Wimbledon 2011 Issue 14: 4 July Sunday, Jul 3 2011

Novak Djokovic is the new world number one, and rightfully so, the Serb claiming his first Wimbledon crown on Day 13 with an emphatic win over Rafael Nadal.

Day 13 Recap

Despite the fact that Djokovic had won all 4 meetings between the pair this year, the second seed still trailed Nadal in career meetings and had never beaten the Spaniard in a Grand Slam. With Djokovic absolutely desperate to win the title at the All England Club, observers were divided as to whether his hunger would help or hinder his chances in the final.

Nadal started confidently, whipping a couple of forehand winners down the line to make his presence felt. Serving first in the opening set, Djokovic survived a couple of nervous moments to hold serve, and from there the next 8 games went with serve. After starting brightly, Nadal was having trouble finding his range on his groundstrokes, and Djokovic looked the sharper player during the long baseline exchanges. Serving to level the first set at 5-all, Nadal looked to be cruising at 30-0, but from there the Spaniard played an uncharacteristically sloppy game, some loose forehands costing him the first set.

Djokovic was pumped up after pinching the first set, and he rode the wave of momentum into the second set, breaking the serve of the 10-time Grand Slam champion early on, and guaranteeing himself the set with a second break. Nadal looked spooked, as the Serb was doing to him what he normally does to other players. Djokovic was chasing down everything Nadal threw at him, giving away no free points, and was outmuscling the Spaniard when they went toe-to-toe from the baseline.

Never one to throw in the towel, Nadal came roaring back in the third set, as he began to hit his forehand with more authority and started to find his length off both wings. The top seed finally broke the Djokovic serve, and added a second break for good measure, as the Serb’s serve and forehand started to waver. Before long, Nadal had a set in his pocket, and we were into a fourth set. When Nadal conjured up a break point in Djokovic’s opening service game of the fourth set, the crowd sensed it could be in for something special. But the Serb got out of trouble and held serve, before breaking Nadal’s serve in the next game.

The Spanish warrior wasn’t done with yet, as he broke back to level the score at 2-all. But Djokovic was playing like a man inspired on Centre Court, and he continued to have the better of the long rallies, frequently turning defence into attack in the way Nadal himself so often does. At 4-3 to Djokovic, a Nadal double fault was the beginning of another loose service game from the Spaniard, and a break to Djokovic had him standing at the edge of glory. The Serb duly served it out to complete what he later described as the best day of his life, the new world number one claiming victory, 6-4 6-1 1-6 6-3.

For Djokovic, the victory validates his position as world number one, and underlines the fact that he is now clearly the best player in the world. Having won 50 of his last 51 matches, Djokovic will be a hot favourite to continue his fairytale season at the US Open in New York.

For Nadal, it was a sorry day, the Spaniard playing his worst Grand Slam final in many years. It was a surprisingly error-riddled performance from the Spaniard, but that’s largely testament to the superb play of Djokovic. Nadal will no doubt be eager to turn things around in New York, which should make for a fascinating US Open.

That’s it for this year’s Wimbledon championships. I hope you’ve enjoyed the coverage. With the ATP and WTA Tours now moving towards the start of the North American hard-court season, I’ll be back to cover the US Open, which starts in late August.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 13: 3 July Sunday, Jul 3 2011

Petra Kvitova is the new ladies’ singles champion at Wimbledon, the Czech outplaying Maria Sharapova on Day 12 to claim her maiden Grand Slam title. Will it be Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic joining Kvitova as a 2011 Wimbledon singles champion? Read on for my thoughts and prediction for today’s blockbuster final.

Day 12 Recap

When Maria Sharapova broke Petra Kvitova’s serve in the opening game of the ladies’ singles final on Day 12, it seemed as though the inevitable nerves associated with playing in her first Grand Slam final were affecting Kvitova. But the eighth seed broke back immediately, and from there went to seize control of the match.

Hitting her groundstrokes hard, flat and deep, and working her powerful first and second serves to great effect, Kvitova took advantage of back-to-back double faults by Sharapova to take a 4-2 lead in the first set. From there, the lefty maintained her advantage and closed out the first set, 6-3, by holding to love. Kvitova lost the second set in her quarter-final against Pironkova and in her semi-final against Azarenka, and there was hope among Sharapova supporters that the Czech’s game might again go off the boil.

But Kvitova was in the zone on Day 12, with her ability to hit jamming deep returns at Sharapova’s feet forcing the Russian to go for more on her serve and groundstrokes, which unsurprisingly drew more unforced errors from the Sharapova racquet. At times when Sharapova looked to be getting on top in a rally, Kvitova was able to produce a winner from an off-balance, out-of-court position and, as Sharapova admitted afterwards, there was nothing she could do to combat the onslaught.

Kvitova rode the momentum generated by her first set conquest at the beginning of the second set, breaking Sharapova and overcoming a brace of double faults to establish a 2-0 lead. The Russian was not done with yet, though, with Sharapova’s competitiveness and tenacity coming to the fore, and she broke back to level at 2-all. Once again, Sharapova’s serving woes affected her charge, as she was broken and forced to break back to tie the score at 3 games apiece. Another break to Kvitova proved decisive, as she held serve to move ahead, 5-3. Finally, Sharapova managed to hold serve in order to force Kvitova to serve for the championship. But, as was the case in the first set, Kvitova showed no signs of nerves, holding to love for a 6-3 6-4 win and the biggest victory of her career.

For Kvitova, the breakthrough victory portends many more big wins. To my mind, the Czech player has the ability to dominate Wimbledon over the next few years, and be a huge threat at the other Grand Slams as well. For Sharapova, it was an agonising loss. The 3-time Grand Slam champion didn’t play her best tennis in the final, and her lack of a plan B when her strategy wasn’t working was graphically exposed. But there’s no doubt Sharapova is back near the apex of women’s tennis after an inconsistent couple of years, and the Russian will be a major threat heading into the US Open in late August.

Match of the Day – Day 13 

Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic

Today’s superstar match-up sees the best 2 players of the year pitted against one another. As one would expect, the match appears evenly poised, with strong arguments for and against each player able to be made. 10-time Grand Slam champion Nadal is riding a 20 match winning streak at the All England Club, while Djokovic has only lost one match all year.

Nadal leads Djokovic 16-11 in career meetings, but the Serb has won the last 4 meetings between the pair. Nadal has never lost to Djokovic in a Grand Slam, but the second seed has triumphed over the Spaniard in some big finals this year, including on Nadal’s favoured clay surface in Madrid and Rome.

Very little separates these players and the match may well come down to a couple of key points. The fact Djokovic has never won Wimbledon will count against him, as the tournament means more than any other to the Serb. Djokovic was unusually shaky towards the end of the third set in his match against Tsonga, and celebrated wildly after the win, signalling that this tournament is hugely important to him. Djokovic will need to keep his emotions in check if he is to triumph over the dual Wimbledon champion. Nadal, on the other hand, has already experienced the ecstasy of success at the All England Club, and can relax and concentrate on producing his best tennis.

To my mind, the battle of the second serves will be the most crucial within the match. Djokovic blunted Tsonga’s big serve in the semi-finals, and was able to get on top of Nadal’s second serve in his wins against the top seed earlier this year. The Serb needs to do that again to have a chance of winning today’s match. If Djokovic can be aggressive on the Nadal serve, replicate his incredible court movement from earlier in the tournament and stay patient, waiting for his opportunities, then the second seed will give himself a good shot at claiming the title.

