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On this final day of my favorite tournament, Andy Roddick will face Roger Federer, their fourth Slam final appearance together, their third on the lawns of SW19.
Roddick is trying to become the first American to win Wimbledon since Pete Sampras in 2000. Federer is trying to break the record of 14 Slam titles he shares with Sampras.
This is Federer's seventh consecutive appearance in the Wimbledon final. It's Roddick's third appearance and it come five years after he made his first. Roddick made his last Slam final appearance three years ago at the US Open.
This is their 21st professional meeting, just as yesterday's final featured the sisters' 21st professional meeting. Roddick, however, is seeking only his third victory against a man who has had his number from the first match they ever played.
Sunday Order Of Play
Centre Court - 14:00 Start
1. Gentlemen's Singles - Finals
Andy Roddick (USA)[6] v. Roger Federer (SUI)[2]
Court 1 - 14:00 Start
1. Boys' Singles - Finals
Jordan Cox (USA) v. Andrey Kuznetsov (RUS)
2. Girls' Doubles - Finals
Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA)/Sally Peers (AUS) v. Kristina Mladenovic (FRA)[2]/Silvia Njiric (CRO)[2]
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Wimbledon 2009 Day 13 Open Thread
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Lawn Tennis Champions
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Serena Williams of the U.S. and Venus Williams of the U.S. hold their trophies after defeating Rennae Stubbs of Australia and Samantha Stosur of Australia in their Ladies' Doubles finals match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 4, 2009.
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Daniel Nestor of Canada and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia hold their trophies after defeating Bob and Mike Bryan of the U.S. in their Men's Doubles finals match at the Wimbledon tennis championships in London, July 4, 2009.
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Thailand's Noppawan Lertcheewakarn holds the trophy after winning against France's Kristina Mladenovic during their doubles match on Day 12 at the 2009 Wimbledon tennis championships at the All England Club on July 4, 2009.
Serena Makes History
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Serena Williams defeated Venus Williams 7-6(3), 6-2 on Centre Court to win her third Wimbledon title. She become the first player in history to win the title 6 years after she held her last Venus Rosewater Dish aloft. With her first major on a surface other than hard courts in the same time span, she is now also the owner of three of the four Slams for the second time in her career.
Though the final lacked the flow of last year's affair, it included some enthralling rallies. But Serena's serve made all the difference. With incredible disguise and placement, she only lost 8 points on serve over the entire match.
Venus, who wasn't tested at all throughout the fortnight, didn't face a decent server and was never pushed to the loss of more than 5 games in a set. This lack of a challenge did her no favors in the first set tiebreak. While her sister played flawlessly in tennis' ultimate head-to-head, Venus was tentative and when Serena's lob sailed over her head and landed inside the baseline, the match was all but over. But Venus fought off three championship points in the final set before dropping serve and losing the coveted title.
Serena won the match of the tournament in her semifinal on Thursday, so it was fitting she be rewarded with her long-awaited third Wimbledon title today.
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Wimbledon 2009 Day 12 Open Thread
All-Williams, All-American on July 4
They've played 20 professional matches. Each has won 10 times. Who will get 11 victories first, the one who wears the number on her clothes or the one who doesn't?
Last year, one of them be Agnieszka Radwanska in the quarterfinals. The other beat Elena Dementieva in the semifinals. The one who beat Dementieva won the title. Will history repeat itself?
I don't have the actual stats, but it seems that whenever one of them has to fend off a match point to win a match in a Slam, she wins the title. Will that hold true once more?
Will five become six or will two become three?
MadProfessah emailed to tell me Venus would win in straight sets, a prediction he modified slightly. (I know it's a day late and a dollar short, but he had also said Haas Federer would win in straights and Murray would win in four.)
What say you?
