Wimbledon (part 1)

[matty p]

With the grass court season starting tonight, it's time to look ahead to Wimbledon.

Rafael Nadal's loss at the French Open and his injured knees have certainly made things interesting.

Can Nadal regain his form and fitness and retain the Wimbledon trophy that he won so magnificently last year?

Or can Roger Federer continue his form and break the record he now holds with Pete Sampras by winning his 15th Grand Slam?

Of course, the other two members of the Big 4, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, will also be in the reckoning. Can they spring a surprise this year?

Or will it be someone else? Juan Martin Del Potro is making his move in the world of tennis, and looks to be the biggest challenger to the Big 4. He nearly won the French Open, but can he turn the Big 4 into the Fab 5 by winning Wimbledon?

There are also a load of powerful big hitters who could all have an effect on the tournament. Andy Roddick, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Fernando Verdasco, Fernando Gonzalez, Marin Cilic, Robin Soderling and Gael Monfils all must be respected and could spring a surprise.

So who will win the most prized trophy in tennis?

My Tip:

Champion:
Federer

Finalist:
Del Potro

Semi Finalists:
Nadal
Roddick

Quarter Finalists:
Murray
Tsonga
Cilic
Soderling

 

[Syd Kennets]

Re: Wimbledon

Still wouldnt be confident enough to tip Federer against Nadal.

Nadal's problem will be getting through the draw, Federer's greatest achievment is the 20 GS Semi Finals in a row he's made.

Tsonga to be dangerous.

 

[Power King]

Re: Wimbledon

Nadal - injury concerns.

Federer - will still make the semis at minimum, and would bet on him making the final.

Djokovic - needs to step up this year and grow some balls again.

Murray - still not convinced yet.

Monfils - needs to grow some balls for the first time if he's to make the semi.

Del Potro - continues to improve and a semi would not surprise.

Tsonga - quarters at most.

Roddick - having a good year so far, will hope that he makes the final though there is much competition. He's a chance at the semis though.

 

[aaronm46]

Re: Wimbledon

Gonna be very interesting, can see Del Potro moving into the so-called elite bracket with the other top 4. Hopefully Nadal gets some rest and is able to play, the men's top 20 has so much ****in talent, gonna be a cracker

 

[CHBench]

Re: Wimbledon

Since the Roland Garros thread was closed, updated rankings:

Not much movement on the ATP side, Soderling soars up to No.12, up 13 places.
Nadal still holds no.1.
Gonzalez replaces Monflis in the top 10, he drops to No.14.
Hewitt drops 1 spot to 49.

Currently as it stands:

1. Nadal
2. Federer
3. Murray
4. Djokovic
5. Del Potro
6. Roddick
7. Simon
8. Verdasco
9. Tsonga
10. Gonzalez

In the womens, movement everywhere. The only players not to move were the top 4.
Safina retains no.1 spot, Kuznetsova moves up 2 places to number 5.
The Serb slide continues, Jankovic is out of the top 5, down to 6. Ivanovic's massive slump hits rock bottom, out of the top 10, down to no.13.
Cibulkova moves up to 14. Stosur shifts up 14 places to 18. Sorana Cirstea enters the top 30 for the first time, up 15 places to no.27.
Dokic moves 5 to 75. Groth up to 67, from 73.

1. Safina
2. S. Williams
3. V. Williams
4. Dementieva
5. Kuznetsova
6. Jankovic
7. Zvonareva
8. Azarenka
9. Wozniacki
10. Petrova

 

[matty p]

Re: Wimbledon

Since the Roland Garros thread was closed, updated rankings:

Not much movement on the ATP side, Soderling soars up to No.12, up 13 places.
Nadal still holds no.1.
Gonzalez replaces Monflis in the top 10, he drops to No.14.
Hewitt drops 1 spot to 49.

Currently as it stands:

1. Nadal
2. Federer
3. Murray
4. Djokovic
5. Del Potro
6. Roddick
7. Simon
8. Verdasco
9. Tsonga
10. Gonzalez

Just as a matter of interest, here's the rankings for this year only:

1. Nadal - 6885
2. Federer - 5460
3. Djokovic - 3640
4. Murray - 3530
5. Del Potro - 2580
6. Roddick - 2440
7. Verdasco - 2040
8. Gonzalez - 1825
9. Soderling - 1650
10. Robredo - 1580
11. Tsonga - 1450
12. Ferrer - 1330
13. Stepanek - 1320
14. Cilic - 1260
15. Monfils - 1220
16. Simon - 1145

 

[gaelictiogar]

Re: Wimbledon

Depending on who avoids who in the seeding draw I'd say a Federer VS Murray final.

