OK so we are nearing that time where the most prestigious grand slam in the game of tennis is just around the corner, yep its nearly Wimbledon time!
So its going to be another 2 weeks of enthralling, exciting tennis, lovely sunshine interspersed with cloudy spells and rain showers, with the staff quickly covering the courts in lightning speed, not to mention the spectators enjoying glasses of Pimms (which I personally don't like).
And all this of course begs the question? Who is going to win Wimbledon this year? Well the home crowd will of course be expecting a great deal from the British No.1 Andy Murray (heard of him???) as he tries once again break his duck and grab that maiden and highly elusive grand slam. Unfortunately for Andy he is up against three other guys who are just that bit better than he is, two of which are two of the greatest players that have ever played the game. Can Andy beat them and finally claim that crown on his own soil??? To be honest no, I've actually given up my expectations of Andy winning at Wimbledon, as Roger and Rafa have been so dominant there over the last 7 or 8 years, and I'm sure Roger will endeavour to play his best tennis here once again, especially given his form at the French Open. So I'm willing to wager that Federer might win it this year, its his main title, the one that means the most to him, for Rafa its the French Open, but Roger's is definitely the grass. However lets not discount Novak Djokovic, who up until the French Open semi final was unbeaten this year, but again Roger's best surface overall is grass, and I think Djoko will really struggle against him to win again, I could be wrong but we will see.
But let's not entirely discount Andy from winning at Wimbledon, one day he might still do it, but I'm quite convinced it won't be this year. Hopefully he might reach the semi finals again this year, but if he does he will doubtless meet Rafa again, who in their previous two meetings at Wimbledon saw Rafa beat Andy in straight sets. I'm hoping Andy can at least go one better this year and push Rafa that bit further and take him to 4 sets at least, but Rafa has usually found away to break the Muzza down. But if Andy is to win, he's going to have to take his chances more often, play aggressive and get those pesky 1st serves in. However I am resigned to the fact its not going to happen for Andy just yet. Can he win a grand slam??? Actually yes. Will he??? I think so one day. His next best chance is the US Open, but again Djokovic has been pretty dominant so far this year on the hard court, and unless he plays the tennis of his life, he will be denied once more.
Anyway that's all yet to come, in the meantime the AEGON Championships from Queens club in London is still on just now, with the top seeds Andy, Rafa and Andy Roddick still in play. Today they play Cilic, Tsonga and Verdacsco respectively, its going to be tough for them, so we'll see how it goes. In fact it would be great to see Andy win this title again like he did in 2009, he deserves to win one, as the other two have won titles already this year, so I think its high time Andy got one under his belt! But I would wager money on either Roddick or Rafa winning this one, but again its all to play. Its been a great tournament so far, with Andy playing pretty solidly over his last two matches, as has Roddick, although Rafa did survive a scare yesterday against Radek Stepanek who put in a spirited fightback and took the 2nd set from Rafa in 7-5. But Rafa recovered well and rattled through the 3rd set and sealed the victory with 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
So on the British tennis front, there's been good news as James Ward, the British No.2 has beaten the defending champion Sam Querrey in 3 sets to reach the quarter finals at Queens for the first time. Also Muzza's opponent Marin Cilic has withdrawn due to injury, which gives Andy a walkover into the semi finals where he will play Andy Roddick. So the two Andies will be together again, I think their last encounter was at the Wimbledon 2009 semi final, which Roddick won in a tight 4 set match, so we should expect a belter this time round. Roddick also appears to be in top form once again so could it be Roddick that prevails once again? Not so sure, but it could be, whatever way it goes, I'm sure it will promise to be another great re-match between these two.
On a shock note Rafa has been beaten by Jo-Wilfred Tsonga in 3 sets, Tsonga winning in 6-7, 6-4, 6-1. I think though Rafa has been pretty fatigued after having played so many matches this year, so that doesn't help, however playing at Queens will have helped him get used to the grass, so its a good thing for Rafa as he can rest up and get back into shape for Wimbledon a week on Monday.
Also more news on the Murray vs Roddick match as Andy Murray won the match by crushing Roddick in straight sets 6-3, 6-1, it was quite an incredible display from the Muzza as he just effortlessly breezed through the match in just under an hour. I was really quite surprised as I expected a much tougher test from Roddick, but Andy secured an early break and he never looked back after that. Now if only he could play like that every time in the grand slams then he would be lifting that trophy by now! So its now confirmed that Andy will play Jo-Wilfred Tsonga who defeated the British No.2 James Ward in straight sets in 6-3, 7-6(6). It was a tight match by Tsonga, who was down a break in the 2nd set but he managed to break back and take it to a tiebreak, and unfortunately for Ward he couldn't close it out. But James Ward should be proud of his week's achievements, as he was only the second British player to reach the AEGON Championship's semi finals in many years, and even if the Muzza doesn't play the Davis Cup this year, I'll still pay money to see James play as I'm sure he can tackle the Luxembourg No.1 himself! So big well done to James, its a highly impressive run which will see him break into the top 200 for the first time.
So Andy faces Tsonga tomorrow in the final and no doubt this will be a tough match for him this time, but I think Andy can still win especially after his imperious performance today, but let's not discount Tsonga either, who has defeated the World No.1 this week already. And if Andy wins, not only will it be his 2nd Queens title, could it signal a potential win at Wimbledon??? Hmmmmm to be honest I'm still sceptical, but its still all to play for. However due to the heavy wind and rain down in London, it turns out the Queens final has had to be delayed until Monday 13 June, so hopefully by then the rain will have cleared away and play will resume.
Right well that'll do it the now.
Friday, 10 June 2011
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Spoilers!
So that is the end of the first part of the sixth series of Doctor Who and its been rather twisty and turny to say the least. If I'm being honest I don't think I've enjoyed this series quite as much as the last one, but there is still much to like about it, despite its infuriating lack of sense.
The most impressive episodes so far of the series have been the two parter "The Rebel Flesh" and "The Almost People" with the Doctor, Amy and Rory coming across a group of humans in the future who have cloned themselves, but the clones have mutated flesh and they have been outcast. So the clones (or gangers as they are called) and humans both are out to fight each other, but of course the Doctor gets involved and it all gets more sticky and weird. This story also featured one of the more surprisingly creepy and scary monsters in the show so far, as one of the gangers mutates into a monster and chases them through the corridors. The gangers themselves also will prove quite frightening for kids, and this series certainly has seen some more creepy monsters than in the previous season.
