Wimbledon '11: Point by point coverage

[falafaclese]

I stepped out for a second at the end of the third, and came back to Djoker being up a break. I thought that'd be it, but now Rafa may be starting to make this feel like a match . . .

[GrandSlamGuru]

Well damn. Congrats, Nole. Rafa, we'll always have Paris.

[tikigirl]

Meh.

[lb]

It's over? I'm sad for Rafa but I don't feel as bad as I did when I saw him lose Rome and Madrid. I'm surprised by that. I hope he doesn't let this stay in his head and he finds a way to win against Nole.

Congrats to Nole!! It's going to have fun seeing him defend these points next year. I don't mean that in a bad way, just always interesting to see if anyone can maintain it. Because no one ever has in the past except Roger.

It's really sad because I could really learn to enjoy Nole playing so well and this rivalry if it wasn't for his family.

[roseha]

Well, it may seem stupid to say now, but I did think during the match, it might be Nole's only chance to win Wimbledon. It might have, you never know.

I'm okay with it, he's had a great year though I do hope things will change in the future (still the Roger fan).

[acre]

Well that's that. So fa- neithe- he no- his family have done anything obnoxious, and it seems a long time since he has, so good fo- you Djok.

He seems completely ove-whelmed, and I do find that kinda endea-ing.

[breezybee]

Well the men's final was ...blah but they are showing mixed doubles now! How often do they show that? Love it.

[harry24]

I was relieved to see the Djoker 'rents actually smiling this time. In the past all we've seen is intense fist-pumping and chest-pumping. And that scared me. So it was very nice and a bit of a relief to see actual smiles of happiness from them.

It wasn't as great a match as I was hoping. It was so weird to see Rafa a bundle of nerves at times, accustomed as I am to see him impervious to all human weakness when he plays my beloved Roger.

[lt]

It's going to have fun seeing him defend these points next year. I don't mean that in a bad way, just always interesting to see if anyone can maintain it.

One thing that went a long way for me to turn myself around about Djokovic was when he was asked a couple of months back about his streak his reply was that he wasn't looking forward to next year and when he'd have to try to defend all these points. Thought that was cute.

I had to work starting after the 2nd break in the 2nd so I hope ESPN2 shows the match later in the day like they did yesterday with the women's final. I'm happy for Djoker. After I saw how he was playing in the first set I wanted him to win the match and some of the shot making was really beautiful. Won't be rooting for him during the summer hardcourt season, and certainly not for the US Open (at least as of now).

[harry24]

Won't be rooting for [Djoker] during the summer hardcourt season, and certainly not for the US Open (at least as of now).

For whom will you be rooting, lt, aside from the obvious Spanish F's?

[lb]

That is cute, It! At least he's being honest lol. I got nothing against Djoko but his family just puts me off. His mother's already making some annoying comments in the press that resemble the infamous "The king is dead" comment. He'd be better off if he could put a muzzle on his mother.

Speaking of being honest, I'm reading about Rafa's presser on twitter. Shockingly honest about Djoko being in his head, about lacking confidence today, and how it's up to him to figure it out (he also said he doesn't think Djoko can always maintain this level forever but the tone of the presser is that he's going to have to work on figuring this out).

[lizm]

Ghgngngnhghn!

Sigh. Not a great Wimbledon for my faves. It didn't help that I was watching with my parents who were rooting for Novak.

[falafaclese]

Well, congrats to Djoker. Much like Kvitova, he seemed to have the situation under control during most of the match. Once he won that first set, it kind of felt like Rafa didn't have that much for him. When Rafa took the third set, I started to wonder, but it didn't last unfortunately. Djoker really looked good out there, and almost never looked rushed even when he was defending. He seemed like he was everywhere at once, and Rafa didn't handle the pivotal games at the end of the first and fourth sets well at all. That's not really like him.

Neither of the finals was particularly drama-filled this year.

[mooncreek]

I think I saw one of Novak's brothers holding up one finger after the win (signalling Novak being number 1) but otherwise they've been tolerable this tournament so I'll just ignore mom's interview.

Here's the sign to me that Rafa was in deep trouble: He won the third 6-1. I didn't believe at that point this match would go five sets, figuring Novak's brain went on bathroom break and would return. Counting Rafa out in that situation is normally unheard of.

In ladies singles (Kvitova), ladies doubles (Peschke), and now mixed (Benesova) - Czech players all winning their first major titles. Bet Tomas Berdych is wishing that had happened last year (or maybe that Lucie was one of them).

But how would JMac not shut up about wondering about why Melzer would play all three events. I mean, I sort of agree it says something given he's still ranked #11 and coming in as the defending doubles champ but that was especially annoying to keep hearing about his lack of confidence as he and Iveta were running away with the match.

[harry24]

Yeah, Mrs. Djokovic is already starting to be an asshole:

Noting that her son had finished the previous four years ranked third in the world, behind Roger Federer and Nadal (or Nadal and Federer), she said, “For four years it was Roger, Rafa, Rafa, Roger. Now it is Novak, Novak, Novak, Novak.”

Maybe Novak should actually make it to the end of the year as no.1 ONCE before you start counting to four, Mrs. D.