But Nadal showed against Murray how easily he is able to turn defence into attack during a point, and how easily he can change the face of a match by getting on a roll. With Nadal receiving pain-killing injections for his troublesome left foot, his health and fitness should not be a concern in today’s match. Since the start of the tournament, the courts have dried out significantly, making them slower, and that will work in Nadal’s favour as he will have more time to chase down Djokovic’s shots and extend the points.

With Nadal having improved his serve in the last year, as well as becoming one of the best volleyers on the ATP Tour, I think the rock-solid Spaniard has to enter the final as a slight favourite. If he plays his absolute best tennis, Djokovic is good enough to win, but anything less than that will more than likely signal defeat for the Serb. Nadal in 5.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back to wrap up the men’s final tomorrow.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 12: 2 July Saturday, Jul 2 2011

Novak Djokovic will wake up on Monday morning as the new world number one, after defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to make his first Wimbledon final. In order to wake up on Monday morning as Wimbledon champion to boot, Djokovic must first defeat the current world number one, Rafael Nadal, who won his 20th consecutive match at the All England Club by defeating Andy Murray in the second semi-final on Day 11.

Day 11 Recap

Novak Djokovic and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were first out on Centre Court on Day 11, and the Frenchman started the match in much the same fashion as he had ended his incredible win over Roger Federer, breaking Djokovic’s serve in the opening game. From there, Tsonga managed to keep his nose in front in the first set, despite the fact that the second seed was starting to return well and was beginning to rack up the break points. At 5-4, Tsonga served for the first set and the dam wall finally broke, Djokovic getting back on level terms at 5-all. Soon after, the players were into a tiebreaker, and Djokovic’s incredible court movement and steadier baseline game gave him the opening set.

Tsonga’s level of tennis started to drop after the Frenchman squandered his lead in the first set, with the unforced errors beginning to mount. By contrast, Djokovic was growing in confidence and with some sizzling returns, he earned a double break to capture the second set, 6-2. The Serb was having success forcing Tsonga out wide on his backhand side and, despite some scintillating net play from the popular Frenchman, the second seed looked in control throughout the early stages of the third set. But twice Tsonga fought back from a break down in the third set, including when Djokovic served for the match at 6-5. The momentum was with the world number 19 heading into the tiebreaker, and Tsonga rode the wave, taking it 11-9 on a forehand error by Djokovic.

Hopes of another incredible comeback from Tsonga were quickly snuffed out by Djokovic, as the second seed broke to establish a 3-0 lead in the fourth set. The players traded service holds in the next 5 games before Djokovic was presented with a second opportunity to serve out the match. This time, there would be no hiccup, the Serb collapsing to the ground and kissing the grass to celebrate his 7-6(4) 6-2 6-7(9) 6-3 victory.

The hopes of Britain were once again riding on Andy Murray’s shoulders in the Scot’s semi-final against Rafael Nadal. Murray started the match in brilliant fashion, despite some injury concerns early in the first set which resulted in the trainer attending to Murray’s hip flexor after the third game. Although Murray was generally the better player in the first set, games went with serve until the twelfth game, when Nadal served to send the set to a tiebreaker. A trio of errors from the top seed’s racquet gave Murray 3 set points, but the fourth seed only required one, a failed drop shot by Nadal giving Murray the first set, 7-5.

At 2-1 to Murray in the second set, the match was turned on its head. With Nadal serving and down 15-30, Murray missed an easy forehand that would have brought up 2 break points for the Scot. Nadal managed to hold and level at 2-all, but a dejected Murray lost his focus and with it, the next 6 games as well. Suddenly, Murray’s aggressive and positive game-plan was falling apart. Nadal was not giving away many free points (the Spaniard made just 7 unforced errors for the whole match) and double faults, unforced errors and poor decision-making all started to creep into the fourth seed’s game. Nadal took the third set, 6-2, and broke early in the fourth set, leaving the hordes of British spectators on Centre Court and Murray Mound stunned at the turnaround.

Murray never stopped fighting, the Scot generating break points in the fourth game of the fourth set. But no one defends break points as well as the 10-time Grand Slam champion, and the dream of a miraculous comeback was quickly spoiled, Nadal claiming victory in just under 3 hours, 5-7 6-2 6-2 6-4.

Nadal and Djokovic will battle it out on Sunday for the Wimbledon crown, in what is sure to be an enthralling contest between the 2 best players in the world this year.

Match of the Day – Day 12 

Maria Sharapova vs. Petra Kvitova

Today sees Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova go head to head for the Wimbledon title and the honour of holding up the Venus Rosewater Dish as ladies’ singles champion at the All England Club.

Both players have been in good form this year as well as this tournament, with Kvitova having claimed 3 titles this year and rocketed into the top 10 in the world. Sharapova has enjoyed her best year on the WTA Tour since returning from shoulder surgery, having captured the Italian Open and made the semi-finals at the French Open. Sharapova has far more big-match experience than Kvitova, the Russian having claimed 3 Grand Slams while today represents Kvitova’s first Grand Slam final. That, of course, is a double-edged sword: Sharapova can draw on her vast reservoir of experience, but Kvitova can take a carefree approach into the match, as she is not burdened by any sense of expectation. It was Sharapova herself, don’t forget, who stunned Serena Williams in 2004 to win Wimbledon at age 17.

To my mind, the biggest factors in today’s match are Kvitova’s serve, Sharapova’s serve and how both players start the match. Kvitova’s powerful left-handed serve is her biggest weapon and will test Sharapova, who is one of the best returners on the WTA Tour. The dearth of talented left-handers in the women’s game in recent years in underlined by the fact that you have to go back to Monica Seles in the late 1990s to find the last left-handed women’s Grand Slam finalist. Kvitova has had success throughout the tournament with the swinging serve to the right-hander’s backhand, often following it up with a big forehand, so look for the Czech to employ this strategy against Sharapova.

Not only does Sharapova need to return well to negate the effects of Kvitova’s serve, the Russian also needs to serve well herself. Sharapova served 13 double faults against Lisicki and another tally in the double figures will almost certainly lead to defeat against Kvitova. But Sharapova came up with some big serves when she needed to in the semi-final, and if she can eliminate the double faults and connect with a reasonable percentage of first serves, the former world number one will help her cause immensely.

Once the points get going, I give Sharapova the edge. The Russian has improved her movement this year, and she is striking the ball with greater confidence and penetration under the watchful eye of coach Thomas Hogstedt. Sharapova is a superb front-runner and, in the biggest match of her life, Kvitova doesn’t want to spot the fifth seed an early lead. Women’s matches can be over in the blink of an eye, so Kvitova needs to be on her game from the outset.

There’s no doubt Kvitova has the game and the ability to win Wimbledon, but I think Sharapova’s utter tenacity and big-match experience will get her over the line in a hard-fought battle. Sharapova in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 11: 1 July Friday, Jul 1 2011

Maria Sharapova and Petra Kvitova will square off in the women’s final tomorrow, after claiming victory in their respective semi-finals on Day 10.

Day 10 Recap

First up on Centre Court was the match-up between Petra Kvitova and world number 4 Victoria Azarenka. The big-serving Kvitova saved a break point in her opening service game before blocking out Azarenka’s incessant grunting and an errant fire alarm that sounded for several minutes to race away with the first set, 6-1.

The loss of the opening set seemed to catapult the Belarusian into action, and Azarenka got off to a flying start in the second set, breaking to set up a 3-0 lead. From there, Azarenka managed to maintain her advantage, and closed out the second set, 6-3, to level the contest at a set apiece.

