TENNIS - Wimbledon 2025 QFs
Jul. 13th, 2025 08:43 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllI'm still running behind on posting!
Day nine
Worth noting that none of the women's quarter finals had won Wimbledon before.
I was able to play closer attention to the tennis, starting for a bit with Court No. 1, where Fritz started better than Khachenov, managing a 3-0 lead, and though Khachenov then got on the board, Fritz looked in charge. He would turn out to win in four sets, having made errors in the third that let his opponent in, and then winning the fourth in a tiebreak. I imagine he was desperate not to lose another quarter final here in the fifth set, and has now reached his first semi here.
But I focused on Centre Court, and it was Laura Siegemund who started off better than world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. To put it in context, Siegemund is a decade older, was about the last woman to automatically qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon because of her ranking, while Sabalenka is Sabalenka.
In so many ways, it was Queen’s all over again, a thirtysomething German player with variety driving a power player spare. (Keys had to face Maria and Siegemund this season.) Sabalenka could never be sure what would come from her opponent’s forehand – a slice or a big hit. Also Siegemund threw in drop shots, had great anticipation and so often stymied Sabalenka. There were a lot of breaks, but Siegemund was up one set, and Sabalenka had to control her emotions, (it wasn’t just the tennis, Siegemund did things at her own – slow - pace in between points and has a bunch of idiosyncrasies) and think her way through this.
She tried coming forward, she was able to get some points to be more Sabalenkaesque points, but even if she did win the second set 6-2, it wasn’t easy. The third set was more of the same. Arguably, there were a few moments where Siegemund blinked out of nerves, but then there were points where Sabalenka was made to run left, right, forward, and back to make shots in deeply uncomfortable places. Every aspect of her tennis was challenged, and in ways that rarely happen. (And it really just seems to have come together for Siegemund on the grass this year.)
I thought the crowd were on Siegemund’s side, but by the last three or so games, the tide had turned. There was one amusing point where Sabalenka engaged in a slice-off (and won it), and she finally got a couple of aces, which had been elusive all match. Three tough, tough sets, and she clearly put the lessons of controlling herself into practice against some frustrating play to get back into the semis. (Where she’ll face Anisimova, who won the first set easily, but got into a tiebreak in the second, and finally converted a match point.)
Next up, Norrie vs Alcaraz. However much Claire Balding or whoever wanted former pros to, nobody gave Norrie much of a chance. It started off badly in one way, I thought, Norrie was serving first and Alcaraz got his racquet on every serve, even though he hadn’t found his range. In the second game, Norrie got to 0-40, but then Alcaraz responded as he does, with a string of five points. The commentators said maybe Norrie should have tried to come in on a few of them. By then, Alcaraz was tuned in, broke Norrie, who then failed to do anything at 0-30 on Alcaraz’s next service game, and it soon became almost an exhibition. Alcaraz was serving well, playing fluently and making Norrie play in positions he didn’t want to be in. I thought Norrie underperformed at the start, but soon he was shown he had no chance. There was one lefty serve that gave Alcaraz some bother, and his later drop shots didn’t all come off, but there was only one game where the crowd found its voice to support Norrie. Really, it was clear that Alcaraz was enjoying his tennis, had found a good level and was facing a less tricky opponent than he had in Rublev (or Fognini). He was through to the semi, looking good.
Day ten
We’d reached that point of the tournament where you find yourself watching men’s doubles. Look, in Patten and Helivaara you had the defending champions playing Cash and Glasspool, the most in-form team on grass this year, with the added edge that the four men had played in a different formation previously. I watched the last two sets and the champions tiebreak of their quarter-final, and every now and then there would be an exciting point where a reflex shot won a point, or one player bisected the opposing team, or got a shot just out of their reach. The all-British team got some momentum going into the championship tiebreak, which led to the win.
I then switched to see Swiatek and Samsonova hold serves comfortably for a few games on Court No. 1 before turning to Centre to watch Andreeva (who I was favouring) vs. Bencic. The same height, many similarities to their games, a decade separating them, they’d never played before. Andreeva has established herself in the top 10 this year, Bencic had reached as high as no. 4, and had come back to world no. 35 after giving birth.
