Wimbledon Thursday 26, 2008
Matches that could turn dangerous for established players!
Predicting tennis matches especially on grass is a tough proposition, but life is fun when we take risks and after Wimbledon is over I can erase this bit, so why not? No, no, I will keep it published, I like to stand for what I belive in or write.
Gentlemen's Singles - Finals
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] I can not say that I like Rafa's game better than Roger's it would not be true, but Nadal has made great improvements all round and is a real threat to Roger's title defense. Nevertheless it is just not going to be good enough. Roger will break him dow with the backhand slice and we will see Nadal missing shots we did not see him miss against others. Further more Federer will ATTACK! Surprise! 3 sets Federer! Update result:
Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7. Please, read my article Did Anyone Lose at Wimbledon final 2008? You be the judge!
Ladies' Singles - Finals
Serena Williams (USA)[6] v. Venus Williams (USA)[7] Does anybody care who wins? Update Result: Venus Williams 7-5 6-4 Before I go on I must be very clear about this, I like the William sisters, they have pushed tennis and their opponents to another level. But, this kind of stuff in a major tournament final is what turns pepole off on these sister affair matches. That is why I say nobody cares who wins! Because we all knew there would not be a fight and there was not! Shame, shame.
Gentlemen's Singles - Semis
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Marat Safin (RUS)
Safin is dangerous very dangerous and even more dangerous if he serves well. Federer though will beat him with speed and the low bouncing backhand slice below the knee. 4 sets Federer! Update Result - Roger Federer 6-3 7-6 6-4 as predicted Jun 13, 2008 at 12:14 PM before the tournament started What is in a Champion? Why is Roger Federer so special?!
Rainer Schuettler (GER) v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2]
Rainer is a great fighter and very fast, but that service à la Martina Hingis, will just not cut it! Nadal 3 sets! Update Result - Rafael Nadal 6-1 7-6 6-4, Rafa deserves the final, but today he showed the signs of a weary player, some unusual lapses of concentration. A harbinger of what's going to happen in the final? I get the feeling yes!
Ladies' Singles - Semis
Elena Dementieva (RUS)[5] v. Venus Williams (USA)[7], lots of running and both can do it. Will Elena keep the ball low? It will come down to who serves best and I have to go with Venus. 3 sets Vennus! Update Result - Venus Williams 6-1 7-6 Venus just was better.
Jie Zheng (CHN) v. Serena Williams (USA)[6] Jie will fight and run but Serena's serve and awsome power of the ground is going to make the difference. 2 sets Serena. Update Result - Serena Williams 6-2 7-6 as a light weight faces a super heavy weight chances are the light weight will be blown of the court into oblivion. Not the case, Jie played a very competitive 2nd set!
Gentlemen's Singles - Qtr. Finals
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Mario Ancic (CRO) Mario surprised Federer once at Wimbledon, but now Federer is ready and knows his achiles is speed and will catch Ancic over and over on that. 3 sets Federer! Update Result - Roger Federer 6-1 7-5 6-4 speed is an inborn quality that some have and others don't.
Andy Murray (GBR)[12] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] Andy has a chance but he knows for it to happen he needs to do three things right all the time: Serve 85% + of his first serves in. Attack or play it aggressively on Nadal's 2nd Serve. Volley extremely well and use the short angle volleys without getting cute. If he tries to beat Nadal from the baseline, which I get the feeling is Andy's confort zone, we are likely to watch a royal drubbing! 3 sets Nadal! Update Result - Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-2 6-4 , Nadal supreme!
Marat Safin (RUS) v. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)[31] Two dark horses with nothing to lose who play erratic games sprinkled with strokes of genius and sheer mediocrity. Expect an exciting match, it will hinge on how Marat will return the wide serves to his backhand on the add side and how well either player will serve. I put the edge on Safin, 4 or 5 sets! Update Result - Marat Safin 3-6 7-5 7-6 6-3 close very close it came to who played the BIG Points better.
Rainer Schuettler (GER) v. Arnaud Clement (FRA) Amazing to agressive baseliners, incredible road runners, nothing to lose here! Arnaut goes more often to the net and has a better serve but Schuettler seems to out run him.. 5 sets Schuttler! Update Result - Rainer Schuettler 6-3 5-7 7-6 6-7 8-6, a nail biter both deserved to win.
