Wimbledon 2019

First topic message reminder :

Fair weather, at least for the first few days, beckons at Wimbledon. There's a roof on number one court, which is excellent news for those with tickets for that court and for the organisers if the rain arrives.

Djoko is my favourite for the title followed by Federer. Rafa has a difficult draw but how often have we seen tricky draws work out simply due to the fact that projected opponents fall by the wayside.

Difficult to make a case out for anyone outside the top three having a good run. Last year Anderson and Isner made the semis but have not played much this season. Not sure Tsitsipas or Thiem really have the game for grass.

Predicting a women's champion is far from straightforward. Barty is the new number one and with that terrific BH slice could do extremely well. Kerber looked very good in beating Halep at Eastbourne and Pliskova has a chance, although her Wimbledon record is woeful.

You can never rule out Serena and, as I said before the French, practically all the top players have a chance. Intriguing first-round match between Coco Gauff (aged 15) and Venus (aged 39).

This year sees a tiebreak kick in at 12-12 in the final set. It just remains to be seen just how much talk the BBC come up with before showing any action when they start the programmes. Thank God for the red button.

Still no BPS for Djokovic in the whole match so far. Surely he will get some and maybe even break in this set. Federer has to have a service game with some errors at some point.

Federer breaks and just needs to put all his focus and remaining energies into holding serve to take this to a fifth set.

Federer holds to love thus consolidating his break. He just needs to hold two more service games to take this into a fifth set.

Amazingly Federer gets the double break and is now serving for the fourth set.

5 breaks to none and losing...I've never seen such a thing....it's barely even possible.

Djokovic gets his first break point of the match but is unable to take it. Deuce.

Djokovic gets a second break point and takes it. So Federer ahead by one break in the fourth set 5-3.

Probably Federer tiring a little after the effort in getting the second break to go 5-2 up.

Djokovic holds to 15.  So again Federer has to focus and dredge up the last of his energy resources to serve out and take the match to a fifth set.

And Federer serves out to love. We are heading into a fifth set.

Well I was right about Novak breaking in this set, but he did it at the least valuable time when already a double break down.

Federer, if he hasn't already taken his one allowed toilet break, needs to take it now, get a full blood transfusion and breath in some magical energy dust, to prepare him for the fifth set.

In the game where Federer was broken, nice to see him win a long rally on the first break point. Not sure how many shots that was - 30 maybe.

Interesting contest so far. One-set match with Djokovic serving first.

So we're into a 5th and I'm still taking Djoko to take it. At least Fed won't lose now having not faced a BP!

Don't think Fed has ever won a GS final after being two sets to one down. Bit patchy to be considered a great match but some good moments. The 35-stroke rally towards the end of the 4th set was insane.

Djokovic has become such a big point player it's like he's almost struggling to focus on the smaller points

When Federer, Djokovic and Nadal retire I think the general interest in tennis as a spectator entertainment will plummet.

Federer in danger 15-40 on his serve. But saves two break-points and we have deuce.

Federer holds 2-2 fifth set. But Federer's energy levels are depleted.

great defence, some ballsy shots, but the point at 15-30 where Fed hit a short ball novak was running before he even hit it, he knew it was coming...still I'm worried about the over use of short balls a bit...

2-3 on serve in the 5th

Djokovic quickly goes 40-0 on serve, suddenly Federer pegs him back to Deuce, then Djokovic takes the next two points to hold and leads 3-2 fifth set on serve.

Great match from Federer, but Novak is still looking the better player, if by just fine margins

Federer's serve again being pressurised:
00-30
15-30
15-40
30-40
Djokovic breaks. That is probably that. 4-2 in fifth set to Djokovic.

Federer spent too much energy on Djokovics previous service game - going from 40-0 to 40-40 - but it was wasted energy because Djokovic held serve.

No name Bertie wrote:Federer spent too much energy on Djokovics previous service game - going from 40-0 to 40-40 - but it was wasted energy because Djokovic held serve.

Roger is failing to execute on too many big points

Unbelievable Federer breaks back in a titanic game. Federer must now be running on fumes.

Federer's level has dipped this set. Both players looking tired but Novak handling it better.

The point where Federer got broken his approach shot was poor. Perhaps he could have hit it harder, and certainly deeper. That was a disappointing one.

From 2-4 to 4-4. It's not over yet

Federer holds to 30, 4-4 final set. But there are no easy games at the moment.

Sudden death service game for Roger now against arguably the greatest returner in the history of tennis....

Fed to serve to stay in the match at 4-5

Djokovic holds to 30. 5-4. Pressure now swings onto Federer as he is now serving to save the championship.

Federer holds to 30, and was at one point 30-30. 5-5

5-6 now after Djoko produced terrific diving volleying winner to help hold.

Federer still playing a lot of short balls with mixed results...so many is he just totally exhausted? Novak looks tired, but Federer is the only one playing like he's tired.

So far in this match Federer has run 4.4 km and Djokovic has run 4.3 km. And of course this is sharp acceleration and deceleration sprints and changes in direction - not the leisurely pace of a middle to long distance runner.

Probably for the first time in the match Novak appears to be edging the play at the moment

Federer serving for the match!

Unbelievably, Fed to serve for the match....

Djokovic saves two championship points. Back on serve 8-8.

BACK ON SERVE 8-8. Djoko has saved MPs against Fed before .

Novak's winning this....

agreed...maybe even in the next game...

Any chance of a final set tie-breaker?

9-9!

At least Fed hasn't crumbled after those 2MPs a la USO 2010/11

Greatness on display. Then again, with £2.35 million to the winner, there ought to be.

EdWoodjr wrote:Greatness on display. Then again, with £2.35 million to the winner, there ought to be.  

Federer should have gone for a sex change and then competed in the Women's tournament for the same amount.  
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9e_Richards

Ten years later, and Roger Federer does an Andy Roddick.

Novak Djokovic is a deserving champion.

This is a devastating loss for Federer though....