But I do have to say Matt Smith really has grown into his role as the Doctor very well indeed. He is also starting to show more of the Doctor's vulnerability, little moments of emotion creeping in nicely to his performance. And despite his dancing and rattling off his dialogue, he has nailed the Doctor's compassion, quick temper and humour without actually overdoing too much. Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill have also nicely adapted to their roles. Karen as Amy Pond brings a level of complexity to her character as we know there is always something going on with her, and Arthur Darvill's Rory is no longer the stuff of weasels, he shows himself to be quite a strong character in the face of danger (well ok he is still a bit weasly, but he shows he has some baws! Well not literally!).
So to recap the very good finale mid-season episode, A Good Man Goes to War, it sees the Doctor trying to rescue Amy, who is pregnant and has been captured by Madame Kovarian who want Amy's baby for some reason or other. In order to help rescue Amy, the Doctor recruits, a female Sherlock Holmesian Silurian (who is Scottish no less!) and her friend Jenny, also a Sontaran nurse (yep that's right a nurse, that's not Jenny by the way), and a black marketeer (a big blue guy!). But there are further complications afoot and as the episode progresses we learn what they are.
So to cap it off at the end we learn River Song's true identity, and yes ok it certainly isn't one I was expecting, so get this.... River Song is Amy's daughter. Yep. Weird one. But of course its Doctor Who and its all about time travel so it makes sense, also of course the Doctor and River also are romantically involved which is pretty obvious anyway, with her "sweetie" "my love" etc, not to mention her wenching him earlier in the series! But that's all waiting to happen. The romantic element though to Doctor Who has been recurring throughout the new series so far, it does add a new element to the show, the Doctor obviously in the past having been a grandfather must have had a family of his own, a wife and kids. But its a part of his life that has been buried, and perhaps with River they can dig it up again, but its all waiting to happen again.
So with that bombshell, its going to be intruiging to see how the next part of the sixth season turns out. It will be September I think before the second part begins, so until then keep the breath baited, or better yet invent a time machine and skip forward to September and find out.
And on that thingy I will say adieu.
The most impressive episodes so far of the series have been the two parter "The Rebel Flesh" and "The Almost People" with the Doctor, Amy and Rory coming across a group of humans in the future who have cloned themselves, but the clones have mutated flesh and they have been outcast. So the clones (or gangers as they are called) and humans both are out to fight each other, but of course the Doctor gets involved and it all gets more sticky and weird. This story also featured one of the more surprisingly creepy and scary monsters in the show so far, as one of the gangers mutates into a monster and chases them through the corridors. The gangers themselves also will prove quite frightening for kids, and this series certainly has seen some more creepy monsters than in the previous season.
But I do have to say Matt Smith really has grown into his role as the Doctor very well indeed. He is also starting to show more of the Doctor's vulnerability, little moments of emotion creeping in nicely to his performance. And despite his dancing and rattling off his dialogue, he has nailed the Doctor's compassion, quick temper and humour without actually overdoing too much. Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill have also nicely adapted to their roles. Karen as Amy Pond brings a level of complexity to her character as we know there is always something going on with her, and Arthur Darvill's Rory is no longer the stuff of weasels, he shows himself to be quite a strong character in the face of danger (well ok he is still a bit weasly, but he shows he has some baws! Well not literally!).
So to recap the very good finale mid-season episode, A Good Man Goes to War, it sees the Doctor trying to rescue Amy, who is pregnant and has been captured by Madame Kovarian who want Amy's baby for some reason or other. In order to help rescue Amy, the Doctor recruits, a female Sherlock Holmesian Silurian (who is Scottish no less!) and her friend Jenny, also a Sontaran nurse (yep that's right a nurse, that's not Jenny by the way), and a black marketeer (a big blue guy!). But there are further complications afoot and as the episode progresses we learn what they are.
So to cap it off at the end we learn River Song's true identity, and yes ok it certainly isn't one I was expecting, so get this.... River Song is Amy's daughter. Yep. Weird one. But of course its Doctor Who and its all about time travel so it makes sense, also of course the Doctor and River also are romantically involved which is pretty obvious anyway, with her "sweetie" "my love" etc, not to mention her wenching him earlier in the series! But that's all waiting to happen. The romantic element though to Doctor Who has been recurring throughout the new series so far, it does add a new element to the show, the Doctor obviously in the past having been a grandfather must have had a family of his own, a wife and kids. But its a part of his life that has been buried, and perhaps with River they can dig it up again, but its all waiting to happen again.
So with that bombshell, its going to be intruiging to see how the next part of the sixth season turns out. It will be September I think before the second part begins, so until then keep the breath baited, or better yet invent a time machine and skip forward to September and find out.
And on that thingy I will say adieu.
Monday, 6 June 2011
City of Lights Part 11 (The final!): The king lives to see another day
So that's the French Open over for another year, the men's final saw the duel of the titans between Rafa and Roger who battled it out to gain the fancy Parisian silveware, and in the end there was only one victor of course. And well that man was.... well Rafael Nadal. Who else???
The stage was set for a dramatic match between the two greatest players in the world just now and to a certain extent it lived up to its promise. But overall I felt somewhat disappointed by the match mainly because Federer in particular made too many unforced errors, he played some tremendous shots but there were alot of mistakes in there too. Federer started the first set very promisingly as he instantly broke Nadal's serve and ended up securing a 5-2 lead, but then he played a drop shot at set point that just went over the line, and in that moment Nadal got back into the match and rattled off the next 5 games to take the opening set 7-5. The second set was a tighter affair as both men played to a tiebreak, but again Federer made too many errors and it cost him too as Nadal took it 7-6(3). However things did turn round in the 3rd set as after being a break down Federer broke back and then broke Nadal's serve at 5-5, to make it 6-5, so Federer successfully served for the 3rd set at 7-5. But in the 4th set, Nadal regained control and proved too strong for Federer as he closed out the match in 6-1, guaranteeing his 6th title at Roland Garros.
There definitely was some really good match play mixed into the final, but overall I felt it wasn't consistent enough in quality to keep me thrilled throughout. Quite often it felt like a stalled car, you try to get it going and then it stops again. Federer who was absolutely on fire throughout the tournament, especially in his amazing match against Djokovic, just seemed to fizzle out toward the end, he did put up a good fight but it just felt underwhelming to watch in the end. During the commentary for the match Andrew Castle for the BBC said that Federer used to be invincible till he met Nadal, and its same for Nadal with Djokovic. This shows the irony of it all, as Federer can beat Djokovic, Nadal can beat Federer, yet Nadal can't beat Djokovic! But it was great for Rafa to get this win, as it means he can hold onto the No. 1 ranking and while winning the other slams is great, the French Open is always the one that means the most to him.
