Practice with Purpose: DTL to start the point

A quick practice game to practice changing direction in a groundstroke rally.

Player one (in blue) can only hit the ball cross-court. Player two (in orange) must hit the ball cross-cout for a minimum of two shots (not including the feed) and then has the choice to hit the ball cross-court or down the line.

When Player 2 hits the down the line- the point becomes active. Any winners or mistakes before this point do not count to the score. However if Player 2 misses the down the line, they lose the point. After Player 2 has gone DTL the court is open and point commences as a normal singles point (Fig.2). Play to 7 points per set, and change who is Player 1 and Player 2 per set.

Things to think about

Player 2 should look to change direction on a ball that is comfortable for his/her hitting zone. They don't have to win the point outright on the first down the line but instead can work their opponent out of position. Player 1 is looking to only be solid in the opening exchanges and then invariably will be defending and trying to push the point back to at least a neutral position after Player 2 changes direction.

Variations

Change to the backhand side. Change the amount of balls that Player 2 has to hit crosscourt before changing direction.

Purpose

To practice picking the correct ball to change direction on (Player 2), improve consistency in cross-court exchanges and court coverage (Player 1) to defend the DTL ball.

Practice with Purpose

How many of us are guilty of stepping out onto a tennis-court and slapping a few groundstrokes, hitting a few volleys and teeing of a couple of serves and then saying that we have 'practiced'?

I suspect this is the recipe for a lot more player's practice sessions than it should be. Even very good players can fall into this trap- it's easy! While it's good to practice in this 'free play' situation sometimes- it can be a good forum to experiment with different kinds of shots under no real pressure- it should not form the bulk of your practice sessions.

I'm sure you've heard the adage 'Practice makes perfect', but a more correct saying relative to performing in sport is 'Practice makes permanent' If you practice well, and structure your practice sessions to work on specific situations, shots and patterns of play you will reap the rewards. Practice badly and your game may stagnate, or worse- deteriorate!

 Instead pick some things to work on with your practice session, in my 'Practice with Purpose' articles- I will post some drills and practice games that you can incorporate into your practice sessions. No coach needed, just you and a similar level hitting partner.

Any great practice games/drills that you always use? Get in touch at info@representtennis.com and let us know!

Why you shouldn't listen to Virginia Wade. Part One: Drama queens and rain breaks.

Tennis has its fair shares of commentators and pundits: from ex-pro's to top coaches. Former players make the transition towards sports-commentary with wildly different degrees of success. Some offer a unique insight into what's happening on court and enrich the viewing experience, some are awkward and struggle to provide any real knowledge.

And then there's Virginia Wade.

At the French Open this year, an entirely unremarkable situation played out in the second-round. A top ten player looked injured playing a lower-ranked top 100 player. He required some treatment at 6-1 4-2 down and then went on to win the match, recovering from his injury. 

Miss.Wade happened to be commentating on this match and provided us with her opinion on what was happening.

“I have tremendous sympathy that his back is bad but I’ve more sympathy for the other guy as, honestly, you cannot play against someone who is being such a drama queen.
“I don’t think it is intentional, actually, but he feels so sorry for himself, he has no control over the fact he is not really acting in an adult way.

The player was, of course Andy Murray. A man every ex-British number 1 has an opinion on. The injury was a back spasm. Unable to move unhindered in the first, with some manipulation and application of topical gel he regained full mobility and came back to win.As someone who frequently suffers from back spasms both on and off the tennis court, I can relate with how Murray felt. In fact earlier this year I was teaching in Indonesia and had to be stretchered of court with a back spasm- I was completely immobile. After treatment I was fine to be on court the next day- depending on severity they can strike quickly and subside just as fast.

However here Virginia demonstrates a complete lack of understanding regarding the state of the tennis tour. The overwhelming majority- say 90-95%- of players on the pro tour are playing injured to a certain extent. Male or female, these players bodies take an absolute pounding like no other sport. A lot of pro players will have undergone an arduous schedule of up to 20 hours a week including physical conditioning, training and tournaments from the age of ten. At the age of 18 most are on the tour playing on a circuit which covers 11 months of the year. By the time this athletes are 24-25 their bodies have already done a huge amount of mileage. Physical treatment on court for a back spasm is normal in today's game.