In the deciding set, it was a question of how well Kvitova could execute her shots. The eighth seed was dictating the play with her booming serve and punishing forehand, and Azarenka was playing a low-risk, high-percentage brand of tennis in the hope that Kvitova’s game would stay off the boil. But Kvitova underlined her status as one of the best shot-makers in the women’s game, compiling an emphatic 40-9 advantage in winners.

The difference in the serving abilities of Azarenka and Kvitova was also noticeable, as the Czech served her way out of trouble on some break points in the third set. By contrast, a couple of costly double faults, including one on match point, ultimately spelled the end for Azarenka, Kvitova taking the match, 6-1 3-6 6-2.

In the second semi-final, Sabine Lisicki did just as I requested, racing out of the blocks to put together a 3-0 lead. It was clear from very early on in the match that it was not one of Sharapova’s good serving days, but the tenacious Russian is the consummate street fighter, and she came up with some big shots to dig herself out of trouble. Sharapova saved a break point that would have seen her go down a double break, and from there she gradually gained the ascendency in the match.

Lisicki, whose booming serve had provided her with so many free points in the tournament to date, was also having a poor serving day. The German failed to hit an ace in the entire match, and her first serve percentage was significantly down on previous matches. That also assisted Sharapova, who was the more consistent and powerful player from the baseline, in working her way back into the match. Sharapova won 6 of 7 games from 3-0 down to capture the opening set, 6-4 and, despite continuing to rack up the double faults (she ended up with a shocking 13 of them), jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set. Lisicki, who was starting to become frustrated after playing the classic happy-go-lucky underdog in the early stages of the match, pleaded with the umpire to have play suspended as light drizzle started to fall, but it was to no avail.

The German continued to fight out the match, and had her fair share of chances to break the Sharapova serve, but the 3-time Grand Slam champion produced her best tennis on the key points, finally taking the match, 6-4 6-3. Saturday’s final will be Kvitova’s first Grand Slam final, and Sharapova’s first final at Wimbledon since she stunned the tennis world by winning the title in 2004 at age 17.

Matches of the Day – Day 11

1. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Novak Djokovic

I’m really looking forward to this match because, despite the fact Novak Djokovic has lost just one match all year, I think it’s pretty much a lineball decision as to who will come out on top. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga left the Centre Court crowd in complete bewilderment on Wednesday, when he came back from 2 sets to love down to defeat the 6-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer. As Federer noted afterwards, it was not as disappointing a loss as others, since Tsonga simply played too well in the last 3 sets of the match.

There’s no doubt that Tsonga will experience something of a comedown in today’s match against Djokovic. Being completely in the zone as a player is frustratingly elusive, and I suspect some of the little things that went Tsonga’s way against Federer won’t exactly go his way again in this match. But the Frenchman can draw plenty of confidence from his win over the Swiss master, and if he serves as well as he did against Federer, he will make it awfully hard for Djokovic to get on top in the match.

Djokovic has said Wimbledon is the title he wants most, and the Serb will perhaps be more comfortable in this match-up than he was against the rising star Tomic, whose awkward, off-pace game seemed to frustrate the second seed at times. For Djokovic, the keys to victory are returning well and taking care of his own service games. Tsonga will be looking to jump all over Djokovic’s second serve, so the Serb needs to hang tough and try to win a decent percentage of second serve points.

Tsonga leads Djokovic 5-2 in career meetings, but Djokovic won their first and biggest match, the 2008 Australian Open final. If Tsonga can reproduce the form he showed in the last 3 sets against Federer, the Frenchman will be virtually unstoppable, but if his form dips ever so slightly, Djokovic is in the sort of form to take advantage. Djokovic in 5.

2. Rafael Nadal vs. Andy Murray

Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal have clashed twice before in Wimbledon semi-finals, with the Spaniard winning in straight sets in 2010 and 2008. Murray has beaten Nadal in some big Grand Slam matches, such as the 2008 US Open and the 2010 Australian Open, but the world number one still leads 11-5 in career meetings between the pair.

Much of the talk this tournament has revolved around Murray’s sublime play, evidenced in his comprehensive straight sets wins over Richard Gasquet and Feliciano Lopez, two of the more talented grass-court players on the ATP Tour. The word around tennis circles is that Murray is in some of the best form of his career, having also won Queen’s Club in the lead-up to Wimbledon. By comparison, the media coverage of Nadal has focused on the Spaniard’s injury concerns, the top seed forced to get an MRI on his left foot after his hard-fought win over Del Potro. Nadal then admitted after beating Mardy Fish in the quarter-finals that he needs to take pain-killing injections for the rest of the tournament to get through his matches.

All of this suggests it’s advantage Murray heading into the semi-finals, but I’m not so sure about that. This sort of situation, with his back to the wall, is exactly the type of scenario Nadal thrives on, and many times in the past the 10-time Grand Slam champion has struggled through his early matches before going on to win a major title. The biggest problem Murray (or anyone else) faces against Nadal is that the top seed’s game rarely deviates from a very high level of excellence. That means Murray needs to lift his standard of play to a level equal to, or higher than, Nadal’s, and maintain it for at least 3 sets.

Murray needs to do what Djokovic has successfully done against Nadal this year, and what Federer attempted to do in Paris: step inside the court, dictate the rallies and attempt to force Nadal deep behind the baseline and onto the defensive. Easier said than done, even for someone of Murray’s ability. I think the Scot will get far closer in this match than in the previous Wimbledon semi-finals against Nadal, but I’m still backing the Spaniard to prevail. Nadal in 5.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

 

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 10: 30 June Thursday, Jun 30 2011

For the first time since 1999, the finals weekend at Wimbledon won’t feature at least one of the Williams sisters or Roger Federer. The Swiss master was sensationally bundled out of the tournament in the quarter-finals on Day 9 by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Federer squandering a 2 sets to love lead for the first time in 179 Grand Slam matches.

Day 9 Recap

When Roger Federer comprehensively claimed the second set tiebreaker against Tsonga to take a 2 sets to love lead, it appeared as though the third seed was on track for yet another semi-final at Wimbledon. But the world number 19 had other ideas, and came storming back into the match. After breaking Tsonga in the opening set, Federer was unable to muster another break point against the Frenchman’s formidable serve in the entire match.

For the Frenchman, it was a case of everything going perfectly to plan in the final 3 sets of the match. Booming serves, diving volleys and uncharacteristic one-handed backhand drives all formed part of the highlights package for Tsonga. As the match wore on, Federer’s stronger forehand side began to break down and the Swiss master’s footwork became a little sloppy, but for the most part it was the brilliance of Tsonga’s play, rather than poor play on Federer’s part, that resulted in the upset win for the popular Frenchman. Tsonga managed to steady his nerves in the final moments of the fifth set, closing out the match, 3-6 6-7(3) 6-4 6-4 6-4.

Tsonga will face Novak Djokovic for a spot in Sunday’s final after the Serb accounted for his frequent hitting partner and protégé, 18 year old Bernard Tomic. The young Aussie was far from overwhelmed in the biggest match of his short career, collecting the second set and going up a break in the third set.

Tomic dictated the play in many of the rallies against Djokovic, but the second seed’s greater experience and high-percentage play on the big points eventually resulted in a 4 set victory, 6-2 3-6 6-3 7-5. Still, I expect we will be seeing plenty more of Tomic at the business end of Grand Slams in the years to come.

