Tennis!

[Lineker]

Wimbledon to be first ever BBC 3D broadcast

Thanks for reminding me that play is about to start at Queens - should make the next few hours at work less dull!

[Starvinho]

It's rained off at the moment. Typical...

[Damian WayLNKe]

I'm thinking about doing the Wimbledon survivor game again (can't remember the last time I did it). The basics are that you have to pick one winner from each day's schedule of games and you can't choose them again later on. If they don't win on that day, you're out. If a game is postponed to the next day, it still counts as part of its original day's schedule and you can continue to make picks until that match is determined.

[gunnar hendershow]

I would love a Wimbledon Survivor game.

[Hornswoggle4PM]

Expecting Hewitt to impress at Queens and/or other tournaments in England, then disappoint at Wimbledon. Happens pretty much every year. Unless Stosur gets moving again, this could be one more tough year of Wimbledon for Aussie tennis.

Pessimistic, yeah, but it's also likely to happen.

Edited June 8, 2011 by Hornswoggle4PM

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Yeah, I'd be up for that too.

Who does everybody fancy to win it this year? Despite her time out, it's tough to see Serena not winning, though I've had a cheeky bet on Na Li and of course will be rooting for Venus, though see her probably breaking down again due to injuries.

Men's side, really not too sure. If I had to go with one, it'd probably be Federer.

[Mongrel]

Expecting Hewitt to impress at Queens and/or other tournaments in England, then disappoint at Wimbledon. Happens pretty much every year. Unless Stosur gets moving again, this could be one more tough year of Wimbledon for Aussie tennis.

Pessimistic, yeah, but it's also likely to happen.

He's playing Halle this week where he won the title last year. Coming back from injury, I suspect he'll probably struggle against Dolgopolov in the quarters.

Stosur can be written off. Grass doesn't suit her game at all, and if she gets someone who goes for her shots early she'll be on her way. Happened with Kanepi last year.

[IAceI]

If I wasn't English I think I'd despise grass court tournaments. That said it is a wonderful event (Wimbledon) to go to and I want to return as I haven't been for like 7-8 years now I'd say. Going from watching 30 stroke rallies at the French Open to ace-galore on the grass just seems very odd when you watch though. The game seems very old fashioned so you get these players like Mahut with their chips and slices suddenly looking like decent players - and the game is better for that kind of variation - and no doubt when you have finals such as Roddick v Federer it's still some of the highest class tennis there is.

Just a shame our weather is so shit.

That and I'm on holiday for Wimbledon this week so no idea how much of it I'll get to see.

Anyone watch Golding against Mahut in Round 1? Thought he looked okay, at least he looked the part but as even Andrew Castle picked up - there was no slice or anything, just identical ground stroke after ground stroke, something you can tell has just been drummed into him from early doors. Technique, technique, technique. It's how the British players are taught I suppose, less focus on tactical or mental training and a lot of focus on technique. Saying that I see no reason why he couldn't make the top 100 if he works hard enough.

[Lineker]

Golding did look good, also, James Ward knocked out Wawrinka!

British No.2 James Ward has beaten world No.14 and fourth seed Stanislas Wawrinka 7-6(3), 6-3 to reach the third round of the AEGON Championships at The Queen's Club.

The 24 year-old from London pleased the home crowd with an excellent victory against the Swiss No.2 and will now face 2010 champion Sam Querrey in the last 16 after the American overcame Rainer Schuettler in three sets.

"This is the best win of my career so far" said Ward. "Obviously serving for it in a big match like that is not easy but I felt I held my nerve pretty well and I was pleased to get the win in the end."

"Obviously it's his first match on grass, so I have to put things into perspective. He's a great player, but it is his first match, and I've been playing a week in Nottingham last week as well to warm up for the tournament, which I think has helped me."

Following victories earlier in the day for both Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Roddick, Ward took to Court Nine hoping to build on an opening round victory over compatriot Dan Cox and reach the third round at The Queen's Club for the first time.

Ward was playing his second week of grass court tennis after competing at the recent AEGON Trophy in Nottingham and began the match much brighter against his seeded opponent, winning 20 out of 20 points on his serve before securing the set 7-3 in the tie-break.

The world No.216 continued to control the match at the start of the second set with an early break to lead 2-0 before holding his nerve to serve out the match and convert his third match point.

On playing Querrey in the last 16 Ward added: "Obviously he won the tournament last year so he's obviously a top player as well. It will be tough but if I play like I did today and serve well, then I give myself a chance."

There were comfortable wins for two other seeds on day two as both Jo Wilfried Tsonga [5] and Fernando Verdasco [7] claimed straight sets wins on Centre Court against Michael Berrer and Nicolas Mahut respectively.

Meanwhile the doubles draw continued on Tuesday with five British players in first round action. Colin Fleming and Ross Hutchins saw off the challenge of Igor Kunitsyn and Ivan Ljubicic, 6-2, 6-4 to earn themselves a second round match against third seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes.

Ken Skupski and Olivier Malisse will now meet fifth seeds Oliver Marach and Marcin Matkowski in their next match.following a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Andy and Jamie Murray.