Saturday Order of Play
CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 2.00 PM START
1. Venus Williams (USA) [3] vs Serena Williams (USA) [2]
2. Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [1] vs Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [2]
3. Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) [4] vs Samantha Stosur (AUS) and Rennae Stubbs (AUS) [3]
Wimbledon 2009: Women's Final Prediction
BY MAD PROFESSAH
The 2009 Wimbledon Women's Final is set, and for the fourth time this decade, it will feature Venus and Serena Williams playing each other. Venus will be appearing in the final for the eighth time, having won 5-times (losing twice to Serena in 2002 and 2003) including the last two years in 2007 and 2008.
So far I have correctly predicted the last 6 matches of the Women's draw with only the final remaining. In my bracket selection at the beginning of the tournament I picked Serena to defeat Venus, primarily because the younger sister is currently the defending champion at two of the four majors and has 10 majors overall to Venus' 7 major titles.
However, after seeing each of their matches, including Serena's instant classic semifinal 6-7(4) 7-5 8-6 win against Elena Dementieva on Thursday, I now think that Venus will be able to win her 6th Wimbledon title by defeating her sister for the second consecutive year. Although it is hard to compare how well they played in their respective semifinals since Venus' opponent Dinara Safina didn't give her an opportunity to show how well the 5-time champion's game shines on grass in her 6-1 6-0 demolition of the World No.1.
MadProfessah's pick: Venus Williams in 3 sets.
Friday, July 03, 2009
Day 11: Emotional
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A rare few gave him a chance. But Andy Roddick silenced his critics, most of the pundits, and so many of the hoping fans by defeating Andy Murray on Centre Court in four breathtaking sets.
6-4, 4-6, 7-6(7), 7-6(5).
Stat of the match? Roddick won more and a higher percentage of return points than Murray and he converted 2 of 5 break points.
As a fan of tennis and as a fan of Roddick, I haven't been this emotional over a tennis match in 6 years. I really can't write what I want to because it's not fit for this blog. Nothing over-the-top, or anything like that, it's just too personal. Sometimes that's what tennis does to me. I love this sport because it's like life. And so when I see the first player I ever followed closely and the first player of whom I became a true fan overcome so much in his career to make another Slam final, at Wimbledon of all places, I take it personally.
I'll leave you with what a subdued but emotional Andy said after the match and the report of a touching moment I wish I could have witnessed.
“Throughout my career, I've had a lot of shortcomings but trying hard hasn't been one of them.
“I had to play my best tennis out there to win today. I can’t say enough good things about Andy’s game, but I can play some tennis sometimes. Not many people were giving me much of a chance at all. I knew if I could stay the course, I’d have a shot. That’s all you can ask for.
“Make no mistake, Andy's been a much better player than I have for the past year - I was just a bit better than him today.”
Roddick heads up the clubhouse stairs post-interview, sinking to his knees on the staircase, head in hands again. Club members applaud.
I'll drink to that as I shed a few more tears.
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(Thanks, Pamela, for the YouTube link. You got me going all over again...)
Wimbledon 2009 Day 11 Open Thread
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The underdogs have exactly no chance, say the experts. It's supposed to be all about the Swiss and Brit today. But maybe the German and the American have a surprise on their racquets. I mean, the oldest man left can't keep flaming out after he gets a two set lead on second oldest man left, can he? And won't the elder Andy have something to prove after he lost so badly to the younger Andy in the third round on this court years ago?
I suppose everything will end up as expected today.
I suppose.
Friday Order Of Play
CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Tommy Haas (GER) [24] vs Roger Federer (SUI) [2]
2. Andy Roddick (USA) [6] vs Andy Murray (GBR) [3]
COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Cara Black (ZIM) and Liezel Huber (USA) [1] vs Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) [4]
3. Leander Paes (IND) and Cara Black (ZIM) [1] vs Stephen Huss (AUS) and Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) [12]
COURT 3 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Samantha Stosur (AUS) and Rennae Stubbs (AUS) [3] vs Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) and Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) [2]
Thursday, July 02, 2009
Quotes For The Day
Q. This isn't your fault obviously because you played really well, but it's embarrassing for women's tennis to see the No. 1 destroyed in that way, isn't it?
