Wimbledon 2013
Yeah, Tabasco's digging real deep, its a coin flip who's going to win just got out my Lay of Murray @ 2.0 so I'm happy where I'm at right now and I'm just going to sit back and enjoy the sport.Euler wrote:Murray isn't really having an impact on Tabasco's serve.
Goodness gracious me. It was very nearly another black swan in the tournament, Murray nearly going out when he made a hash of the first two sets in an error-ridden performance. To his credit, he kept his cool, cut down the errors, and came back strongly to grind out the win.
Del Potro could be the big boilover in the tournament, current odds of 18.5 aren't bad. I always thought either Tomic or Del Potro could cause the big upset.
Djokovic kicking on strongly, some very impressive tennis, will be very hard to beat.
Del Potro could be the big boilover in the tournament, current odds of 18.5 aren't bad. I always thought either Tomic or Del Potro could cause the big upset.
Djokovic kicking on strongly, some very impressive tennis, will be very hard to beat.
Morning Folks,
Woman's semi-final day, lets have a look at the matches.
Bartoli - Flipkens
To be fair its been a dream run for both Bartoli and Flipkens - Flipkens only had to overcome 3 nobodys, a declining veteran and the erratic Kvitova, whilst Bartoli possibly boasts the award for the easiest run in GS SF history with her first 4 opponents all outside out of the top 70 then a QF against young top 20 player Sloane Stephens who hasn't been in the best form this fortnight and is not yet accustomed to the grass.
Having said that, Bartoli was impressive in that last match. She was determined as ever, great body language and energy, some brilliant depth and angles to her thunderous groundstrokes and throughout the match their was an air of comfort coming from her box - Mauresmo(a former Wimbeldon winner) and Thomas Drouet looking positive and seemingly a great reassuring influence courtside for an emotional character like Marion.
She's a former finalist here too(2007) and loves the low skidding grass, but then again so does Flipkens who's highly effective serve, slice backhand and love for the net allow her to maximise her limited weapons. The Belgian journey-woman is a former winner of the girls junior title here many years ago, but it's still so hard to believe her run here given in 2012 she was so close to dying with her major blood clot issues but credit is due and she must be respected.
No doubt the perspective helped her, and she's come back fresh and enjoying her tennis, the question is whether she's already content with her efforts here, because you know Bartoli isn't. Contrasting styles - Bartoli (double-fisted off both wings) will try and play stand-and-deliver tennis, moving Flipkens side to side and pushing her back, and she'll be aiming a lot of traffic at that backhand wing which she should be able to get the generous chip reply and if Bartoli moves in on a lot of them, she'll have a whole lot of court for the winner.
For Flipkens, her serve is most important. Down the tee on the deuce side, and out wide on the ad side, stretching Bartoli to her backhand side with the compromised reach, and getting a short reply which she can use her stronger forehand wing to try and set herself up in the forecourt.
Intriguing match really, not only for the differences in their games but because of their stories, their histories and the fact that neither woman are likely to get this chance again. Bartoli was a stunner finallist in '07, and was never going to topple Henin, and Flipkens who has promised so much but never delivered after being compared early in her career to fellow Belgium former world number 1 Kim Clijsters is not getting any younger. Both ladies will struggle in the final, but to be there would be an amazing achievement so expect both to give it their all. Bartoli's likely to ebb and flow with her execution, and Flipkens game and mental strength is consistent and stable, for that reason I believe it will go 3 sets. My projected holds have them near enough together with a slight lean towards Flipkens, the breaks favour Bartoli though with her being just above average and Flipkens being just below average for the WTA. I do think Bartoli will yet again find a way to win and if she makes it to the final she's more than earned it.
Lisicki - Radwanska
Lets get one thing straight here right off the bat, I love Sabine Lisicki, if she continues to make me money at the rate she has been I'll be in a position to hunt her down and take her out for a drink. She should have too much power and precision for Rad here and unless she chokes, should blast her off court.
Radwanska's opening round draws were straight forward as both opponents are much more at home on the dirt, following that she went through 3 consecutive 3-set wins over Keys, Pironkova and Li Na. Keys should've won that match - she had fire in the belly, executed 15 aces and a further 52 ground winners and won nearly 80% behind the first ball, however her error tally of 51 and crucial misses in the middle of the third set proved crucial.