Andreeva started off more nervously, but held her serve. It ended up going to a tiebreak, where we saw the Dismissive Hand Gesture after advice from coach Conchita Martinez didn’t help. Bencic’s experience told, and she won. Andreeva came right back, but got broken. However, Bencic only got to within two points of winning the match, and flubbed it, rather, as Andreeva hung tough. We knew Bencic had called the trainer, and seemed in a little discomfort as it went to another tiebreak. Despite having the stronger serve and an effective slice on both wings, Andreeva made a few too many errors in the second set, while Bencic was more solid. It was a competitive and interesting match. Bencic executed her tactics well, and has made it to the semis of her favourite tournament for the first time.
She’ll be facing Swiatek, who won in two, with Samsonova making the second set a bit more of a battle, and who has finally clicked on grass this year.
I stayed with Centre to watch Djokovic for the first time, and Cobolli, who was not someone you’d have named if you’d learned there would be two Italian men in the quarter finals at the start of the tournament. After a nervous six points, he showed he’d come to play and was quite explosive. There was a break, then a break back and it went to a tiebreak, which the (much younger) Italian won – worth noting that half the male quarter finalists were in their early twenties.
But after a few games in the second set, it seemed like his intensity ebbed away, and Djokovic, who’s seen it all, was in control, breaking twice to win the second set easily. When he broke Cobolli’s first service game in the third, it seemed like it would be over fast.
(It was also becoming clear that whatever Sinner’s issues with his elbow were, they were manageable. He beat Shelton in three sets.)
But Cobolli played a brilliant couple of games, regaining his intensity to break back and consolidate. He just couldn’t quite carry it through, and Djokovic won the third set, despite the sun and possibly his eyes bothering him. (I thought he was doing that thing of finding something to make him good and mad to improve his level.) Cobolli showed flashes of intensity again in the fourth set until he got broken and Djokovic was serving it out. Two match points, and Cobolli upped his game again, although Djokovic had a nasty slip as he lost the second match point.
He got up again, regrouped, played two strong points and got through. Cobolli has arrived, though, having made his first grand slam quarter final, and seen up close how much consistency and intensity is required. This run has got him into the top 20. Meanwhile, Djokovic is through to his bazillioneth semi final, where he faces Sinner, which was always likely when we saw the draw, but might not have happened had Dimitrov stayed healthy. We’ll see if Djokovic is fully fit and whether he’ll still have Sinner’s number on grass.
Day nine
Worth noting that none of the women's quarter finals had won Wimbledon before.
I was able to play closer attention to the tennis, starting for a bit with Court No. 1, where Fritz started better than Khachenov, managing a 3-0 lead, and though Khachenov then got on the board, Fritz looked in charge. He would turn out to win in four sets, having made errors in the third that let his opponent in, and then winning the fourth in a tiebreak. I imagine he was desperate not to lose another quarter final here in the fifth set, and has now reached his first semi here.
But I focused on Centre Court, and it was Laura Siegemund who started off better than world no. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. To put it in context, Siegemund is a decade older, was about the last woman to automatically qualify for the main draw at Wimbledon because of her ranking, while Sabalenka is Sabalenka.
In so many ways, it was Queen’s all over again, a thirtysomething German player with variety driving a power player spare. (Keys had to face Maria and Siegemund this season.) Sabalenka could never be sure what would come from her opponent’s forehand – a slice or a big hit. Also Siegemund threw in drop shots, had great anticipation and so often stymied Sabalenka. There were a lot of breaks, but Siegemund was up one set, and Sabalenka had to control her emotions, (it wasn’t just the tennis, Siegemund did things at her own – slow - pace in between points and has a bunch of idiosyncrasies) and think her way through this.
She tried coming forward, she was able to get some points to be more Sabalenkaesque points, but even if she did win the second set 6-2, it wasn’t easy. The third set was more of the same. Arguably, there were a few moments where Siegemund blinked out of nerves, but then there were points where Sabalenka was made to run left, right, forward, and back to make shots in deeply uncomfortable places. Every aspect of her tennis was challenged, and in ways that rarely happen. (And it really just seems to have come together for Siegemund on the grass this year.)
I thought the crowd were on Siegemund’s side, but by the last three or so games, the tide had turned. There was one amusing point where Sabalenka engaged in a slice-off (and won it), and she finally got a couple of aces, which had been elusive all match. Three tough, tough sets, and she clearly put the lessons of controlling herself into practice against some frustrating play to get back into the semis. (Where she’ll face Anisimova, who won the first set easily, but got into a tiebreak in the second, and finally converted a match point.)