The tour wasn't like this in 1977, back in the Wade's heyday. Played at a far slower pace, at a time of closed stance forehands and wooden racquets. The players weren't as strong, didn't train as hard or play for as long as the game of today. This isn't an attack on old-school tennis, I'm very certain the likes of Wade, King, Evert, Connors (My favourite player of all time) and their ilk would be top-players today, given access to the same training regimes, equipment and knowledge. Although their games would look very different. Wade in 1977- her golden year at Wimbledon- played 45 matches. Last year Vera Zvonareva played 78 matches, Caroline Wozniacki 80 and Rafael Nadal 84.Even Roger Federer- noted for minimizing his schedule on tour- has played 4 more more matches already this year than Wade played in the duration of 77 and we are only 7 months through 2012.

Being a former top-player from another era doesn't qualify you necessarily to commentate on todays game. In the same way being an excellent player doesn't mean you will be an intelligent coach for example. The best commentators have moved with the developing game and understand the nuances of professional play in 2012. Miss Wade is not one of them, her casting aspersions on Murray's sportsmanship regarding his treatment and subsequent recovery is at best idiotic and unprofessional and at worst malicious.

His opponent- Jarrko Nieminen, a hardened pro, was not put off by the delay nor did he think it was intentional from Murray. After the match he said:“I don’t think he was acting. It looked like he could hardly walk. It looked pretty bad what he had. It’s not often that somebody looks that bad and can keep going. I still didn’t think that he would give up but it didn’t look good.”

And lets be honest, what does Murray have to gain from going a set and 4-1 down vs a player he has no history in struggling with? In whose mind does that makes sense? Virginia saying that Nieminen 'can't play against someone who is being such a drama queen' is actually wildly incorrect. I bet Jarrko would love Murray to throw away a set and a break every time they meet! Part of being a strong competitor is dealing with these breaks in rhythm and concentration, and there is no reason to assume it affected Nieminen in this match.

After the Wimbledon 2012 Men's Final, the Daily Mail ran an article analysing the match, three experts were asked how the roof closing affected the subsequent play. Well two experts and Virginia Wade:

GILBERT: Yes. Federer averaged five miles per hour more on his serve under the roof. 

He played more aggressively and did a great job of then coming into the net more, playing attacking tennis. 

WADE: I don't think the roof changed the game - it's just an excuse some people use. 

The momentum of the match had already changed by then. If anything you could have argued that Federer's momentum would have been disrupted by the rain break. 

HENMAN: Yes. It was probably as good a time as you could have a rain delay, with it being one set all, but under the roof Federer's ball-striking and timing was just immaculate. 

His third and fourth sets were faultless.

Tim Henman and Brad Gilbert were specific and objective in their commentary. Gilbert referencing statistics and Henman referring to Federer's improved striking under the roof. 

Virginia meanwhile simply mentions 'excuses', and the argument that Federer's momentum could have been broken. Yes it could of been affected but that didn't happen! And the roof didn't change the game? Really? If you couldn't see how much Federer improved in the indoor conditions then you seriously can't be commentating or writing about tennis. We already have concrete statistics in the form of the 5mph increase in the average first-serve speed from Fed. 

When a change of conditions occur on a tennis court, subsequent play is affected. Common sense right? Now the people who say that Federer played better under the roof aren't saying: 'Oh Federer only won because the roof closed, its not fair- he cheated.' (and if they are they are idiots!). Conditions change on a tennis court; balls can get slower, it can get windy, the crowd can switch allegiance from player to player and now -with the new roofs at the slams- matches can switch from outdoors to indoors. Tennis is a game of variables, and dealing with those variables is as much of a skill as any.