Day 8: Tuesday, 1 July - Ladies' Singles - Qtr. Finals
Elena Dementieva (RUS)[5] v. Nadia Petrova (RUS)[21] The running and the low ball, I will go with Elena, 2 sets! Update Result -
Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)[14] v. Serena Williams (USA)[6] - Agnieszka is a junior Wimbledon Champ but will she be able to handle the onslaught of power and come up with the necessary running? I doubt it, Serena 3 sets! Update Result -
Venus Williams (USA)[7] v. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) - Good run for Tamarine but this is the ednd station. But expect a fight! Venus 2 sets! Update Result -
Jie Zheng (CHN) v. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)[18] a tough one no loosers here! Nicole 3 sets! Update Result -
Day 7: Monday, 30 June.
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS)[20] The king of grace versus the king of grit, as much as I respect grit, my feeling is Hewitt will have to serve above 85% of his 1st serves in and execute the rest way above his limits, Tony Roche will be at his side but, I do not think it will make a difference. 4 sets Roger! Update Result - Roger Federer 7-6(7) 6-2 6-4 too easy to predict.
Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS)[4] v. Agnieszka Radwanska (POL)[14] A hard act to follow after two "kings" have just left central court, but the girls will have to perform. Svetlana is prone to play clay court tennis wherever she goes without seeing the difference, this could be an advantage to Radwanska. Will Agniezka play grass tennis and take Svetlana by surprise? Ok, Agniezka 3 sets! Update Result - Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 1-6 7-5 well deserved win.
Richard Gasquet (FRA)[8] v. Andy Murray (GBR)[12] We will have to go back a long, long time, to the French Musketeers Jean Borotra, René Lacoste, and Henri Cochet which one of the three of them won Wimbledon each year from 1924 to 1929 and Fred Perry last Brittish man player that held aloft the championship trophy in 1936, to find two young players from either country that could win the trophy. (Sorry about Tim Henman he was always too fragile, but great game!) 5 sets...Andy Murray! Update Result - 5-7 3-6 7-6(3) 6-2 6-4, champions often come out of matches like this one, now Murray's fitness is going to be put to test in the next round.
Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)[18] v. Anna Chakvetadze (RUS)[8] Tough call, Vaidisova big serving should be a factor, Nicole, 3 sets! Update Result - Nicole Vaidisova 4-6 7-6(0) 6-3, sruggling with herself and injuries, Vaidisova could do better but she needs to leave her ego at home and it will be a lot easier for her to play better tennis.
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)[17] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] Mikhail Youzhny is Rafas black sheep, he can read Rafas mind like an open book, he is one of the very few players with a close record against Nadal and on fast surfaces he is a better attacker then Rafa. The first set winner might determine the final outcome. I will go with the underdog, Youzhny 5 sets! Update Result - Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-3 6-1 Total demolition! Last year Nadal struggled at Wimbledon with endless matches this year he is determined not to let that happen. Impressive to say the least!
Marat Safin (RUS) v. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)[13] Two powerful strikers of the ball, slight edge on the serve for Safin, but there are a couple of of other factors that can be vital, Marat Safin hits the ball flatter, more penetrating that stays low on grass and has a two-handed backhand that he hits the down the line better than Wawrinka. Marat 5 sets! Update Result - Marat Safin 6-4 6-3 5-7 6-1 you play what your opponent allows you to and Marat did not let Wawrinka play.
Venus Williams (USA)[7] v. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) Kleybanova without much fanfarre has dismissed the likes of Hantuchova and Sugiyama, but Venus is in another league all together, Venus straight sets! Update Result - Venus Williams 6-3 6-4 I enjoy the Williams sisters loads, because they put their opponents to task and that is by making them run. If you can't run do not go on the court with Serena or Venus!
Bethanie Mattek (USA) v. Serena Williams (USA)[6] Sorry Bethanie good run, but it is Serena, 2 sets! Update Result -Serena Williams 6-3 6-3, you can run allright but I am going to beat you with power!
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) v. Rainer Schuettler (GER) Great run Rainer, but Janko is going to deliver and deliver he can with his service! 4 sets Janko! Update Result - Rainer Schuettler 6-4 3-6 6-4 7-6(4) the return and the legs won but it "ain't pretty"!