Next up, Norrie vs Alcaraz. However much Claire Balding or whoever wanted former pros to, nobody gave Norrie much of a chance. It started off badly in one way, I thought, Norrie was serving first and Alcaraz got his racquet on every serve, even though he hadn’t found his range. In the second game, Norrie got to 0-40, but then Alcaraz responded as he does, with a string of five points. The commentators said maybe Norrie should have tried to come in on a few of them. By then, Alcaraz was tuned in, broke Norrie, who then failed to do anything at 0-30 on Alcaraz’s next service game, and it soon became almost an exhibition. Alcaraz was serving well, playing fluently and making Norrie play in positions he didn’t want to be in. I thought Norrie underperformed at the start, but soon he was shown he had no chance. There was one lefty serve that gave Alcaraz some bother, and his later drop shots didn’t all come off, but there was only one game where the crowd found its voice to support Norrie. Really, it was clear that Alcaraz was enjoying his tennis, had found a good level and was facing a less tricky opponent than he had in Rublev (or Fognini). He was through to the semi, looking good.
Day ten
We’d reached that point of the tournament where you find yourself watching men’s doubles. Look, in Patten and Helivaara you had the defending champions playing Cash and Glasspool, the most in-form team on grass this year, with the added edge that the four men had played in a different formation previously. I watched the last two sets and the champions tiebreak of their quarter-final, and every now and then there would be an exciting point where a reflex shot won a point, or one player bisected the opposing team, or got a shot just out of their reach. The all-British team got some momentum going into the championship tiebreak, which led to the win.
I then switched to see Swiatek and Samsonova hold serves comfortably for a few games on Court No. 1 before turning to Centre to watch Andreeva (who I was favouring) vs. Bencic. The same height, many similarities to their games, a decade separating them, they’d never played before. Andreeva has established herself in the top 10 this year, Bencic had reached as high as no. 4, and had come back to world no. 35 after giving birth.
Andreeva started off more nervously, but held her serve. It ended up going to a tiebreak, where we saw the Dismissive Hand Gesture after advice from coach Conchita Martinez didn’t help. Bencic’s experience told, and she won. Andreeva came right back, but got broken. However, Bencic only got to within two points of winning the match, and flubbed it, rather, as Andreeva hung tough. We knew Bencic had called the trainer, and seemed in a little discomfort as it went to another tiebreak. Despite having the stronger serve and an effective slice on both wings, Andreeva made a few too many errors in the second set, while Bencic was more solid. It was a competitive and interesting match. Bencic executed her tactics well, and has made it to the semis of her favourite tournament for the first time.
She’ll be facing Swiatek, who won in two, with Samsonova making the second set a bit more of a battle, and who has finally clicked on grass this year.
I stayed with Centre to watch Djokovic for the first time, and Cobolli, who was not someone you’d have named if you’d learned there would be two Italian men in the quarter finals at the start of the tournament. After a nervous six points, he showed he’d come to play and was quite explosive. There was a break, then a break back and it went to a tiebreak, which the (much younger) Italian won – worth noting that half the male quarter finalists were in their early twenties.
But after a few games in the second set, it seemed like his intensity ebbed away, and Djokovic, who’s seen it all, was in control, breaking twice to win the second set easily. When he broke Cobolli’s first service game in the third, it seemed like it would be over fast.
(It was also becoming clear that whatever Sinner’s issues with his elbow were, they were manageable. He beat Shelton in three sets.)
But Cobolli played a brilliant couple of games, regaining his intensity to break back and consolidate. He just couldn’t quite carry it through, and Djokovic won the third set, despite the sun and possibly his eyes bothering him. (I thought he was doing that thing of finding something to make him good and mad to improve his level.) Cobolli showed flashes of intensity again in the fourth set until he got broken and Djokovic was serving it out. Two match points, and Cobolli upped his game again, although Djokovic had a nasty slip as he lost the second match point.
He got up again, regrouped, played two strong points and got through. Cobolli has arrived, though, having made his first grand slam quarter final, and seen up close how much consistency and intensity is required. This run has got him into the top 20. Meanwhile, Djokovic is through to his bazillioneth semi final, where he faces Sinner, which was always likely when we saw the draw, but might not have happened had Dimitrov stayed healthy. We’ll see if Djokovic is fully fit and whether he’ll still have Sinner’s number on grass.