So congratulations to Federer who has the skill-set to improve his game in the indoor conditions. This win wasn't the fault of the roof, and without the rain delay and closure I still believe the momentum had switched towards Federer at the end of the second, but momentum can change multiple times in the course of a five-set match. Besides there is a big difference between a shift in momentum and adding 5mph to your first serve!To say that the roof didn't change the match is utterly ridiculous, even had Murray won in 5 sets the roof still would have changed the dynamics of the match.

Rant over for now, but if you happen to switch on BBC to watch some tennis and here Wade in the commentary booth- do yourself a favour and switch to Eurosport.

In part two- Wade's undermining comments on the WTA circuit:"they’re racket-wielding robots."

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-2170621/Wimbledon-2012-Expert-view-final.html#ixzz20OBJTuZb 

Guest Columns

This page is for Guest coaches or players to have their say on Slice. If you want to be featured, sent a message to info@representtennis.com with your ideas and tennis background.

What can we learn from: David Ferrer?

In this series I look at what we can learn from the top professionals- even at a club level; lessons from the pro-tour can be applied to your game. It's not about copying the idiosyncrasies in a pro's technique- but the underlying fundamentals that are applicable at any level.  


First up on our list of players to watch is the battling Spaniard David Ferrer. Here are three things to look for when you next see him play and try and take on board for your own game.

The return can be a weapon: Similar to Connors and to an extent Andy Murray, Ferrer's awesome return can neutralize the best server and force them into have to play a lot longer points in there service games than they want to. At a club level the serve can be a weapon, and moving up into to county/regional levels it invariably is- especially in the mens game. If you possess a big serve, you expect a certain amount of cheap points a game- playing someone who effectively returns deep and consistently can be a nightmare.

Watch Ferrer carefully, he hits the vast majority of his returns cross-court and deep- keeps his swing short and plays high percentage. He is usually moving forward and gets a very early split-step in to keep his weight low and allow him to latch onto even very wide returns.

Ask yourself when was the last time you practiced returns? Get a practice partner to hit a couple of baskets down at you and don't play the point out- just execute the return. Think about how long your swing is, how early you are hitting the ball and how deep the return is. I know a lot of very good players who are guilty of not practicing the return enough. It's the second most hit shot after the serve in the average match- so take a break from hitting cross-court forehands and practice the return!

Ferrer keeping low to track that ball down

Keep it simple: I'm not saying for a minute that Ferrer doesn't hit big, he is as capable of unloading a huge forehand as the next pro. However if you watch the majority of Ferrer's points, not just the highlight reel, he keeps constant pressure on his opponent by keeping the ball deep and- the vast majority of the time-crosscourt. He's not known as 'The Wall' for nothing! He works the player from side to side and doesn't really allow his opponent to get inside the baseline unless they hit do something special to make him hit short.

Watch some of Ferrer's points, and imagine yourself playing them, just slowed down. I actually know a very good club player (who will remain nameless- lest he get big-headed) who plays a very similar style. The decisions this playerhe has to make mid-point are usually simple; hit cross-court when the ball is deep and he is in a defensive or neutral position and hit down the line if allowed to step in the court. There is something to be said about not having to think too much on court after all.

To emulate this, play some points with a practice partner and pick the same strategy- cross court when deep, down the line if you step in. Better yet, if you can video yourself playing points and see how many mistakes you make from trying to change direction from the baseline or from trying to inject pace at a the incorrect time in the rally. Take a little pace off the ball- give yourself extra height over the net, extra topspin- whatever it takes to keep your percentages up.



Mental Strength: I will willingly admit that this is the best lesson I could personally learn from Ferrer; anyone who has played with me as a junior could tell you why! However- its not just me who could learn something from Ferrer's attitude and mindset. (Although I promise I'm going to try too!)

Even if you are not seen as being 'mentally weak' on court- its always an area that can be improved. Looking over the net to find Ferrer on the other side-players know he is a player that will NOT give up- and that they will have to work for every point. Juniors who play on a regular circuit of tournaments can especially associate with this. There were a few guys when I used to play tournaments, one I can think of in particular, who you just knew that to win that match you were going to have to beat them- they weren't going to beat themselves. That's a mental advantage through reputation (which I am going to cover in another article) and is as real a weapon as a big first serve.