In the final doubles match of the evening Rafael Nadal partnered Marc Lopez to victory against Thomas Bellucci and Andre Sa. The Spaniards won 7-6, 6-2 and will now play the seventh seeds Robert Lindstedt and Horia Tecau in the second round.

[IAceI]

What I do find disheartening about Wimbledon is that even the likes of Roddick, Isner, Karlovic who stand no real chance at the French will turn up to do their best but there are a lot of Argentines and other clay court specialists who show up at Wimbledon entirely for their pay cheque and so they don't get penalised but otherwise want to be out of the country as soon as possible.

I loved Coria when he was around but he was generally quite bad for doing that. 125th year of Wimbledon this year so do it would be good if it was an extra special one.

[Mongrel]

Haha in fairness, too, Wawrinka hates the grass and last year played a Swiss challenger on clay instead of any leadup tournaments. Still a big win for the kid.

[Mongrel]

What I do find disheartening about Wimbledon is that even the likes of Roddick, Isner, Karlovic who stand no real chance at the French will turn up to do their best but there are a lot of Argentines and other clay court specialists who show up at Wimbledon entirely for their pay cheque and so they don't get penalised but otherwise want to be out of the country as soon as possible.

I loved Coria when he was around but he was generally quite bad for doing that. 125th year of Wimbledon this year so do it would be good if it was an extra special one.

There are a few of those sorts that only turn up for a pay cheque at Roland Garros, too. Yen-hsun Lu being the biggest example. I guess that's the problem with a ranking system based so heavily on clay results and where you get a mandatory 0 if you withdraw from a Slam you get a direct entry into.

Also, Roddick's attitude to clay in the last few years has been pretty poor.

[gunnar hendershow]

Roddick's attitude towards everything the past few years has been pretty poor. I can't think of an American athelete as good as him who has grown to be so disliked by his country. Sampras and Agassi were icons, McEnroe's antics are loved and to this day he's popular, the Williams sisters are both very popular, but Roddick is just someone who the country doesn't rally behind.

And I echo that the grass courts lend to certain players and a lot do show up for the paycheck and the allure of playing at Wimbledon. It's still my favorite tournament, it works perfectly for me since matches start just around the time I wake up and end before in the early afternoon, and something about the all-white look just adds an extra level of prestige. The clouds and constant threat of rain are always a fun little wrench in the tournament, much like the suffocating heat and humidity at the U.S. Open. I also love how worn down the grass looks by the time the final week begins. I love how an entire country rallies behind the best British player (was Henman, now Murray) in hopes that finally a British player will win the tournament, and the dejection of the crowd when that player loses. I love waking up for the Men's Final and watching it with my mom and dad while we prepare and eat a real big breakfast, a tradition I hope we keep up for years and years and one that eventually I'll share with children of my own. It can't start soon enough.

[Pesci]

I love how an entire country rallies behind the best British player (was Henman, now Murray) in hopes that finally a British player will win the tournament, and the dejection of the crowd when that player loses.

To be honest a very large part of the country wants Murray to lose all the time. It's probably because he's Scottish and a miserable cunt. I've grown to tolerate him though, and would prefer it if he actually won a Slam soon so all the fapping over him was actually justified.

[Baddar]

Murray is much less of a cock than he was 4 or 5 years ago. The guy was fucking unbearable back then.

[Lineker]

And I echo that the grass courts lend to certain players and a lot do show up for the paycheck and the allure of playing at Wimbledon. It's still my favorite tournament, it works perfectly for me since matches start just around the time I wake up and end before in the early afternoon, and something about the all-white look just adds an extra level of prestige. The clouds and constant threat of rain are always a fun little wrench in the tournament, much like the suffocating heat and humidity at the U.S. Open. I also love how worn down the grass looks by the time the final week begins. I love how an entire country rallies behind the best British player (was Henman, now Murray) in hopes that finally a British player will win the tournament, and the dejection of the crowd when that player loses. I love waking up for the Men's Final and watching it with my mom and dad while we prepare and eat a real big breakfast, a tradition I hope we keep up for years and years and one that eventually I'll share with children of my own. It can't start soon enough.

Beautiful.

Speaking of Murray, he beat Malisse.

[Starvinho]

Murray beats Tipsarevic 6-4 7-6 in the third round, quarter-finals are up tomorrow and the winner of Cilic and Bellucci will play Murray.

[Adam]

A set down but a break up in the second, Jamie Ward is continuing a solid showing at Queens against defending champ Sam Querrey tonight, be nice if this helped him kick on to better things. Murray is woefully isolated on the Men's side of British tennis.

[Lineker]

[3] Roddick v Verdasco [7]

[8] Cilic v Murray [2]

[1] Nadal v Tsonga [6]

[13] Querrey v Ward [WC]; Querrey/Ward v Mannarino

[3] M.Bhupathui & L.Paes (IND) v L.Polasek & I.Zelenay (SVK)

Today's play. Although there's a rain delay right now.

[Starvinho]

Murray is through without playing, Cilic has pulled out. Ward is serving for the match.

Edit: Ward through to the quarters 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Edited June 10, 2011 by Starvinho