Wimbledon 2016 - Gentlemans Semifinals

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Raonic v Federer - McEnroe feels his protege is ready to get to a Slam Final. On ESPN, he stated that emphatically.  Federer looks hungry, but Cilic feels Federer was missing shots that he did not miss in his heyday.

Berdych v Murray - Murray should find this a bit easier than his QF v Tsonga. Drop shots and good defense should also help. Baseline play may not get him much leverage with Berdych.

Raonic has put huge pressure on Federer today (notwithstanding Fed's many loose & uncharacteristic errors). Not sure he'll get due credit for having done so.

Interesting that Fed hit a safe approach to the BH side again on BP. The work that Milos has put into his BH clearly paying off.

It looks like Roger has lost the match with that inexplicable service break conceded in the 12th game of the 4th set.

I always felt once this match goes 5, this will be it.

Henman Bill wrote:Is that fair enough to go and sit down there at break point etiquette wise?

I think on this occasion it was fine. It'd be terrible for a player to play on with an injury, which then resulted in the end of a career

As long as Fed doesn't surrender the double-break, there is still hope. Milos has never been this close to a slam final, so getting over the line could get complicated.

At the moment though, he is looking very focussed and no obvious sign of nerves.

kemet wrote:It looks like Roger has lost the match with that inexplicable service break conceded in the 12th game of the 4th set.

It's not "inexplicable". Due to the injuries, Roger has no idea if he's as good as the last 18 months or can get back to that. That makes confidence fragile and fragility leads to occasional mental lapses

Feds completely run out of gas.

@banbrotam - I'd agree up until he pulled out some v. good play at the key moments towards the end of the 4th set and in this one.

Will Fed even get a sniff in the next two return games?

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:As long as Fed doesn't surrender the double-break, there is still hope. Milos has never been this close to a slam final, so getting over the line could get complicated.

But Roger is going to have to find the physical wherewithal to break Raonic's serve.

Even if he somehow gets to the final (and that is a HUGE if!), I honestly cannot see him prevailing, regardless of who his opponent will be.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Will Fed even get a sniff in the next two return games?

Let's hope he makes it two - he's got to force Raonic to serve for it.

Any complacent Murray fans will need to think again. I know Fed is miles off his peak, but it will be no mean feat if Raonic can complete the job over 5 tight sets.

It's been a good run for Federer, given all that has affected him over the past six months. Making SF was better than he himself had hoped for, I'm pretty sure.

Will be interesting to see if he can take enough from this to mount a similar challenge at the USO.

I'm sceptical .....Father Time really is catching up.

We've been saying last chance for close to 3 years now, but this really could be it.

banbrotam wrote:

kemet wrote:It looks like Roger has lost the match with that inexplicable service break conceded in the 12th game of the 4th set.

It's not "inexplicable". Due to the injuries, Roger has no idea if he's as good as the last 18 months or can get back to that. That makes confidence fragile and fragility leads to occasional mental lapses

If this is the best explanation for it, then it truly was inexplicable

Class from Raonic !

lags72 wrote:It's been a good run for Federer, given all that has affected him over the past six months. Making SF was better than he himself had hoped for, I'm pretty sure.

Will be interesting to see if he can take enough from this to mount a similar challenge at the USO.

I'm sceptical .....Father Time really is catching up.

I agree that Fed will have taken a SF place at the start of the tournament but, having got there and with Novak out the way, he will be desperately disappointed.

barrystar wrote:@banbrotam - I'd agree up until he pulled out some v. good play at the key moments towards the end of the 4th set and in this one.

But we've seen it before with both Nadal and Murray, when they've been on the injury comeback trail. Great play one minute, but then some inexplicable poor play you rarely see

The strength of the Big 4, more than the others (including Stan) is that at Slams, at their best, they rarely show a weakness of give then opposition a chance. Their mental toughness is mind blowing - Roger's in a different league now to what he was ten years ago, because they are all looking at each other and not wanting to give an inch

But, a bit like Seb Coe in the early eighties, they can be made to look almost ordinary - merely by the slightest drop off

One thing I'll give him, his comeback has been far better than Nadal's and Murray's - which shows what a natural talent he is

Well played Milos.

He served it out in style.

Damn it cursed the GOAT

Well done Milos, well deserved

Kudos to Milos. He deserves his shot at the final and, having come through two 5 setters, he will be battle hardened and won't be lacking belief. He'll make mincemeat of Berdych and will have a decent shout against Andy.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Any complacent Murray fans will need to think again. I know Fed is miles off his peak, but it will be no mean feat if Raonic can complete the job over 5 tight sets.

