Wimbledon Day 2, Tuesday 2nd July

I thought a home away from bickering about the draws might be worth it.

Today sees the Fedal side of the draw stepping up.

Kyrgios is struggling against compatriot Thompson as I write.  We'll find out how others touted to make up Nadal's tough draw will fare.

Federer should have a stroll vs. Harris, who has yet to play 30 matches on tour, and Sugita has reached the age of 30 without doing anything to suggest he'll trouble Nadal.

Thiem at arguably his weakest slam has a potentially sprightly opponent in Querrey who is at his strongest - including QF in 2016 and SF in 2017.

We'll get to see how Isner and Nishikori fare, who are seeded to meet in R4 for a place in QF vs. the emergee from Federer's section.

Of the women past champions Serena, Kerber, Muguruza and Sharapova play, and so does the new #1 Barty.

In truth it will probably take a round or two before the Tournament warms up.

It could be. Can't guarantee it won't spill in here should Kyrgios fall. 

The Thiem Querrey match is beautifully poised. Wouldn't fancy Thiem serving out at 6-5 down. 

James Ward amazingly looks set to lose in 5 sets after taking the first 2 against Basilashvili. 

Nishi with match points against Monteiro.

And Nish through in straights. Good opener for him.

To say Kyrgios is living dangerously would be understatement of the year. Have to say the 3rd set will determine the outcome of the match.

Evans dispatches Delbonis in 3. Fantastic result for him. 

Kyrgios breaks Thompson and will serve for the 3rd.

And Harriet Dart is through in 3. Good start on the Brit side.

Thiem takes the first set against Querrey. Be a good result for Thiem to overcome Querrey where he is better suited to grass.

So Kyrgios blows 2 set points and manages to get broken back.

Couldn't write it.

Can't think how long this Simon service game has been going on for!!

Kyrgios looks like he's gone. 0-6 4th set. I'm not watching so don't know if he just had an attack of the mental demons.

Phew. Kyrgios through.

So happy for Baghdatis as this is his last tournament, he passed R1 in flying colors by winning his match in straight sets! 

Great, Fed broken already

Set lost

I am not watching. Is this Harris any good...or is Fed once again, struggling?

Stats suggest it's a typical tight grass court crap shoot - one bp each, Harris converted and Fed did not.  

Fed's 1st serve is piss poor at 19/32 in, and only 10/19 won, but his 2nd serve is doing well at 12/13 - go figure?

He had two bp's in the 2nd set at 2-1 and took the second, now serving at 3:1.

good. Thanks Barry.

I have just managed to log to BBC UK thanks to my VPN. quality not that good though.

As much as I criticise Wimbledon for slowing down courts, it's still a grass court and makes the game special in that first week.

I hope the courts get proper grass length 9mm...and not 8 like they did more recently.

Looks like normal service has been resumed.  Fed has upped his game and won the second set 6-1 in 20mins.

luvsports! wrote:Phew. Kyrgios through.

Can't wait for his match vs Rafa. Hopefully he turns his mojo on full steam.

Much better from Fed...funny to see he can be nervous at 38 and 20slams...

Maybe because he feels he can win it again, or maybe cause it could be his last Wimbledon....who knows.

Harris is the fourth guy to take the 1st set of the 1st round match off Federer at Wimbledon, others were in 1999, 2000, 2002, and 2010.  

Fed lost the first 3 of those matches, and in 2010 he struggled past Falla in five-setter before losing to Berdych in the QF - he had picked up a niggle losing to Hewitt in Halle.

Becker in the commentary box thinks Federer has to work hard to win the points and thinks courts are slower this year 

Anyway - he's now broken in the 3rd set, so should be well on his way.

I'd only say that against Falla he looked all over the place, not quite the same here.

bogbrush wrote:I'd only say that against Falla he looked all over the place, not quite the same here.

Agreed - and Harris looks like a guy with a good game for a slick surface.

barrystar wrote:
Becker in the commentary box thinks Federer has to work hard to win the points and thinks courts are slower this year 

Yes I heard that and from what I saw, there were a few longish rallies.

Is Harris injured (watching with sound off).

Harris seems to have a calf problem.

Fed needs to play himself into this tournament a bit better if he's going to stand up to the big boys at the end.

Fed closes out in less than 2hrs, and Nadal loses the first two games of his match - I suspect that Sugita will experience a fightback of sorts.....

Sugita experiences a quick loss.

But Baghdatis won, hooray!!

Berdy sent home by Fritz, somehow forgot he was even in the draw.

Berdych and most of that generation are good to retire.  They have done ok even though they were unable to pierce through the Big 3 (or Big 4?) unlike Stan.

Rafa vs Kyrgios it is.  If Kyrgios shows up, it could be interesting.  The best-case scenario is Kyrgios winning and serving a dozen or so underarm serves in the process.  But, Kyrgios being Kyrgios, he might also just mail it in and maybe even retire midway through the first set.

Anyway.  Hopefully the fighting Kyrgios shows up and we have a match.

This match also brings in play Amri's jinx from earlier this spring:

DEC1M8 wrote:No one cares about the Mexican Open, and Kyrgios isn't beating Nadal for the rest of the year.

I believe that quote was right after Kyrgios trash-talked Nadal in the Acapulco post match conference.

I am so excited, and yet so scared, for this match. Kyrgios really has spiced things up