Wimbledon Day 1

Some interesting matches:






One of these days Goffin is going to pull a big win given his talent...could it be tomorrow? The guy is a big match player so watch out Murray...

Dimitrov vs Harrison should good plus Evans and Ward on Courts 2 & 3.

Any shocks possible for you tomorrow?

BTW...just wow on Kimiko Date, at nearly 44...yes 44...years of age being in the main draw on court 17. She's still ranked 78...it's outrageous longevity! It beggars belief she retired in 1996(!) at age 26, to return 12 years later. She's 10 years older than the next oldest top100 WTA player (V.Williams & F.Schiavone).

Ah you beat me to it

I can't see Goffin causing Murray too many problems. He seems too lightweight to ever be a real threat to the big boys but on grass the gap narrows a bit. I'm expecting a close match for at least one and possibly two sets but after that Murray should cruise it (here's to Dandy Andy getting beaten in straight sets after this post!!).

I think Evo has a good chance against Kuznetsov. He's beaten better players and this is the surface which plays to his strengths the most. If he protects his serve and comes forward I fancy his chances.

I can't see many shocks tomorrow (but if I could see them, would they be shocks? ). The only ones that are possible are maybe Wickmayer beating Stosur and de Brito taking Kuzzy out. Kiri could give Stephens a headache depending on how match fit she is. Goerges beating Safarova won't be an upset.

Hey you babies and Hunks, are you ready for the Wimbledon?

Let the games begin.

Before the Championships begin, a word for DelPo. Last year's semi-final was an excellent, excellent match (which I watched in a hotel in New York whilst waiting for Murray) and it's a shame he won't be back this year.

We have a bagel! Last year's Eastbourne winner Elena Vesnina bagels some Austrian. Vesnina is a dangerous foe on grass.

The Special Juan wrote:Before the Championships begin, a word for DelPo.  Last year's semi-final was an excellent, excellent match (which I watched in a hotel in New York whilst waiting for Murray) and it's a shame he won't be back this year.

+ 1

Don't wish to take anything away from Andy's memorable and much-deserved victory, but that Delpo/Djoko SF five-setter was definitely the match of the tournament for me. Spectacular stuff. And poor Delpo might never again come so close to making a Wimbledon Final ........

Just listening to some first day radio coverage on BBC 5 Live, and the bad news is that Pat Cash's contract has been renewed for another year ; meaning another year of 'expert pundit' lazy banalities   We will wait a long time to hear anything new/fresh from Mr Cash.

Did anyone take the 3/1 on Wickmayer?

well that first set couldn't have gone much better for the defending champion. Murray looking right at home on Centre Court and cruising through the first set 6-1.

I don't see the fuss with Goffin. He's too wee.

Judging by the way things are going, that big win is not happening today!

Does anyone have an idea who might be put on CC tomorrow? Any educated guesses?

Probably the 2nd and 4th seeds in the men's tournament, plus Lisicki to open against whoever.

VERDASCO HAS GONE! I thought Matosevic might steal a set but not 3. A tough draw for everyone's 2nd favourite left handed Spaniard.

The Special Juan wrote:Probably the 2nd and 4th seeds in the men's tournament, plus Lisicki to open against whoever.

That's what I was hoping for especially the number 4 seed! Mind you, I recall in 2012 Federer who was at 3 was put on court one.

3rd set bagel on the cards here I think. In other British news, JoKo lost in 3 to Peng Shuai, Cox lost the first set 6-2 to Chardy, Ward lost the first two sets to Youzhny 6-2 6-2 and Bedene is down a break to Anderson. But more positive news is that Wang is up a set and a break!

FedsFan wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Probably the 2nd and 4th seeds in the men's tournament, plus Lisicki to open against whoever.

That's what I was hoping for especially the number 4 seed! Mind you, I recall in 2012 Federer who was at 3 was put on court one.

Seeing as Lisicki's opening, it might be women's match, men's match, women's match. I can't remember who Federer has but Klizan v Nadal has potential in it, plus one of them currently holds 2/4 majors.

Sally Nugent on BBC Breakfast this morning....

"Have you been queuing long?"

"Yes."

"Who are you waiting to see?"

"Dustin Brown."

"Not Andy Murray?"

"No."

Cue Sally moving along quickly in search of Murray fans....
  

Djokovic, Nadal or Federer would be in the locker room by now.

Vania King was leading 5-0 in the first set of her match but lost it 7-5 . She then went down 5-0 in the 2nd set but has pulled it back to 5-2.

The Special Juan wrote:

FedsFan wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:Probably the 2nd and 4th seeds in the men's tournament, plus Lisicki to open against whoever.

That's what I was hoping for especially the number 4 seed! Mind you, I recall in 2012 Federer who was at 3 was put on court one.

Seeing as Lisicki's opening, it might be women's match, men's match, women's match.  I can't remember who Federer has but Klizan v Nadal has potential in it, plus one of them currently holds 2/4 majors.

