TENNIS: Wimbledon first Saturday
Jun. 26th, 2011 02:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
feather_ghyllI watched Sharapova until Nadal started (she rescued the second set and thus won the match when I wasn’t watching.) Muller continued playing so excellently that how well Nadal was playing got obscured. Nadal didn’t get much of a play on the serves, but managed his own game well enough, so was always there, waiting for the moment when Muller would slip, which happened in the tie-break. Discouraged, Muller’s game slipped a few notches and Nadal got to dominate for the third set. A good match for him, and food for thought as the news got hysterical about Murray winning a close match! Under the roof! At night! As if he hadn’t lost the second set because his concentration slipped on his serve! It’s ruthless, not plucky that wins Wimbledon.
Federer had no difficulty beating Nalbandian, who showed exciting glimmers of the player he was in certain points, even games, but the standard required to match, let alone beat Federer, was beyond someone coming back so soon after surgery. And then I expected Djokovic to accelerate away after nabbing the first set, and allow me to be even more sniffy about the hype surrounding Murray. But instead he wasn’t quite there mentally, had a temper tantrum (I don’t think I’ve seen that from him before. I’ve seen irritation, but not an outburst like that.) Meanwhile Baghdatis wasn’t far off him in the level of play, and charmed the crowd beeyootifully (this may come back to haunt Djokovic. I think Federer may well have the edge over him again, partly because Djokovic was playing more like pre-winning streak Djokovic, partly because, although he mixed it up a little in the third, he seems the least comfortable at the net of the Fab Four.)
Murray vs. Gasquet and Nadal vs. Del Potro seem like the tastiest of Monday’s men’s games. Well done Tomic for holding his nerve – and taking a step beyond what everyone expected of him. The Williams sisters are through to the second week (but Bartoli vs. Serena could be interesting), so is Wozniacki, but the world doesn’t care and won’t until she wins a grand slam. Schiavone is also out, but I was discounting her because she seemed to have had so many three set matches. I still think it’s anyone’s tournament, although a part of me wants it to be Azarenka against Sharapova, if the draw allows, because of the grunting.
A rest from the tennis today!
Federer had no difficulty beating Nalbandian, who showed exciting glimmers of the player he was in certain points, even games, but the standard required to match, let alone beat Federer, was beyond someone coming back so soon after surgery. And then I expected Djokovic to accelerate away after nabbing the first set, and allow me to be even more sniffy about the hype surrounding Murray. But instead he wasn’t quite there mentally, had a temper tantrum (I don’t think I’ve seen that from him before. I’ve seen irritation, but not an outburst like that.) Meanwhile Baghdatis wasn’t far off him in the level of play, and charmed the crowd beeyootifully (this may come back to haunt Djokovic. I think Federer may well have the edge over him again, partly because Djokovic was playing more like pre-winning streak Djokovic, partly because, although he mixed it up a little in the third, he seems the least comfortable at the net of the Fab Four.)
Murray vs. Gasquet and Nadal vs. Del Potro seem like the tastiest of Monday’s men’s games. Well done Tomic for holding his nerve – and taking a step beyond what everyone expected of him. The Williams sisters are through to the second week (but Bartoli vs. Serena could be interesting), so is Wozniacki, but the world doesn’t care and won’t until she wins a grand slam. Schiavone is also out, but I was discounting her because she seemed to have had so many three set matches. I still think it’s anyone’s tournament, although a part of me wants it to be Azarenka against Sharapova, if the draw allows, because of the grunting.
A rest from the tennis today!