In the other half of the men’s draw, Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal advanced to a semi-final showdown with victories over Feliciano Lopez and Mardy Fish, respectively. Murray looked sharp against the dangerous Lopez, taking control early on in each set and thwarting the power of Lopez’s big serve. Cheered on by a parochial crowd on Centre Court, Murray crunched 40 winners to claim victory in straight sets, 6-3 6-4 6-4.

Murray will need to adopt a similarly aggressive style of game against Nadal, who produced a typically gritty performance to see off Mardy Fish’s valiant charge. Nadal, who admitted after the match that he was forced to take a pain-killing injection to numb the effects of a sore left foot, raced to a 2 sets to love lead as Fish struggled to reproduce his superb serving efforts of previous rounds. The American fought back to claim the third set, but the result was never really in doubt, Nadal wrapping it up in just under 3 hours, 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-4.

Matches of the Day – Day 10

1. Victoria Azarenka vs. Petra Kvitova

Victoria Azarenka and Petra Kvitova have been, along with Caroline Wozniacki, the form players on the WTA Tour in 2011, and I’m expecting this to be a hard-fought and close encounter. Azarenka and Kvitova have split their 4 previous meetings, but Kvitova has won the last 2 of those matches. It seems strange that this match represents Azarenka’s first Grand Slam semi-final, since the Belarusian has been a dangerous player on the WTA Tour for several years. Kvitova, on the other hand, burst onto the scene by making the semi-finals at the All England Club last year, and has since cemented her position in the world’s top 10.

I give a slight edge to Kvitova in this match for a few reasons. Firstly, the surface favours the Czech more than Azarenka. The fourth seed likes the high-bouncing balls that come her way on clay and hard-courts, and she is not as adept as Kvitova as getting down to the low, skidding balls that often come through on grass-courts. Secondly, Kvitova has the better serve and that is a crucial weapon in big matches, especially when things get tight. Left-handed Kvitova has done well off the sliding serve and big forehand combination in the tournament to date, and I think that will be an effective strategy against Azarenka as well.

Finally, although Azarenka has plenty of big-match experience, Kvitova’s experience in making the semi-finals at Wimbledon last year should allow her to stay composed during the match, which is important against a volatile opponent in Azarenka. I think this match will feature plenty of ebbs and flows, as the shot-maker Kvitova gets in and out of the zone. But in a tense third set, I favour the Czech to come up with the goods. Kvitova in 3.

2. Maria Sharapova vs. Sabine Lisicki

Some pundits claim that wildcard Sabine Lisicki has nothing to lose in this match-up and, given that the German had to re-learn how to walk after seriously hurting her ankle, I guess that’s true in a sense. But a spot in a Wimbledon final is up for grabs, and that’s the sort of opportunity that doesn’t present itself every day. To my mind, it’s critical that Lisicki makes a good start to the match. Sharapova demonstrated in her quarter-final annihilation of Dominika Cibulkova that she is a tremendous frontrunner, and Lisicki can’t allow the Russian to get ahead and get her confidence up.

Since hiring Thomas Hogstedt as her coach, Sharapova has made some subtle changes to her game from the back of the court, but the most noticeable difference has been the improvement in her notoriously shaky serve. Against a big server in Lisicki, Sharapova will be focused on getting a high percentage of first serves into play and putting pressure on the Lisicki second serve.

Against Bartoli, Lisicki varied her game to great effect, mixing powerful serves and groundstrokes with some deft drop shots, and I think a similar approach would prove effective against Sharapova. The Russian will want to dictate the rallies from the baseline and, if Lisicki can keep Sharapova off-balance with some well placed drop shots, the German will go a long way towards wresting back control of the rallies. I think this will be a tight match, with the outcome coming down to a few key points, but I expect Sharapova’s experience and superior groundstrokes will give her the edge. Sharapova in 2.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

 

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 9: 29 June Wednesday, Jun 29 2011

With the semi-finalists in the women’s tournament now decided, the attention on Day 9 turns to the men’s quarter-finals. Will the big 4 in the men’s game make it through to the final 4?

Day 8 Recap

With the rain hammering down in London, Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli got the Day 8 proceedings underway under the Centre Court roof. The big-serving German was out of the blocks early, and captured the first set, 6-4, with her delicate touch on the drop shot a nice complement to her powerful serves and groundstrokes.

Bartoli is as tenacious a player as there is on the WTA Tour, and the Frenchwoman tried valiantly to stay in the contest despite the fact she was being outplayed by Lisicki. Bartoli saved 3 match points in the second set, then managed to steal the tiebreaker and force the contest into a deciding set. The third set was all Lisicki, though, as an exhausted Bartoli finally succumbed, 6-1.

Next up was Dominika Cibulkova, who was taking on former world number one Maria Sharapova. When Cibulkova held serve to start the match, it seemed as if we were in for an enthralling contest between 2 players who had split their 4 previous encounters. But Sharapova reeled off 8 games in a row, and was rarely troubled from there. The Russian proved she is one of the best frontrunners in the women’s game, dominating the far shorter Cibulkova, 6-1 6-1.

In the bottom half of the draw, Petra Kvitova and Tsvetana Pironkova played out a pulsating 3-setter. The Czech shotmaker claimed the first set, 6-3, and had the better of Pironkova in the second set, but the feisty Bulgarian took advantage of some wayward shots by Kvitova to claim the second set in a tiebreaker. However, Kvitova reasserted her authority in the deciding set, breaking twice to claim it, 6-2.

Kvitova, who is in Wimbledon semi-finals for the second successive year, will square off against Victoria Azarenka for a spot in Saturday’s final. The Belarusian accounted for young Austrian Tamira Paszek in an historic match. Due to the incessant rain, the match was moved from Court 1 to Centre Court after just one game had been played – the first time a match has been “moved” from one court to another in Wimbledon’s long and checkered history. Azarenka, who has finally made a Grand Slam semi-final after threatening to break through for many years, lost just 4 games against an overwhelmed Paszek, the fourth seed striking 30 winners against just 8 unforced errors.

Matches of the Day – Day 9 

1. Roger Federer vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga

Roger Federer is no longer the all-conquering, dominant force on the ATP Tour that he used to be. Now ranked third in the world, Federer needs to be at his very best to beat the men above him, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. But Federer showed in Paris, by beating Djokovic and pushing Nadal, that he remains a very real threat at the Grand Slams. Moreover, Federer has maintained exceptional records against the players ranked below him, and it’s rare to see him lose to anyone outside of the top 5.

Tsonga has beaten Federer just once in 5 career meetings, but the Frenchman has been in good form this grass-court season, making the final at Queen’s Club and now equalling his best performance at Wimbledon by making the quarter-finals. Federer has been serving very well of late, which is a major reason why he played well in Paris and has done well at Wimbledon to date. To my mind, Tsonga needs to go for broke in this match. That means attacking the Federer second serve, going for his shots and keeping the points short, and honing in on Federer’s slightly weaker backhand side.

Tomas Berdych took a similar approach into last year’s quarter-final against Federer and managed to execute a near-flawless match to record an upset win. That shows it can be done against the Swiss master, but the odds are undoubtedly in favour of the third seed. Federer in 4.

2. Bernard Tomic vs. Novak Djokovic

Given Bernard Tomic’s amazing run at this year’s Wimbledon tournament, it would seem that nothing is out of the question for the 18 year old prodigy. But, surely, Novak Djokovic will prove too big of a hurdle for the young Aussie in this clash. The pair has trained together on several occasions this year, including before the French Open and on grass before Wimbledon, but this familiarity probably works against Tomic. Unlike in his previous matches, where Tomic has had the element of surprise work in his favour, Djokovic will know exactly what to expect from the Aussie and will not be taking his opponent lightly.

