Jeor Posted July 2, 2016 Share Posted July 2, 2016 Djokovic out! So much for the calendar Slam. Bursts the draw wide open now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted July 2, 2016 Author Share Posted July 2, 2016 As much as one might be inclined ( and I am one such) to desperately want Federer to win an 8th title here, there are a fair number of major hurdles left to take. Most notably Murray, but certainly also guys like Raonic, Kyrgios, maybe even a total surprise already from Zverev. Of course Murray and Kyrgios would meet in the next round, but with Federer certainly not being at his best yet, a number of guys could make it hard for him, including Steve Johnson who is in excellent form, just drubbed Dimitrov and won Nottingham grass tournament last week. That's a really good player. Thought Federer looked fairly inconsistent in those first three games even though still better of course than his opponents. Presumably he can still find another gear. I feel Raonic would be a very difficult opponent in his half of the draw. Amazing that Djokovic is out though, really pleased when I saw that. Finally a change. Both guys made a lot of mistakes, but Djokovic overall was never in this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Proudfeet Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Does this mean that Fed's consecutive streak of Grand Slam semifinals is safe for now? It helps his legacy quite a bit that no one is as consistent as he was, even as they get close to his Grand Slam totals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 If he beats Johnson he will face the winner of Cilic vs Nishikori. I am picking Nishikori to win that but I don't see one of them beat Federer. He will likely face Raonic in the semi final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 I'm just sad that my boy Del Potro, having surprised everybody by beating Wawrinka, went out to Pouel in the very next round. He was always gonna have stamina issues over the tournament though, early days of recovery still for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Del Potro has always been one of my favourite players. He's got a unique playing style (that takeback on his forehand is strangely fascinating) and he always had the shotmaking skills to beat anyone when his game was on. It was a pity injury took him out for so long and sad he's gone out again, but realistically he can't have expected to go too far. The win over Wawrinka is enough to give him confidence in coming months. Del Potro was always my standard answer when people asked me for my favourite player because then I could position myself as a true fan and not someone who just named one of the Big Four. Murray has to be the big favourite now but I can't help feel that there will be some more twists and turns to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polishgenius Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Despite Kyrgios being an utter dick, I hope he beats Murray. DelPo's been my favourite player for time - I like his playing style and his attitude is great- but even apart from that it's a real shame his career's gone the way it has because a consistently fit Del Potro would have been a great foil for Djokovic. I always want him to do well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 I've also enjoyed the Tsonga -Isner match a lot, yesterday and today. For the good of the tournament it is probably better that Tsonga went through, he could have a great day against Murray or another contender, on his day. He is certainly inconsistent. I think Kyrgios has no chance against Murray unless Murray fails to achieve his usual level. Kyrgios can beat Lopez but I have seen Kyrgios play better tennis earlier this season on hardcourt. He will really have to play top notch and then it could be a game against Murray. 1 hour ago, Leap said: Also supporting Federer to win, although realistically he may not have a chance over 5 sets against Murray if the latter isn't really tired out by Kyrgios/Tsonga etc. Fed's not got an easy draw either Indeed he hasn't, and if he were to play Murray, he would do best to finish in 3 or 4. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolverine Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 I'm getting a bit annoyed at Halep's constant fist pumping...she seems to have the energy to maintain her tempo though. Fun to watch her move and return just about everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolverine Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Does Djokovic have an injury? They asked him about it in his post match interview but he was way too gracious to really discuss it or try and blame the loss on an injury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baxus Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 34 minutes ago, wolverine said: Does Djokovic have an injury? They asked him about it in his post match interview but he was way too gracious to really discuss it or try and blame the loss on an injury. Serbian media report no injury or anything and they would love nothing more than to find an excuse for the loss. You can trust me on that one. Whether it was because of Djokovic having a bad day, or giving himself a bit of a break after finally winning Roland Garros or who knows what else, the simple truth is that Djokovic wasn't good enough to beat Querrey this time around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 58 minutes ago, wolverine said: I'm getting a bit annoyed at Halep's constant