After numerous major final disappointments "complacent" and "Murray fans" are rarely in the same sentence

However, if Andy gets there, this will be the first time he's in a final and not played Novak or Roger

Very nice interview from Raonic - he looks like he means it.  He's not satisfied with making his first slam final.

Federer was clearly off pace from the start of the tournament - not unexpected given the difficulties he's had this season.

It's gonna be tough to get back close to his best. This season is pretty much a write off. Like 2013.

Anyone give Raonic a sniff against Murray?

I reckon Murray will get that done in 4.

He's finally got his slam final against someone not called Federer or Djokovic. (He's not going to lose to Berdych before anyone suggests it)

Does Fed going out put more pressure on Murray or do we think he's not much bothered either way?

I ain't counting my chickens yet!!

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Does Fed going out put more pressure on Murray or do we think he's not much bothered either way?

No. Fed would have been a problem as Andy would be expected to win, but Roger's had the Indian sign over him for a while now

Well Raonic throws another kicker to those who claim that the competition level is comparable to the rollover boys. This was a performance by a mature and varied shotmaker. He volleyed very well, returned exceptionally the last two sets, and his backhand I thought it was Djokovic out there the way he cruncedd so many shots on that side. Raonic is the most Djokovicesque in terms of brains and work ethic and he has pretty good hands at net. Always was a decent volleyer but has improved in the last couple years relentlessly in that area because he knew it would be the key to him mounting a major challenge.

Interesting bit of needle between Berdych and Lendl. Saw an interview with Berdych and apparently he was trying to land Lendl as coach a few months ago, but Lendl told him he had no interest in a tennis coaching job. Awkward! No shortage of motivation for him to stick it to Lendl and cause an upset.

Andy has the big edge if he was to play in the final, but I think Milos is better at returning now and moving into the court and finishing at net. This is a more dangerous Milos than we are used to seeing.

I think Andy will have to play sub par to lose this semi. Hopefully, the one dodgy performance is out the way now.

Aut0Gr4ph wrote:Interesting bit of needle between Berdych and Lendl. Saw an interview with Berdych and apparently he was trying to land Lendl as coach a few months ago, but Lendl told him he had no interest in a tennis coaching job. Awkward! No shortage of motivation for him to stick it to Lendl and cause an upset.

Maybe what Lendl said was true at the time? Isn't it the case that his hip replacement has made all this possible - when did he have that done?

Raonic served for the match like he'd been taking lessons from Rosol. At least he did until 40-0 at which point my TV decides match point with the ball in play is the perfect time for the TV reception to completely die as if someone just pulled a cable out.

Berdy to now spring the surprise and bring about what might be widely regarded as the least-desirable, least-anticipated Wimbledon Final line-up .......

Okay, okay. Forget that.

Raonic played well but he needs to go up a level if it's Murray in the final. Those 2/3 depth approach shots are just going to get picked off so easily by Andy.

socal1976 wrote:Well Raonic throws another kicker to those who claim that the competition level is comparable to the rollover boys. This was a performance by a mature and varied shotmaker. He volleyed very well, returned exceptionally the last two sets, and his backhand I thought it was Djokovic out there the way he cruncedd so many shots on that side. Raonic is the most Djokovicesque in terms of brains and work ethic and he has pretty good hands at net. Always was a decent volleyer but has improved in the last couple years relentlessly in that area because he knew it would be the key to him mounting a major challenge.

You've seen more than me Socal. Frankly, even the 2013 Fed version would have beaten him. I'm not convinced he holds any surprises for any of the Top 4 playing their 'par' tennis

I of course could be eating my words - but I'll wait to see if they meet first!!

Oh dear. A big guy with a big serve who - after huge improvements - can actually play. Raonic is a major threat to anyone now. Still think Murray will win the whole thing, though.

Didn't Berdych lose love and love to Goffin not all that long ago? What a turn around it would be if he could make the final here.

banbrotam wrote:

socal1976 wrote:Well Raonic throws another kicker to those who claim that the competition level is comparable to the rollover boys. This was a performance by a mature and varied shotmaker. He volleyed very well, returned exceptionally the last two sets, and his backhand I thought it was Djokovic out there the way he cruncedd so many shots on that side. Raonic is the most Djokovicesque in terms of brains and work ethic and he has pretty good hands at net. Always was a decent volleyer but has improved in the last couple years relentlessly in that area because he knew it would be the key to him mounting a major challenge.

You've seen more than me Socal. Frankly, even the 2013 Fed version would have beaten him. I'm not convinced he holds any surprises for any of the Top 4 playing their 'par' tennis

I of course could be eating my words - but I'll wait to see if they meet first!!

