Wimbledon 2013

[Ivo]

Wimbo is back, and it's started with Federer winning in straight sets, Murray looking comfortable (if not great)...

...and Nadal on the brink of a straight sets defeat! Surely he can't "beat" his hopeless performance from 2012, when he lost in five in Round 2?
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Wow. Just wow. 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 - a player ranked 135 against Rafa Nadal in Round One at Wimbledon.

 

[Butts]

Nadal being knocked out was a shock , he obviously used up all his energy winning The French Open.

I'm sure Murray and Federer were heartbroken at his demise

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Still finding it impossible to like Murray but he looks in decent nick playing-wise.

Another relative shock today was Britain's Laura Robson (still ) beating Russian Maria Kirilenko (seeded 10th).

 

[Butts]

Still finding it impossible to like Murray but he looks in decent nick playing-wise.

Another relative shock today was Britain's Laura Robson (still ) beating Russian Maria Kirilenko (seeded 10th).

Why don't you like Murray ? did you see the documentary about him ?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I didn't but I know he's hardly had an easy run of it. Despite such circumstances, I can't fault his performances and desire but he doesn't have an endearing personality.

 

[TheBoyFromTheN]

Morrison's in Wimbledon town centre has renamed itself Murrison's and put a tennis ball in place of the 'o'.

In years gone by its was a right carnival in Wimbledon town, not even Wimbledon Village puts the flags out anymore!!!

sign of the times?!

 

[yorksrob]

When's Cliffy singing ?

 

[Ivo]

Why don't you like Murray ? did you see the documentary about him ?

Tennis isn't important so it doesn't matter who it is, they just play - unless it's Laura of course

jk - sorry Matt!

I was never Murray's biggest fan, but that changed in last year's Final with his emotional outpour at the end. A welcome distraction from cleaning my room () and something that showed his can be emotional in ways besides losing his temper after all.

Morrison's in Wimbledon town centre has renamed itself Murrison's and put a tennis ball in place of the 'o'.

Anything to promote themselves during a special event When I was in Ireland two years ago, all the Paddy Power shops were renamed O'Bama Power in reference to the upcoming state visit of the President. No-one cared about the fact The Queen was making her first visit there the same day!

 

[Alistair G.]

I'm not amurray fan, but then I think his mum rather ruins it as well, I'm all for passionate but she is a scary level... Like she would punch ya lights out just for 15/0!

Wozniacki out, looks like Rory is a lucky fella to get her for an extra few days!.

Ana ivanovic and Maria sharapova looking as stunning as always!... Thank heavens for sky plus and slow motion replays!.

 

[Ivo]

So let me get this straight. Bearing in mind it's only Wednesday of Week One, and then with several hours still to play, we've already lost:

Men: Nadal, Tsonga, Cilic, Wawrinka
Women: Azarenka, Sharapova, Errani, Wozniacki, Kirilienko, Ivanovic

...all of whom are seeded 12 or higher.

Hmm...

 

[Alistair G.]

Fantastic, after hours of gardening (something I list in the top 3 punishments of all time) I come back in to see sharapova is out... And ivanovic.... And it's only day 3.... Well, theres my Wimbledon finished!.

 

[Ivo]

It looks like that list of Top 12 losers and withdrawals for today isn't complete yet...!

Fantastic, after hours of gardening (something I list in the top 3 punishments of all time) I come back in to see sharapova is out... And ivanovic.... And it's only day 3.... Well, theres my Wimbledon finished!.

Care to share the other two punishments?

 

[Alistair G.]

Other 2 punishments..... Homework with my nephew who is 9 (thought homework would finish when I left school some years ago... Clearly not!), gotta help family though!.... Other punishment, having to do "the long drop off route"... You know the one, the mrs has had a group of friends round, they've all had a glass or two too many and although you've done a great job avoiding all that gossip, it falls on you to do the drop off..... Miles of rubbish natter, gossip, high pitch howling and "singing" to what ever song has featured on the particular talent show they have watched that night..... Tell me I'm not the only one to do that!?

 

[SkinnyDave]

This has to be Andy Murrays best chance of winning it

Needs to keep concentration up

 

[ainsworth74]

Djokovic may have something to say about that...

 

[bnm]

Djokovic may have something to say about that...

I'm sure if we all start making Djokovic look-e-like Voodoo dolls and stick some pins in them....

 

[Alistair G.]

Murray's best chance yet, but what a shame everyone will always have that doubt... Would he really have got so far if the big players hadn't got injured? (tsonga in the quarters, nadal in the semi's..... Now just being filled in by "practice" matches!)

 

[bnm]

Well, Murray has beaten Tsonga, Djokovic and Federer on grass in the past 12 months. It's only Nadal that he has never beaten on the green stuff.

He'll not have a better chance of getting his name on the pineapple topped trophy.

Murray to win in 4 sets versus Djokovic (if my plans to hex the Serb fail) in the final.

 

[Butts]

Murray's best chance yet, but what a shame everyone will always have that doubt... Would he really have got so far if the big players hadn't got injured? (tsonga in the quarters, nadal in the semi's..... Now just being filled in by "practice" matches!)