fist pumping...she seems to have the energy to maintain her tempo though. Fun to watch her move and return just about everything. I really like watching Halep play. She's so small and unassuming it looks like it's a mismatch against the powerful giant of Keys, but she's incredibly reliable and chases down everything (and unlike Radwanska, Halep does seem able to attack with her groundstrokes as well as defend). I think she may well take this out in three, especially if Keys keeps on donating errors every other point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolverine Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Yeah. Keys looked sloppy when I was watching earlier, but still won that set. Cibulkova looks and plays like she could be a boxer. That was a pretty crazy match. Man Cibulkova can smash it for how tiny she is and Radwanska made so few mistakes till the end. Pocket Hercules. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 4, 2016 Share Posted July 4, 2016 Yes, I wouldn't want to run into Cibulkova in a dark alley. She'd be able to beat me up easily even though she's only like five feet tall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted July 6, 2016 Author Share Posted July 6, 2016 Federer engaged in a massive battle against Cilic. Lost the first two sets, but came back in the 3rd. 4th set into a tie break and Federer just won that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3CityApache Posted July 6, 2016 Share Posted July 6, 2016 What a great come back from Federer. One simply has to admire his will and dedication. I just hope he won't be too tired in his semifinal. I start to believe he really has it in him to do it one more time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Feel sorry for Cilic. He played brilliantly for the first two and a half sets, and even after then his level was pretty high. Fed just turned it up a notch and pounced on one break each set. I was all smug as I had told friends yesterday that, contrary to their expectations, I was certain that Cilic would beat Roger. So much for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Calibandar Posted July 7, 2016 Author Share Posted July 7, 2016 Apparently Cilic was up 2 sets to 0 last year at Wimbledon against Djokovic, and ended up giving that away as well. He certainly seems to have enormous trouble closing big games out, not just yesterday. I'm mostly just glad that Federer went through after all and lives to play Raonic, which wont be easy. But it will be a game I really look forward to, quite like watching Raonic as well. Raonic has had some surprising troubles as well though, I thought he might race to the semi final but played 5 against Goffin and dropped a set to Querrey as well. Still, massive opponent of course. Murray vs Berdych, normally you wouldn't expect much from that and I'll be surprised if Berdych actually troubles him, but: Berdych has been excellent so far this Wimbledon, some outstanding tennis from him, very solid. Murray showed some cracks there against Tsonga yesterday. Of course tsonga didn't have the stamina to keep that up, and I did not expect him to, but still, Murray dropped two sets in a match he largely dominated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Which Tyler Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Yesterday was a fantastic day of tennis - so happy it coincided with a day off! Cillic was playing really well, but just went to pieces when the pressure came on; he had a number of match points, and break points where he just failed to do much of anything. He continued to play well for all 5 sets; but once he'd mentally broken himself in the high pressure points, Fed just upped a gear, changed his game (he was playing pretty poorly by his standards), finally got his feet, return and backhand working; and the rest was history (though by no means easy). Just hope he isn't too tired for Raonic; he'll need to keep his level topped up too; play like he did for the first 3 sets and he'll be out in 3; but when he finds some form he just flows aroung the court like a force of nature - we only saw glimpses of that yesterday. Tsonga on the other hand, also played well, and continued to play well and with self-belief, Murray just upped his game and took it to a level J-W couldn't cope with. Basically, Fed was given a boost by Cillic suffering brain cramp, and then upped his game. Murray found it within himself to up has game, especially after a disastrous 2nd set for him; of course he used his usual trick of making himself believ he was carrying an injury, and fighting his way through it (right eye yesterday). I think I saw more frustrated, negative emotion from Fed yesterday than I have from his entire career beforehand. I hate to say it, but I'm predicting a Roanic vs Murray final. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeor Posted July 7, 2016 Share Posted July 7, 2016 Every time I see Raonic play a lesser-ranked player, with that serve he just looks unbreakable, and on grass that makes his advantage even more pronounced. And yet he still has yet to claim a big scalp in a Grand slam tournament. The top four players just find ways to beat him by consistently getting returns back into play, and in the long rallies his groundstrokes don't stand up. He's kind of like a poor man's Goran Ivanisevic, who despite being a consistent top 10er, had a pretty underwhelming Grand Slam record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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