VENUS WILLIAMS: Why do you put it like that?
Q. You played very well.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Are you trying to be down on women's tennis?
Q. I'm trying to be down on the way that Safina is the world No. 1 representing women's tennis.
VENUS WILLIAMS: So you're trying to be down basically.
Q. Not on women's tennis, no.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Okay, because I don't deal with down at all.
Q. It's not down.
VENUS WILLIAMS: I'm just making sure you're not trying to be down, because I respect Dinara Safina immensely, and I think you should, too.
Q. I do.
VENUS WILLIAMS: Thanks.
Day 10: Outrageous
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If it wasn't for technology, Serena Williams might be out of the tournament. In what Savannah tweeted the Hawk Eye Set, Serena used the replay system to challenge a let cord winner Elena Dementieva struck on a break point to potentially hold serve. But her shot landed millimeters outside the sideline and Serena served for, and closed out, the second set, after fending off two break points at 15-40 and another two at ad. Serena struck an ace out wide to save the third, but Elena challenged unsuccessfully. At deuce, Serena served an ace up the T that landed smack on the line. Another Elena challenge showed us so, and now the Russian was out of challenges. Another ace and the dramatic second act was finally over.
Earlier, at 3-4 in the set, down a break point on her own serve thanks to a double fault, Serena struck a forehand on the run down the line that looked out to the naked eye. Elena, who would be serving for the match, challenged the call, but technology showed a millimeter of the ball was touching the outside corner of the sideline while landing squarely on the baseline.
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Pinpoint accuracy.
Serena fought off another break point with another clutch forehand winner, this one cross court. When she finally held after a backhand volley winner and a body serve Elena couldn't fight off, I exhaled, my heart still racing. I remained glued to my couch, laptop on lap, without even getting up to make a cup of coffee. Good thing. I never needed to relieve my bladder, and if I did, something tells me I still wouldn't have budged.
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It was the most gripping drama I've seen on a tennis court since last year's men's final. This War of Nerves, as someone else called it, needed an intermission between the second and third acts. Well. I needed on anyway. Even though I couldn't fathom Serena losing, I had no idea who would prevail 50 minutes into the final set, which is about how long it took for Venus Williams to embarrass Dinara Safina to the loss of a single game in the other semifinal. That thing was over before most of the fans had time to get back to their seats after hanging from their edges for nearly three hours.
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Pathetic.
To quote our own pompelmo, "A grissino and a bagel. Bon apetite Dinara."
My admiration for the other Russian just rose by several rungs. I've always liked that she's not intimidated by anybody on the court, and certainly not by Serena. I knew she would mount a challenge and would have the best chance for the upset. But I had no idea she would execute a champion's game for that long. She's gotten the best of Serena in three-setters before because Serena runs out of gas against her. But today, Serena made Elena have to earn the final set and she almost did, but Serena saved a match point at the net, which was stupendous because she played like an amateur in the forecourt for most of the match. Still, Elena kept coming and never backed away. Using it to fight back from 0-40 at 3-4 in the opening set, her serve was a revelation. Serena couldn't handle it. And yet Elena read Serena's serve like a large-print manuscript, those 20 aces notwithstanding. Her Olympic Gold makes her a champion and she showed it today. She left it all on the lawns.
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At 2 hours and 49 minutes, the longest women’s semifinal in the Open Era at Wimbledon, the match was much closer than the 6-7(4), 7-5, 8-6 scoreline suggests.
It was outrageous.
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Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Wimbledon 2009 Day 10 Open Thread
Russia v. Williams
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Who you got?