Li Na was a similar story, the one-dimensional Chinesewoman served poorly and made critical decision-making errors, though its fair to say how she lost the first set with both the missed challenge and the missed smash is beyond anyone's comprehension. Radwanska's movement was limited (due to her carrying an injury throughout the tournament and this is something we need to take into account today), and had she been opposed by a smarter reader of the game she'd have been in trouble. Rad anticipated Li's predictable groundstroke strategies, she wouldn't move into the forecourt and when she had the break chances she played extremely safe with mid-court balls up the middle.
Rad has admitted in a Polish interview that her right leg has been causing her some major problems, but that she will "fight through any pain to win Winbledon". That attitude is all well and good, until you come up against an opponent in the form of a lifetime and totally at home on the grass (not to mention adored by the English crowd.)
I've watched all of Sabine's matches throughout this fortnight, and there's a glitter about her - when she misses a rare shot, there's a grin and she maintains that positive body language and quickly marches to the other side for the next point. For a momentum and confidence player such as Lisicki, this is crucial. She absorbed some serving prowess from Stosur in Set 1 of their 3rd round match before she made the Aussie look like a second-rate player from the baseline in Set 2 and Set 3.
The amazing win over Serena was out of this world the way she fought on, her serving brilliant, her groundstroke depth and accuracy something to admire, but also her variety was tip top. Great angles, moving in, the odd drop and not wanting to whack the cover off the ball each time proved that the German is really believing at the moment.
The match against Kanepi was no let down, the move to Court 1 proved no problems for her and although she didn't serve that great, she still won 80% and used the smarts again making Kanepi move forward with many drop shots, and taking advantage of the Estonian's lack of fitness and like for the grass.
Lisicki has looked primed for this tournament since she annihilated Vesnina in R2 who was probably the in-form surface player coming in, and a less-than-100% Radwanska is going to struggle on return as good as she is at getting the ball back into play. Lisicki's weight on the first ball will push her well back, and Sabine will relish dictating play and moving the Pole around.
She's spent just under 7 hours on court with the loss of just a single set, and in my opinion Radwanska has absolutely no weapons to beat Lisicki on centre court at SW19. Lisicki can beat herself, but it would take a complete 180 reversal of form and self-confidence to even open that window of opportunity for the 4th seed.
Lisicki in 2, and ditto the final.
Woman's semi-final day, lets have a look at the matches.
Bartoli - Flipkens
To be fair its been a dream run for both Bartoli and Flipkens - Flipkens only had to overcome 3 nobodys, a declining veteran and the erratic Kvitova, whilst Bartoli possibly boasts the award for the easiest run in GS SF history with her first 4 opponents all outside out of the top 70 then a QF against young top 20 player Sloane Stephens who hasn't been in the best form this fortnight and is not yet accustomed to the grass.
Having said that, Bartoli was impressive in that last match. She was determined as ever, great body language and energy, some brilliant depth and angles to her thunderous groundstrokes and throughout the match their was an air of comfort coming from her box - Mauresmo(a former Wimbeldon winner) and Thomas Drouet looking positive and seemingly a great reassuring influence courtside for an emotional character like Marion.
She's a former finalist here too(2007) and loves the low skidding grass, but then again so does Flipkens who's highly effective serve, slice backhand and love for the net allow her to maximise her limited weapons. The Belgian journey-woman is a former winner of the girls junior title here many years ago, but it's still so hard to believe her run here given in 2012 she was so close to dying with her major blood clot issues but credit is due and she must be respected.
No doubt the perspective helped her, and she's come back fresh and enjoying her tennis, the question is whether she's already content with her efforts here, because you know Bartoli isn't. Contrasting styles - Bartoli (double-fisted off both wings) will try and play stand-and-deliver tennis, moving Flipkens side to side and pushing her back, and she'll be aiming a lot of traffic at that backhand wing which she should be able to get the generous chip reply and if Bartoli moves in on a lot of them, she'll have a whole lot of court for the winner.
For Flipkens, her serve is most important. Down the tee on the deuce side, and out wide on the ad side, stretching Bartoli to her backhand side with the compromised reach, and getting a short reply which she can use her stronger forehand wing to try and set herself up in the forecourt.
Intriguing match really, not only for the differences in their games but because of their stories, their histories and the fact that neither woman are likely to get this chance again. Bartoli was a stunner finallist in '07, and was never going to topple Henin, and Flipkens who has promised so much but never delivered after being compared early in her career to fellow Belgium former world number 1 Kim Clijsters is not getting any younger. Both ladies will struggle in the final, but to be there would be an amazing achievement so expect both to give it their all. Bartoli's likely to ebb and flow with her execution, and Flipkens game and mental strength is consistent and stable, for that reason I believe it will go 3 sets. My projected holds have them near enough together with a slight lean towards Flipkens, the breaks favour Bartoli though with her being just above average and Flipkens being just below average for the WTA. I do think Bartoli will yet again find a way to win and if she makes it to the final she's more than earned it.