Having lost just one match all year, Djokovic is in as good a run of form as one could imagine, and the Serb has rarely been troubled in these championships so far, a slight meltdown against Marcos Baghdatis being the only exception. Tomic’s biggest strengths in the tournament so far have been his ability to vary his shots, to keep the ball low and flat, to serve well on big points, and to stay calm in the big moments.

Against a sublime mover and elite returner in Djokovic, I think many of those weapons won’t be as damaging. Tomic plays his best tennis on the big stage, so I expect the Aussie to put up a good performance and pinch a set from the world number 2. But, to my mind, it’s a case of anything Tomic can do, Djokovic can do that little bit better. Djokovic in 4.

3. Andy Murray vs. Feliciano Lopez

Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez has been the best server at this year’s championships, at least in terms of aces served, the lefty having already notched up a century of free points. Lopez was in dynamic touch against Andy Roddick, routing the American in straight sets. But Lopez’s next win was arguably more satisfying, as the Spaniard came from 2 sets to love down against the Polish qualifier Kubot to grind out a narrow victory.

Murray has seemed more relaxed to me at this year’s Wimbledon compared to previous years at the All England Club, and that has translated into some top-quality tennis from the Scot. The fourth seed produced his best tennis of the tournament to comprehensively defeat the talented Richard Gasquet in straight sets, and he will be looking for a similarly clinical win in today’s quarter-final.

Lopez’s huge serve, combined with the added advantage of the Spaniard being a lefty, means that he is always in the contest, and I expect at least one of the sets to go to a tiebreaker. Murray will need to serve well to stay in the match, but the Scot’s superb returning game should see him break down the Lopez serve over the course of the match. Murray in 4.

4. Rafael Nadal vs. Mardy Fish

After suffering an injury scare in his win against Juan Martin Del Potro and rushing off for an MRI on his troublesome left foot, Rafael Nadal has received assurance that his foot is OK, meaning that the top seed will be fit to take the court against Mardy Fish today.

Fish has always been a good grass-court player, who has done well at other grass-court tournaments but has been unable to translate that form into good performances at Wimbledon. Before this year, a third round appearance represented his best effort at the All England Club. Fish faces a mighty challenge against the 10-time Grand Slam champion Nadal, the American having claimed just one set off Nadal in 5 previous clashes.

I’ve been impressed with Fish’s serving in the tournament so far, and in the last 12 months the tenth seed has become far fitter than ever before, which has unsurprisingly coincided with his rise up the rankings. But I think Fish’s Wimbledon fairytale will end today – if Nadal negates the effects of Fish’s serve, the Spaniard has an overwhelming advantage from the back of the court. Nadal in 3.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 8: 28 June Tuesday, Jun 28 2011

Day 7 saw the women’s tournament blown wide open, as both Williams sisters and top seed Caroline Wozniacki were bundled out of the championships.

Day 7 Recap

It was a miserable day for the Williams family on Day 7, as Serena succumbed to the hard-hitting and hyperactive Marion Bartoli, the Frenchwoman holding her nerve in a tight second set to record an upset win. The Williams family woes were then compounded as Venus went down to her nemesis, Tsvetana Pironkova, in straight sets. The Bulgarian knocked Williams out of Wimbledon last year, and has beaten the American in 3 of the 4 meetings between the pair.

Caroline Wozniacki looked to be coasting against Dominika Cibulkova, claiming the opening set for the loss of just one game. But the feisty Slovak took the second set in a tiebreaker and fought back from a break down in the deciding set to claim a huge upset. In other women’s results, Maria Sharapova moved a step closer to a second Wimbledon title with a routine win over twentieth seed Peng, while Victoria Azarenka was impressive in whipping Nadia Petrova.

German wildcard Sabine Lisicki continued her dream run at the All England Club, moving into the quarter-finals for the second time in her career. Petra Kvitova has been in fine form so far in this tournament, and the Czech again cruised to victory, thrashing Yanina Wickmayer in straight sets. The final spot in the last 8 was claimed by Austrian Tamira Paszek, who beat the Russian Pervak in 3 sets.

In the men’s tournament, the biggest story on Day 7 was the foot injury suffered by Rafael Nadal in his 4 set win over Juan Martin Del Potro. The top seed played through pain after hurting his left heel late in the first set, and will consult with specialists today to determine how serious the injury is. Nadal is due to meet Mardy Fish in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, the American advancing to the last 8 courtesy of a magnificent straight sets defeat of last year’s finalist, Tomas Berdych.

Apart from Nadal’s injury concerns, the chances of the big 4 in the men’s game progressing to the semi-finals look good, with Andy Murray in sensational touch on Day 7. The Scot produced some of his best tennis in front of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Centre Court, seeing off the dangerous Richard Gasquet without dropping a set.

Roger Federer lost the opening set against Mikhail Youzhny, the first set the Swiss champion has lost all tournament, but the third seed stormed back to take the match in 4 sets. And Novak Djokovic was rarely troubled against French veteran Michael Llodra, the serve-and-volleying Llodra ruining his chances by making some uncharacteristic mistakes at the net at crucial moments.

Young gun Bernard Tomic continued his unbelievable run at the championships, easily defeating Xavier Malisse. Tomic, who hit 37 winners and made just 8 unforced errors against Malisse, next faces Djokovic in one of the most intriguing men’s quarter-finals.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Feliciano Lopez round out the list of men’s quarter-finalists, Tsonga easing past the tenacious David Ferrer, and Lopez coming from 2 sets to love down to edge past Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot. Both face big tests in the quarter-finals, with Tsonga drawn to play Federer, and Lopez up against Andy Murray. Interestingly, it was Murray’s mum who apparently gave the good-looking Spaniard his latest nickname, “Deliciano” Lopez. Whether that gives Lopez extra ammunition against Murray remains to be seen.

Matches of the Day – Day 8 

1. Sabine Lisicki vs. Marion Bartoli

Women’s quarter-finals day kicks off with this match-up between the big-serving German Lisicki and the ferocious Frenchwoman Bartoli. Each has recorded some quality wins in the tournament so far, with Lisicki taking down French Open champion Li Na and Bartoli eliminating Serena Williams in the round of 16.

Lisicki, who is on the comeback trail from injury and who was granted a wildcard into Wimbledon on the basis of her previous performances at the All England Club, has justified that wildcard by returning to the quarter-finals. The German has a big serve, good volleys and is an excellent athlete who moves well around the court. I think this will be a close match, but I’m inclined to favour Bartoli on the basis of her stunning form in recent months.

The ninth seed made the semi-finals of the French Open, won a lead-up tournament on grass before Wimbledon and has now won 4 matches at the All England Club. The fact Bartoli is a former Wimbledon finalist should also help her stay calm in the crucial moments of today’s clash. Bartoli in 3.

2. Dominika Cibulkova vs. Maria Sharapova

With both Williams sisters and Caroline Wozniacki crashing out of the tournament on Day 7, the stars are aligning for Maria Sharapova and her quest for a second Wimbledon title. But there is still a lot of work to do for the Russian, and her unreliable serve represents a question mark going into every big match.

Cibulkova had a tremendous win over Caroline Wozniacki yesterday, but I think the Slovak will have a hard time backing up from that draining match. The twenty-fourth seed is a former French Open semi-finalist, but this is the further she has ever advanced at the All England Club.

On clay or hard-courts, I’d give Cibulkova a better chance of victory, but Sharapova is the more accomplished grass-court player and has far more big match experience. The Russian will need to serve well to win, though – Cibulkova possesses a fierce forehand and will look to attack any short second serves from the 3-time Grand Slam champion. Sharapova in 2.