Jie Zheng (CHN) v. Agnes Szavay (HUN)[15] After an easy win against Ana, will Zheng awake up come back to the real world and lose? My feeling is no, Jie 3 sets! Update Result - Jie Zheng 6-3 6-4 is on all cilinders I wonder if she knows that Wimbledon is not the Olympics?
Nadia Petrova (RUS)[21] v. Alla Kudryavtseva (RUS)
Alla has two very solid wins behind her (Sharapova and Peng the latter a running machine) she must be thriving in confidence. Will Petrovas big serve make the difference? I doubt it, Kudryavtseva 3 sets! Update Result - Nadia Petrova is determined and Kudryavtseva out of gas 6-1 6-4.
Fernando Verdasco (ESP)[22] v. Mario Ancic (CRO) Verdasco can player better on grass than he believes and a lot of about winning and losing is in your mind, so I will go with the attacker. Mario, 4 sets! Update Result - Mario Ancic 3-6 4-6 6-3 6-4 13-11 epic but how much is going to be left from Mario for Roger?
A complete sham to put the next 4 matches on court 11 and 18 (Courts reserved for junior play in the second week!!)
After their performances in the first week all of the players deserve to be at least on court 2.
Elena Dementieva (RUS)[5] v. Shahar Peer (ISR)[24] Elena keeps the ball going fast and low, while Sahar tries the "old" high balls mix up and feistiness (she is a crowd pleaser), I like her too, but I think the weapons are just not there! 2 sets Dementieva. (Note: There can always be a Dementieva service meltdown!) Update Result - Elena Dementieva 6-2 6-1 movement and low driven balls pay off big time at Wimbledon!
Marin Cilic (CRO) v. Arnaud Clement (FRA) Almost a junior against a seasoned veteran that can run anything down and can attack! But Marin Cilic is hungry and knows this is the time to seize his opportunity. Marin 5 sets! Update Result - Arnaud Clement 6-3 7-5 6-2 was Cilic flat or Arnaud just played much better and is hungry?
Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) v. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[2] Jelena "injured"? That's the trick question many girls must be asking themselves in locker room talk! How many times will the physiotherapist come in the court and disrupt Tamarines concentration? A towel over her head and a bitt of Zen meditation might help. Tamarine, 3 sets! Update Result - Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-3 6-2 finally someone gutsy that ignored Jelena "permanent injury state" and just blasted her off the cour!
Marcos Baghdatis (CYP)[10] v. Feliciano Lopez (ESP)[31] Feliciano a dangerous lefty with a good swinging serve that can be effective on grass, good ability to serve and volley but, with a suspicious baseline especially the backhand. Very hard call, I will go with the heartbreaker, Lopez 5 sets! Update Result - Feliciano Lopez 5-7 6-2 3-6 7-6(4) 8-6
Day 6: Saturday, 28 June
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN)[31] v. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[2] I have to go with Jelena 2 sets!
Update Result - Jelena Jankovic 2/6 6/4 6/2 "injured" Jelena. It almost looks like a ploy. This is the third grand slam where Jelena comes out all taped and "injured" in early rounds and goes way deep into the tournanment. When do women learn to put her out of her "misery"?!
Tommy Haas (GER) v. Andy Murray (GBR)[12] If Haas is injury free this will be a true test to Andy's present form. 4 sets Andy!
Update Result - Andy Murray 6/4 6/7 6/3 6/2
Andy passed the test with flying colours, Haas is no easy task on any surface. Venus Williams (USA)[7] v. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez There was once a Conchita Martinez that once stunned the world of tennis by Winning Wimbledon, why not another surprise. 3 sets Martinez!
Update Result - Venus Williams 6/1 7/6 no surprises with Serena, her motto I am going to beat you to a pulp, and so she did, Maria even tried the serve and volleywith great sucess, much to her surprise!
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)[14] v. Marin Cilic (CRO) This could be talent Cilic's chance. 5 sets Cilic.
Update Result - Marin Cilic 6/7 6/3 6/4 7/6. The more I watch Marin Cilic the more I like this young Croat.
Nicolas Kiefer (GER)[27] v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] If Kiefer ever had learned to use his fantastic speed combined with solid volleying, who knows how many grand slams he could have had?! Nadal 4 or 5 sets!