But that's it over with, and I was pleased for Rafa that he won, so that's his 10th grand slam, now into the double figures, another 6 and he'll equal Roger. However Roger based on this tournament is definitely starting to play some of his best tennis again. He'll never get back to his glory days but I think if he maintains this level this summer he can win Wimbledon, and I think that's his main goal for the year. Given his performance at the French Open, this definitely could give Federer the opportunity to claim the grassy silver trophy once more. So it will be interesting to see how it goes.
So that's the red dirt season over with, now onto the grass, Wimbledon is just two weeks away now, in the meantime there are a few grass tournaments for the men and women, in Eastbourne and at Queens in London, as well as the Gerry Weber Open in Halle Germany where Roger usually plays this time of year. And the AEGON Queens Club Championship starts tomorrow, which is of course the men's tournament prior to Wimbledon. While its not a grand slam by any means, Queens is quite a prestigious title, and its also a great precursor to Wimbledon as well as training run for the grand slam. So among the Queens lineup will feature Rafa, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Del Potro, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic and quite a few others. It will be on the BBC all week so I will definitely be following that. Andy won it back in 2009 so it would be nice if he managed a repeat win of it this year, probably not, but you never know. Sam Querrey the defending champion from last year will be playing again, although Mardy Fish, the runner up who had a run in with Andy last year during their 3rd round match, won't be taking part due to an injury.
So there is more to follow on the sport, so bring on the green grass and get the whites on.
The stage was set for a dramatic match between the two greatest players in the world just now and to a certain extent it lived up to its promise. But overall I felt somewhat disappointed by the match mainly because Federer in particular made too many unforced errors, he played some tremendous shots but there were alot of mistakes in there too. Federer started the first set very promisingly as he instantly broke Nadal's serve and ended up securing a 5-2 lead, but then he played a drop shot at set point that just went over the line, and in that moment Nadal got back into the match and rattled off the next 5 games to take the opening set 7-5. The second set was a tighter affair as both men played to a tiebreak, but again Federer made too many errors and it cost him too as Nadal took it 7-6(3). However things did turn round in the 3rd set as after being a break down Federer broke back and then broke Nadal's serve at 5-5, to make it 6-5, so Federer successfully served for the 3rd set at 7-5. But in the 4th set, Nadal regained control and proved too strong for Federer as he closed out the match in 6-1, guaranteeing his 6th title at Roland Garros.
There definitely was some really good match play mixed into the final, but overall I felt it wasn't consistent enough in quality to keep me thrilled throughout. Quite often it felt like a stalled car, you try to get it going and then it stops again. Federer who was absolutely on fire throughout the tournament, especially in his amazing match against Djokovic, just seemed to fizzle out toward the end, he did put up a good fight but it just felt underwhelming to watch in the end. During the commentary for the match Andrew Castle for the BBC said that Federer used to be invincible till he met Nadal, and its same for Nadal with Djokovic. This shows the irony of it all, as Federer can beat Djokovic, Nadal can beat Federer, yet Nadal can't beat Djokovic! But it was great for Rafa to get this win, as it means he can hold onto the No. 1 ranking and while winning the other slams is great, the French Open is always the one that means the most to him.
But that's it over with, and I was pleased for Rafa that he won, so that's his 10th grand slam, now into the double figures, another 6 and he'll equal Roger. However Roger based on this tournament is definitely starting to play some of his best tennis again. He'll never get back to his glory days but I think if he maintains this level this summer he can win Wimbledon, and I think that's his main goal for the year. Given his performance at the French Open, this definitely could give Federer the opportunity to claim the grassy silver trophy once more. So it will be interesting to see how it goes.
So that's the red dirt season over with, now onto the grass, Wimbledon is just two weeks away now, in the meantime there are a few grass tournaments for the men and women, in Eastbourne and at Queens in London, as well as the Gerry Weber Open in Halle Germany where Roger usually plays this time of year. And the AEGON Queens Club Championship starts tomorrow, which is of course the men's tournament prior to Wimbledon. While its not a grand slam by any means, Queens is quite a prestigious title, and its also a great precursor to Wimbledon as well as training run for the grand slam. So among the Queens lineup will feature Rafa, Andy Murray, Andy Roddick, Del Potro, Stan Wawrinka, Marin Cilic and quite a few others. It will be on the BBC all week so I will definitely be following that. Andy won it back in 2009 so it would be nice if he managed a repeat win of it this year, probably not, but you never know. Sam Querrey the defending champion from last year will be playing again, although Mardy Fish, the runner up who had a run in with Andy last year during their 3rd round match, won't be taking part due to an injury.
So there is more to follow on the sport, so bring on the green grass and get the whites on.
Saturday, 4 June 2011
City of Lights Part 10: We have a new champion!
So that's the ladies singles final at the French Open over, and unfortunately for last year's champion Francesca Schiavone, she was unable to hold onto her title as she met her match (excuse the pun again!) in the Chinese No.1 Li Na.
Li Na like she did with Maria Sharapova the other day dominated the play right from the start, securing an early break in the 1st set, although Schiavone did respond well as she held her serve being a break down, but Li Na closed out the first set 6-4. However after securing another break early on in the 2nd set Li Na faced a fightback from Schiavone who broke her way back into the match at 4-4 and almost broke Li Na 6-5 to take the 2nd set, but Li Na held her nerve and took it to a tiebreak, where Francesca lost her way completely and Li Na sealed the championship with 7 match points, winning in 6-4, 7-6(0).
Overall it was actually a very good match and quite a worthy final, but it wasn't quite a classic but it was a very entertaining 2 set scrap, but it was a shame in a way Schiavone couldn't have pushed it to a deciding set. But nonetheless both players brought some high quality tennis to the match and it made for an enjoyable final. Li Na deserves full credit for her performance throughout the tournament, as she held her nerve and kept her composure even when under pressure, and for someone who doesn't like clay courts that much, she didn't half do alright!! I'm sure she has changed her attitude toward the red dirt now! I really admired Li Na's play today as she hit the ball so clean and her groundstrokes were impeccable, making it difficult for Schiavone to return most of the time. It was also great to see a player like Li Na who plays without making ridiculous grunting noises, like Francesca Schiavone's "WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!" every time she hits the ball, but I must admit I quite like Schiavone's grunt as its totally unique from other players. I also loved the way Schiavone's fans chanted the White Stripes's "Seven Nation Army" song every time she hit a great shot or got back into the match, it was priceless.