Look at how Ferrer carries himself around court, he rarely looks beaten; even if he's on the wrong end of a comprehensive lead. He bounces around before returning and generally exudes energy and strength. He gets pumped up and will give himself positive feedback after playing a good point. 'Dogged' has been a word used to describe him very often in the press- and it sums his attitude up pretty succinctly.

I hope you have enjoyed this article- and can watch some of Ferrer's play and try and mimic some of his strengths. Remember emulating a pro doesn't mean copying his strokes- everyone is different and strikes differently- but you can copy some of the underlying fundamentals that have made him so successful- with some practice!

(Image from Wikimedia commons and courtesy of Cássia Afini)

He's Back! Roger Federer wins his 17th major, Murray still battling for his first.

Its a familiar scene; that look on Roger Federer's face as he collapses onto the turf of the All-England Club. The slow-mo footage of his moment of triumph as his wife looks on from the players box and the crowd applauds the greatest player to ever play the game.

But wait a minute, this isn't 2005, 2007 or even 2009. The vanquished opponent isn't a Spanish lefty or a big-serving American but a counter-punching Briton. This is 2012 and Roger has rolled back the clock to strike back at the critics, and cement his place at the top of the game; both in the history books (again) and in the world rankings.

It didn't look like it was going to be a day for returning legends at the beginning of the match however, but a day for homegrown heroes.

Andy Murray, who had battled through an extraordinarily tough draw to reach his first Wimbledon final started superbly. Sprinting out the blocks, Murray broke Federer in the opening game and looked far more settled than he had done in the opening stages of his three previous Grand Slam finals. He was broken back for 2-2 but at 4-all, the Scot piled the pressure on the Federer serve promptly broke and served out the first, 6-4.

On Centre Court, on Henman Hill, in pubs and in living rooms across the UK, we dared to believe. It certainly looked like Murray did.

Murray still searches for his maiden major

But it wasn't to be, Federer wasn't a 16-time Slam winner for no reason. In a second set where Murray had looked dominant, forcing 4 break points but just missing converting them, Federer struck. It seemed like the second was on-course for a tiebreak- Murray served at 5-6 down but 30-0 up, and looked comfortable. If anything going to a tiebreak was something of a disappointment for the Scot, he had certainly looked the more likely of the two to break throughout the set. But at 30-0, and just two points from forcing Federer to a breaker- Murray blinked and Federer upped the pressure. Forcing Murray into threading the needle with a topspin lob after Fed's attacking net-play, Murray missed the baseline by centimetres.

Had Murray held that game from 30-0, and won the subsequent tiebreak, it could have been a different story for the Brit. Federer, at the time of the closing of the roof due to the inevitable downpour, would have had 40 minutes to work out how to win all 3 remaining sets from an inspired opponent in front of his home crowd.

However, Murray had an almost imperceivable drop in concentration, perhaps believing the breaker was somewhat of an inevitability. Against a player who isn't so aware of the ebbs and flows of a tennis match, isn't so dialled in to his opponent and didn't have an inexhaustible experience of big-match experience to draw upon, then Murray would have been in a breaker. But Federer isn't that kind of player, he is aware of all the complex minutiae that constitute the intangible 'metagame' of a tennis match. Coming into this match, Federer had already appeared in 23 Grand Slam finals and understood exactly how key these small turning points are.

From the moment play resumed under the roof, Federer seemed transformed. His prowess in indoor conditions is well-documented; he has the best record indoors in the ATP. Federer's forehand was deeper, cleaner struck. His backhand unerringly consistent, free of the occasional mis-hits of the first two sets. His average serve speed increased 5mph, and although Murray hung in during his first service game after resumption, it looked like he was in trouble.

