Wimbledon Day 5, Friday 5th July

The likely highlight of the early rounds of the men's draw is over.  Kyrgios probably lost an otherwise entertaining match at the start when he gave up his first service game limply thus handing Nadal a cushion that proved to be the crucial advantage as the match got much tighter.  Back to SNAFU as this dreary draw continues to creep its embarrassing* way, propelled by gravity towards the inevitable denouement of a SF which will reduce the Big 3 to Djoko vs. Nadal or Federer, probably the former so we can 'enjoy' slugfest #55 on Sunday week - to be fair to them, last years SF was a good match.

Today we get a look at FAA on a show Court and Verdasco's efforts to roll back the years come up against the conqueror of the good Dr. 

Yup, it's mostly, meh.

The women's draw continues to throw up less meagre fayre, if you can face the noise that is, Halep v. Azarenka and Gauff are on Centre. Over on No. 1, will this be Pliskova's year?

The Murray brothers are making three outings in the doubles - Andy in his now familiar hovering spot will no doubt go on whichever of Centre or No. 1 finishes earliest partnering Williams S.  Kyrgios is back on court in the mixed after another bender in the Dog and Fox, silly boy.

*large numbers of 'up and coming' stars in the draw under the ages of 31 should by now have started to mount a challenge to the Big 3.  I am struggling to remember such a feeling of ennui as the Wimbledon draw unfolds

Indeed barry. I can't recall a Wimbledon that has been so underwhelming and couple that with the insanely slow courts. It has been dreary. 

Amazing to think regardless of the outcome the tournament that the Nadal/Kyrgios match will be the most remembered match of the tournament (rightly so). Makes me sad that Kyrgios wasn't around much earlier as he and Kyrgios as a rivalry has the makings of being one of the more compelling since McEnroe/Borg. 

I think most of us will nap until next Friday when it gets serious

Raonic through in straights again. Not dropped a set yet in the tournament. Which after 3 matches is impressive for him.

legendkillar wrote:Raonic through in straights again. Not dropped a set yet in the tournament. Which after 3 matches is impressive for him.

Another player who has been struggling with fitness/injuries since he got to number 4.

Medvedev Goffin should be a good match with shots you won;t see in a Nadal ? Djokovic for instance.

What are you talking about?
Medvedev literally does nothing apart from hit big serves and low risk central ground strokes. He’s nowhere near as aggressive in rallies as Nadal.

takes your blinkers off.

It shows how ridiculously slow the courts are....and how big mucles a la Nadal can hit through.

You are mixing up aggressivite with power. There is no risk, hence no or little agressivity in Nadal's shots.

Anderson had his serve broken at 4-5 to lose the first set vs. Pella and is a break down in the second at 3-5 - consistent with his stinker of an injury-hit year so far.

Looks like Raonic is the favourite to emerge from that quarter - either way Djoko will be facing bullets from a guy who can't back up his serve to the required standard.

Just woke up to see Anderson is down two sets. I still think he has a chance to come back - just cannot imagine Pella as being any good here.

I see the laughable top half of the draw continues to rid itself of seeds.

Khachanov. Another youngster to bite the dust.

Is somebody somewhere in the ATP HQ ruing the day they ever thought of #nextgen, highlighting the deficiency of the future of their sport, it's a bit like #lookattheboilonmynose or #noIhaven'tgotatinydick

Djoko's greatest opponent must be complacency.

Idemo MAJSTOREEEEEEE!!!!!!

barrystar wrote:Is somebody somewhere in the ATP HQ ruing the day they ever thought of #nextgen, highlighting the deficiency of the future of their sport, it's a bit like #lookattheboilonmynose or #noIhaven'tgotatinydick

Djoko's greatest opponent must be complacency.

Or a sudden injury! 

It's depressing. Not because of Djokovic. Just more how lightweight the field really is.

bogbrush wrote:I see the laughable top half of the draw continues to rid itself of seeds.

In fairness the bottom isn't fairing much better either...

All it needs is Nishikori to follow suit and aside from Kev coming back, the big 3 will be the only seeds from the top 10 left. 

Criminal.