Update Result -
Victoria Azarenka (BLR)[16] v. Nadia Petrova (RUS)[21] Petrova my be in decline, will Azarenka take advantage? Perhaps, Azarenka 3 sets!
Update Result - Nadia Petrova 7/6 7/6 Azarenka sensed the moment was there but her execution did not come through. Deserved win for a struggling Petrova.
Richard Gasquet (FRA)[8] v. Gilles Simon (FRA)[28] Among the French it is always so complicated with ranking phsycological barriers the created at a young age within their system, that I would have to go with Gasquet, but Simon knows his stuff on grass and I will go with him. 5 sets Simon!
Update Result - 7/5 6/7 8/6
Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) v. Dmitry Tursunov (RUS)[25] Dimitry relies to much on the big serve and the forehand and he is not a good mover, I will go with Janko even though he often fails after a big win. Janko 5 sets!
Update Result - Janko Tipsarevic 7/6 7/6 6/3. This is what can turn potential champions into champions, back to back wins against tough oposition. Will Janko stay focused and surprise as all?
Radek Stepanek (CZE)[16] v. Mikhail Youzhny (RUS)[17] A tough one I will go with the best attacker Stepanek 4 sets!
Update Result - Mikhail Youzhny 7/5 6/7 6/4 6/7 6/3. The legs failed Stepanek in the end, but fitness is a major factor not to disregard and Youzhny was the fitter man.
Day 5: Friday, 27 June
Roger Federer (SUI)[1] v. Marc Gicquel (FRA) it is not going to be a walk in the park for Federer, Gicquel is very dangerous but, prone to overplay and take far to many non percentage risks. Still tricky, but I will go with Federer 3 or 4 sets!
Update Result - Roger Federer SUI (1) 6/3 6/3 6/1 Federer was just too much for Gicquel who had to play at the limit all the time.
Mario Ancic (CRO) v. David Ferrer (ESP)[5], Ferrer is a great fighter and a likable player who takes risks to win, but Mario has the grass court game, this will edge on Mario's first service percentage and the quality of his first volley. Mario 4 sets!
Update Result - Mario Ancic CRO 6/4 6/4 6/7 7/6 Mario is putting it together nicely and deep inside he wants a good crack at Federer and he might get his wish. Lleyton Hewitt AUS (20) v Simone Bolelli ITA a tricky one for Lleyton, but he has been serving well of late and grass court experience counts, Bolleli is not a player to be under-estimated and I an sure he played plenty of indoor tennis on fast surfaces in Italy, it is all about his frame of mind, does he like to play on grass or not? Lleyton 4 or 5 sets!
Update Result - Lleyton Hewitt 6/1 6/3 7/6 Lleyton did not want Bolleli to even put his foot in the door step and appart from a few hick-ups on the 3rd set he was rock solid.
Ana Ivanovic (SRB)[1] v. Jie Zheng (CHN), if there is one weakness in Ana's game is her running and that Jie Zheng can do, so Ana better be careful and not get into running contests and rather control the points from the word play! Ana 2 sets!
Update Result - Jie Zheng 6/1 6/4 after the Dechy affair my gut feeling was that Ana was not going to last long and I guess Jie Zheng had the same feeling!
Marat Safin (RUS) v. Andreas Seppi (ITA)[29] Seppi is a crafty player with wins over Lleyton Hewitt and Rafael Nadal, but grass is another matter all together, I have to go with Safin, 4 sets!
Result - Marat Safin 7/6 3/6 7/6 6/4 as he gets deeper into the tournament the more dangerous he can be, his fitness will come into question, Wawrinka will be a good test.
Mischa Zverev (GER) v. Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI)[13] here is a very dangerous match for Wawrinka he has all to loose and the Russian is hungry. Will Zverev use his lefty advantage to pull off a win? Misha 5 hard fought sets!!
Update Result - Stanislas Wawrinka 7/6 6/1 as Zverev grows stronger as an athlete we will see plenty of good things coming from his racket. Deserved win for Wawrinka.
Casey Dellacqua (AUS) v. Nicole Vaidisova (CZE)[18] Nicole is not happy at all this is not an opponent you want to face on at thi stage of the tournament, Casey a powerful lefty dark horse, got a taste of what she can do at the Australian open this year and I believe she has played more grass court tennis in Australia the Nicole ever did in her entire life, so I will go with Casey, 3 sets!!