The same "doubt" that got him to The Australian Open Final, last years Wimbledon Final, winning the US Open and the Olympics :roll:

 

[MidnightFlyer]

All these people going 'This is Murray's best chance ever' seem to be forgetting that Djokevic is still left. This Wimbledon is the Serb's to lose and I don't think there's a player on the planet, be they out, injured, remaining or from Dunblane that can beat him. His 2011 win v Nadal is still one of the most awe-inspiring matches of tennis I've ever watched.

Whilst I have no doubts Murray is very capable of getting to the Final, he is still in my eyes a distance second to Djokevic.

 

[Butts]

All these people going 'This is Murray's best chance ever' seem to be forgetting that Djokevic is still left. This Wimbledon is the Serb's to lose and I don't think there's a player on the planet, be they out, injured, remaining or from Dunblane that can beat him. His 2011 win v Nadal is still one of the most awe-inspiring matches of tennis I've ever watched.

Whilst I have no doubts Murray is very capable of getting to the Final, he is still in my eyes a distance second to Djokevic.

Well Nadal beat him in the French Open Final a few weeks ago and Murray beat him in The US Open Final last year. True he beat Murray in this years Australian Final but I think you are getting a bit carried away.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Well Nadal beat him in the French Open Final a few weeks ago and Murray beat him in The US Open Final last year. True he beat Murray in this years Australian Final but I think you are getting a bit carried away.

I'm not getting carried away (similarly I was thinking that about the Murray fanboys!) - I am just saying Murray, whilst Novak remains, has it far from easy. Djokevic only has to be playing at his average and he can beat anyone else almost at will: Murray will need to play out of his skin to beat him. Of course a lot of it comes down to surface - the French Open is clay, Nadal's domain; whereas Oz (hard) is both Djokevic and Murray's favourite. Will be interesting to see who holds up on grass!

 

[David]

Of course a lot of it comes down to surface - the French Open is clay, Nadal's domain; whereas Oz (hard) is both Djokevic and Murray's favourite. Will be interesting to see who holds up on grass!

You seem to have missed 1 little fact. Andy Murray is unbeaten against Novak Djokovic on grass courts.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

You seem to have missed 1 little fact. Andy Murray is unbeaten against Novak Djokovic on grass courts.

Just the one meeting that would be then, 2012 Olympics Head-to-head, Djokovic has won 11; Murray 7. Djokovic has also won the last 3 meetings between the two; two of which have been the final of tournaments.

 

[Ivo]

Early on everyone was saying that Djokovic had it easy - all three of his main rivals were in the other half of the draw. Only one other player seeded in the Top Six in his half, and chances aplenty for the others to trip each other up. Yet, if you look now, suddenly Murray's route to the Final looks like a walk in the park. The highest seed left in his half is Almagro in 15th, yet Novak still has the likes of Ferrer, Haas, Gasquet, Berdych, Nishikori and del Potro to think about, and of couirse the slight issue of having one extra match to play before the Final due to his half playing after Murray's half.

People will say "What about Federer/Nadal/Tsonga/whoever", but the evidence is there: The only real unknown is Nadal, and then he would have had to usurp Federer in a potentially exhausting Quarter-Final before meting Andy; Tsonga is some way behind, and Federer vs Murray is one-all for major grass Finals - and were it not for the roof being needed 12 months ago, bringing the SW19 Final indoors and thus giving Fed the advantage, it may well have been 2-0.

All this said though, I still think Murray will lose at some point. I had been expecting thim to lose the same way as last year, under the Centre Court roof to Federer (albeit one round earlier), but with that now out of the equation I just think something will happen - maybe in practice today; maybe in Set Five of the Final - that will favour Djokovic.

 

[Eagle]

Everyone saying that Murray can now reach the final...

He's the second seed, and no 2 in the world. He would be expected to reach the final anyway, even before all these players started dropping.

 

[Ivo]

True; and just another thing that shows Murray can mix it with the best - and that he is definitely better relative to those around him (often cited as "the greatest group of male players in the sport's history") than Henman ever was relative to Sampras, Agassi, Rafter and others.

Wtih regards to Wacky Wednesday, some statistics from the BBC:

• Seven former World Number Ones knocked out in as many hours (1300 - 2000)
• Seven withdrawals, four of which came without playing a ball (a Slam record
• Five of the Top Ten seeds in each singles event out by the end of the day (a joint Slam record at this stage)
• Federer's first ever Second Round loss in a Slam (he has lost in the First Round before)

 

[Eagle]

• Federer's first ever Second Round loss in a Slam (he has lost in the First Round before)

Also his first loss to a player outside the top 100 since being beaten by a young Gasquet in 2005, then ranked 101st.

 

[Liam]

I want Murray to win, but I'm not getting too carried away. If this week has shown us anything it's that any player can have have a bad day and have it cost them dear.

 

[SkinnyDave]

If Murray and Djokovic make it to final reasonably comfortably then it could be set up to be an epic final