3. Petra Kvitova vs. Tsvetana Pironkova

Petra Kvitova has slipped under the radar so far this year at the All England Club, but the Czech has probably been the form player of the tournament to date. The eighth seed has breezed through her first 4 matches without dropping a set, and absolutely annihilated the talented Yanina Wickmayer in the fourth round, losing just 2 games.

Pironkova has had a higher profile at this year’s championships, due mostly to the fact that she has ousted a couple of the big names in the women’s tournament. Pironkova backed up her win over second seed Vera Zvonareva with a straight sets defeat of Venus Williams, and the Bulgarian will be Kvitova’s toughest test of the tournament to date by quite some distance.

The slightly built Pironkova is a great mover on the grass, and has the agility to get down well to the low balls that frequently slide through on grass-courts. But Kvitova is a brilliant shot-maker who rarely allows her opponents to dictate play against her. I think Pironkova has already peaked in this tournament, while Kvitova is simmering nicely, waiting to bring out her best tennis when it’s required. Kvitova in 2.

4. Tamira Paszek vs. Victoria Azarenka

I have to give credit to Victoria Azarenka, who has done far better in this tournament that I expected. The Belarusian survived a tough 3-setter against Daniela Hantuchova earlier in the tournament, but was at her ruthless best in destroying Russian veteran Nadia Petrova yesterday.

Azarenka has been one of the form players on the WTA Tour this season and, now that her nemesis Li Na (who beat her in Melbourne and Paris) is out of the tournament, Azarenka will fancy her chances of making the semi-finals, if not further. Her opponent in the quarter-finals, Tamira Paszek, is a young Austrian player who burst onto the WTA Tour in 2007, making the round of 16 at Wimbledon and at the US Open.

Paszek’s results have been inconsistent since then, but the Austrian recorded a famous victory over Francesca Schiavone in the third round and will be looking to register another upset today. Unfortunately for young Paszek, I think Azarenka will have far too much firepower. Azarenka in 2.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 7: 27 June Sunday, Jun 26 2011

Bernard who? World number 158 Bernard Tomic and his straight sets demolition of fifth seed Robin Soderling was the story of the day on Saturday, the young Aussie losing just 7 points in the opening set en route to a famous victory.

Day 6 Recap

Although Soderling seemed to be out-of-sorts against Tomic, and even called the trainer mid-match complaining of dizziness and stomach problems, full credit must be handed to the 18 year old Aussie. Tomic showed maturity beyond his years, as well as a dizzying array of shots, to take out the hard-hitting Swede in one of the upsets of the tournament.

Tomic will play Xavier Malisse for a spot in the quarter-finals after the Belgian upset Jurgen Melzer. The Austrian let his emotions get the better of him, smashing his racquet as he capitulated in the fourth set, losing it to love. Using a racquet smashing to better effect was Novak Djokovic, who fired himself up to defeat Marcos Baghdatis in an entertaining 4 set match.

World number one Rafael Nadal survived 2 tiebreakers to beat Gilles Muller in straight sets, although the Spaniard appeared to aggravate a leg muscle during the match. Archrival Roger Federer also booked his spot in the round of 16, comfortably handling his old foe David Nalbandian.

Federer will now face Mikhail Youzhny, who beat Nicolas Almagro, while Nadal faces a tough opponent in Juan Martin Del Potro, the Argentine a winner over Frenchman Gilles Simon. Other winners in the men’s tournament on Day 6 included Tomas Berdych, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Michael Llodra, David Ferrer, Mardy Fish and Polish qualifier Lukasz Kubot, who scored an upset victory over Gael Monfils.

In the women’s tournament, Caroline Wozniacki, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova all faced dangerous opponents, but each progressed for the loss of just 5 games. Williams, in particular, looks to be getting better with each match, and lurks as a major danger heading into the second week of the championships.

Less successful was the Italian pair of Flavia Pennetta and Francesa Schiavone. Not only did each seed lose her singles match in a long 3-setter (Pennetta going down 9-7 in the third to Marion Bartoli; Schiavone losing 11-9 in the final set to Tamira Paszek), the Italians then combined to lose a 3 set doubles match.

Other women to advance on Day 6 included the German wildcard Lisicki, twentieth seed Shuai Peng, the diminutive Slovak Cibulkova, who enjoyed a good win over Julia Goerges, and the Czech Cetkovska, who enjoyed a surprise win over former world number one Ana Ivanovic.

Matches of the Day – Day 7

1. Andy Murray vs. Richard Gasquet

This looms as a major danger match for Andy Murray. 2007 Wimbledon semi-finalist Richard Gasquet is an accomplished grass-court player, and the Frenchman is enjoying somewhat of a renaissance on the ATP Tour this season, having beaten Roger Federer in Rome among other good wins.

Murray was a little sloppy at times against Ljubicic in the third round, and the Scot will need to be a lot sharper against Gasquet. The Frenchman can use his delightful one-handed backhand to great effect on grass, and has the composure and touch to effectively finish points off at the net.

Murray needs to be aggressive in this match and must attempt to dictate the majority of the points. Murray sometimes gets far too passive in his matches. Against Gasquet, that kind of attitude could prove fatal. I’ll take Murray to scrape through, but this one could well cause many nervous moments for fans of the Scot. Murray in 5.

2. Venus Williams vs. Tsvetana Pironkova

Venus Williams played a superb match in the round of 32 against Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez, but the American will need to lift her game to another level again against an opponent who has beaten Williams in 2 of their 3 matches, and who was responsible for knocking the 5-time champion out of Wimbledon last year.

Pironkova went on to make the semi-finals at last year’s tournament, and in the third round she atoned for last year’s semi-final loss to Vera Zvonareva, comprehensively beating the Russian. The Bulgarian seems to love playing on the grass-courts of the All England Club, and against Williams to boot. Pironkova has good wheels and has proven highly successful at nullifying the lanky American’s immense power in their previous matches.

If Williams serves well and keeps her unforced error count low, she should win, but anything less than an A-grade performance could well see Pironkova again claim the American’s highly prized scalp. Williams in 3.

3. Rafael Nadal vs. Juan Martin Del Potro

The big Argentine Del Potro has had a productive year to date, winning a couple of tournaments and getting his ranking back inside the top 30 after a long injury lay-off. The former US Open champion is a top 5 player at his best, and it’s clear that his power game generates plenty of respect in the locker room.

Del Potro is through to the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time and, to push Nadal in this encounter, the Argentine must serve well, keep the points short and execute at an extremely high level. Nadal doesn’t appear overly concerned by a leg complaint caused by a fall in his match against Gilles Muller, but it will be interesting to see whether his movement is impaired at all in this match. I think Del Potro will get on top for periods of the match and win a set, but that’s all. Nadal in 4.

4. Marion Bartoli vs. Serena Williams

Each of these warriors has survived some tense moments to make it into the fourth round. Williams was taken to 3 sets in rounds 1 and 2, before performing impressively against Kirilenko in round 3. Bartoli was stretched to the limit in rounds 2 and 3, coming from behind in round 2 and surviving an epic to beat Pennetta in the round of 32.

Bartoli is a former finalist at Wimbledon, who lost to Serena’s sister Venus in that final. Hitting double-handed off both sides a la Monica Seles, Bartoli’s biggest weakness is her agility around the court. Bartoli likes to hit the ball hard, as does Serena, but the American’s 13 Grand Slams indicates that she is far more successful at employing that style of game. That spells trouble for Bartoli, to my mind. Williams in 2.