Li Na also said after her last grand slam final defeat at the Australian Open she felt she had learned from her mistakes and maybe she could do better and she certainly did. Its a shame in a way Andy Murray can't take the same approach, but that's one thing I noticed that Li Na had and that is crucial in winning slams, she had a good first serve. That's also how Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open as he worked on his serve, its the key to winning and until then Andy might never win one. Francesca had the same problem as Andy today too, as her serve started to crumble badly, in fact throughout the WTA tour her serve was decidedly poor and today I think also cost her the match, well that and the amount of unforced errors she made.
But again Li Na was too good, she came out strong and despite a few wobbles near the end, she maintained her level and closed out the match to take the title. Its a great achievement for not only herself but also for China, who have never before now had a player win a grand slam title. So there you go, in fact Li Na and Schiavone were both 29 when they won their first grand slam, so just maybe Andy if you keep on playing until then, just maybe you might yet win one! That's also an attitude Elena Baltacha is thinking of too, she is 27 just now so she has another two years to reach her peak and just maybe she can do the same too. So with Wimbledon round the corner and one grand slam already under her belt, I think everyone should watch out for Li Na and come the US Open too, watch out Kim!! :-)
So that's the woman's French Open tennis come to an end. Tomorrow we'll see the men's final which will be hugely anticipated by the world over, as its the classic showdown between Roger and Rafa. Who's going to win???? Hard to call, possibly Rafa will edge it, but the way Roger has been playing it could go the other way. Its going to be fun to find out, and I think we are in for a real treat.
So the concluding part of the City of Lights saga will come tomorrow, once we know who's fallen flat on their back in the clay, then lifted that trophy.
Li Na like she did with Maria Sharapova the other day dominated the play right from the start, securing an early break in the 1st set, although Schiavone did respond well as she held her serve being a break down, but Li Na closed out the first set 6-4. However after securing another break early on in the 2nd set Li Na faced a fightback from Schiavone who broke her way back into the match at 4-4 and almost broke Li Na 6-5 to take the 2nd set, but Li Na held her nerve and took it to a tiebreak, where Francesca lost her way completely and Li Na sealed the championship with 7 match points, winning in 6-4, 7-6(0).
Overall it was actually a very good match and quite a worthy final, but it wasn't quite a classic but it was a very entertaining 2 set scrap, but it was a shame in a way Schiavone couldn't have pushed it to a deciding set. But nonetheless both players brought some high quality tennis to the match and it made for an enjoyable final. Li Na deserves full credit for her performance throughout the tournament, as she held her nerve and kept her composure even when under pressure, and for someone who doesn't like clay courts that much, she didn't half do alright!! I'm sure she has changed her attitude toward the red dirt now! I really admired Li Na's play today as she hit the ball so clean and her groundstrokes were impeccable, making it difficult for Schiavone to return most of the time. It was also great to see a player like Li Na who plays without making ridiculous grunting noises, like Francesca Schiavone's "WAIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!" every time she hits the ball, but I must admit I quite like Schiavone's grunt as its totally unique from other players. I also loved the way Schiavone's fans chanted the White Stripes's "Seven Nation Army" song every time she hit a great shot or got back into the match, it was priceless.
Li Na also said after her last grand slam final defeat at the Australian Open she felt she had learned from her mistakes and maybe she could do better and she certainly did. Its a shame in a way Andy Murray can't take the same approach, but that's one thing I noticed that Li Na had and that is crucial in winning slams, she had a good first serve. That's also how Novak Djokovic won the Australian Open as he worked on his serve, its the key to winning and until then Andy might never win one. Francesca had the same problem as Andy today too, as her serve started to crumble badly, in fact throughout the WTA tour her serve was decidedly poor and today I think also cost her the match, well that and the amount of unforced errors she made.
But again Li Na was too good, she came out strong and despite a few wobbles near the end, she maintained her level and closed out the match to take the title. Its a great achievement for not only herself but also for China, who have never before now had a player win a grand slam title. So there you go, in fact Li Na and Schiavone were both 29 when they won their first grand slam, so just maybe Andy if you keep on playing until then, just maybe you might yet win one! That's also an attitude Elena Baltacha is thinking of too, she is 27 just now so she has another two years to reach her peak and just maybe she can do the same too. So with Wimbledon round the corner and one grand slam already under her belt, I think everyone should watch out for Li Na and come the US Open too, watch out Kim!! :-)
So that's the woman's French Open tennis come to an end. Tomorrow we'll see the men's final which will be hugely anticipated by the world over, as its the classic showdown between Roger and Rafa. Who's going to win???? Hard to call, possibly Rafa will edge it, but the way Roger has been playing it could go the other way. Its going to be fun to find out, and I think we are in for a real treat.
So the concluding part of the City of Lights saga will come tomorrow, once we know who's fallen flat on their back in the clay, then lifted that trophy.
City of Lights Part 9: All good things must come to an end....
There are some reasons that I must admit I am quite eager to get back home to get on my nerdy blog and yak on about for my own private fun and today has given me one of them.
Yep of course I am referring to the French Open men's singles semi final matches between Andy Murray vs Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic. These matches naturally deserve their own paragraphs so that's what I'll do.
Starting with the Rafa vs Muzza match, on paper it sounded exciting and as we know Andy had already taken a set off Rafa at Monte-Carlo back in April, however this is a slam and its quite different. Nonethless we expected a great match, but did we get one??? Well sort of. To say it was great was going a bit too far, but overall the quality of match far outstripped for the quality of the ladies singles semis matches. For the first two sets Andy and Rafa both gave a fine high quality display of tennis for the Parisian crowds, but of course this being Rafa's backyard meant he had advantage straight off and Andy having never played Rafa at Roland Garros before was immediately at a disadvantage. So to cut a long story short Rafa defeated Andy in straight sets in 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, but the match was far from what the scoreline would suggest as being a straight set victory. Rafa did have to scrap with Andy to get the win as they battled it out over 3 hours and 18 minutes, however it has to be said Andy had his share of break points but he just didn't convert them, and again in those moments Andy just doesn't take his chances. To be fair he did at the start of the match play really well, but his serve dissolved rather badly as it went on and that again aided in costing him the match. But I wasn't for one minute expecting Andy to defeat the king of clay on his own surface, just to give him a match, and he did succeed in doing that. Even Rafa in his pre-match press conference said he felt Andy was a special player who's talent is difficult to compare to alot of other players, and he's absolutely right. When Andy plays the other top players he definitely has a special edge over the others that they don't have, I mean who else on the tour this year apart from Federer came within two points of beating Djokovic? No one else came close, but he did. Mats Wilander also said he felt Andy has the tennis, he has it in him to win the slams, but he just hasn't quite shown it yet, he will one day hopefully.