Majstorree!

https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/r/rs.gif

summerblues wrote:Majstorree!

https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/images/r/rs.gif

Djokovic won't need the power of jinx that's for sure

TB Anderson/Pella. Mini-break to Pella. 

Balls moving through the air like Beach Balls!

legendkillar wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I see the laughable top half of the draw continues to rid itself of seeds.

In fairness the bottom isn't fairing much better either...

All it needs is Nishikori to follow suit and aside from Kev coming back, the big 3 will be the only seeds from the top 10 left. 

Criminal.

Surely the stage is set for Nishikori to oust Federer in 5 at the quarters and retire after three games in the semi?

Anderson gone...

bogbrush wrote:

legendkillar wrote:

bogbrush wrote:I see the laughable top half of the draw continues to rid itself of seeds.

In fairness the bottom isn't fairing much better either...

All it needs is Nishikori to follow suit and aside from Kev coming back, the big 3 will be the only seeds from the top 10 left. 

Criminal.

Surely the stage is set for Nishikori to oust Federer in 5 at the quarters and retire after three games in the semi?

If he makes 5 games vs Federer without retiring, I'd be impressed!

No fightback from Anderson.

Hurkacz bottles the overhead and loses the set. urghhh

Other than the Big 3 it is just a bunch of has-beens and never-beens left in the tournament.

I hope FAA can spice things up and at least advance to play Novak and give him a good fight.

Djokovic again boring everyone to death. No wonder only Serbs care about him.

I’ve seen FAA a few times and he’s looked miles away from the standard to even trouble the big 3. To be fair he is 18, so maybe in a few years time he’ll be closer.

bogbrush wrote:Djokovic again boring everyone to death. No wonder only Serbs care about him.

Djokovic has perfected a style where neither he, nor his opponent, are on top in a rally.

Djokovic doing a Van Gaal!

Just going to start watching now, how has Djokovic been playing? Better than the level of Federer and Nadal?

lol what a choke by Hurkacz on set point

Come onnn Hurkacz, break his fucking legsss

DEC1M8 wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Djokovic again boring everyone to death. No wonder only Serbs care about him.

Djokovic has perfected a style where neither he, nor his opponent, are on top in a rally.

There is no need from you to comment for Djoko in a pleasant way, just because nitb was happy for Nadal yesterday.

Get a grip, man up and don't be a pussy 

Hurkacz getting kiss off the net and takes the set on the following point.

Hurkacz has played well. Djokovic looks pissed!

Yes!

Thats it, crush himmmm takes the set, go go go

@sphairistike
If Hurkacz wins today I will never doubt your 160 IQ again

Another set needs to be taken by Hurka, so Djoko can melt down mentally for the rest of the year hahahahaha

Jahu wrote:

DEC1M8 wrote:

bogbrush wrote:Djokovic again boring everyone to death. No wonder only Serbs care about him.

Djokovic has perfected a style where neither he, nor his opponent, are on top in a rally.

There is no need from you to comment for Djoko in a pleasant way, just because nitb was happy for Nadal yesterday.

Get a grip, man up and don't be a pussy 

I just say it as I see it. Djokovic does have a very effective and efficient baseline style. But as Bogbrush pointed out, it may not make for the most entertaining matches at times.

Jahu wrote:Another set needs to be taken by Hurka, so Djoko can melt down mentally for the rest of the year hahahahaha

One set isn't enough he needs to take 2 fucking more!

DEC1M8 wrote:I’ve seen FAA a few times and he’s looked miles away from the standard to even trouble the big 3. To be fair he is 18, so maybe in a few years time he’ll be closer.

Again DEC1M8-ed brain, showing a total lack of tennis knowledge. Why don' you go and comment on cricket instead, maybe you understand that sport better, who knows?

And also, Hurcakz has just done at least as well against Djoker as Kyrgios did yesterday against Rafa. Now you understand why I said Hurcakz will not be easy... Hopefully you can start listening from people with greater tennis knowledge than yours and start learning, unless your brain has been DEC1M8-ed to the point of no return...

Goffin/Medvedev looking like its going the distance. 

Verdasco up 2 sets.

And how the heck did Gauff get another Centre Court billing!

sphairistike wrote:

DEC1M8 wrote:I’ve seen FAA a few times and he’s looked miles away from the standard to even trouble the big 3. To be fair he is 18, so maybe in a few years time he’ll be closer.