Thursday Order Of Play
CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Elena Dementieva (RUS) [4] vs Serena Williams (USA) [2]
2. Dinara Safina (RUS) [1] vs Venus Williams (USA) [3]
3. James Blake (USA) and Mardy Fish (USA) vs Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Nenad Zimonjic (SRB) [2]
COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Bob Bryan (USA) and Mike Bryan (USA) [1] vs Wesley Moodie (RSA) and Dick Norman (BEL) [9]
2. Leander Paes (IND) and Cara Black (ZIM) [1] 1 vs Andre Sa (BRA) and Ai Sugiyama (JPN) [11]
3. Mark Knowles (BAH) and Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [9] vs Bob Bryan (USA) and Samantha Stosur (AUS) [2]
COURT 2 - SHOW COURT
2. Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) and Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [4] vs Stephen Huss (AUS) and Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) [12]
Day 9: Surprise, Surprise
While there was only one upset, there were many surprises.
Novak Djokovic had no passion today. None. Even his expressions of frustration were meek.
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Tommy Haas, the old unmarried dude, didn't completely melt down and lose a two set-to-love lead.
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Lleyton Hewitt, clearly in pain, played his best tennis in the fifth set and almost won the match.
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Andy Roddick lost a 22-point tiebreak after being up 5-2; he won the match serving second in the final set; he out-gutted Hewitt in a five-setter in the quarterfinals of a Slam.
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Juan Carlos Ferrero, the other old unmarried dude, didn't win a set.
Andy Murray held up in the heat beautifully.
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Ivo Karlovic didn't chip-and-charge much at all on second-serve returns.
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Roger Federer broke Karlovic twice, striking clean winners off first serves both times.
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Face Of The Day
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Actress Kate Winslett watches Roger Federer of Switzerland play Ivo Karlovic of Croatia in their quarterfinal match on centre court at Wimbledon, Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
Quote For The Day
"We’ve definitely earned each other's respect. We used to go at it when we were younger but we are just a couple of old married dudes now." -- Andy Roddick on Lleyton Hewitt, ESPN post-match, "on-court" interview
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Wimbledon 2009 Day 9 Open Thread
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It's men's quaterfinals day and I didn't get any predictions from MadProfessah, who went 4 for 4 on the women's side.
I'll probably make a fool of myself, but I'll go with Federer over Karlovic in straights, Ferrero over Murray in four, Djokovic over Haas in four, Roddick over Hewitt in four. If Hewitt is ailing, then he won't win a set.
What say you?
Wednesday Order Of Play
CENTRE - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Ivo Karlovic (CRO) [22] vs Roger Federer (SUI) [2]
2. Andy Murray (GBR) [3] vs Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP)
COURT 1 - SHOW COURT - 1.00 PM START
1. Tommy Haas (GER) [24] vs Novak Djokovic (SRB) [4]
2. Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs Andy Roddick (USA) [6]
Doubles
COURT 2 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START
1. Serena Williams (USA) and Venus Williams (USA) [4] vs
Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) and Vania King (USA) [12]
2. Mahesh Bhupathi (IND) and Mark Knowles (BAH) [4] vs
Wesley Moodie (RSA) and Dick Norman (BEL) [9]
3. Kristina Barrois (GER) and Tathiana Garbin (ITA) vs
Samantha Stosur (AUS) and Rennae Stubbs (AUS) [3]
4. Daniel Nestor (CAN) and Elena Vesnina (RUS) [5] vs
Mark Knowles (BAH) and Anna-Lena Groenefeld (GER) [9]
COURT 3 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START
1. Simon Aspelin (SWE) and Paul Hanley (AUS) vs James Blake (USA) and Mardy Fish (USA)
2. Alisa Kleybanova (RUS) and Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) vs
Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) and Virginia Ruano Pascual (ESP) [2]
COURT 4 - SHOW COURT - 12.00 NOON START
1. Cara Black (ZIM) and Liezel Huber (USA) [1] vs
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) and Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez (ESP) [11]
2. Kevin Ullyett (ZIM) and Su-Wei Hsieh (TPE) [4] vs
Christopher Kas (GER) and Chia-Jung Chuang (TPE) [16]
3. Mike Bryan (USA) and Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) [6] vs
Jamie Murray (GBR) and Liezel Huber (USA)
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