Wimbledon Day 9 - Anything is Pospisil. Maybe even a Cilic in time saves nine...match points

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Order of play
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/22713811

Gasquet plays well so far this tournament. He has good chances of going to the SF. He's the better player in the last lwo sets.

Djokovic makes the final!
Or not.

Crushing for Gasket.

Gasquet breaks!

Gaquet keep your bottle

Well, that's that. Wawrinka can be so mercurial.

Not yet!

So much drama!

Then again, if ever you're down match points or need a miracle it helps to be facing Gasquet

True when you use too much choke you can blow a Gasquet

Nerves of steel from Richard to come back from 0-30 in last service game

Even if Stan scrapes through, I don't see his returning getting the job done against Novak. It's pretty average on grass. Shame, as I'd love to see him in the final.

Does Gasquet have OCD or really sweaty palms? Doesn't get much life out of those grips....

If Richard plays Novak he is going to have to play this good and then some
Stan most definitely wont get the chances that he got at the FO
so either way.. it should be interesting.

Take that you bandy-legged Frenchie!

If only I could play like a bandy legged Frenchie

This full-blooded stuff from both men.

Gasquet has to be one of the shortest looking tall people in the world. He's all out of proportion. How can someone over 6 foot have such stubby legs?

I was just about to post that Auto!! Lydian reckons he's got a long torso, I think he wears lifters.

I don't know how much this will take out of either man, physically. They've hardly dug up their trenches, but I do think Djokovic will be pleased for two reasons

- Gasquet isn't beating him in a slam. Period.
- Wawrinka isn't playing well enough

I don't know how much this will take out of either man, physically. They've hardly dug up their trenches, but I do think Djokovic will be pleased for two reasons

- Gasquet isn't beating him in a slam. Period.
- Wawrinka isn't playing well enough

Aargh, Stan! You have to make that return. Gasquet escapes.

Reeshard-Bent but not broken in game#19 of the 5th.

And on we go

Uh oh...

Big Uh oh

Stan will save these.

Or not.

Wow well done gasquet. Especially after losing his serve before. What a win and what a perfect day for novak

Man that's gotta hurt!

Well done to both a superb match

Good win for Gasquet. Djokovic still has some work to do.

Wawrinka.

Congrats Gasquet, well done! No more choking in the fifth set! Hope he does well in the SF.

Djokovic v Murray/Fed then.

I cannot think of anything that Richard can do that will topple Fortress Djokovic in the semifinal

Didn't expect to get to see an of these quarters so happy that went to a long fifth.

Allez Richard!!!

Stunned he managed to get the win after being broken when serving for it.

(But why did Inverdale have to be commentating on one of the matches of the tournament - the man really is clueless! He was on Williams-Azarenka yesterday too and managed to mix up Azarenka and Kvitova more than once).

Hats off to Gasquet. Would be harsh to say he bottled it when serving for it, but he did get a bit safe to let Stan back in. Showed real steel to hang in it mentally after that. Don't give him a prayer against Novak, but then I wouldn't have backed him to come through a 5 set thriller either, so who knows.

Bet socal is praying that a Fogniniiiiiiiiiii event doesn't occur!

Poor A-Rod. Gets to sit with Balding and Cash. Bet he won't come back next year!

kingraf wrote:I was just about to post that Auto!! Lydian reckons he's got a long torso, I think he wears lifters.

What's doubly freaky is those are the exact two explanations I was pondering between. Spooky!

Wimby 2day with roddick. Maybe this will be ok

For what it's worth, my money's on the torso thing.

Best I've seen Gasquet play in a long time.

But Djokovic will be thrilled to be facing Gasquet rather than Stan.

The Murray v Federer match could be fantastic.

I'm rooting for Federer, but now I wish a Gasquet-Murray final!

In Winmby 2008 I think, Murray and Gasquet were the 2 upcoming tennis talents, both holding great expectations for their home nations. They met in R16 I think, where Gasquet got MPs in the 3rd set, only to lose in 5... From then on, Murray had the career he was promised while Gasquet kept having fights with his demons.

I want this Gasquet-Murray Final to end Gasquet's curse (with him winning) and fulfill what he's been told he would do since he was a little boy. Just for the story, and emotion, I would like it!

Otherwise, Federer taking #8

In the third Test Biugo? Good thing for Murray Gasquet didn't play for the draw in the fourth and fifth sets

Do we already know the order of play for Friday?

I really hope it's Murray v Fed first as I'm out from about 5pm!

Is it really true that Balding was once a jockey? I'd have thought she'd have scared the horses. That glassy stare sends shivers down my spine and I'm nowhere near as skittish as the average horse.

That stare.. Sends chills down me

Danny_1982 wrote:Do we already know the order of play for Friday?

I really hope it's Murray v Fed first as I'm out from about 5pm!

I very much doubt that. Murray is always the second semi final probably to give the viewers a chance to rush back home after work and catch some of the match. Also, if its going to be baking hot, Murray will not want to play in the heat.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Is it really true that Balding was once a jockey? I'd have thought she'd have scared the horses. That glassy stare sends shivers down my spine and I'm nowhere near as skittish as the average horse.

Yep she was a good amatuer jockey. Her father was a top trainer. Trained Derby winner Mill Reef

Magnus Norman should give Stan a good shaking after that performance! Gasquet played really well but come on this is a two time slam champion! He should have dealt with this match better from the start and it should never have got to the 5th set.

Pity Stan lost as the top 4 seeds would have progressed for the first time in God knows how long and that would have meant 2 cracking semis to look forward to on Friday. Now its just the one! Mind you, we have been here before where we expect a cracking match and it turns out to be a major disappointment.

Federer has played well but how often has he played a brilliant tournament only to reach a semi or final and throw in a shocker? There is way more pressure on him going into this final as he is desperate for number 8 whereas Murray can see it just as a match. If Murray loses here he has next year but with Fed the clock is ticking. This best chance was last year when Novak was not playing so well. This time he has two strong opponents to get through and to do it back to back is very unlikely.

I hope I am wrong!

FedsFan wrote:

Danny_1982 wrote:Do we already know the order of play for Friday?

I really hope it's Murray v Fed first as I'm out from about 5pm!

I very much doubt that. Murray is always the second semi final probably to give the viewers a chance to rush back home after work and catch some of the match. Also, if its going to be baking hot, Murray will not want to play in the heat.

I would think Federer Murray will be first. Gives Gasquet a bit more time to recover.