5. Mardy Fish vs. Tomas Berdych

With Andy Roddick having been bounced out of the tournament by Feliciano Lopez, Mardy Fish is flying the flag for the American men. Fish benefitted from an early finish in his last match, when his opponent Robin Haase retired due to injury. Fish has a game that is well-suited to grass, the American possessing a strong serve and good volleys, but this year is the first time Fish has made the round of 16 at Wimbledon.

So far this year, Tomas Berdych has slipped under the radar at the All England Club, with the big 4 in the men’s game garnering almost all of the media attention. But last year’s finalist should not be counted out of the running for the title, and I think he will outduel Fish in this match-up. There’s not a lot that separates these players, but I give Berdych a slight edge in firepower and court movement. Berdych in 4.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

 

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 6: 25 June Saturday, Jun 25 2011

As the tournament approaches the halfway mark, there have been some surprises in both the men’s and women’s tournaments. The second week of Wimbledon won’t feature former finalists Andy Roddick and Vera Zvonareva, both players upset on Day 5 of the championships.

Day 5 Recap

The American Roddick had the misfortune to encounter a red-hot Feliciano Lopez on Centre Court, the Spanish lefty producing 57 winners and just 8 unforced errors to take out the former world number one. In that kind of form, it’s unlikely anyone would have stood much of a chance against Lopez.

Andy Murray edged his way past the veteran Ivan Ljubicic in a tight 4-setter, the Scot producing a breathtaking between the legs winner in the fourth set to the delight of the crowd. Spanish warrior David Ferrer came back from 2 sets to 1 down against American Ryan Harrison to record a typically gritty victory, while the big-serving Austrian Jurgen Melzer also advanced, courtesy of a 4 set win over the Russian Tursunov.

Richard Gasquet reminded onlookers of his grass-court credentials with a commanding straight sets victory over Simone Bolelli, but the victory of the day belonged to the young Aussie Bernard Tomic. The youngest player left in the men’s draw at 18, Tomic came back from 2 sets to love down against Igor Andreev, breaking the Russian 3 times in the final set to run away with the match. Tomic will now face Robin Soderling for a spot in the round of 16.

In the women’s tournament, Venus Williams offset her lengthy win over Kimiko Date-Krumm with a lightning-quick thrashing of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez. Top seed Caroline Wozniacki also progressed with ease, as did Petra Kvitova, while Victoria Azarenka and Maria Sharapova were forced to battle hard to earn a victory. Azarenka took 3 sets to see off Daniela Hantuchova, whereas Sharapova fought back from 4-1 down in the opening set against young Brit Laura Robson to prevail, 7-6(4) 6-3.

The biggest upset of the day was Vera Zvonareva’s straight sets loss to Tsvetana Pironkova. The Bulgarian atoned for her semi-final loss to Zvonareva at Wimbledon last year and, having underlined her grass-court prowess once more, could be a dark horse to go deep into the second week of the tournament again this year. In other results, former finalist Marion Bartoli registered a come-from-behind 3 set win over the Spaniard Dominguez Lino, eleventh seed Andrea Petkovic crashed out of the tournament, and Yanina Wickmayer defeated Svetlana Kuznetsova in a 3 set thriller, the lengthy and dramatic rally on match point a fitting way to end a superb battle.

Other matches, including those involving Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin Del Potro and Francesca Schiavone, will resume today after being delayed by rain on Day 5.

Matches of the Day – Day 6 

1. Caroline Wozniacki vs. Jarmila Gajdosova

World number one Caroline Wozniack has yet to be challenged at Wimbledon this year, but make no mistake: the Dane faces a tough hurdle in the form of Gajdosova. Gajdosova made the fourth round at the All England Club last year, and was unlucky not to push Venus Williams into a deciding set in their round of 16 match.

To my mind, how well Gajdosova fares against Wozniacki depends largely on the Aussie’s frame of mind. Gajdosova has been known to get hot-headed and lose concentration in matches, and she will need to remain composed and focused against such a fabulous competitor in Wozniacki. Gajdosova has the weaponry to beat Wozniacki, mainly in the form of her hard and flat groundstrokes, but she needs to remember that Wozniacki will make her earn every point.

If Gajdosova’s game goes off the boil at any stage, or if she simply doesn’t execute at a high level and commits a lot of unforced errors, then mark down the win to Wozniacki. But if the Aussie’s game is on-song, the Dane could be in trouble. I’ll take Wozniacki in a close one on the basis of her exemplary consistency and big-match experience. Wozniacki in 3.

2. David Nalbandian vs. Roger Federer

David Nalbandian has proved to be something of a nemesis for Roger Federer. Although clearly not in the same category as Rafael Nadal, Nalbandian has a game which matches up well against Federer’s, and that has brought him some success against the Swiss master in previous clashes.

However, I’d give Nalbandian a far greater chance of success in this encounter if the match were on any surface other than grass. The grass-courts of the All England Club are where Federer feels most comfortable and, while Nalbandian is a former Wimbledon finalist, the Argentine would probably agree that he is a better clay or hard-court player.

I’d also be more hopeful of an upset win by Nalbandian if the Argentine had been playing regularly on the ATP Tour in the first half of the year. After a fine 5 set win over Hewitt at Melbourne Park, Nalbandian was forced off-tour yet again to deal with a torn hamstring and a hernia. I also think Federer will be up for this match, as he knows the danger Nalbandian poses. The Argentine might sneak a set off the third seed, but I can’t see his charge gaining any more momentum than that. Federer in 3.

3. Marcos Baghdatis vs. Novak Djokovic

Whereas David Nalbandian is a better clay and hard-court player, I think grass is Marcos Baghdatis’ best surface. At his best, the Cypriot is a superb mover around the court and times the ball incredibly well. A former Wimbledon semi-finalist, Baghdatis seems to relish the fast pace of grass-courts, which brings his natural shot-making flair to the fore.

Unfortunately for Baghdatis, he faces an uphill battle against the world’s best player in 2011, Novak Djokovic. The Serb has barely raised a sweat in arriving at the round of 32, and his seemingly effortless demolition of Kevin Anderson, a very solid grass-court player, should sound an ominous warning to Baghdatis.

Like Baghdatis, Djokovic is a sublime mover on grass-courts, and he clearly has more firepower from the back of the court than the Cypriot. Still, I’ll take Baghdatis to jag a set and slightly slow the speed of the Djokovic juggernaut. But don’t be fooled: that awesome juggernaut will continue to move forward at a rapid pace. Djokovic in 4.

4. Maria Kirilenko vs. Serena Williams

Serena Williams has had to fight all the way to record victories in her first couple of matches at Wimbledon, but look for the 13-time Grand Slam champion to step it up now that the tournament is approaching its second week. Williams has had enough match practice now, having played a pair of 3-setters at Eastbourne and another pair of 3-setters so far at the All England Club.

The glamorous Russian Kirilenko is a very good doubles player and a more than capable singles player. Kirilenko showed no mercy at the 2010 Australian Open, where she took down her compatriot Maria Sharapova, who was returning from a serious shoulder problem. Kirilenko will be looking to cause another upset today, but I sense that Williams will feed off the Russian’s pace and dominate the vast majority of the rallies from the back of the court. Williams in 2.