One thing I will definitely give Andy credit for was his attitude on court which was really good, he held it together well, showed alot more self control and maturity than he normally does. This time he kept his historinics to the minimum and in a way that was the most impressive thing about the match. If he can maintain that attitude then he is sure to do well in future matches, but his maturity is something that will come in time and will take some work. Anyway overall I think Andy did a good job today, he acquitted himself well and no one can expect to defeat the king at his own game in his backyard in one go. Andy has also had the best clay season of his career so far this year too, as he managed to reach three semi-finals in Monte-Carlo, Rome and at Roland Garros. No mean feat.
So onto the next match which was the more anticipated of the two I'd imagine between the greatest player that has ever played the game Roger Federer and the greatest player of the moment Novak Djokovic, who has had an unbeaten winning streak all year. And it has to be said that this match stood head over shoulders above Rafa and Muzzas in quality, as it saw both players hammer it out, which left the Parisian crowds shouting and baying for more, as they continually stood to their feet with rapturous applause. Without a doubt this match was one of the best if not the best match of year so far in 2011, as Djokovic truly met his match (no pun intended!) in Federer who pushed Djoko all the way and succeeded where no one else did in... get this.... ENDING his winning streak!! Yup that's right! Roger Federer who was the very man who last defeated Novak before his incredible winning streak took place, was also the man who ended it tonight!! Poetic justice I'd say. But I have to give both players full credit for this match as it was an utterly superb display of physical fitness and incredible shot making, as they both went at it full tilt. The first set was without a doubt one of the highest quality sets you will ever see where each player shared breaks until they made it 6-6 all, and in the tiebreak Roger sealed the first set, in the second Roger steamrolled over Djoko in 6-3, and in the 3rd Roger let his level dip to allow Djoko back in the match who took the set in 6-3. But in the 4th set it went to a nerve biting tiebreak once again where Roger finally prevailed, the final score reading 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5). And when it comes to tiebreaks, Roger rarely loses.
So that's the end of Novak Djokovic's winning streak, all it took was 43 matches, and it wasn't as we thought initially Rafa who would end it, it was in fact the man who everyone's eyes was temporarily taken off, Roger Federer. But Federer's level throughout this whole tournament was so sublime you could almost see it coming, he hadn't dropped a set the whole tournament, and Djokovic did well to take him to that level himself considering. In fact I almost felt a bit sorry for Djokovic when he went off court, he does take loss very well, and he showed much humility when he went off. It was an incredible feat and a great run, but I think when it really came down to it, when he really felt the pressure in the slams with the No.1 ranking almost in his grasp he did bottle it a bit and lost his nerve somewhat. And its a testement to Federer's incredible agility, stamina and phenomenal ability as a player that lead him to snap the Djoker's unceasing run, and it was a performance that was nothing short of magnificent. I also think it will teach Djokovic a good lesson in humility too, as I can imagine when you win so much you forget what its like to lose, and he did need a good reminder and at the end of the day, when it comes to the slams there are players who can handle that pressure just that bit better. Not to sound nasty but I am glad Djokovic's winning run is over as it just went on so long and it shows while he is one of the best players in the world, he is also vulnerable too, and of course he'll just have to start all over again! But for now John McEnroe's 42 match record in one year is safe, as Djoko missed it by one. He might put together another streak, but I don't think it will be anywhere near as long, that's a once in a lifetime thing really. To quote Hal Holbrook who said to Charlie Sheen in the film Wall Street "You're on a roll, kid, enjoy it while it lasts, cos it never does!". Very true indeed.
Well I think Federer has handed Rafa the best birthday present he ever could have done, putting Djokovic out of the tournament, surely Rafa will be jumping for joy over that one! But Rafa does face Federer in the form of his life, so he's probably swapped one nightmare for another one! But I can still imagine Rafa is the favourite to win the title on Sunday, he certainly has the best chance now and surely he still wants to hang on to that No.1 ranking, and he is the ultimate clay court player and he will also equal Bjorn Borg's record of 6 titles if he does win. However with Federer's current form it could be him lifting that trophy tomorrow! But without a doubt its going to be a great match and one which I'm sure everyone will want to see. The Parisians will once again be wetting themselves!
So that's all fer now, tomorrow sees the woman's final between the defending champion Francesca Schiavone and the Chinese No.1 Li Na, who is in her 2nd consecutive grand slam final this year. They are both really good players, great athletes that move well round the court and have an array of great shots, so its going to be really interesting who will emerge as the winner. And I'm sure it should be a 3 set battle, overall its hard to pick the winner, but I think Schiavone will edge it.
And that's it. More to follow!!
Yep of course I am referring to the French Open men's singles semi final matches between Andy Murray vs Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic. These matches naturally deserve their own paragraphs so that's what I'll do.
Starting with the Rafa vs Muzza match, on paper it sounded exciting and as we know Andy had already taken a set off Rafa at Monte-Carlo back in April, however this is a slam and its quite different. Nonethless we expected a great match, but did we get one??? Well sort of. To say it was great was going a bit too far, but overall the quality of match far outstripped for the quality of the ladies singles semis matches. For the first two sets Andy and Rafa both gave a fine high quality display of tennis for the Parisian crowds, but of course this being Rafa's backyard meant he had advantage straight off and Andy having never played Rafa at Roland Garros before was immediately at a disadvantage. So to cut a long story short Rafa defeated Andy in straight sets in 6-4, 7-5, 6-4, but the match was far from what the scoreline would suggest as being a straight set victory. Rafa did have to scrap with Andy to get the win as they battled it out over 3 hours and 18 minutes, however it has to be said Andy had his share of break points but he just didn't convert them, and again in those moments Andy just doesn't take his chances. To be fair he did at the start of the match play really well, but his serve dissolved rather badly as it went on and that again aided in costing him the match. But I wasn't for one minute expecting Andy to defeat the king of clay on his own surface, just to give him a match, and he did succeed in doing that. Even Rafa in his pre-match press conference said he felt Andy was a special player who's talent is difficult to compare to alot of other players, and he's absolutely right. When Andy plays the other top players he definitely has a special edge over the others that they don't have, I mean who else on the tour this year apart from Federer came within two points of beating Djokovic? No one else came close, but he did. Mats Wilander also said he felt Andy has the tennis, he has it in him to win the slams, but he just hasn't quite shown it yet, he will one day hopefully.