Nadal willl have little grass court preparation, won't be 100% and in all likelihood needs to be at his optimum as he was last year to win.

Federer back in form. Frankly the favourite if he is fit and well but emotional and vulnerable to lapses in concentration. If he focusses he wins.

Djokovic a choker who won't win.

Murray a real threat nd probably immune to the Brit Wimbledon nonsense. A huge chance.

If Roddick avoids Fed he could final.

 

[CHBench]

Re: Wimbledon

Michelle Larcher De Brito handed a wildcard to Wimby. Arghh death.

 

[matt_897]

Re: Wimbledon

Michelle Larcher De Brito handed a wildcard to Wimby. Arghh death.

Yeah, not good, seems like a publicity stunt.

At least Rogowska got a qualifying wildcard

 

[14Sucks]

Re: Wimbledon

It should be called "Simpleton"

 

[legitimatic]

Re: Wimbledon

It should be called "Simpleton"

What should?

 

[CHBench]

Re: Wimbledon

There's talk around that Nadal may not be fit for Wimbledon...

Nadal having knees tested by doctors in Barcelona

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)—Rafael Nadal is having his knees checked by doctors and expects to announce his status for Wimbledon in the coming days.

A posting on Nadal’s Web site said the reigning Wimbledon champion is in Barcelona for medical tests Monday and Tuesday. He is expected to make an announcement by Wednesday.

Nadal withdrew from this week’s Wimbledon tuneup at Queen’s Club in London, citing knee trouble. His 31-match winning streak at the French Open ended with a fourth-round loss. “I have been having some problems in the past months with my knees—that’s no secret—that did not allow me to compete always at 100 percent,” Nadal said Friday, when he pulled out of the Queen’s Club event. “I need to work with my team to recover well, work on my physical condition to be at my top form and get ready for the grass to play at Wimbledon. I hope I can be ready to compete by then.”

Wimbledon starts June 22.

Last year, Nadal beat Roger Federer at the All England Club in the longest men’s championship match in tournament history.

“I was surprised to see him pull out of Queen’s, and now the debate that he might pull out of Wimbledon is quite frightening,” Federer said Monday in Paris, a day after succeeding Nadal as French Open champion. “I don’t like to see it, because you want the best to be playing in the biggest events.”

http://www.tennis.com/tournaments/2009/frenchopen/frenchopen.aspx?id=177580

The article just intensifies the speculation, huge news if it were to eventuate.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Re: Wimbledon

It'ds a shame because everyonelooks forward to Federer VS Nadal but it is no surprise.

It was a Faustian pact for Rafa. Push yourself hard and work frantically to wring every ounce from you talent but the price is a short career due to bodily breakdown.

He is a great warrior and a nice guy but unfortunately he is only a very good tennis player without the genius to allow him glide and coast at times. The chips are being called in.

 

[wally funk]

Re: Wimbledon

with nadal pulling out of queen's and perhaps wimbledon, what would it take for federer to reclaim no.1? anyone know?

 

[andrepetz]

Re: Wimbledon

with nadal pulling out of queen's and perhaps wimbledon, what would it take for federer to reclaim no.1? anyone know?

I read somewhere that if Federer wins Wimbledon and Nadal doesn't make the SF then Federer gets back the No.1 ranking.

So as it stands with Nadal and Federer both skipping their tournaments heading into Wimbledon Nadal has 12735 points and Federer 10620 going into wimbledon. Nadal has to defend 2000 points he earned by winning last year and Federer has to defend 1400. With the new changes to the ranking points system, they have reduced the amount of points you receive for not winning. You now get 1200 for R/U , 720 for SF and 360 for QF. If you do the math it means that Federer will still have to win Wimbledon in order to overtake Nadal.

I think iv'e confused myself explaining this

 

[Total Power]

Re: Wimbledon

It'ds a shame because everyonelooks forward to Federer VS Nadal but it is no surprise.

It was a Faustian pact for Rafa. Push yourself hard and work frantically to wring every ounce from you talent but the price is a short career due to bodily breakdown.

He is a great warrior and a nice guy but unfortunately he is only a very good tennis player without the genius to allow him glide and coast at times. The chips are being called in.

you call me one eyed.Have a good hard look at yourself.Nadal is not a genius? his forehand still strategies which completely left federer at bay is not a sign of a genius? or you need to hit 100 winners only to be a genius? you need to look at a player as a whole, not his forehand or his backhand.Its the brain too.Every player depends on his atheletic ability to win matches.Roger Federers movement on court is very slick and extremely underrated part of his game.I would say his movement is right next to Nadals and he gets a lot of balls back too with his movement and that stab forehand.Again, its underrated, however that comment coming from you, i take it with a grain of salt.

