2016 Wimbledon Championships

[The Price Is Wrong]

If Serena had lost today (which sounds funny from how she played, but hear me out), Kerber would have had a shot to take the #1 ranking by winning the tournament. She could still easily take it by the US Open - Serena has many points to defend between now and september, is playing Rio despite it not awarding any points this year, and Kerber has basically none other than Stanford. Kerber is very close to being the #1 player in the world, with Muguruza right behind her.

If Kerber made Venus look "tired" out there, it's really doesn't reflect poorly on Venus. Venus is solidly a top-10 player in her late-career form right now (when not affected by her autoimmune disease), but is nowhere near capable of threatening the very best players. She's David Ferrer, or Tomas Berdych.

Doubles, WS vs Vesnina/Makarova, start in ~10 mins. Tomorrow's CC schedule is out, too:

8am: Raonic-Federer
~11am: Berdych-Murray

 

[Infield Infidel]

Serena's coach said both Venus and Vesnina looked more tired out there, perhaps because they've been playing doubles (and in Vesnina's case, mixed doubles as well). He said Venus and Serena are playing doubles at Wimbledon this year to prepare for the Olympics. Maybe next season Venus stops playing doubles at the slams to preserve her energy.

 

[BigMike]

In terms of the fatigue, ESPN expected Venus to lose before the match started so they used the fatigue from their opening statement through their closing statement, and incessantly during the match.

I have no doubt that there was some degree of fatigue for Venus. My point is she is at a stage of her career where that is who she is. She looked listless and lifeless against Donna Vekic in the first round and against Maria Sakkari in the second round. She had a remarkable tournament and showed great fortitude surviving a couple brutal 3 set matches, but it was not like she was playing exceptional tennis early in the tournament and simply was too tired to give her best today. I had seen a good bit of her matches the last 2 weeks, and honestly she played better in the second set than at any other time in this tournament

 

[BigMike]

Williams Sisters are headed for a 3rd set here in doubles

 

[The Price Is Wrong]

And they close out the 3rd set in style, 6-2, and advance to the semis tomorrow vs Goerges/Pliskova. There were some incredible points in that set - if you're looking to burn some time, and like ridiculous volleys and reactions and chase-downs, go watch that 3rd set.

Another USA duo of Abigail Spears (who turns 35 on Tuesday) & 33-yo Raquel Atawo is also in the semis. Could be an all-American Ladies Doubles final, all of them old by tennis standards.

 

[Infield Infidel]

In terms of the fatigue, ESPN expected Venus to lose before the match started so they used the fatigue from their opening statement through their closing statement, and incessantly during the match.

I have no doubt that there was some degree of fatigue for Venus. My point is she is at a stage of her career where that is who she is. She looked listless and lifeless against Donna Vekic in the first round and against Maria Sakkari in the second round. She had a remarkable tournament and showed great fortitude surviving a couple brutal 3 set matches, but it was not like she was playing exceptional tennis early in the tournament and simply was too tired to give her best today. I had seen a good bit of her matches the last 2 weeks, and honestly she played better in the second set than at any other time in this tournament

I think she played well today as well, but she played much cleaner against Shvedova. She had her highest 1st serve% (74%) and fewest unforced errors. If Venus served as well against Kerber (64%) as she did against Shvedova we have a different match, but perhaps that's unsustainably high. I caught at least parts of all her matches except the 1st round match; I think she peaked energy wise and sharpness wise in the QF. That last rally today was like a lot of points in the 4th round match against Suarez Navarro (who's a human backboard); Venus's energy level was better then but she wasn't quite as sharp as in QF. She also moved well enough against Sakkari to get to the net 49 times. But with no tuneups, she wasn't sharp and had to work her way into the tourney and into most early matches, not unlike a pitcher in the early innings who doesn't know how his stuff is. I think that could be construed as listless. She wasn't sharp early: she had 17 double faults in the first three rounds, and only 4 after that. That Suarez Navarro match and the Kasetkina match with all the delays probably took a lot out of her as well. Then the doubles on top of that. This is the first time in years that she had played this much tennis.

 

[jsinger121]

Raonic breaks when Federer double faults up 3-1 in the 1st.

 

[jsinger121]

Tough hold by Raonic but he's up 4-1 now in the 1st. He really needs to stop with some of the lazy backhands today. If he does that he can win this match.

 

[jsinger121]

Milos holds at 5-2 coming back from love 30 down. Really important hold there for him.

