WIMBLEDON: Days 3 and 4

On Wednesday, I don't think that I saw any live tennis, just bitsy parts of matches that had already been played, with the dread R-stamped tennis ball hovering in the top right corner like a cloud. Of course, the trouble with living in the information age is that you already know the outcome quite often. There was plenty yesterday though.

First if all, Maria Sharapova and the unfortunate back part of her dress deserves a mention, then I watched Mauresmo cruising through. I possibly jinxed Guccione by seeing he was going into a third set tie-break, leading Davydenko-the-seed by two sets and switching to watch that on multi-screen (Rusedski commentates like an enthusiastic puppy, a smart one who knows what he's talking about, yes, but puppyish, nonetheless). The giant server choked a little and Davydenko's experience showed as he upped his game to take the match. Finally, I watched Murray and Butarec (sp?) play doubles - doubles is always fun with the volleying and the camaraderie. Better when you're supporting the easy winners. (Also Murray is easy on the eye and his partner has a very American smile).

And of course Henman lost another five setter. I am not surprised. Some caution has entered my support of Henman, possibly since the rain delay that lost him a semi final, possibly before. Better players play tighter matches in the earlier rounds. He...well, his run was certainly entertaining, as is the noise the crowd makes for Hawkeye.

My pick of the matches today is Federer v. Safin. I hope the first two matches on centre court are long ones, so that I definitely get to see it. I should see the business end of the match, anyway. As Henin is scheduled for court no. 2 today, where Mauresmo played yesterday, it occurs to me that the chances of seeing Federer on that court are really, deeply unlikely this tournament.

WIMBLEDON: Day 5

I watched as much tennis as I could tonight, choosing the Roddick match over 'Today at Wimbledon', because despite the presence of Stich, they seemed to have gone pun-crazy and harping on about the name of the hill (I've been there on my one visit to Wimbledon, which I'd love to repeat). I came home in time to see Gonzalez losing, watched two seconds of Serena Williams hammering the other player, got bored, so I saw on the multiscreen that Murray and Butarec were volleying away and stuck with that until Federer began. He served well, his an occasional sweet stop and contained Safin well in the first two sets and then the third set got really close with good rallies. Roddick won his match by grit (again) rather than the quality of his game - there's no wonder people are focusing on Federer and Nadal, although I'm curious to see how Djokovic is doing on the grass. I watched a lot of his matches in the French and at Queen's, but have yet to watch him at Wimbledon.

There was a lot of digressing about shortbread from the commentators of the doubles match.

I'll probably watch a lot tomorrow too, weather allowing. I am irrationally convinced that watching sports is fitter than watching any other TV, although all the exercise I do is to sit on the edge of my seat for the occasional tiebreak or go fetch strawberries.