Lisicki - Radwanska
Lets get one thing straight here right off the bat, I love Sabine Lisicki, if she continues to make me money at the rate she has been I'll be in a position to hunt her down and take her out for a drink. She should have too much power and precision for Rad here and unless she chokes, should blast her off court.
Radwanska's opening round draws were straight forward as both opponents are much more at home on the dirt, following that she went through 3 consecutive 3-set wins over Keys, Pironkova and Li Na. Keys should've won that match - she had fire in the belly, executed 15 aces and a further 52 ground winners and won nearly 80% behind the first ball, however her error tally of 51 and crucial misses in the middle of the third set proved crucial.
Li Na was a similar story, the one-dimensional Chinesewoman served poorly and made critical decision-making errors, though its fair to say how she lost the first set with both the missed challenge and the missed smash is beyond anyone's comprehension. Radwanska's movement was limited (due to her carrying an injury throughout the tournament and this is something we need to take into account today), and had she been opposed by a smarter reader of the game she'd have been in trouble. Rad anticipated Li's predictable groundstroke strategies, she wouldn't move into the forecourt and when she had the break chances she played extremely safe with mid-court balls up the middle.
Rad has admitted in a Polish interview that her right leg has been causing her some major problems, but that she will "fight through any pain to win Winbledon". That attitude is all well and good, until you come up against an opponent in the form of a lifetime and totally at home on the grass (not to mention adored by the English crowd.)
I've watched all of Sabine's matches throughout this fortnight, and there's a glitter about her - when she misses a rare shot, there's a grin and she maintains that positive body language and quickly marches to the other side for the next point. For a momentum and confidence player such as Lisicki, this is crucial. She absorbed some serving prowess from Stosur in Set 1 of their 3rd round match before she made the Aussie look like a second-rate player from the baseline in Set 2 and Set 3.
The amazing win over Serena was out of this world the way she fought on, her serving brilliant, her groundstroke depth and accuracy something to admire, but also her variety was tip top. Great angles, moving in, the odd drop and not wanting to whack the cover off the ball each time proved that the German is really believing at the moment.
The match against Kanepi was no let down, the move to Court 1 proved no problems for her and although she didn't serve that great, she still won 80% and used the smarts again making Kanepi move forward with many drop shots, and taking advantage of the Estonian's lack of fitness and like for the grass.
Lisicki has looked primed for this tournament since she annihilated Vesnina in R2 who was probably the in-form surface player coming in, and a less-than-100% Radwanska is going to struggle on return as good as she is at getting the ball back into play. Lisicki's weight on the first ball will push her well back, and Sabine will relish dictating play and moving the Pole around.
She's spent just under 7 hours on court with the loss of just a single set, and in my opinion Radwanska has absolutely no weapons to beat Lisicki on centre court at SW19. Lisicki can beat herself, but it would take a complete 180 reversal of form and self-confidence to even open that window of opportunity for the 4th seed.
Lisicki in 2, and ditto the final.
Last edited by Redhead on Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
This bloke is awful he has a sports show on Sunday mornings on radio five which youd think was an Alan Partridge sketch.
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/tra ... 57065.html
Heres the bit when he shoehorns in the reference to Alex Ferguson, the look on Murray's face says it all.
http://youtu.be/c59tCXiRwBk
http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/blogs/tra ... 57065.html
Heres the bit when he shoehorns in the reference to Alex Ferguson, the look on Murray's face says it all.
http://youtu.be/c59tCXiRwBk
Last edited by BJGardner on Thu Jul 04, 2013 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
yes, do you think that these post match interviews can be helpful (if done correctly) by giving an insight into the players mindset. I thought Murray handled this well, better than he would a few years ago, which might augur well if he has to come through some tough moments in the semi and or final?
Great analysis Redhead
Sabine has really drifted, suggesting people are worried about her remaining emotionally stable, and also that Aga's thigh injury is not going to be a problem. I think Wim Fissette has really focused her mind, so I fancy Sabine
On another note, I've always considered Garry Richardson as an absolute penis
Sabine has really drifted, suggesting people are worried about her remaining emotionally stable, and also that Aga's thigh injury is not going to be a problem. I think Wim Fissette has really focused her mind, so I fancy Sabine
On another note, I've always considered Garry Richardson as an absolute penis