The Tennis Thread - Part 2

[Frico]

Haas played a terrible first set. Error after error.

For the semis I'd like to see Murray/Janowicz and Del Potro/Djokovic. Ferrer's had to fight hard the last two rounds and as much as I respect him as a player I want to see Delpo overpower him. Plus a Djoker/Delpo semi would be incredibly entertaining.

For the women I'd actually like to see Lisicki go all the way.

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic is getting a chance here to exercise the demons of Wimbledon's past, now with Berdych up next. Haas turning the match around in the 3rd set and the crowd hissing at and heckling Djokovic provided good drama. (Can Djokovic ever be loved by the crowds?) It's just hard to sustain that level of hitting for long, especially when you're 36 years old. Anyway, Haas will have a chance to cool down before Hamburg, and maybe he'll get a little easier draw for the USO. Here's hoping he can crack into the top 8 and make it to London. He'd do well on the low bouncing courts of the O2. He's a real link to the past, and I wish him continued good health.

We all love Ferrer, and we all know he cannot defeat Djokovic. Grass would in theory be the best surface for anyone to upset Djokovic, but Ferrer is ill-equipped. Del Potro has at worst a puncher's chance, at best he's achieved some measure of parity with Djokovic over the past few seasons.

 

[Frico]

Really good match between Radwanska and Li right now. A tale of two different styles. The quality is amazing.

 

[Frico]

Great job for Lisicki to back up her win against Serena and into familiar territory in the form of the semi-final. The majority of players who caused upsets went on to lose the next round, so this is good to see. Awaits Radwanska or Li.

First set to Radwanska in what was a really entertaining set.

 

[Frico]

Delpo takes the first set 6-2! Took a bad fall during the first game but has since regrouped and hasn't looked back. Playing really well.

 

[Sakuraba]

Berdych serving at 30-40, 4-5 second set, gets a real short return from Djokovic in the middle of the court and promptly smacks a swinging forehand volley into the tape. What's sad is you knew he was going to do that from the moment he took his racquet back

 

[Sakuraba]

They've brought up the semifinal streaks of Djokovic and Federer, and Mike Tirico has the good sense to mention that nearly every surface has been slowed down and made to bounce higher. Sure the grass retains some quirks, the slice still stays low and the footwork required has completely puzzled a few players, but this isn't grass tennis as it once was. I'm watching a quarterfinal with two guys that have seldom left the trodden dead grass behind the baseline, one player was up a double break in the second set and couldn't even force a tiebreak.

Oh wait, now Tirico says that makes Federer and Djokovic's streaks more impressive. Ooookay.

 

[Sakuraba]

Oh yeah, and how about Federer vulturing Hamburg and Gstaad? Will he add Los Angeles and Atlanta next? I don't think he's trying to put in some quality time on clay or relive old memories. Someone desperately needs some points to make up ground on David Ferrer for that fourth seed at the USO. His plan to scale back his schedule and still have a top four ranking for Slam seedings blew up in his face. But heck, it'll be nice having a top player back in Hamburg.

 

[Frico]

THANK YOU DELPO.

Serve and fearhand (as Brad Gilbert calls it ) were ON today.

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic has triple match point and hits a not-great drop shot, it sits up and Berdych had a makeable forehand volley and dumps it in the net. A fitting conclusion to the match

 

[Frico]

Oh yeah, and how about Federer vulturing Hamburg and Gstaad? Will he add Los Angeles and Atlanta next? I don't think he's trying to put in some quality time on clay or relive old memories. Someone desperately needs some points to make up ground on David Ferrer for that fourth seed at the USO. His plan to scale back his schedule and still have a top four ranking for Slam seedings blew up in his face. But heck, it'll be nice having a top player back in Hamburg.

Yeah as soon as Fed lost to Stahovsky several tweets came up about Federer probably playing more. So no surprise really.

 

[Frico]

Djokovic has triple match point and hits a not-great drop shot, it sits up and Berdych had a makeable forehand volley and dumps it in the net. A fitting conclusion to the match

Matchpoint for Delpo against Ferrer was simply awesome.

 

[Frico]

Murry double faults and hands the first set to Verdasco.

 

[Frico]

Can't believe what I'm seeing from Verdasco. Making Murray really work. Wins second set 6-3 after trailing 3-1.

 

[Frico]

Special moment for Janowicz who advances to his first semi at a Grand Slam. The guy is a monster, plain and simple. His serve is so simple, fluid, yet packs a BIG punch.

 

[Kaleb]

I saw Janowicz during the Master of Paris- Bercy ( the 22 years old of Lodz last November reached the final at the Parisian tournament, lost then for David Ferrer, ndr). He’s young and talented. Up to me, there are good possibilities that in the future he will be the world’s number one.”

Toni Nadal on Jerzy Janowicz

 

[Sakuraba]

Yeah, I'm well pleased with the men's semifinalists. Those are good matches and any of the possible finals would be excellent.

 

[Frico]

Really great semi between Lisicki and Radwanska after the absolute thrashing Bartoli gave Flipkens. Radwanska will leave this match and Wimby knowing this was probably her best shot at winning a slam as she has Bartoli's number. But Lisicki, man. Down 3-0 and came storming back just like against Serena.

I really hope she wins. I picked her to go all the way after her win over Serena and she's been the story of the women's side for this tournament. She also has the edge on Bartoli in their H2H, so here's hoping. But still great run for her.

 

[Sakuraba]

I only had to work a couple of hours this morning and now I'm home watching what looks a perfect match to walk in on.

There is no reason to hit to JMDP's forehand unless you're sure he won't reach it.

The Djokovic down the line backhand is misfiring at the moment. That's a shot he needs to hit against a Nadal, but I'm not sure why he's trying to go down the line so much against Delpo.

Man! Delpo misses a makeable volley for a break, then goes up the line himself on the next break and misses by an inch. Then Djoker aces him. Djokovic has been able to come up with aces and unreturnables in big moments.

 

[Frico]

Hell of a semi right now, these two always match up well. Pulling for Delpo but I don't mind he or Nole winning. I just love what we've seen from Delpo this entire tournament. Like a renewed confidence in being back in the hunt with the game's best.

 

[Sakuraba]

0-40 at 5-6, and Delpo rattles off five straight points to force tiebreak

 

[Frico]

C'mon Delpo!!!

Edit: Dammit.

 

[Sakuraba]

Every ball Djokovic gets back is like a body blow to Del Potro.

 

[Sakuraba]

Man, Del Potro won't go away. Breaks back for 4-4

 

[Sakuraba]

Djokovic is going for a lot on his returns, sometimes he hits winners sometimes he overcooks it.

I'm surprised Djokovic hasn't come to net more or better yet forced Del Potro up to net with more drop shots. That's the one area where Del Potro has been outwardly suspectible today with his flat shots and botched overheads.