I think Milos has always been a top threat and is the number 6 player in the world playing in the final. And really if he can return Fed on grass, even at age 34 or 35 to break him 4 times in 5 sets that is a very bad harbinger for the tour. Because Raonic can win even a modest 25 percent or a little more on the return in terms of return games won then that is bad news for everyone else. He doesn't need to become Novak or Murray on the return if he can return as well as lets say Berdych, then he is a real contender.

Roger has just made his 4th successive slam semi (not counting skipping the FO). The last time he pulled off a streak like that was 2012. However, he is more and more susceptible to losses to all kinds of players and when he does get to a final he doesn't look capable of beating Djokovic.

This year does seem to be a slight decline overall.

I think focus on the Olympics Games and US Open and then reassess from there.

If he can't win the US Open this year or any slam next year then I'd be tempted to play about 10 events in 2017 (maybe Australian Open, Indian Wells, Halle, Wimbledon, Cincinatti, US Open, Basle and a few others) and maybe in 2018 just play an even shorter season with a few goodbye events, and then retire.

He may have a different opinion, but he is going to be asked about it starting from today, so he is going to have to have an answer ready.

Has he decided which Olympics events to play yet? Has he definitely committed to going following zika talk?

My prediction is first two sets shared, but Murray hitting his stride as the match wears on and winning relatively comfortably in 4.

Well, missed chance for Fed, maybe his last, but he certainly did amazing at Wimbledon given the state he was in when he entered.

Congrats Milos!

Pleased for Raonic, he has made massive improvements this year. Backhand and ROS are far better. As is his volleying.

Think he has been the third best player this year, so perhaps deserves a final.

Plus, he seems like a nice guy.

emancipator wrote:Federer was clearly off pace from the start of the tournament - not unexpected given the difficulties he's had this season.

It's gonna be tough to get back close to his best. This season is pretty much a write off. Like 2013.

+ 1

Short of something truly remarkable at the USO or WTF, it's gonna be an eminently forgettable year - albeit brightened just a little by an occasional performance (notably v Cilic) that exceeded all reasonable expectations, within the context of recent injuries + surgery.

But just what sort of level can he realistically expect to 'get back to' next season....?? Nothing approaching his very best methinks.

He turns 35 in just a few weeks. And was the oldest semi-finalist here in well over 40 years.

Congrats again to Raonic

Fed has confounded expectations for so long, so it seems rash to predict an imminent demise, but you have to feel the cliff edge can't be too far off now.

Henman Bill wrote:Roger has just made his 4th successive slam semi (not counting skipping the FO). The last time he pulled off a streak like that was 2012. However, he is more and more susceptible to losses to all kinds of players and when he does get to a final he doesn't look capable of beating Djokovic.

This year does seem to be a slight decline overall.

I think focus on the Olympics Games and US Open and then reassess from there.

If he can't win the US Open this year or any slam next year then I'd be tempted to play about 10 events in 2017 (maybe Australian Open, Indian Wells, Halle, Wimbledon, Cincinatti, US Open, Basle and a few others) and maybe in 2018 just play an even shorter season with a few goodbye events, and then retire.

He may have a different opinion, but he is going to be asked about it starting from today, so he is going to have to have an answer ready.

Has he decided which Olympics events to play yet? Has he definitely committed to going following zika talk?

Well the rest of the field has caught up with Roger and his game has plateaued.

I think his best chance at #18 has gone with this defeat.

Fed may have a real fight on his hands to make the WTF this year - the current state of the ATP Race is as follows:

# Player Name Age Ctry Pts +/- Current Tournament Previous Tournaments Next Pts Max Pts
1 Novak Djokovic 29.1 SRB1 8040 - +90 - Lost in Wimbledon R32 - -
2 Andy Murray 29.1 GBR1 5945 - +720 Wimbledon SF - 6425 7225
3 Milos Raonic 25.5 CAN1 3835 +3 +1200 Wimbledon F - 4635 4635
4 Rafael Nadal 30 ESP1 2930 -1 - - - - -
5 Kei Nishikori 26.5 JPN1 2905 - +180 - Lost in Wimbledon R16 - -
6 Dominic Thiem 22.8 AUT1 2835 -2 +45 - Lost in Wimbledon R64 - -
7 Stan Wawrinka 31.2 SUI2 2370 - +45 - Lost in Wimbledon R64 - -
8 Tomas Berdych 30.8 CZE1 2260 +2 +720 Wimbledon SF - 2740 3540
9 Roger Federer 34.9 SUI1 2130 +3 +720 - Lost in Wimbledon SF - -

Oddly enough, the most vulnerable person above him for the rest of the season may be Nadal!

These empty seats are inexcusable. If you've got Wimbledon SF tickets, getting a catheter fitted beforehand is surely the smart move.