed to recouperate from a Grand Slam, adjust to a new surface and gee up to a Grand Slam event on said surface is slim, and the players have every right to complain. If the tennis establishment is looking to rationalise the schedule, this is a real pinch point, although I don't know if history and prestige will make events sniffy about changing.
Anyway, the Artois championships at Queen's did well for themselves, didn't they? It's impossible not to talk about the crowning glory of the final. I'd seen both Nadal and Djokovic play before the semis (I'd seen Nalbandian play twice and Roddick not at all thanks to the timing of the scheduling). I thought Nadal had adjusted really well to the grass, and while not quite as supreme as on clay, thought that he would be the favourite in the final, as he would be and was in the semis (Roddick just doesn't have the depth, although when the man retires, I hope he gets to commentate). I thought Djokovic would get closer to Nadal than he did on clay (and he got the closest in the French Open, which wasn't even a set off the man) and that it would be telling.
I didn't expect it to be of such a sustained, high quality. In one sense, there were only a few points in it - and Nadal played them better, like a champion would. Despite what I'd thought going in, because Djokovic played so well at the beginning, I felt like he 'deserved' the first set and supported him, but Nadal was...better. Just. It floated through my mind that what a treat it's going to be watching these two compete over the next few years. The new facet to the Nadal/Federer duopoly is well established. And Nadal's form - oh, and the fact that he was three times better than Djokovic was at the net - makes me wonder about Wimbledon. Yes, Federer played himself into the winning habit on grass, but it wasn't such a strong field. Whether the tiredness will catch up with Nadal is one question, but he's improved so much from this time last year, lived up to the increasing potential he's shown on grass, and between everything, feels like the player to beat. Certainly Djokovic will do his best to do so, and if Federer finds the sublime game that he surely still has, that may be another thing entirely.
All I want from Murray is not to get injured and to improve on last year's performance. I'm willing to hold back on the expectations that much.
Anyway, the Artois championships at Queen's did well for themselves, didn't they? It's impossible not to talk about the crowning glory of the final. I'd seen both Nadal and Djokovic play before the semis (I'd seen Nalbandian play twice and Roddick not at all thanks to the timing of the scheduling). I thought Nadal had adjusted really well to the grass, and while not quite as supreme as on clay, thought that he would be the favourite in the final, as he would be and was in the semis (Roddick just doesn't have the depth, although when the man retires, I hope he gets to commentate). I thought Djokovic would get closer to Nadal than he did on clay (and he got the closest in the French Open, which wasn't even a set off the man) and that it would be telling.
I didn't expect it to be of such a sustained, high quality. In one sense, there were only a few points in it - and Nadal played them better, like a champion would. Despite what I'd thought going in, because Djokovic played so well at the beginning, I felt like he 'deserved' the first set and supported him, but Nadal was...better. Just. It floated through my mind that what a treat it's going to be watching these two compete over the next few years. The new facet to the Nadal/Federer duopoly is well established. And Nadal's form - oh, and the fact that he was three times better than Djokovic was at the net - makes me wonder about Wimbledon. Yes, Federer played himself into the winning habit on grass, but it wasn't such a strong field. Whether the tiredness will catch up with Nadal is one question, but he's improved so much from this time last year, lived up to the increasing potential he's shown on grass, and between everything, feels like the player to beat. Certainly Djokovic will do his best to do so, and if Federer finds the sublime game that he surely still has, that may be another thing entirely.
All I want from Murray is not to get injured and to improve on last year's performance. I'm willing to hold back on the expectations that much.