 

[OzBomber]

Re: Wimbledon

If Nadal is injured and doesn't play, it's more or less a shoe-in that Federer will win. When was the last time he lost to someone on grass bar Nadal?

 

[andrepetz]

Re: Wimbledon

If Nadal is injured and doesn't play, it's more or less a shoe-in that Federer will win. When was the last time he lost to someone on grass bar Nadal?

His last loss on grass since the Wimbledon Final last year was at Wimbledon in 2002, when he lost to Mario Ancic, who had come through qualifying, in straights sets . I'd already be engraving his name on the trophy if Nadal doesn't play

 

[matty p]

Re: Wimbledon

If Nadal is injured and doesn't play, it's more or less a shoe-in that Federer will win. When was the last time he lost to someone on grass bar Nadal?

Even though he won the French Open, you'd have to be blind not to see that Federer is not as dominant as he used to be.

Whilst he will go into Wimbledon as the favourite, he is definitely vulnerable, even if Nadal doesn't play.

Particularly after Roland Garros, Federer will be emotionally drained at the start of Wimbledon, and an upset in the early rounds is possible if his opposition doesn't completely melt when the opportunity arises.

If he makes the later rounds, he will be harder to beat, but if they have enough mental strength, I think Djokovic, Murray and Del Potro are capable of beating him, as he will be feeling the effects of a long campaign at both the French Open and Wimbledon.

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Re: Wimbledon

If Sharapova can get her body 100%, she'll go close to winning it IMO. Venus Williams also a nice chance if she can find some form.

If Nadal is out, Federer would have to be a huge show in the mens. Only one that could beat him would be Murray, if indeed Fed was to get beaten.

 

[CanonNo1]

Re: Wimbledon

you call me one eyed.Have a good hard look at yourself.Nadal is not a genius? his forehand still strategies which completely left federer at bay is not a sign of a genius? or you need to hit 100 winners only to be a genius? you need to look at a player as a whole, not his forehand or his backhand.Its the brain too.Every player depends on his atheletic ability to win matches.Roger Federers movement on court is very slick and extremely underrated part of his game.I would say his movement is right next to Nadals and he gets a lot of balls back too with his movement and that stab forehand.Again, its underrated, however that comment coming from you, i take it with a grain of salt.

gaelictiogar you should know by now that you can't say anything controversial, even if true, suggesting Nadal doesn't have a 'great' tennis game.

Agree, he's game is very bloody good, but to me its an evolution of Michael Chang and Lleyton Hewitt - baseliner with an incredible ability to retrieve, fight, defend.... however with a big forehand and a few more strings (better volleyer and server)

I wouldn't say its 'genius' because there are lot of things he can't do which a lot of players can with a tennis racquet. Look at some of the things Fabrice Santoro does, Federer and the half volleys of the baseline, Sampras with the running forehands.

What his game is ... is exceptionally good and far more effective than many before him. But 'genius' ... not in my book.

 

[BLPC08]

Re: Wimbledon

Roger is the man - he was unlucky last year, 9-7 in the 5th is a bitter pill to take. This year he will be BOOMING with confidence after his French Open win and take apart any opposition he comes up against.

Oh, and the only other player I don't want in the final is Andy Roddick - makes me sick that sook.

 

[BLPC08]

Re: Wimbledon

you call me one eyed.Have a good hard look at yourself.Nadal is not a genius? his forehand still strategies which completely left federer at bay is not a sign of a genius? or you need to hit 100 winners only to be a genius? you need to look at a player as a whole, not his forehand or his backhand.Its the brain too.Every player depends on his atheletic ability to win matches.Roger Federers movement on court is very slick and extremely underrated part of his game.I would say his movement is right next to Nadals and he gets a lot of balls back too with his movement and that stab forehand.Again, its underrated, however that comment coming from you, i take it with a grain of salt.

Can you start bagging the hell out of the wankas in tennis, like say..... an Andy Roddick or a Novak Djokovic. Then you may have some posters on your side.

 

[CanonNo1]

Re: Wimbledon

Can you start bagging the hell out of the wankas in tennis, like say..... an Andy Roddick or a Novak Djokovic. Then you may have some posters on your side.

I quite like Andy ... probably because deep down he probably knows he's not going to win another major but always seems to come out firing like he will ... he's come to terms with to fact that he's a top 15 player at best ... plus he is quite humurous. Compare that to Hewitt and his crew who think he is still a force and happily tell everyone who is willing to listen that he can break into to 20 / 10 etc etc.

Novak on the other hand - is there a more pea hearted player on tour? How many retirements in grand slams has he racked up now?

 

[Colin D'Cops]

Re: Wimbledon

Djokovic/Tipsarevic both have pea-hearts. Got something to do with the Serbian bloodlines maybe?