5. Robin Soderling vs. Bernard Tomic

The teenager Tomic will be looking to avenge his countryman Hewitt’s agonising 5 set loss to Soderling, but I think the teenager will have his work cut out for him in this one. Soderling played very cleverly in the last half of the Hewitt match, and I think the Swede will take a similarly astute approach in this match. Unlike Andreev, who became very frustrated with Tomic’s game plan and subsequently lost his focus, Soderling will no doubt be prepared for Tomic’s awkward style of game and will take his time figuring out the Aussie’s strengths and weaknesses.

I expect Hewitt will have given Tomic some inside tips on how best to play Soderling, but the reality is that not much can be done when the Swede is sending 216km/hr bombs down the tee, or cracking his groundstrokes for winners from any spot on the court. Tomic will be hoping Soderling misses a few shots, as the Swede did early on against Hewitt, and the teenager will need to take every opportunity presented to him. I reckon he can steal a set against Soderling, but nothing more. Soderling in 4.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and, as tomorrow is the traditional middle Sunday rest day of the tournament, I’ll be back with another serve on Monday.

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Wimbledon 2011 Issue 5: 24 June Friday, Jun 24 2011

Day 4 was another rain-affected day at the All England Club, but that didn’t stop the flow of drama. With the roof closed on Centre Court, fifth seed Robin Soderling and former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt fought out an epic, which was immediately followed by a pulsating 3 set clash between Sabine Lisicki and Li Na.

Day 4 Recap

Hewitt showed that, despite a raft of injuries in the past few years, he remains an elite grass-court player. The plucky Aussie went up 2 sets to love against Soderling, with an incredible diving backhand down the line setting up the decisive break for Hewitt in the second set.

But Soderling demonstrated his growing maturity as the match wore on, the Swede taking some pace off his shots and cutting down his unforced errors to gradually gain the ascendency over a tiring Hewitt. The Aussie’s lack of match play started to show in the fifth set, Soderling breaking Hewitt to love to clinch the match 6-7(5) 3-6 7-5 6-4 6-4.

After that incredible match, the Centre Court crowd was treated to another thriller between French Open champion Li Na and the talented German Sabine Lisicki. The world number 4 collected the opening set before the German wildcard levelled the match at one set apiece. The final set went down to the wire, the big-serving Lisicki finally prevailing 3-6 6-4 8-6.

Among the top men’s seeds on Day 4, Novak Djokovic rolled into the round of 32 by ousting South African Kevin Anderson in 3 sets. Djokovic will next face Marcos Baghdatis, who also had a straight sets win. Roger Federer likewise advanced in straight sets, and will now face David Nalbandian, who has proved to be something of a nemesis for the Swiss maestro in the past.

Jo-Wifried Tsonga is through to the third round after squeezing past the talented youngster Grigor Dimitrov in a very tight 4 set match. Also taking 4 sets to advance was Nicolas Almagro, who registered a good win over John Isner, and Juan Martin Del Potro, who used his one foot height advantage over Olivier Rochus to record a victory. Former Wimbledon semi-finalist Xavier Malisse upset the twentieth seed, Florian Mayer, while another upset came at the hands of Yen-Hsun Lu, who knocked out thirteenth seed Viktor Troicki.

In the women’s tournament, Serena Williams again struggled but fought her way through to a victory, beating the Romanian Halep in 3 sets. 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone had a straight sets win, as did former world number one Ana Ivanonic, the Serb showing glimpses of her best form. The biggest casualty on the women’s side on Day 4 was Pole Agnieszka Radwanska, the thirteenth seed upset by unheralded Czech Petra Cetkovska.

Matches of the Day – Day 5 

1. Feliciano Lopez vs. Andy Roddick

The big-serving lefty Lopez is a tricky player on all surfaces, but most of all on grass. The Spaniard has recorded his best Grand Slam results at Wimbledon, and is a two-time quarter-finalist at the All England Club. Last year, Lopez upset his famous compatriot Rafael Nadal at Queen’s Club, so Roddick will have to bring his A-Game to the court today.

Roddick, a 4-time Wimbledon finalist, produced a significantly better performance in his second round match compared to his opening round match. Roddick was sharp against Hanescu and will need to really hit through his groundstrokes and approach the net with conviction in order to progress further in this year’s tournament. With Lopez possessing a serve almost as good as Roddick’s, the American cannot rely on his big serve to get him across the line in this encounter. Roddick in 4.

2. Daniela Hantuchova vs. Victoria Azarenka

This match-up pits the current world number 5, Victoria Azarenka, against a former world number 5 in Daniela Hantuchova. The veteran Hantuchova has produced some good results in recent months, demolishing world number one Caroline Wozniacki in Paris at the French Open, and making the final at the Wimbledon warm-up event in Birmingham.

After being one of the hottest players on the WTA Tour earlier in the year, a couple of niggling injuries have disrupted Victoria Azarenka’s stellar start to the season. To my mind, the Belarusian has been a disappointment in the Grand Slams, promising much but failing to deliver in the big matches. I think Hantuchova is capable of causing an upset in this match, as she is a great mover around the court and grass is Azarenka’s least-preferred surface. I’ll back to Slovak to oust Azarenka in a long one. Hantuchova in 3.

3. Andy Murray vs. Ivan Ljubicic

After dropping the opening set to Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver in his first round match, Andy Murray has been all business. First, the Scot reeled off 15 straight games to see off Gimeno-Traver, then he whipped Tobias Kamke in straight sets. Murray seems more relaxed at Wimbledon this year compared to previous years, and that bodes well for his chances. More than anything, I think Murray needs to block out all the noise around him and just play his natural game, which is good enough to take him all the way to a Grand Slam title.

The veteran Croat Ljubicic has done well to make the third round of this year’s Wimbledon tournament, especially considering he faced a difficult first round assignment against his compatriot Marin Cilic. Ljubicic’s serve should see him remain competitive in at least a couple of the sets, but Murray is the better mover around the court and has a superior game from the back of the court. Murray in 3.

4. Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez vs. Venus Williams

Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez is up there with Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova when it comes to the longest names on the WTA Tour. Martinez Sanchez has performed well this tournament, recording a fabulous 3 set victory over Jelena Jankovic in round 1 and recording an easy win in round 2. After fighting all the way for a thrilling victory over the feisty Kimiko Date-Krumm in the second round, Venus will be eager for a quick and easy path to the round of 16.

This match-up should make for interesting viewing, with Martinez Sanchez’s game revolving around touch and feel – a marked contrast to Venus’ ruthless power game. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, I think Venus will overwhelm Martinez Sanchez with her power and her first serve, meaning that the match could well be over before you can say “Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez”. Williams in 2.

5. Juan Martin Del Potro vs. Gilles Simon

This is a fascinating match-up between a couple of former top 10 players who are still finding their feet on the ATP Tour once more after long injury lay-offs. Del Potro is looking to continue his charge up the rankings after a long break due to a serious wrist injury, while Simon has already re-entered the top 20 after several issues with a problematic knee.

Like the Martinez-Sanchez and Venus Williams clash, this duel showcases contrasting styles. Del Potro loves to crunch balls off both wings, whereas Simon is more of a counter-puncher, utilising deft touch and precise placement to manufacture his points. This year is Del Potro’s first appearance in the third round of Wimbledon, while Simon’s best result at the All England Club is a 2009 trip to the fourth round.

On clay or hard-courts, I’d give Del Potro a clear advantage in this match-up. But the grass-courts should suit Simon far more than the Argentine, and for that reason I think the match will go the distance. I’ll take Del Potro because his big serve should provide him with more free points. If the match goes to a fifth set, those free points will become awfully handy. Del Potro in 5.

That’s it for today. Enjoy the tennis and I’ll be back with another serve tomorrow.

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