One thing I will definitely give Andy credit for was his attitude on court which was really good, he held it together well, showed alot more self control and maturity than he normally does. This time he kept his historinics to the minimum and in a way that was the most impressive thing about the match. If he can maintain that attitude then he is sure to do well in future matches, but his maturity is something that will come in time and will take some work. Anyway overall I think Andy did a good job today, he acquitted himself well and no one can expect to defeat the king at his own game in his backyard in one go. Andy has also had the best clay season of his career so far this year too, as he managed to reach three semi-finals in Monte-Carlo, Rome and at Roland Garros. No mean feat.
So onto the next match which was the more anticipated of the two I'd imagine between the greatest player that has ever played the game Roger Federer and the greatest player of the moment Novak Djokovic, who has had an unbeaten winning streak all year. And it has to be said that this match stood head over shoulders above Rafa and Muzzas in quality, as it saw both players hammer it out, which left the Parisian crowds shouting and baying for more, as they continually stood to their feet with rapturous applause. Without a doubt this match was one of the best if not the best match of year so far in 2011, as Djokovic truly met his match (no pun intended!) in Federer who pushed Djoko all the way and succeeded where no one else did in... get this.... ENDING his winning streak!! Yup that's right! Roger Federer who was the very man who last defeated Novak before his incredible winning streak took place, was also the man who ended it tonight!! Poetic justice I'd say. But I have to give both players full credit for this match as it was an utterly superb display of physical fitness and incredible shot making, as they both went at it full tilt. The first set was without a doubt one of the highest quality sets you will ever see where each player shared breaks until they made it 6-6 all, and in the tiebreak Roger sealed the first set, in the second Roger steamrolled over Djoko in 6-3, and in the 3rd Roger let his level dip to allow Djoko back in the match who took the set in 6-3. But in the 4th set it went to a nerve biting tiebreak once again where Roger finally prevailed, the final score reading 7-6(5), 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(5). And when it comes to tiebreaks, Roger rarely loses.
So that's the end of Novak Djokovic's winning streak, all it took was 43 matches, and it wasn't as we thought initially Rafa who would end it, it was in fact the man who everyone's eyes was temporarily taken off, Roger Federer. But Federer's level throughout this whole tournament was so sublime you could almost see it coming, he hadn't dropped a set the whole tournament, and Djokovic did well to take him to that level himself considering. In fact I almost felt a bit sorry for Djokovic when he went off court, he does take loss very well, and he showed much humility when he went off. It was an incredible feat and a great run, but I think when it really came down to it, when he really felt the pressure in the slams with the No.1 ranking almost in his grasp he did bottle it a bit and lost his nerve somewhat. And its a testement to Federer's incredible agility, stamina and phenomenal ability as a player that lead him to snap the Djoker's unceasing run, and it was a performance that was nothing short of magnificent. I also think it will teach Djokovic a good lesson in humility too, as I can imagine when you win so much you forget what its like to lose, and he did need a good reminder and at the end of the day, when it comes to the slams there are players who can handle that pressure just that bit better. Not to sound nasty but I am glad Djokovic's winning run is over as it just went on so long and it shows while he is one of the best players in the world, he is also vulnerable too, and of course he'll just have to start all over again! But for now John McEnroe's 42 match record in one year is safe, as Djoko missed it by one. He might put together another streak, but I don't think it will be anywhere near as long, that's a once in a lifetime thing really. To quote Hal Holbrook who said to Charlie Sheen in the film Wall Street "You're on a roll, kid, enjoy it while it lasts, cos it never does!". Very true indeed.
Well I think Federer has handed Rafa the best birthday present he ever could have done, putting Djokovic out of the tournament, surely Rafa will be jumping for joy over that one! But Rafa does face Federer in the form of his life, so he's probably swapped one nightmare for another one! But I can still imagine Rafa is the favourite to win the title on Sunday, he certainly has the best chance now and surely he still wants to hang on to that No.1 ranking, and he is the ultimate clay court player and he will also equal Bjorn Borg's record of 6 titles if he does win. However with Federer's current form it could be him lifting that trophy tomorrow! But without a doubt its going to be a great match and one which I'm sure everyone will want to see. The Parisians will once again be wetting themselves!
So that's all fer now, tomorrow sees the woman's final between the defending champion Francesca Schiavone and the Chinese No.1 Li Na, who is in her 2nd consecutive grand slam final this year. They are both really good players, great athletes that move well round the court and have an array of great shots, so its going to be really interesting who will emerge as the winner. And I'm sure it should be a 3 set battle, overall its hard to pick the winner, but I think Schiavone will edge it.
And that's it. More to follow!!
Thursday, 2 June 2011
City of Lights Part 8: Don't you just HATE the wind?????
Well today was the woman's semi finals at the French Open and the two matches were very much anticipated to be great classics in the making. However the wind played a big factor in taking the oommphh factor out of the play.
So to start with the Sharapova vs Li Na match, I really was honestly expecting Sharapova to come through this one, but I was very surprised by Li Na, who was in full control right from the beginning as she hit through the ball so much better. Meanwhile Sharapova's serve crumbled under pressure not only that but I think the wind totally took the sails out of Sharapova's play, it affected Li Na's as well but not to the same extent. And at the end I felt so disappointed for Sharapova because her match ended on a double fault which saw Li Na move into the final winning 6-4, 7-5. And I think she had 10 double faults througout the match, which is pretty bad. So that's Li Na into her second consecutive grand slam final this year, whether or not she can win on Saturday we'll soon find out.
So onto the second match of the day, Francesca Schiavone vs Marion Bartoli, which promised again to deliver a great deal. And to be fair it started off great, the first set was a pretty tight affair with some great shots from both players, although it was Schiavone that drew first blood and broke Bartoli's serve to take the set in 6-3. In the second set Marion took the advantage straight off and got the early break, however with the wind playing up once again, Bartoli's serve faltered badly and the unforced errors crept in letting Schiavone to break back. Once it was 3-3 all, Schiavone seized the initative again and broke Bartoli, and after that it was plain sailing for the Italian. I think the quality of the Barty and Schiavone match was better overall, but if it wasn't for the wind they could have been out there so much longer. But in the end Schiavone was the better player and a much fitter athlete, who moves very well round the court and Bartoli just didn't have the legs to keep up.
So its Li Na vs Schiavone for the final on Saturday, it should be a good one, they are both fit athletes with contrasting styles of play, Schiavone is firey and passionate while Li Na is calm, composed and methodical. So we will see how the state of play goes, I think Schiavone will edge it and will use the crowd to her advantage, plus she has won there last year so I think she will draw on her previous win to claim her second title. However I was wrong about Sharapova winning and moving through to the final today, so just maybe China might have their first ever grand slam champion. We'll see!!!
