Wimbledon '13: Point by Point Coverage

[acre]

Well, good for Feli. Nothing against Simon, at all, but Feli has(had?) a pretty game to watch on grass. So long as he doesn't implode, I do still love serve and volley, and it's hard to find these days.

Hee, yeah I remember that whole Fabrice thing, it was fun.

[mooncreek]

I kind of love that Feli schooled Gilles in both the Eastbourne final and today's match.

For a guy who doesn't usually get the big court, David Ferrer made sure, in the way he dealt with those nasty falls, that the crowd won't soon forget. You could tell he was in pain but he seemed more angry than anything else (especially when he went for his usual towel-in-mouth-to-the-chair bit and used it to muffle a scream) before acting like the veteran he is and quickly finished the match.

I really don't like this sheer fabric like on Serena's (and will be on one of the adidas dresses for the US Open).

I am laughing at how Sharapova is on Court 2 likely due to the horror that is Larcher de Brito's scream (I can't even call that a grunt).

One match I wish I'd seen today was Gasquet-Granollers - that's a match that is annoying on other surfaces (due to Richard being ten feet behind the baseline and Marcel's grunting) but works out beautifully on grass due to all the net play.

[falafaclese]

Ugh, Larcher de Brito. Her scream is like the Saturday Night Live sketch version of Vika's. I remember the attitude she gave when someone commented on it a few years ago when she had the first signs of success on the main tour. I can't say I'm heartbroken that I didn't have to see her much after that.

[lt]

Wow, Feli is taking it to Simon. Of course grass is his thing, and definitely not Simon's but I wouldn't have expected this.

Darn! I was working all night and day and while I did get to watch some of the ESPN coverage I wasn't able to watch anything else. I would have loved to have seen that.

One match I wish I'd seen today was Gasquet-Granollers - that's a match that is annoying on other surfaces (due to Richard being ten feet behind the baseline and Marcel's grunting) but works out beautifully on grass due to all the net play.

Darn pt. 2. I would certainly have loved to have seen some great net play.

[oopssorry]

Oh Fabrice, love! Didn't we have a riff going about Fabrice on a tropical island?

I remember a blanket, maybe the Alps - and Pinot Noir.

Still stands, IMO.

[skyz]

You're welcome, guys, for the Wimby youtube link. I just happened to see someone had tweeted about watching Wimby on youtube and I went searching.

So the WSJ had an article about Maria hiring a video analysis expert to help her beat Serena. I think that's interesting and wonder if it will help her. She's had this guy for a couple of months. Here's the link to anyone interested: online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324183204578565901902131438.html?mod=e2tw

[harry24]

Thanks for posting that interesting article, skyz. That, plus the youtube tip makes you this year's Tennis Heaven Wimby MVP IMO.

As for the article, I'll never be a real Maria fan (the screaming is just too much), but, boy, you gotta love her total commitment to being the best she can be. I know most people think Azarenka's is worse, to say nothing of that other gal Maria's playing, but I think Maria has amped hers up to even more blood-curdling levels.

A quick hello to falafaclese and best wishes on your recuperating ankle and your shiny new digs.

And another quick hello to tiki. It really just isn't the same around here without you.

[oopssorry]

true that, harry, and you should consider a trip to union station.

i am currently angsty because i want to get up early for the matches, and yet the best television i've ever seen is currently being livestreamed out of the texas senate.

love the idea of an MVP per major tournament. can we?

[falafaclese]

Thanks for the good wishes guys!

I appreciate Maria's commitment to figuring out her nemesis, but given that the main issue that she has with Serena is the fact that Serena beats her to the punch at first-strike tennis, I wonder how trying to implement a strategy that requires her to take control of the point and get Serena moving will work. I also wonder how much focus she can put on Serena without having it affect the rest of her game (ie. against other players). I feel like she's going to have to find a way to amp up her serve if she wants to have any chance of taking control against Serena, and I don;t know that she's capable of that without messing with her shoulder.

[tikigirl]

And another quick hello to tiki. It really just isn't the same around here without you.

Thank you so much, harry, that means a lot to me in a tough time. I love you guys!

[mooncreek]

There is so much that's happened already today that it's tough to even think straight. Azarenka out, Isner out, Darcis out.

Everyone has that one low-ranked player thant occasionally gets on the big court and you're just so happy they're there - then out of nowhere actually does something amazing. That's me with Dustin Brown. In state of shock.

[GrandSlamGuru]

This is turning out to be a crazy Wimby. Today, Azarenka retired and Dustin Brown is really taking it to Hewitt.

[falafaclese]

Oh for fucks sake Dustin Brown. Am I going to have to sit through two more sets of this now? Pull it together.

[lt]

I also wonder how much focus she can put on Serena without having it affect the rest of her game (ie. against other players). I feel like she's going to have to find a way to amp up her serve if she wants to have any chance of taking control against Serena, and I don;t know that she's capable of that without messing with her shoulder.

Very good points. Focusing on one specific opponent who you aren't even facing yet can lead to an early loss and she's tried everything with that serve of hers.

Dustin Brown. I think I'm in love. I know the name but I don't think I've seen him play--at least not on grass. Just gorgeous.

John McEnroe has to shut the hell up. Telling players they should play injured. Bah humbug on that. His love for Rafa is so great that he's badmouthing Darcis and making veiled comments about his fall not being so bad and that he should have played. And did you hear him yesterday re-adjusting his Rafa GOAT beliefs by comparing Rafa to Sandy Koufax (quality instead of quantity)? He got Koufax's years of playing way off though. . .

Poor John. Poor Vika. Poor Steve. Poor Radek (well, only on the injury front for that last one).

[mooncreek]

DUSTIN! That fourth set was amazing - way to shut those Aussies up.

I was actually angrier by what McEnroe said about Isner than about Darcis. Pam was ready to throttle him so I was happy she invoked the name of Brian Baker (as I pray that's not what actually happened).

Oh brother. We might have to add Benneteau to the list. ETA: Scratch that (for now). Add on Cilic.

Benoit Paire is the favorite to make the quarterfinals?!