Tennis: Wimbledon 2024

[kihei]

Serving to go up two sets to one, Medvedev fouls the nest behind three unforced errors, and now Jannik is well and truly back in it. Worst time in the world to throw in a lousy service game.

 

[kihei]

Medvedev wins the breaker 7-4. A fortunate thing, too, as he would have been a basket case for months if he blew that set.

 

[VMBM]

Even though Sinner clearly had the momentum before the tie-break, Medvedev takes it fairly easily and leads 2—1. All bets are off for me, but now would be Medvedev's great chance to beat Sinner after a fairly long losing streak.

 

[kihei]

Meanwhile Paul is giving Carlos a real match, 4-all in the first set.

Even though Sinner clearly had the momentum before the tie-break, Medvedev takes it fairly easily and leads 2—1. All bets are off for me, but now would be Medvedev's great chance to beat Sinner after a fairly long losing streak.

A curiously long losing streak, too, as Daniil won their first six matches but has lost the last five. Agree that all bets are off on this one right now.

 

[kihei]

And, yikes, in what seems like a matter of seconds, Sinner is suddenly up 5-1 in the fourth. I peeked at the Paul/Alcaraz match for maybe two games, and, wham, Jannik had made quick work in his match.

 

[kihei]

Going to a fifth set, and the bets are back on and the winner should be Sinner.

Well, it is going to be one of those days as Paul takes the first set against Carlitos 7-5.....and goes up 2-love in the second set.

But Carlos breaks back immediately and takes the set 6-4 to even the match.

 

[kihei]

Paul can't match Alcaraz's overall game but he can match Carlos' athleticism. I think that intimidates Alcaraz just a little.

 

[kihei]

Going to a fifth set, and the bets are back on and the winner should be Sinner.

Not wearing well. Daniil up 3-1 in the fifth.

4-1 as Jannik rubs a hamstring muscle. Not a good sign, and an indication of what might have been compromising his play earlier. Smart Medvedev is really moving him around.

Easy hold at love for Daniil, now 5-2, as the fat lady moves toward the piano.

 

[kihei]

Carlos in a nice rhythm now as he takes the third set 6-2 to go up two sets to one....up a second break now, 4-1 in the fourth set.

 

[kihei]

Paolini has been energetic, aggressive and willing to take the net at every opportunity (10 for 11). Navarro has been none of those things and the absence of a net game (0 for 2) is really hurting her. An easy 6-2 set for Jasmine.

 

[VMBM]

Surprised that Paolini is doing so well on grass; her appearance is so much like that of a clay court player.

 

[kihei]

Paul started so promisingly but then Carlos raised his game and Tommy did absolutely nothing the rest of the way to avert the landslide. (Sidenote: Carlos earned 27 break points, converting eight).

 

[kihei]

Absolute killer performance by Paolini. What a blow out.

 

[MsMeow]

Funny old, quaint, antiquated Wimbledon, the dowager queen of Grand Slams. I say, chaps, let's have both men's semifinals on at the same time, what, ho?

What the hell was up with that? I couldn't believe it.

Absolute killer performance by Paolini. What a blow out.

She is a joy to watch.

 

[SlafySZN]

What the hell was up with that? I couldn't believe it.


She is a joy to watch.

Yeah the men's semis are at the same time and the women's too.

I don't remember them doing that before

 

[kihei]

Interesting little factoid: Sinner has never won a match lasting over four hours (today's match, exactly four hours, is the longest he has played). I mean, there remains a tiny question lurking there about his overall general fitness and physical tolerance level and the still not totally unresolved tendency for it to be an issue during some of his matches. Also interesting to note that his girlfriend, Kalinskaya, defaulted in her last match due to feeling sickly. The fact remains is that if you are feeling even a bit iffy physically, probably the last person you want to play under a closed roof is Daniil Medvedev.

Saw a comment on a tennis podcast about Medvedev being the Andy Murray of this generation. Interesting, I thought. While Daniil hasn't won three Grand Slams and an Olympic's gold medal, he is sort of the spoiler who sometimes upsets the apple cart of the Big Three of his generation, Alcaraz, Djokovic and Sinner. Pretty apt comparison, I would say.

 

[kihei]

Demon withdraws due to an injured hip. He felt a loud pop in his hip during the last three points of his previous match against Fils, and his fears were confirmed yesterday by an MRI. Terrible news for him and lousy luck.

 

[kihei]

Rybakina's draw has been as easy as Novak's, but she is up against the sentimental favourite Svitolina today.

Krejcikova takes the first set from Ostapenko who played erratically. If you can move her around she's vulnerable, but that is hard to do with her weight of shot. Sometimes, she just self-destructs.

 

[kihei]

Small sample size, sure--maybe five times--but I am not certain that I have ever seen Krejcikova serve for a set and hold. She is incredibly non-clutch under pressure and it once again hurts her here, now 5-all in the second set.

 

[kihei]

Super easy win for Rybakina 3 and 2. Of the remaining possibilities, I would only give Paolini a chance of giving her a match.

Ostapenko's uneven play continues in the breaker and Krejcikova plays just enough good points to take the match.

Once again, both quarters were played simultaneously. Such an odd scheduling decision, especially when the tournament starts the day with the announcement of a walk-over.

 

[kihei]

Musetti's slice backhand has been the most effective shot of the tournament, and it is a stroke designed to give Taylor Fritz fits. I could see an upset here.

 

[kihei]

Fritz and Musetti split the first two sets. Anybody's match right now.

 

[kihei]

A history lesson from Suzanne Lenglen, unanimously considered the best women's tennis player of her era (1925). She was a six time Wimbledon champion and won Roland Garros twice. According to Wiki, she had a career record of 327-7 (97.9%), by a laughable margin the greatest in tennis history.

 

[DarrylshutzSydor]

Rybakina's draw has been as easy as Novak's, but she is up against the sentimental favourite Svitolina today.

Krejcikova takes the first set from Ostapenko who played erratically. If you can move her around she's vulnerable, but that is hard to do with her weight of shot. Sometimes, she just self-destructs.

Good to see cry baby Svitolina lose! ZZZZZZZZZ

 

[kihei]

Lorenzo blitzes Fritz in the third; Taylor make confetti of Mussetti in the fourth.

HELLO, FIFTH SET.