Nadal And Serena Sitting In a Tree...

Ok they aren't sitting in a tree, but they are the 2010 Wimbledon Champions! Yay!!! That's all I have to say really.  Both Finals weren't the most riveting, but all that matters is who won.  I am glad Nadal has bounced back, and I'm glad a Williams sister kept the dish in the family.

All the upsets will make for a great US hard court season.  I always thought Berdych had the chops and he is finally coming through.  Will Gulbis and Del Potro be back? Del Potro came through last year by winning the US but Gulbis has yet to prove whether he can stand the pressure.  Enough of the Djokovics and Murrays who lead us to believe that they are more than what they are.  Don't even get me started on the women's game - Jankovic, Ivanovic, Safina, Sharapova...

Now maybe I can reenter the world and think about things other than sport for a while ;}

Nadal and Serena

So the Men's Semi Finals are on tomorrow.  Was I surprised that Fed was Exed? Yes and No.  Not for the same reason as Venus's, but I am not too shocked that he bowed out.  He did so at the French.  He has not won a tournament since the Australian.  He says he has back and leg injuries that stopped him from playing his best.  If that is the case he should rest and get better.  It is a pity that he will drop out of the Top 2 for the first time since the dark ages. Once again we ask if he has the motivation to play through injuries and setbacks...Only time will tell.

Nadal has been under the radar, despite having won the French and being No. 1 in the world.  Being seeded 2 has not affected him. Early round 5 set matches were just what he needed I think.  I am glad he was able to beat Soderling.  He has finally gotten his number.  Nadal's interview afterwards shows that he is not really bothered by what he is going on about him - all the speculation and rediscovery of his talent.  I always find it funny how they keep talking about how aggressive he is on grass and how his game changes like it is something new.  He's done this for years and that is how he was able to win the French-Wimbledon double in 2008 and has appeared in the Wimbledon Final multiple times.  I wonder why people still underestimate him?!  Thank god he has a good head on his shoulders.  Great interview after the match.  I hope he wins and shuts up all the people who keep talking nonsense about him.

His match tomorrow is big, playing against Murray who now cannot escape the media by hiding behind the World Cup.  I don't think Murray is  mentally fit enough to handle the pressure personally if he cannot handle the expectation that comes with greatness.  Murray has had ample chances to move up to the next level of tennis and hasn't done so. I think it will be a great match but Nadal has more passion and motivation.  Nadal wants to defend the title he couldn't last year.
And he is less likely to buy into the hype too I think.

Congrats to Tsonga for making it to the Quarter Finals.  Hopefully he will take this success through to the US hard courts and position himself as a real threat.

Serena is through to the final and is to play the woman who ended Venus's run.  As it should be so she can avenge her sister. I am very into avenging at the moment...

Wimbledon Focus: Women Quarter Finals

The women's draw has been pretty predictable.  Once again Jankovic lives up to expectation of falling short.  I do not know whether she is prone to injury or she's just not mentally fit, as athletes are never 100% and sometimes need to fight through the pain to cross that thin line between the potential of greatness and the achievement of it. Reminds me of Djokovic! It still amazes me that in Women's tennis you can have a No. 1 that has not won a Grand Slam or at least achieved one on the way to the top, as we have had with Jankovic and Safina, whereas in the men's that doesn't happen.

Sharapova gives the impression that she can improve on the fine start she had in her career.  I have always thought she was at the right place at the right time and benefited from the flux in the game with the Williams Sisters in and out and Henin being a small player when she came in.  A true champion is always able to fight back, as the Williams Sisters, Federer and of course most recently, Nadal, have shown. I am not surprised that Serena got the better of her, even though she struggled.  Sharapova has no creativity.  She has not been able to find a way around her injuries to improve her game and stay competitive either.  I do have to hand it to her though, she could have been another Kournikova.  Sharapova reminds me of the dude Ed Norton plays in The Italian Job.  He's told by Mark Wahlberg's character he has "no imagination", as he know that he gives a great false impression of possessing more talent than he does.

Am I surprised about Venus's untimely exit? Yes and no.  Her last game against Groth in the 4th round showed signs of vulnerability, but I did not expect her to go out in straight sets!!! She herself admits to not bringing her game.  She is No. 2 in the world, only her sister can beat her regularly and she is a 5 time Wimbledon Champion. She has been able to come in and out the game and dominate at will. Recently it has been reported that she is thinking more about her ranking, but really I think Venus plays for the love of the game, and that might be her flaw.  She has tweaked her forehand which was said to be her big weakness, but I think it is the fact that she doesn't necessarily play to win that is fascinating but also confusing.  If Borg ever had a twin, it was Venus.  She is as transparent as ice, you can see right through her and yet gain nothing at all.  This enigmatic quality is where the answer lies.  Something was not right within today, that is certain.

I don't really care much for the Clijsters-Henin comeback hype.  One went out yesterday, the other today.  End of story.  I don't think either of them has the game to dominate again, even in their prime it was hard work to stay at the top, especially for Henin. I do respect Henin for doing the work, unlike Hingis who found loopholes.  What I do care about - seeing Serena doing what she does best - winning.  She will fight to the death.  It is important to her.  She does not hide it.  That is her reason for being on court.  She loves to win and she loves the pomp and show that comes with it.  That is why she is never amused when she is bumped off the show courts.  I really felt for her after watching her talking about playing in front of the Queen and showing us her curtsy, only to be moved from Centre! So long as the Venus Rose Water Dish stays in the Williams family, I'm good!

WIMBLEDON HAS STARTED!!!!!! :)

MY FAVOURITE TOURNAMENT OF THE YEAR HAS BEGUN!!!!!

Love that Centre Court has the roof on it.  Was great to see Djokovic duke it out till 11pm! The roof looks amazing! Need to get used to how bright the court looked and the echo.  Weirded me out a little ;}. It wasn't used much last year...





Federer got off to a shaky start...almost wasn't going to be able to defend his title! This is not good for the aura of invincibility he has created around this tournament.  Is it true what they say about marriage and babies affecting the drive of tennis players?  Interestingly, he is the No.1 seed due to his exemplary play, having won 6 times at Wimbledon.  I have always thought that should have been so - if you are the defending champion you should be seeded first, especially if you have won the tournament multiple times in a row...I hope the French Open follows suit next year.

Venus is on the way to getting back her namesake Dish.  She went straight to business, annihilating her opponent in straight sets.  And her outfit is very lovely, 20s Flapper inspired it seems. And she is wearing white biker shorts underneath thank God!

Monfils has also gotten to a good start. How long will his form last? And Gulbis has withdrawn from this tournament too! Very sad, he has soo much potential...