Tennis: Wimbledon 2024

[Tuggy]

Qualifying is underway!

https://www.wimbledon.com/index.html

Click to read more...

 

[Tuggy]

Defending champs are Alcaraz and Vondrousova.

Alcaraz beat Djokovic in a 5 setter in the final last year.

Djokovic is still on the EL and has arrived at Wimbledon



We'll see if he'll be fit enough.

Nadal will not compete.

Newly #1 Sinner is coming off a title in Halle (SF here last year).

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That would be insane from a health perspective for Djokovic to try to play. He had surgery a few weeks ago.

 

[Tuggy]

She just missed out on Roland Garros but not this time!



First GS MD of many I'm sure!

 

[kihei]

Sinner over Medvedev
Alcaraz over Paul

Draper over Rublev
De Minaur over Rune

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Alcaraz over Sinner
De Minaur over Draper

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Alcaraz over De Minaur


Nole has an easy draw and Rune hasn't found form yet, but I don't trust Nole's fitness or health.
Too bad Alcaraz and Sinner ever have to meet in the semis of majors.
If the pressure doesn't crush him, Draper could make a nice run here.
Might be underestimating Rublev and Hurkacz. Can see either or both upsetting my apple cart.

 

[kihei]

Eight Chinese women make the opening round of Wimbledon. Quite a showing.

 

[MsMeow]

Sabalenka withdrew with a shoulder injury. Too bad.

Denis beat Jarry 1, 5 and 4. Great start for him.

Bianca plays today as well.

 

[kihei]

Nothing in my sports world beats the start of Wimbledon. No tournament is its equal.

 

[kihei]

Carlos gets unexpected resistance from Estonia's Lajal, he of the pineapple hair, but Alcaraz takes the eventual tie breaker easily. Gotta say, though, Lajal looks quite comfortable on grass....Lajal hung impressively tough, but Carlos wins in straight sets 7-6, 7-5, 6-2. Might have treated this guy a little lightly...good lesson to learn early in a tournament.

 

[kihei]

Coming back from two sets down is all the rage today:

Bublik over Mensik
Tiafoe over Arnaldi
Harris over Michelsen
Thompson over Kotov

 

[Ben Grimm]

#2 Coco is the only man or woman to make the semis of the last 3 majors.

 

[Tuggy]

The end for Andy. Too bad he couldn't go one last time.

 

[kihei]

I'm glad Andy can at least play doubles with his brother Jamie. He deserves to hear the roar of the crowd at Wimbledon one last time.

 

[kihei]

Volleying may be making a comeback, but now the problem is that most players have forgotten how to hit good approach shots.

 

[kihei]

So far today:

French up-and-comer Mpetshi Perricard knocks off Korda in five gruelling sets 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-7, 6-3
Demon squeezes by countryman Duckworth, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6
Shelton comes from behind against Belluci to win in five, with Ben looking like if a cow can eat it, he doesn't want to play on it.
....and Nole looks pretty damn good up a break in the third against a way over-matched Kopriva who is at least providing Djokovic with a decent practice session.

 

[kihei]

Argentine Francesco Comesana, who before this match had a career record (0-3) worse than any goldfish you could name, just knocked out #6 Andrei Rublev in four sets. Rublev had yet another miserable day. The guy needs a sabbatical and better counselling.

 

[MsMeow]

I like Coco but the non-stop talk about her on ESPN is so over the top.

 

[kihei]

Medvedev down a set and a break to Muller of all people.

Daniil saved two set points, one spectacularly with a stretch backhand volley, recovered from 0-3 with Muller to serve in the subsequent breaker, and finally steadied the ship long enough to snatch the set away from Muller. I doubt there will be much resistance the rest of the way.

 

[kihei]

Frog chokes away a two set, 5-2 with two service break lead in the third against Ruud. Ruud seemed indifferent to his fate, but then had a comeback handed to him and took the set, 7-1 in the breaker.

You would think that would be a big turning point, but, no, Ruud goes back to his rudderless game and loses the match to Fabio 6-3 in the fourth set as Fog rediscovers his forehand just in time.

 

[kihei]

Andreescu moves to the second round having knocker off #26 Noskova in straight sets. Interesting factoid: excluding obviously the US Open, Andreescu has never been past the third round in any other GS tournament.

 

[kihei]

Day Two of Felix's match against Kokkinakis and things aren't going well. This match should have been over yesterday, but Felix wasted four match points (two on serve), lost the third set breaker and had the match suspended due to fading light. Today, FAA is now trailing 5-3 in the fourth set with a rain delay currently halting the proceedings.

Some time later:

Felix loses in five sets.

 

[kihei]

We are not even midway through the second round and we have already had eight comebacks from two sets down. Safuillun, Machac and Kokkinakis added to the total today, which I believe is already more than the total number of two-sets to love comebacks from last year.

 

[kihei]

No "good vibe" story for Osaka. She goes down in straight sets to Navarro 4 and 1.

 

[kihei]

Sinner wins the first two sets against Berrettini 6 (3) and 6 (4). It looked like Matteo was going to win the second set after he broke Jannick for 4-2, but Sinner broke right back and got to the breaker.

I thought that Sinner was experiencing a lull in the second set around the time he got broken, but the third set was even more worrisome as Berrettini takes it 6-2.

4th set: Sinner's doldrums continue and get more serious as Berrettini nabs the first break for 2-1. The longer this malaise continues the more one worries that there is something physically wrong with Jannick....but Berrettini, who has never beaten a player ranked #1 in four previous attempts, once again can't convert, and the set is 2-all....another breaker and another win for Sinner, 7-6, 7-6, 2-6, 7-6. That was a challenge for Sinner, for sure.

 

[MsMeow]

I am sure I'm not alone when I say I knew Felix would lose.