Update Result - Nicole Vaidisova 6/4 6/3 aware of the danger Vaidisosa just did not give a chance to Dellaqua.
To be continued....!
Day 4: Thursday, 26 June
Xavier Malisse (BEL) v. Andy Murray (GBR)[12] Andy is playing well and it looks as if he could care less for the pressure from the British press and the public, after all he is a Scotsman! But, Malisse is dangerous, we could be looking at a 5 set thriller! Xavier Malisse 5 sets!
Update Result - Andy Murray GBR (12) 64 62 62. Well done, Andy does strive on pressure and Malisse payed the price! !
Andy Roddick (USA)[6] v. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) - Janko could give Andy more than he could ever want to. As a risk taker and serve and volley player myself, I will say, Janko in 5 fought sets!
Update Result - Janko Tipsarevic SRB 7/6 5/7 6/4 7/6, a tough one for Roddick, but Janko deserves a break he has been knocking at the door for a long time, will he be able to keep the run all the way?!
Ernests Gulbis (LAT) v. Rafael Nadal (ESP)[2] Rafa has been playing great tennis, but Ernests loves pace and court 1 is firmer and faster then the central one, also the grass court is still grass, unlike the clay it will be at the end of the tournament. If Gulbis sticks close to the baseline and uses his big game , Rafa could be in for a very long afternoon. Just for fun I will go with the underdog Ernests Gulbis 5 sets!
Update Result - Rafael Nadal ESP (2) 5/7 6/2 7/6 6/3, Nadals physical difference is overwhelming, Gulbis has the strokes but, he will have to eat humble pie for another year and work on his physique! !
Carla Suarez Navarro (ESP) v. Jelena Jankovic (SRB)[2] I see plenty of trouble and dark clouds for Jelena. If this Carla Suarez Navarro is the lefty with a great one handed slice backhand I saw at Roland Garros, it could be another bad day for Serbia! 2 sets Suarez!
Update Result -Jelena Jankovic 6/1 6/3 did not take any chances and gave the Spaniard girl a tough lesson! Carla will have to learn to like to play on grass.!
Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) v. Dinara Safina (RUS)[9] Dinara has been in stellar form, but do not underestimate, the fact that plenty of junior tennis in Asia is played on grass or fast courts and one of the great genetic gifts most Asian players have is speed, agility and movement (grass courts like that!), so Safina beware! 2 sets Safina!
Update Result - The "new" Dinara Safina complety overpowered and outplayed Su-Wei.!
Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA)[14] v. Jeremy Chardy (FRA) If Jeremy shows us only half of the form he presented at Roland Garros, we can say goodbye to Paul-Henri Mathieu in 3 sets!
Update Result - Paul-Henri Mathieu, 6/3 7/5 7/6 survived another day, Chardy will need to believe more on himself, lose respect for higher ups and beat them!!
Vera Zvonareva (RUS)[13] v. Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) we could be saying an early goodbye to Zvonareva, for identical reasons as Dinara Safina will be facing. Here I go with 3 sets, Tamarine Tanasugarn.
Result - Tamarine Tanasugarn 7/6 4/6 6/3, very dangerous Tamarine will she have the mental believe to carry her to higher grounds?!
Marin Cilic (CRO) v. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN)[24] Young and talented Cilic has a surface better suited to his game but will he have the courage to attack ? Jarko Nieminen 4 or 5 sets!
Update Result - Marin Cilic CRO 6/4 3/6 6/3 6/7 7/5, glad for Cilic, this young Croata has great potential, a match like this will bost his confidence, he could go much further, will his physic support him? Hope so!!
Shahar Peer (ISR)[24] v. Emilie Loit (FRA) Emilie like the other Emilie (we all know) is taking her time to get out of her shell. Will it be this time? She has the shot making, the game mix she plays is well suited to grass court play. Shahar Peer is no push over, that feisty girl but, I will go with a surprise, 2 sets Emile! Update Result - Shahar Peer 6/3 6/4, Shahar rearing to go and she did let Emilie breath from the word play! Once again hard work wins over talent!
To be continued...
Not bad a few big misses, but how many get all numbers right in the lottery?
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