Wimbledon Day 4

Some of Today's Matches at Wimbledon:  http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/schedule/

Centre Court
Monfils (15)  vs Edmund
Lajovic  vs Federer (3)  
     
No.1 Court
Pavlasek  vs Djokovic (2)
Thiem (8) vs  Simon    
   
No.2 Court
Dimitrov (13)   vs Baghdatis  
Raonic (6)   vs   Youzhny    
     
No.3 Court
Del Potro (29)   vs Gulbis    
Tiafoe    vs  A. Zverev (10)

Court 12
Sela vs Isner (23)  
Harrison vs Berdych (11)  
     
Court 14
M. Zverev (27) vs Kukushkin
Donaldson vs Lorenzi (32)  
     
Court 16
Sugita vs Mannarino    

Court 17
Ferrer  vs Darcis    

Court 18
Rublev  vs Ramos-Vinolas (25)  
Sock (17) vs Ofner

Monfils takes the first set 7-6 (7-1).  Edmund had his chances but is either not quite good enough or has difficulty mentally imposing himself on the match. Poor tie-breaker from him.

Edmund is acquitting himself well. But Monfils looks pretty sharp and is serving well.

Yes, Edmund has missed some opportunities. I think the difference here is simply a matter of far, far greater big stage experience versus a guy who is still getting to grips with matchplay at the highest level of the sport.

Gulbis leads Del Potro 2-0.

lags72 wrote: I think the difference here is simply a matter of far, far greater big stage experience versus a guy who is still getting to grips with matchplay at the highest level of the sport.

Or maybe that Monfils is by a long way the superior player however you cut it?

Oh sure, that too barrystar ..... no doubt at all.

I was simply making the point (and perhaps not very well !) that sometimes we expend a lot of thought in coming up with complex explanations as to why one player is beating another ; when the reality is, as you say, very often just a matter of different levels /quality between the combatants.

But of course that's also the very reason why upsets can be a big attraction for us as spectators. If there were no prospect at all of them happening, then ultimately the interest factor would be considerably diminished.

Glad to see Gulbis win, but DelPotro

Mattek sands has apparently suffered a horror knee injury slipping on th court

I haven't seen it and don't want to 

A very harsh punishment for not being balanced enough

Just seen it...

Horrible

temporary21 wrote:... A very harsh punishment for not being balanced enough

Do you think Wimbledon should tear out the grass and replace it with asphalt / concrete with a synthetic overcoating? In an era characterised by environmental degradation, here we have another demand for it. But hard courts can be tough on the body giving rise to stress fractures and the like.

No 
But she slipped split stepping for a volley in the forecourt 

She wasn't sliding at the back or anything.

They might have to review the condition they put the grass in maybe. Or do something about the footwear

It's you wouldn't accept icy conditions on any other court.

Remember there isn't just A grass court 
How it plays depends a lot on how it's prepared 

I'm sadly no expert but you can reduce slipping 

It's fair that taking big steps on grass isn't effective. You need very quick small steps to make last second adjustments

The downside of not making those steps should be a lot of missed balls due to being out of position. Not a ripped open acl

Surfaces have to be slippery to some extent so the feet can slide over the surface rather than jamming. People damage their knees when the surface has no give and the foot "jams" on the surface which creates a shock wave up the body. Conditions at Wimbledon have been dry. In the past it has been far more slippery. I'm sure Wimbledon will look at it - but there is nothing more that can be done that hasn't already been done other than to replace the grass with concrete and a plastic coating.

I think when the accident is a one-off it's difficult to say other than that it is a bit of tragic bad luck.  If they were all slipping around everywhere, then that conclusion is less justified.  I am sure that the severity of the injury means that Wimbledon will have a look, but the indications are not that they've screwed up.  Such a shame, because she's at her career peak #1 in doubles and it sounds like a possible career-ender, particularly given she's 32.

Meanwhile, Fed goes 0-2 vs. Lajovic - commentators making a hash of drumming up excuses for Fed, but he seems now to have gotten his teeth into it.  Make a mistake like that vs. Nadal and the 1st set is almost gone, then you are facing someone who wins 94.7% of matches after he's won the 1st set....

The chances of lajovic taking a set though are 

Let me work this out......

None 

You can see what happened on twitter but it's a nasty one

Federer well below par right now, with a surprising number of UE's.

Lajovic looks a grass court regular. Excellent start from him.

There was a time when the season was mainly grass with a short clay season.   People used to play on the grass until their forties.  Rod Laver, Pancho Gonzalez and the like.  They had long long careers unlike today when by the age of thirty you are considered over hill - at least until very recently.  They played in conditions more slippery, uneven and variable than today, using footwear that didn't require a team of scientists and engineers to create.

They were called plimsolls !!!!

Yeah there's clearly an issue in that other courts allow for a modern type of movement that grass doesn't allow 

A full slide in the corners is something we all accept can't be done on grass

It was a shock for mattek sands though because it was just a standard volley step

Amazing that Fed has ended up with the lottery of a TB here against such a rookie - assuming of course Lajovic doesn't break again .....

temporary21 wrote:Yeah there's clearly an issue in that other courts allow for a modern type of movement that grass doesn't allow 

A full slide in the corners is something we all accept can't be done on grass

It was a shock for mattek sands though because it was just a standard volley step

Maybe that is it - the grass court season is so short nowadays - and many no longer train on grass courts - that the knowledge of how to move over grass is being lost. Whereas before it was second nature nowadays players are treating it as just another "hard court" surface. I am sure clay has always been recognised as acting very differently from grass and the hard courts.

