The Tennis Thread 2012

[albertGQ]

Nadal loses in 2nd round in one of the biggest upsets in Wimbledon (or any grand slam for that matter) history. Good news for Federer. #Now if only Novak can get ousted as well. #Here's to grand slam #17 for the Fed!

[spiteface]

bummer anybody but federer must win!!

[Mango]

Querrey is getting the best of Raonic right now and Raonic's fragile mental game is showing a little bit. It must be hard to keep up the momentum after those rain delays. Here's to hoping he can rebound.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And Milos is out. Not sure he would have been able to do much damage now that he's basically a full round behind everyone else. Wimbledon really needs to find ways to avoid these types of messes.

[Mango]

Querrey completes the Canadian sweep: 6-7, 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 over Raonic.

[killer_carlson]

Nestor is the most interesting thing left. His pre Olympic tune up

[Mango]

Speaking of.... Nestor just got bounced.

[GirlySports]

Milos is always going to struggle on grass. All the press clipping about how his game is taylor made for grass don't know anything about his game.

He has a better chance at the US Open, hardcourts are his best surface by a distance and he can actually take big scalps there. He's also much better on clay than on grass.

On grass, he's basically Karlovic with a worse first serve. He sucks as soon as a rally starts, mostly due to the speed and low bounce which don't allow him to prepare his strokes. He has a lot to improve if he ever wants to be a contender at Wimbledon, or even a threat.

[bigtmac19]

THis tournament is shaping up to be a bummer, go Roger and Andy. Anyone but Novak!

[NBC]

The differences between the grass at Wimbledon and red clay have narrowed over the last decade. The speed of the ball off the turf and the height of the bounce have changed considerably. I few years ago I saw some graphics that highlighted the differences in speed and bounce height between two 126mph Federer first serves, from the 2003 and 2008 Championships. With the 'improvements' they made in terms of court composition, the difference in the speed of the ball off the turf was 9mph and the height of the bounce had increased by a number of inches (I can't remember the precise number).

Maybe not all grass courts have slowed to the extent of Wimbledon, but the changes they made over the past decade has changed what was once the fastest type of (outdoor) tennis court to one that plays more similar to clay seemingly each season. Milos should be fairly comfortable on grass, because he sure looks it on clay.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Djoker loses the first set, promptly turns on beast mode and now up 2 sets 1, 4-1 in the 4th set.

[Inglewood Jack]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Milos is always going to struggle on grass. All the press clipping about how his game is taylor made for grass don't know anything about his game.

taking huge cuts at the ball should still be possible (and rewarding) for a tall guy on grass, as a certain no-name 6' 5" player showed yesterday against Rafa. Milos' problem right now is just bad footwork on grass, he often swung awkwardly or couldn't find the racquet sweet spot cause of poor positioning. maybe still worried about that brutal falling injury from last year, or maybe it was just too windy and he couldn't adjust the same way veteran Querrey did.

the door continues to open wider for Murray...will he go ahead and step through, for the honor of getting shellacked by Fed/Djoker?

[GirlySports]

I actually would pick Murray in a final, in front of a rockus Wimbledon crowd.

I always said that Henman would win if he ever got to a final. Wimbledon would go nuts! But he never got to one.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Way too much pressure on Murray in a Finals for me to see him coming through. I think thats why the Brits always seem to blow it in the quarters or semis, they can feel the weight of a nation starting to be put on their shoulders.

[NBC]

It is funny, the British tennis crowd (which is largely English) only really cares if a British male wins Wimbledon. It would bring little satisfaction if Murray or anyone else had won in Melbourne, Paris or New York. It is all about Wimbledon for the tennis crowd here. So much so that the only time you ever hear anything about a tennis player other than Murray - male or female - is at Wimbledon. I've grown weary hearing about Anne Keothavong and Elena Baltacha and whether this is their year to finally make a move on the top players. It will never bee their year - they are terrible. But the media and tennis crowd here have been braying for a UK Wimbledon champion since Virginia Wade.

It is all a little bit sad. I somehow don't think - after having watched him live a few times - that Murray has it between the ears to win a Grand Slam final. Talent, yes. Head, probably not. I could be wrong about him however.

[flylock shox]

I was just thinking this might be a good year for Murray to take it (at least as good as any other year). The guy should just have a wee dram or twa before each match to shut up the negative voices in his head. He might be alright after that.

[Senator Clay Davis]

And there goes Federer dropping the first set. Certainly more intrigue and drama this week than any Grand Slam in recent memory.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Federer down two sets to none, blowing 3 set points. Might as well just hand Novak the title now.

[NBC]

Roger's in trouble. Real trouble.

He now has to serve to stay in the match. Wow.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Federer will only have himself to blame if he loses. Those 3 set points were bad, giving away a chance to break up 0-40 in this set might be even worse.