Again DEC1M8-ed brain, showing a total lack of tennis knowledge. Why don' you go and comment on cricket instead, maybe you understand that sport better, who knows?

Well I've seen FAA play this year and he's not close to the standard of the big 3. I've seen 3 matches of FAA recently: vs Zverev in Monte Carlo where he lost 6-4 6-1, vs Nadal in Madrid where he lost 6-3 6-3, and against a tired Lopez where he lost in 3.
Obviously it's difficult for me to make observations given my brain has been DEC1M8-ed, but from what I did see it was not close to level of top 3. If you have evidence suggesting otherwise let me know.

sphairistike wrote:
And also, Hurcakz has just done at least as well against Djoker as Kyrgios did yesterday against Rafa.

No he hasn't. Kyrgios won set 2, and then didn't face a break points for sets 3 and 4. Hurkacz has already had a dip at the start of set 3.

Fucking net chords. Another one for Djokovic. I call it net fixing!

DEC1M8 wrote:

sphairistike wrote:

DEC1M8 wrote:I’ve seen FAA a few times and he’s looked miles away from the standard to even trouble the big 3. To be fair he is 18, so maybe in a few years time he’ll be closer.

Again DEC1M8-ed brain, showing a total lack of tennis knowledge. Why don' you go and comment on cricket instead, maybe you understand that sport better, who knows?

Well I've seen FAA play this year and he's not close to the standard of the big 3. I've seen 3 matches of FAA recently: vs Zverev in Monte Carlo where he lost 6-4 6-1, vs Nadal in Madrid where he lost 6-3 6-3, and against a tired Lopez where he lost in 3.
Obviously it's difficult for me to make observations given my brain has been DEC1M8-ed, but from what I did see it was not close to level of top 3. If you have evidence suggesting otherwise let me know.

sphairistike wrote:
And also, Hurcakz has just done at least as well against Djoker as Kyrgios did yesterday against Rafa.

No he hasn't. Kyrgios won set 2, and then didn't face a break points for sets 3 and 4. Hurkacz has already had a dip at the start of set 3.

At least it will be 4 sets, so technically and factually it would be a correct statement. Splitting hairs with the number of games per set won't lend itself to the argument.

legendkillar wrote:
At least it will be 4 sets, so technically and factually it would be a correct statement. Splitting hairs with the number of games per set won't lend itself to the argument.

You have to look at it in a more nuanced way than just number of sets won. Otherwise one could argue a 6-0 6-0 6-0 win is just as close to 7-6 7-6 7-6.
Yesterday's game was very close as it came down to a few points in TBs in sets 3 and 4. Hurkacz's level has massively dropped off here, let's see if he can recover.

Wake the fuck up Hurkaaa you can do it...

legendkillar wrote:Goffin/Medvedev looking like its going the distance. 

Verdasco up 2 sets.

And how the heck did Gauff get another Centre Court billing!

She is under Feds/Godeicks Team8 management, guess they fixes that for her !!

DEC1M8 wrote:

legendkillar wrote:
At least it will be 4 sets, so technically and factually it would be a correct statement. Splitting hairs with the number of games per set won't lend itself to the argument.

You have to look at it in a more nuanced way than just number of sets won. Otherwise one could argue a 6-0 6-0 6-0 win is just as close to 7-6 7-6 7-6.
Yesterday's game was very close as it came down to a few points in TBs in sets 3 and 4. Hurkacz's level has massively dropped off here, let's see if he can recover.

Ermmm no. That's taking numbers to extremes. 

Yesterday's match was a cagey affair to be honest. It wasn't massive quality. Kyrgios dipped in the first set and in the ensuing TB's. You made the point Kyrgios didn't face a BP. That's not down to his serving alone as Nadal wasn't doing much on the return games. Nadal didn't drop the set because Kyrgios played lights out, Nadal had a dip himself. 

Hurkacz played well. Had his chances and just didn't take them enough. Djokovic upped his level massively in the 3rd and 4th. Getting much more length on his shots and looking less sluggish in his movement. It was a stern enough test for him. 

It's in those margins that the rest of the field can't get on top of Federer or Nadal or Djokovic.