Interesting to see how much longer Lajovic can maintain this impressive level.

The strength in depth of the men's game is quite something.

How's it going? I've got raonic and cricket highlight over here

Fed improving whilst Lajovic begins to struggle a little.

7-6 4-1 .......

Break point raonic in the 4th

Saved

Nope youzhny holds for 5-4

Head have dropped their sponsorship of  Tomic. No surprise .They've kept sharapova though mind...

Raonic saves set point for 5-5. Don't need to tell you how

And breaks for 6-5

Raonic through. It seems many of the top players are warming to the occasion. Federer looks to be on some sort of auto-pilot, going through the motions, getting his body and brain working.

Fed has already changed his shirt - twice ! Must be really humid out there.

That was some sneak attack by Federer. Lajovic second serve, threw the ball up, then as he was about to hit the ball, Federer was almost at the net!

Not necessary at that stage of the match.. he didn't need it and I'm glad he lost the point

You are funny at times H-n.

Your one & only comment on a straight sets win by Federer :
"I'm glad he lost the point"

At least you got something from the match .......

I'm sorry lags but whilst I know what he did was within the rules and was legal.. I think Federer should be above that kind of trick.. the match was wrapped up and finished what was the point of it.. so he should have had a straight sets win against a player 79 in the rankings. Ye
The lad gave him a good match and I thought he deserved more respect from someone who some consider the GOAT..

Mr B. Borg is the GOAT.

Everyone knows that !!

On that my friend we do agree

Federer is known for his SABR. Probably his sense of exhibition Tennis came into play.

laverfan wrote:Federer is known for his SABR. Probably his sense of exhibition Tennis came into play.

O yes, of course, lets play to the crowd why not

He shouldn't rely on that shot. When he was doing that in the us ipen 2015 he lost that final through very bad returning 

That tactic has a very short shelf life and I'd rather he keep a clear head and just focus on a proper return

Not sure why people get upset about SABR. It's not bad sportsmanship or gamesmanship. It's a perfectly legitimate play which is not showing any disrespect to an opponent. Sensible for Federer to try it a couple of times early on - it might come in useful in the tougher matches ahead.

Not sure. Maybe people think the reaction would be different if another player tried it. That's normally why people get upset

Or maybe some view it in the same vein as drop shotting someone's serve or the underarm delivery 

It will win him a couple points. However the indecision in his own head of how to play key returns could lose him a lot more (us open 2015)

He's also played it too early again. Novak et al won't be surprised by it as much now

We know that BS.. but why did he NEED to use it at the point in the match.. it was all over. The lad had played his socks off until the end and tried to give Fed a match which I think he did.
Imo it was totally unnecessary, disrespectful and unworthy of him...I thought he was supposed to be the ultimate in lawn tennis...not with that trick me thinks

temporary21 wrote:Not sure. Maybe people think the reaction would be different if another player tried it. That's normally why people get upset

Or maybe some view it in the same vein as drop shotting someone's serve or the underarm delivery 

It will win him a couple points. However the indecision in his own head of how to play key returns could lose him a lot more (us open 2015)

He's also played it too early again. Novak et al won't be surprised by it as much now

I don't care who does it I would view it in the same way .. it is not sportsmanship in MY view..the same as hitting a ball directly at your opponent
Maybe Ive been watching tennis too many years eh!!?

I'm not saying that is why for you. Historically though a lot of arguments on forums come from perceived double standard 

MAYBE that's why

I just dont think it's as effective long term as people think. I feel people are partially blinded by how showy it is

Temp as you no doubt realise I have watched tennis before you lot on here got the cradle marks off your backsides...I have watched the good guys, the bad guys, the misbehaved guys, the bullies and the jokers.. but.. this in my book is not gamesmanship. This is by THE man who many consider to be the epitome of pure tennis. Apart from the fact that I do not approve of the SABR (even named after him) it was the need to play it at the time he did made it worse.
Yes it is showy and dare I say arrogant. I am respectful and appreciative of the mans tennis... however I am not a fan of his and never will be  and this does nothing to endear me to him whatsoever. I wont apologise or make excuses for that fact..and yes I would be bitterly disappointed if Rafa resorts to this kind of tactic.  Lets see how desperate he is to play it against an opponent who is not 79 in the rankings !!!!!

Ok ok!
Haddie I'm not disrespecting your opinion at all


I think you have a point haddie. But I can see it the other way too

Dw

temporary21 wrote:Ok ok!
Haddie I'm not disrespecting your opinion at all


I think you have a point haddie. But I can see it the other way too

Dw

Watched some extended highlights last night of Federer-Lajovic. Lajovic played some good points now and then, but often hit some terrible shots, looked like some club player that had somehow stumbled onto the show court.

Federer was extremely poor in the first two games and actually not that much better for the rest of the match. Couldn't seem to time the difficult backhand down the line well, missing some basic shots.

Perhaps just a bad day at the office rather than a sign of things to come but he'll have to play a way better than that to beat anyone really good.

Djokovic looked better yesterday I thought.

As a point of nerdy curiosity, I believe I'm right in saying that Fedeer lost the first seven points in the first set but won the last eight.