Serving at 2-3 down, the game of the match unfolded. It lasted longer than some sets in the rest of the tournament (see the Shvedova/Errani 'Golden Set' ) and after almost 20 minutes of continual pressure on the Murray serve, the Scot finally cracked. Federer was moving perfectly, and his 'inside-in' forehand (where a player runs around the backhand to strike a forehand out of that side of the court- and hits it down the line) was forcing Murray to cover too much ground, too often. With the decisive break, Federer proceeded to serve out the third- 6-3.

Federer hit imperious form in sets 3 and 4

Murray had chances to break in the fourth, both at 30-40 in Feds first service game, and at 15-30 missing an easy backhand into the open court to set up a double break-point. However it seemed Federer looked more assured as each point passed, more in control. He approached the net frequently, attacked the second serve and was moving effortlessly around the court. Breaking at 2-2 and not looking back, Federer served out for his first Wimbledon title in three years. Cue the familiar scene described at the beginning of this article.

For now- Federer is on top of the world. While Murray is perhaps feeling as if he has hit rock-bottom, another crushing loss for him in a Slam Final. However he should be proud, as should the British media, fans and his coaching team, of his achievements this Wimbledon.

More to follow on the aftermath of the final; Murray's tears, Wimbledon pressure, Federer's place in history and an article on indoor conditions, momentum and why you should never listen to Virginia Wade...

(Images from Wikimedia Commons courtesy of Justin Smith)

Wimbledon Final 2012: Andy Murray vs Roger Federer

Well, what a Friday at Wimbledon that was.

Roger Federer produced a staggering display of grass-court excellence to topple defending champion Djokovic in 4 sets. Becoming the first man ever to make 8 Wimbledon Finals and proving that he is not going to step aside for the younger generation anytime soon.

Andy Murray had a trademark rollercoaster match with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, making it look so easy in the first two sets- and so hard in the following two. However he came through, to rapturous applause on Centre Court, Henman Hill and a lot of people huddled around TV's all over Britain. As I'm sure we've heard, the first British Mens finalist since Bunny Austin in 1938

Match Preview

Andy Murray comes into this match with an 8-7 head to head advantage against Federer. However before we get too excited lets break these match-ups down. 

Fed has won their only encounters at majors- and in a best of 5-set format. He beat Murray in both the US Open final (2008) and the Australian Open final (2010) in straight sets. In both of these matches two things happened; Federer played the devastating, aggressive tennis that at the time seemed to leave everyone but Nadal in the shade- and Murray stepped back, looked slightly overawed by the occasion and played below his usual high-standard.

Interestingly, despite being active on the tour at a top level since about 2005, Murray has never met Federer on any other surface but hard-court. We have no grass-court matches to draw any ideas from, however we all know that Federer brings his best game to the green stuff. Murray seems very comfortable on the grass this year, he is moving well- returning well and hasn't looked too uncomfortable at the net. 

Murray has to undertake the biggest task of his career.

Federer's Chances

Federer will go into this match feeling very good about his level of play and opponent in the final. He played exceptional tennis in the 3rd set against Djokovic yesterday, and his serve was almost untouchable in the first set. Honestly if he serves like he did in the first- from memory I think it was about 75% first serves- then it is going to be very difficult for Murray to beat him. However I don't see Federer sustaining that kind of serving over 3, 4 or 5 sets. He knows his game plan against Murray will be to step in the court, play first strike tennis and to work Murray into some positioning errors which he can be capable off.

Also this is a familiar scene for Federer- in a Grand Slam final at a venue where he has made 7 before and won 6 of them. He knows what it takes, and what it feels like to be the victor here- and he's not fighting the undeniable pressure that Murray has heaped upon him. 

Murray's Chances

Murray steps into this match with (Cliche warning!) the weight of a nations expectations on his shoulders. He knows that this is undoubtedly the biggest match of his career. The pressure and expectation that he feels will of course affect his play, but although he himself says he is an underdog in this match-he knows he is very capable of winning this title.