Federer is playing Lorenzi who I recall took the opening set off Nadal's first match in Rome a couple of years ago.
I remember in 2011 I had CC tickets and we started off with Serena, followed by Federer, then Djokovic and to the crowds delight, another match was put on which was Sharapova vs Dulko I think. Needless to say, I got my money's worth!  

Goffin looks like he has a conditioning issue to me: at the start of the match he was moving superbly (pretty much as well as Murray), but in the last 20 minutes or so he's visibly slowed down, no longer even trying to get after Murray's serve.

Murray serving for the match.

Didn't Dulko win that year too? She's retired these days

and Murray gets is done. A good start to the defense of his title, and he looked very focussed throughout. Goffin played well, but isn't on the same level as Murray.

The Special Juan wrote:Didn't Dulko win that year too?  She's retired these days

Ah, I slipped up on that one! It wasn't Dulko, it was Anna Chakvetadze. Dulko was pretty good considering she wasn't built as tall as some of her opponents.

No complaints with the performance except for the 2nd serve which is still terrible.

meh, his second serve has always been terrible, and I suspect it always will be, so I'm sort of used to it by now.

He actually defended it pretty well today (61% points won), but the pleasing thing is the first serve percentage at around 70. If he keeps that up he'll be hard to beat. Only 10 UEs also a good sign.

Dustin Brown goes down in four entertaining sets to Baghdatis....

Some rare S&V tennis, and the standing ovation and loud cheers at the end of the match said it all.
 

Dimitrov gets past Harrison fairly easily. Carreno-Busta is fun to watch, but Ferrer up 2 sets to 1.

FedsFan wrote:Federer is playing Lorenzi who I recall took the opening set off Nadal's first match in Rome a couple of years ago.  

It was on Clay though. He has lost in R128 in 3 out 4 appearances in 2010,'12 and '13 and has 3/9 on Grass.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Players/Lo/P/Paolo-Lorenzi.aspx?t=pa&y=0&m=s&e=540#

But has Benneteau/Muller in R64.

Murray hit 28 winners and just 10 unforced errors. Murray definitely the favorite in that half of the draw.

shivfan wrote:Sally Nugent on BBC Breakfast this morning....

"Have you been queuing long?"

"Yes."

"Who are you waiting to see?"

"Dustin Brown."

"Not Andy Murray?"

"No."

Cue Sally moving along quickly in search of Murray fans....
  

Sad. Yet no great surprise of course.

A welcome opportunity for the audience to get a different perspective from some of those in the queue, in this case to hear why the Dustin Brown fan liked his brand of tennis so much. But when it's not part of the pre-rehearsed script, the BBC woman invokes her powers of censorship (as per instructions.....).

Maybe Becker paid Golubev a million$ per lost game. Golubev is determined to miss even the absolute easiest of groundstrokes. Surreal   

Maybe even "the easiest of groundstrokes" is not that easy when you're on one of the biggest showcourts in the world, and your nerves are shredded by an opponent playing near-flawless tennis .......

Even the balls that Djokovic gave no penetration to (of which there are many), Golubev is just knocking them out of the court. Must be nerves.

Definitely the worst display I've ever seen at a professional tennis tournament.

kneel_before_nadal wrote:Definitely the worst display I've ever seen at a professional tennis tournament.

Edberg d Eriksson R128 W 1987 6-0,6-0,6-0.

Nadal d Verdasco F MC 2010 6-0, 6-1.

Day 2 W schedule - http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule/schedule9.html

Fognini going to play MahIsner Pt 2?  

Good easy start for Murray.

Early days, but my pre tournament tip, Novak certainly didn't disappoint today. Won with complete ease.

First round matches mean sweet nothing (unless you lose or are there for 5 hours). Get through the first 3 rounds untroubled and if you're still dismantling 4R and QF opponents then that's the time to take note.

The Special Juan wrote:Ah you beat me to it

I can't see Goffin causing Murray too many problems.  He seems too lightweight to ever be a real threat to the big boys but on grass the gap narrows a bit.  I'm expecting a close match for at least one and possibly two sets but after that Murray should cruise it (here's to Dandy Andy getting beaten in straight sets after this post!!).

I think Evo has a good chance against Kuznetsov.  He's beaten better players and this is the surface which plays to his strengths the most.  If he protects his serve and comes forward I fancy his chances.

I can't see many shocks tomorrow (but if I could see them, would they be shocks? ).  The only ones that are possible are maybe Wickmayer beating Stosur and de Brito taking Kuzzy out.  Kiri could give Stephens a headache depending on how match fit she is.  Goerges beating Safarova won't be an upset.

Got the Murray and Evo matches wrong but Wickmayer and Kiri won!

I am nervous about nadal tomorrow.
if he passes this first obstacle, I think he can do fine after that, at least untill quarters

I wouldn't worry. Nadal beat Robredo on Friday in exhibition, was well adjusted. He said he's been training harder than he usually trains on eve of a slam. Plus his knees are better this year than they were in 2012 and 2013, according to his comments. And, the weather is really dry and courts are slow.