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Wow. First of all, yesterday - well, all that needs to be said is that they showed Borg vs. MacEnroe, and that what little tennis there was was long over by the time I got home. (Image of yesterday: the shirtless Serb.)
Today, I kept an eye on the Beeb website and got home by four for a treat of tennis. First, I was watching Venus outplay Ivanovic (second grand slam she's got far into...and had nothing). I think it was Navratilova who said that the Williams sisters (although it always felt more true of Venus at Wimbledon) would be easier to beat in the opening rounds, because they played themselves into form. What form it was too...and so, I thought, it'd be a Henin/Venus finale, with me wanting Henin to win.
So, I watched Murray and Jankovic win on the red button option - doubles = pure entertainment (although the same was true of the singles today). I switched back to see Henin then, and watched the second set turnaround happen. And like Henin, I suppose, I expected Bartoli to drop out of the zone. But she didn't. And I got used to her bizarre preparation for the serve, which reminded me of the kind of crouch an actor would make if they were playing a mouse or rat, although the action itself looked sweet. And she kept hitting the lines and breaking Justine's serve, so every time Justine willed herself into 'oh, no you don't, missy', Mlle Bartoli did.
I also loved the post-match interview, where Bartoli claimed that the sight of Pierce Brosnan lifted her game (surely she'll get a photo op out of that) which is either true or shows she has a wicked sense of humour, and it also either means she's as sharp as tacks or hadn't really realised what she'd achieved. And speaking of achievements, what price Gasquet? It was like France had got sick of everyone talking about the Serbs (especially when the last Grand Slam was held in Paris). I watched him play from the end of his fourth set on, and the stream of winners was so impressive - I'm a fan of ARod (especially off the court, because he's so smart, deprecating and witty) but his game has limitations. Gasquet has an awesome talent and he delivered.
Now, speaking frankly, unless if Bartoli and Gasquet bring the levels they reached today to Centre Court tomorrow, its Venus and Federer's to lose, really. (And I am sad for Henin, although it might be a tad unfair for her to hold all four slams and Federer not to??? I know that's not logical, but still.). One would expect Nadal to meet Federer in the final, but after today, who knows?
Coverage starts at midday tomorrow. I have the morning to stock up on strawberries...
Today, I kept an eye on the Beeb website and got home by four for a treat of tennis. First, I was watching Venus outplay Ivanovic (second grand slam she's got far into...and had nothing). I think it was Navratilova who said that the Williams sisters (although it always felt more true of Venus at Wimbledon) would be easier to beat in the opening rounds, because they played themselves into form. What form it was too...and so, I thought, it'd be a Henin/Venus finale, with me wanting Henin to win.
So, I watched Murray and Jankovic win on the red button option - doubles = pure entertainment (although the same was true of the singles today). I switched back to see Henin then, and watched the second set turnaround happen. And like Henin, I suppose, I expected Bartoli to drop out of the zone. But she didn't. And I got used to her bizarre preparation for the serve, which reminded me of the kind of crouch an actor would make if they were playing a mouse or rat, although the action itself looked sweet. And she kept hitting the lines and breaking Justine's serve, so every time Justine willed herself into 'oh, no you don't, missy', Mlle Bartoli did.
I also loved the post-match interview, where Bartoli claimed that the sight of Pierce Brosnan lifted her game (surely she'll get a photo op out of that) which is either true or shows she has a wicked sense of humour, and it also either means she's as sharp as tacks or hadn't really realised what she'd achieved. And speaking of achievements, what price Gasquet? It was like France had got sick of everyone talking about the Serbs (especially when the last Grand Slam was held in Paris). I watched him play from the end of his fourth set on, and the stream of winners was so impressive - I'm a fan of ARod (especially off the court, because he's so smart, deprecating and witty) but his game has limitations. Gasquet has an awesome talent and he delivered.
Now, speaking frankly, unless if Bartoli and Gasquet bring the levels they reached today to Centre Court tomorrow, its Venus and Federer's to lose, really. (And I am sad for Henin, although it might be a tad unfair for her to hold all four slams and Federer not to??? I know that's not logical, but still.). One would expect Nadal to meet Federer in the final, but after today, who knows?
Coverage starts at midday tomorrow. I have the morning to stock up on strawberries...