He needs to return as well as he did against Cilic and Tsonga to make inroads on the Federer serve. He has to try and keep from playing too many points defensively- he possesses one of the great defenses in the history of the sport, however playing the majority of points like this against Fed on grass is going to be an uphill struggle. He has to serve well, as he has done almost unfailingly throughout these championships. I feel like getting to a good start and establishing a foothold in the match will be important, Federer can be devastating with a lead and it could be over very quickly if he is allowed to work up some momentum. 

Saying all this I think Murray has the game, and has proven it throughout his path to this years final, to finally take his first Grand Slam title here. 

Murray's road to the final

Murray came through probably the hardest draw to make a Grand-Slam Final I've ever seen. It seemed almost ridiculous on paper. He made swift work of former world no.3 and world-tour finals winner-Nikolay Davydenko in the first round 6-1, 6-1, 6-4. Then he came up against the monstrous serving of one 6ft 10in Croat by the name of Ivo Karlovic- eventually prevailing 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-2, 7-6 (4). In the third round he faced off against former Grand-Slam finalist now a charge of  Murray's former coach Miles Maclagan. In a dramatic race against time to finish by the 11pm curfew- Murray again found a way and came through 7-5, 3-6, 7-5, 6-1. Another tall Croat awaited him in the round of 16- Marin Cilic, who had defeated Murray at this stage in the 2009 and had a game seemingly tailored to grass. Murray didn't drop a set- winning 7-5, 6-2, 6-3.

Coming into the quarter-finals he faced the mental and physical wall that is world no.5 David Ferrer, who had crushed a former US Open champion in Juan Martin del Potro in the R16. Murray needed all of his determination, and a little bit of luck to not go to 5 sets- and came through in a dogfight of a 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6),  6-4, 7-6 (4) victory. Then finally, to take that step no British man has managed in 74 years, he had to dispose of Tsonga- a player possessed of mercurial, but extraordinary talent. He triumphed under all the expectation in 4 sets- 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. 

Just look at the names in that draw! If he wanted to prove that he is worthy of a Grand Slam, winning here would have to silence all but the most ardent naysayer. 

Compare this to Federer's relatively straightforward draw, apart from the Djokovic semi, and its clear that Murray has had a far sterner challenge to make it to this stage. Murray has to feel good that he has really earned his spot out there on the biggest stage on Sunday.

So who is my prediction? 

I am going to take a shot on Murray to win in 5 sets. I think a lot is going to depend on the beginning of the match, and I think if Murray can sneak the first then he has a real chance. 

Ultimately I think its going to depend on what Murray steps out on court on Sunday, how his mental state is and how he deals with the inevitable pressure. He knows he deserves to be there, and he is a more mature player than the one that Federer has met in Slam titles in the past.

Whoever wins, we (as Brits) should be very proud of Murray's performance in making the final. I wish him all the best of luck and I am sure it's going to be an epic match on Sunday. Enjoy.

What would it mean to the final 4?

Another great tournament at the All-England Club is nearing its conclusion, only two matches seperate the four remaining players from lifting the most coveted trophy in the game. But what would it mean to the players involved?

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga: Winning a maiden Grand Slam would elevate Tsonga from the talented entertainer to the genuine contender. We all know that his physical attributes match the top 4, but if he can win a title here after coming through Murray and either Federer or Djokovic in the final he will have proved that he can really mix it with the top players. It would also give French fans something to cheer about- despite consistently producing top-100 players France hasn't had a mens slam winner since Yannick Noah in 1983. Speaking of nations that haven't had a Grand Slam champion in a while.....

Andy Murray: Well I'm sure you've heard it all before, Britain hasn't had a male winner at Wimbledon- or any other Slam- since 1936. Andy Murray would love to change all that this year, and not just for Blighty by any stretch of the imagination. Usually touted as the best player never to win a Slam, winning at Wimbledon would make this career-changing victory even sweeter. Failure, as always, will be jumped upon by the vultures that are the British sporting press. One feels if he doesn't at least make the final that he may want to avoid picking up The Sun for a while. There's no doubt in most sensible tennis critics minds that in a slightly weaker era, Murray would have won numerous Grand Slam titles. However this is indubitably not a weak era in mens tennis- and Murray will need to play to the best of his (exceptional) ability, in order to not go down in history as merely a nearly-man. If we could somehow quantify how much each of these four players wants this title I'd be very surprised if it wasn't Murray.