 

[semsox]

That Federer break came out of nowhere. He's had a much easier time on his serve than Milos has, though a protracted match favors Milos methinks

 

[Ed Hillel]

Milos takes the first set:

 

[jsinger121]

Milos takes the 1st set 6-3. Looks good so far but struggling a bit to win points off the second serve.

 

[BigMike]

Slow start again today for Feds. That second service game was just a complete giveaway ending with the stunning double fault.

But honestly Fed looks in much better position today than he did on Wednesday after the first set with Cilic. Will his backhand get better as it did the other day?

Roger hasn't had many (any?) break points yet, but he has been very in every Raonic service game. He will get some breaks

 

[jsinger121]

Back to back pretty easy service games for Raonic.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Triple break/set point for Ro-Jay.

 

[Ed Hillel]

UGH, Milios back to Deuce.

 

[semsox]

Why is Roger always so bad at break points.

 

[jsinger121]

Raonic holds fighting off 4 set points.

 

[BigMike]

Why is Roger always so bad at break points.

That friggen chip backhand return on second serve has let him down so many tmes on break point over the years. If he had been better at those he'd have 5-6 more titles.

in this game he threw 3 of those chip backhands, which Raonic ran around to get a big forehand and great angle winning the points easily

 

[Ed Hillel]

Triple set point, part deux.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Yay!

Amazing how Roger can ramp up the concentration and shift momentum in the big moments. He has as good a mindset as any athlete I have ever seen.

 

[jsinger121]

Raonic's big serve has cost him in the tiebreak. He needs to tone down the second serve and just get it in instead of trying to bomb it all the time.

 

[BigMike]

Amazing to see Roger win a second set in which he was only able to serve 54% on first serve, and Roanic struggled late to drop him to 61% for the set. Roger's first serve percentage for the match is below 55%

 

[semsox]

Hope Roger is game for some tiebreaks today, cause I don't have much confidence in him breaking Raonic's serve

 

[BigMike]

Hope Roger is game for some tiebreaks today, cause I don't have much confidence in him breaking Raonic's serve

 

[bosox4283]

Hope Roger is game for some tiebreaks today, cause I don't have much confidence in him breaking Raonic's serve

Spoke too soon!

 

[LuckyBen]

Hope Roger is game for some tiebreaks today, cause I don't have much confidence in him breaking Raonic's serve

Simply returning seems to yield a high chance of winning points against Raonic.

 

[BigMike]

Wow those last 2 service games were vintage Federer

 

[jsinger121]

I'm closing the book on Raonic. I can't see him coming up big to bring this a 5th set.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Gotta love the creepy, stalkerish camera shots of Bradley Cooper.

 

[BigMike]

Gotta love the creepy, stalkerish camera shots of Bradley Cooper.

Well I prefer to think of them as stalkerish shots of Irina Shayk, I'm much more comfortable with those

 

[jsinger121]

Have to give Raonic some credit in this 4th set for not crumbling yet against Federer. Roger now needs to hold and force a breaker.

 

[BigMike]

Wow, epic implosion by Roger to lose the 4th set. Absolutely stunning

 

[johnmd20]

Damn Fed.

 

[semsox]

what the fuck Roger

 

[jsinger121]

Roger falls apart and we are heading to the 5th set.

 

[bosox4283]

Federer was up 40-0, right?

 

[semsox]

Yep. Serve abandoned him at two absolutely crucial junctures this match. The double fault in the 1st set to lose the break, and now this at the end of the 4th.

 

[jsinger121]

Federer was up 40-0, right?

Yup. Back to Back doubles on 40-15 brought it to deuce. Credit Raonic in that game for some great shots to win some points.

 

[LuckyBen]

Is Raonic's backhand one of the worst in the game?

 

[jsinger121]

Is Raonic's backhand one of the worst in the game?

Its pretty lazy at times.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Oh fuck

If Roger pulls this out, it will be right up there with his best moments.

 

[jsinger121]

Bad spill by Roger. Hope he can finish this.

 

[bosox4283]

Oh man...can't believe Roger lost his serve.

 

[Ed Hillel]

Raonic is on another level now. You have to feel for Roger.

 

[jsinger121]

Another double cost Roger and now Raonic breaks up 3-1 now with some tremendous play.

 

[jsinger121]

Raonic holds and now 2 games away from the final. He has really elevated his game in this 5th set. Color me impressed.

 

[semsox]

Milos has got this. Goddamnit....

 

[jsinger121]

Raonic is feeling it right now.

 

[jsinger121]

Tremendous win by Raonic who could have collapsed multiple times.