But I do have to say that I am really disappointed in Caroline Wozniacki's performance at the French Open this year, she start well playing a woman twice her age, but then after that her playing got shaky in the 2nd round and by the 3rd it was rubbish. To go in the 3rd round of a grand slam and be the World No.1 really isn't a good result, which is why I think Caz isn't really living up to her ranking just now. Another thing I noticed is during the WTA tour she continually brings her dad Piotr on who is her coach and in the slams the ladies players can't bring on their coaches, so I could see her struggling to work things out without her dad's help. Which means she really needs to try and be more independant of her dad when playing in the tour, as it will help her work things out for herself, so when it comes to the slams she will be more mentally prepared.
So the men's semi finals setup is on ramorra, with Andy vs Rafa, and Federer vs Djokovic. However I just hope the wind doesn't knock the sails out of both matches again, especially Andy's match as it could really knock him off and let Rafa rip right into him, but we'll see. But I have to say without getting into it too much that Rafa will win, and Djokovic I think will the be favourite to win, but you never know, it might Roger and Andy in that final!! And everyone usually has such low expectations of Andy in the slams in the latter stages that we overlook the possible fact he might just do it. But I have to agree with the sceptics, I don't see Andy winning this one, but I think he will try his best and raise his game tomorrow, he'll have to, otherwise it'll be a straight set drubbing.
So predictions for ramorra: Rafa win in 4 sets (at best 5, at worst 3 if Andy goes tits up. Don't Andy!). Djokovic in 5 sets. Its gonna be a belter, so a word of warning to the wind: don't mess it up, alright??????????!!!!!
Later.
So to start with the Sharapova vs Li Na match, I really was honestly expecting Sharapova to come through this one, but I was very surprised by Li Na, who was in full control right from the beginning as she hit through the ball so much better. Meanwhile Sharapova's serve crumbled under pressure not only that but I think the wind totally took the sails out of Sharapova's play, it affected Li Na's as well but not to the same extent. And at the end I felt so disappointed for Sharapova because her match ended on a double fault which saw Li Na move into the final winning 6-4, 7-5. And I think she had 10 double faults througout the match, which is pretty bad. So that's Li Na into her second consecutive grand slam final this year, whether or not she can win on Saturday we'll soon find out.
So onto the second match of the day, Francesca Schiavone vs Marion Bartoli, which promised again to deliver a great deal. And to be fair it started off great, the first set was a pretty tight affair with some great shots from both players, although it was Schiavone that drew first blood and broke Bartoli's serve to take the set in 6-3. In the second set Marion took the advantage straight off and got the early break, however with the wind playing up once again, Bartoli's serve faltered badly and the unforced errors crept in letting Schiavone to break back. Once it was 3-3 all, Schiavone seized the initative again and broke Bartoli, and after that it was plain sailing for the Italian. I think the quality of the Barty and Schiavone match was better overall, but if it wasn't for the wind they could have been out there so much longer. But in the end Schiavone was the better player and a much fitter athlete, who moves very well round the court and Bartoli just didn't have the legs to keep up.
So its Li Na vs Schiavone for the final on Saturday, it should be a good one, they are both fit athletes with contrasting styles of play, Schiavone is firey and passionate while Li Na is calm, composed and methodical. So we will see how the state of play goes, I think Schiavone will edge it and will use the crowd to her advantage, plus she has won there last year so I think she will draw on her previous win to claim her second title. However I was wrong about Sharapova winning and moving through to the final today, so just maybe China might have their first ever grand slam champion. We'll see!!!
But I do have to say that I am really disappointed in Caroline Wozniacki's performance at the French Open this year, she start well playing a woman twice her age, but then after that her playing got shaky in the 2nd round and by the 3rd it was rubbish. To go in the 3rd round of a grand slam and be the World No.1 really isn't a good result, which is why I think Caz isn't really living up to her ranking just now. Another thing I noticed is during the WTA tour she continually brings her dad Piotr on who is her coach and in the slams the ladies players can't bring on their coaches, so I could see her struggling to work things out without her dad's help. Which means she really needs to try and be more independant of her dad when playing in the tour, as it will help her work things out for herself, so when it comes to the slams she will be more mentally prepared.
So the men's semi finals setup is on ramorra, with Andy vs Rafa, and Federer vs Djokovic. However I just hope the wind doesn't knock the sails out of both matches again, especially Andy's match as it could really knock him off and let Rafa rip right into him, but we'll see. But I have to say without getting into it too much that Rafa will win, and Djokovic I think will the be favourite to win, but you never know, it might Roger and Andy in that final!! And everyone usually has such low expectations of Andy in the slams in the latter stages that we overlook the possible fact he might just do it. But I have to agree with the sceptics, I don't see Andy winning this one, but I think he will try his best and raise his game tomorrow, he'll have to, otherwise it'll be a straight set drubbing.
So predictions for ramorra: Rafa win in 4 sets (at best 5, at worst 3 if Andy goes tits up. Don't Andy!). Djokovic in 5 sets. Its gonna be a belter, so a word of warning to the wind: don't mess it up, alright??????????!!!!!
Later.
Wednesday, 1 June 2011
City of Lights Part 7: Now its mouth waterrrrrrrring!
Phew what a day it has been for the quarter finals at Roland Garros, which saw both the men and ladies slog it out for a place in the semi finals.
First up Maria Sharapova took on the rising German star Andrea Petkovic, and I thought myself it would have been a tougher match, but Sharapova just blootered her off the court. Sharapova demolished Petkovic in the first set 6-0 and despite a mini break back from Petko, Maria resumed normal service and ended the match 6-3. I think its a safe bet to say that Sharapova will win the French Open title, she is playing her best tennis again and she has been demolishing players left right and centre and today what she did was incredible, if she doesn't come through I'd be very surprised. Tomorrow she faces Li Na, so we will see how that goes but I firmly predict a Sharapova win.
Next up Li Na as I just mentioned also had a straight set victory over Victoria Azarenka, which was kind of surprising as Li Na came through in 7-5 6-2. So it just shows you, you never can tell, I thought Vika would be the favourite to win that one, but that's tennis, hard to predict sometimes.
Now for the men's quarter finals, starting with Nadal who took on Robin Soderling, which promised to be quite a battle but in the end Rafa brought his game to the match and defeated Robin in straight sets. However it wasn't quite as straightforward as despite a 6-4, 6-1 lead, Robin started playing better and pushed Nadal to a 3rd set tiebreak, but it was Nadal who took the upper hand and won it 7-6(3). Rafa also looked much more confident out there today as he much more spring in his step as well as upping his game very well indeed.