Federer can make history again this year, but it won't be easy.

Roger Federer: At the grand old (in tennis terms) age of 30, and with 16 Grand Slams- including 6 Wimbledon titles under his belt, what more can this man have to prove to the tennis world? Plenty it seems, winning here and he would equal Sampras' (and William Renshaw, but the game was slightly different back in the 1880's) as the most prolific Wimbledon champion ever. It would also dispel naysayers who say that he has fallen behind, or never was at, the level set by Nadal and especially Djokovic in recent years. Coming through Djokovic to win this title would strengthen his claim to being the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) once again, and could be the confidence-builder needed to push him back to the top of the game.

Novak Djokovic: The Serbian phenom has produced some literally absurd tennis at times to capture his 5 career majors. The sheer physicality on display in some of his matches against Nadal, Murray and Federer have become a hallmark of the modern game (see the semi-final at Melbourne this year with Murray- followed by the longest Slam final ever against Nadal to win the title). However at the age of 25, he knows that to be considered as the greatest ever (and when he plays to the best of his ability sometimes its hard to doubt that he is), he is going to need to add considerably to his title haul. Winning a second Wimbledon title would move him in the right direction- and help him regain the Slam momentum he had going into the French Open final holding 3 of the 4 majors.

The stakes are high for all these players, they all have something to prove when they walk out onto Centre on Friday afternoon. One thing is for sure, on Sunday someone who has never made a Wimbledon final will face off against a previous champion, and it should make for some incredible viewing!

Image from Wikimedia commons- by Justin Smith

Wimbledon: The Quarter-Final Story

On a grey day at SW19, the quarter-finals of the most intriguing Wimbledon for a long while kicked off.

First to take to Centre Court was the 6-time champion, Roger Federer playing the talented but frequently unhinged (see here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fi-CgSO9Evw) Mikhail Youzhny. Prior to the match, there was some concern from a lot of Federer fans about his apparent back-problems for which he required treatment in his match against Malisse. However any questions about Federer's form were swiftly washed away in the 6-1 6-2 6-2 massacre that followed. Youzhny looked like he lacked any real belief that he could 'pull a Rosol' and had few answers to Roger's incredible display, at one point turning to the great Andre Agassi- present in the Royal Box- and asking for some advice. Fed looked like he was moving almost as well as he did circa 2007-2008, and was devastating off both wings. His form should allow him to present a stern challenge to Djokovic in the semi-final stage, if he keeps it together mentally and doesn't collapse if he starts badly (see the French Open semi-finals). 

Meanwhile on Court 1, Djokovic was equally ruthless in his dismissal of Florian Mayer. Mayer was somewhat of a surprise quarter-finalist, and at times he looked as shocked to be at this stage of the tournament as I felt at him being there. His unusual style gave Djokovic a few problems in the first, and produced some interesting exchanges, however after the first set it looked like a foregone conclusion. It stayed that way as Djokovic loosened up, and his class at the baseline shone through. He came through with a routine 6-4 6-1 6-4 scoreline, his next match is undoubtedly his first real challenge in the tournament, as he has benefited from a very easy path to the semi-finals.

The flying Frenchman is into the semis for a second straight year.

Next up on Court One was the flamboyant shotmaker Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs the fluid talent of Philipp Kohlschreiber. The 28 year-old German came into this match in great form, having dispatched of two players who are in the best form of their lives; Brian Baker and Lucas Rosol- to make the quarter-final stage. Not to mention his defeat of Rafael Nadal (remember him?) on grass in the warm-up tournament in Halle. 