Which brings us to arguably the match of the day, well one of them with Andy Murray taking on the Argentine Juan Inglio Chela. Andy has had a pretty good match record against Chela as he has beaten him every time they play, so you can't get better than that. But of course it still wasn't the easiest of encounters as Andy started off poorly once again, dragging 1-4 down, however after that he rattled off the next four games to make it 5-5 all, and then took the first set in a tiebreaker. In the second set Andy started out strong with a break of serve but then dropped his own serve to again level it at 5-5 all, Andy broke again to serve for the set. In the third set after a slightly shaky start Andy broke and rattled off 4 more games to win the match in 7-6, 7-5, 6-2. This seals his place in the semi finals with none other than the king of clay himself, Rafael Nadal.
So its safe to say a mountain challenge awaits him as he attempts to dethrone the king of clay in a grand slam semi final. This is the first time Andy has reached the semi finals at Roland Garros, and despite some rather ropey moments it has been the most impressive achievement of his clay season bar none. Whether or not Andy can dig out a win against Rafa on Friday is very uncertain and seems very doubtful. But then again this man has come through some real setbacks this week and won inspite of the odds that have been stacked against him. Could he pull off another miracle this Friday? Hmmmmmm. As much as I would like to believe that I remain sceptacle. But what I will say is if Andy can beat Nadal on Friday, I think for sure the title is his. To beat the red dirt king at his own game would give any player a mountain of confidence especially in a grand slam, and at the point you can say to hell with Djokovic or Federer as I can't beat anyone now!! He already has outwith the slams, I think its high time he did it in them. If only once.
But the thing with Andy is he does let his emotions get in the way of his game too often, and Rafa will use that to win the big points, but then again that could help knock Rafa off his game, but I can more often see Andy dropping serve and hitting that net at crucial points, he has been known to do it. So it is a big ask and from here I still can't see it, but I think we are all living in hope of that day he proves us all wrong. It might be this Friday or Sunday, but something tells me Britain's 75 year wait for a grand slam singles men's champion will have to carry on waiting. My own prediction for the match is Rafa winning in 4 sets or at a real stretch 5 sets, I think Andy can trouble him enough to drop a set, but probably not beyond that. But then again they have played each other so often and over the last two times Andy posed a real threat to Rafa, but those two occasions weren't in slams and this is. But Friday will reveal all.
Regardless that's two mouth watering semi finals coming up on Friday for the men and tomorrow two more exciting semi finals await for the woman. For the women it will be Schiavone vs Bartoli and Li Na and Sharapova, so I think we are all in for a real treat over the next two days.
Cannae wait!! Stay tuned.
First up Maria Sharapova took on the rising German star Andrea Petkovic, and I thought myself it would have been a tougher match, but Sharapova just blootered her off the court. Sharapova demolished Petkovic in the first set 6-0 and despite a mini break back from Petko, Maria resumed normal service and ended the match 6-3. I think its a safe bet to say that Sharapova will win the French Open title, she is playing her best tennis again and she has been demolishing players left right and centre and today what she did was incredible, if she doesn't come through I'd be very surprised. Tomorrow she faces Li Na, so we will see how that goes but I firmly predict a Sharapova win.
Next up Li Na as I just mentioned also had a straight set victory over Victoria Azarenka, which was kind of surprising as Li Na came through in 7-5 6-2. So it just shows you, you never can tell, I thought Vika would be the favourite to win that one, but that's tennis, hard to predict sometimes.
Now for the men's quarter finals, starting with Nadal who took on Robin Soderling, which promised to be quite a battle but in the end Rafa brought his game to the match and defeated Robin in straight sets. However it wasn't quite as straightforward as despite a 6-4, 6-1 lead, Robin started playing better and pushed Nadal to a 3rd set tiebreak, but it was Nadal who took the upper hand and won it 7-6(3). Rafa also looked much more confident out there today as he much more spring in his step as well as upping his game very well indeed.
Which brings us to arguably the match of the day, well one of them with Andy Murray taking on the Argentine Juan Inglio Chela. Andy has had a pretty good match record against Chela as he has beaten him every time they play, so you can't get better than that. But of course it still wasn't the easiest of encounters as Andy started off poorly once again, dragging 1-4 down, however after that he rattled off the next four games to make it 5-5 all, and then took the first set in a tiebreaker. In the second set Andy started out strong with a break of serve but then dropped his own serve to again level it at 5-5 all, Andy broke again to serve for the set. In the third set after a slightly shaky start Andy broke and rattled off 4 more games to win the match in 7-6, 7-5, 6-2. This seals his place in the semi finals with none other than the king of clay himself, Rafael Nadal.
So its safe to say a mountain challenge awaits him as he attempts to dethrone the king of clay in a grand slam semi final. This is the first time Andy has reached the semi finals at Roland Garros, and despite some rather ropey moments it has been the most impressive achievement of his clay season bar none. Whether or not Andy can dig out a win against Rafa on Friday is very uncertain and seems very doubtful. But then again this man has come through some real setbacks this week and won inspite of the odds that have been stacked against him. Could he pull off another miracle this Friday? Hmmmmmm. As much as I would like to believe that I remain sceptacle. But what I will say is if Andy can beat Nadal on Friday, I think for sure the title is his. To beat the red dirt king at his own game would give any player a mountain of confidence especially in a grand slam, and at the point you can say to hell with Djokovic or Federer as I can't beat anyone now!! He already has outwith the slams, I think its high time he did it in them. If only once.
But the thing with Andy is he does let his emotions get in the way of his game too often, and Rafa will use that to win the big points, but then again that could help knock Rafa off his game, but I can more often see Andy dropping serve and hitting that net at crucial points, he has been known to do it. So it is a big ask and from here I still can't see it, but I think we are all living in hope of that day he proves us all wrong. It might be this Friday or Sunday, but something tells me Britain's 75 year wait for a grand slam singles men's champion will have to carry on waiting. My own prediction for the match is Rafa winning in 4 sets or at a real stretch 5 sets, I think Andy can trouble him enough to drop a set, but probably not beyond that. But then again they have played each other so often and over the last two times Andy posed a real threat to Rafa, but those two occasions weren't in slams and this is. But Friday will reveal all.
Regardless that's two mouth watering semi finals coming up on Friday for the men and tomorrow two more exciting semi finals await for the woman. For the women it will be Schiavone vs Bartoli and Li Na and Sharapova, so I think we are all in for a real treat over the next two days.
Cannae wait!! Stay tuned.
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