It wasn't hard to see why, Kohlschreiber- also a very accomplished doubles player, has a game that translates very well to grass courts. His big serve, and quality net-play caused Tsonga trouble from the outset. However Tsonga's powerful serving, helped out by some errors from the Kohlschreiber racquet, saw him take the first set 7-6. Kohlschreiber hit straight back to take the second 6-4, as Tsonga faltered in his first service game of the set, then broke back- and then was broken for the set at 4-5. The third set was still competitive- going to a tiebreak which Tsonga again snuck through. After this the momentum looked firmly on the Frenchman's side, and he steamrolled through the fourth 6-2, to come through 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Tsonga's strong play in the crucial tiebreaks stopping another upset.

On Centre, the match of the day unfolded between home-favourite Andy Murray and the indefatigable Spaniard, David Ferrer. Ferrer, at 30 years of age, has found the strongest form of his career recently. His incredible movement, phenomenal work-rate and accurate groundstrokes making him an increasingly difficult opponent for the top players (apart from against Nadal on clay). Murray looked good in his previous match against Cilic, but this was an entirely different proposition. The memory of his defeat to Ferrer at the French Open still very fresh, this match was always going to be tough for the Scot.

Murray looked out-of-sorts as he was broken swiftly in the first. Only to break back at 5-3 and take the first set into a breaker. The rallies were brutal, as two of the best movers on the tour were stretching and straining to make balls from some impossible angles. However Murray's normally trustworthy backhand threw up a few too many errors, and despite being in the tiebreak at 5-5, he played some lacklustre points to lose the first set, and cause no-little panic amongst the British contingent. 

A gutsy performance from Murray took him through a drama-filled match on Wednesday

The second set was as physical as the first, and with Ferrer breaking to serve for the set at 5-4, it looked like British hopes for a champion at Wimbledon for the first time since 1936 were going to have to wait another year. However Ferrer played a tight service game, probably the momentum-changer of the match, Murray broke and took it to another breaker. A breaker where he found himself set-point down and with some incredible shot-making brought himself back to win 8-6. At this point, if you are a Murray fan, you almost feel like he does this on purpose to keep your heart in your mouth!

Murray was solid in the third, taking it with one break and serving out at 5-4 very comfortably as his first serve percentage carried on climbing. The fourth was a battle, getting to 5-5 before a 25 minute rain-delay seperated the two competitors. The set proceeded to a third tiebreak, Murray earning a mini-break at 5-3 and served for the set at 6-4. Lining up the serve at match-point, the British fans in the stands and watching at home must of expected some kind of Murray-drama, some last twist in the plot. Murray had other plans, he smoothly cracked down an ace and the Wimbledon-crowd erupted.

The stage is set for an incredible semi-finals day on Friday- and hopefully for an exceptional final!

(Pictures from Wikimedia Commons- courtesy of Rob Dale and Kate from UK)

Prediction catch up

Ok, a lot of catching up to do over the last few days. First off prediction overview.

First of lets look at my predictions for the round of 16- hardly perfect! I got the Djokovic, Murray, Federer, Tsonga and Kohlschreiber victories correct. Although Fed's was tougher than it should have been down to some back issues, and Murray's was far easier than I expected!

The Youzhny-Istomin match was a five-set thriller like I expected however the experience of Youzhny won through in that deciding fifth set. Was very surprised to see Mayer prevail over what looked like an exhausted Gasquet, and the Delpo/Ferrer match was off by a mile. Ferrer truly dominated and really looked like he has made his incredible movement skills pay off on the grass of SW19. Delpo didn't look his normal dominant self and I feel he was a step-slow, it looked like he was still struggling with that troublesome knee injury.

Total score 5/8 for match predictions. Could be better, could be worse!

Predictions for Wimbledon: Last 16

So at this stage of the tournament, who are the players to watch out for? Here are my predictions for the men's draw.

Its been a crazy tournament so far, what with players with apparently huge grass court games like Isner and Berdych falling early, obviously Nadal's shock loss, and Federer barely scraping past Benneteau last night. 

So lets look at the big names: starting with the biggest at the moment: Novak Djokovic. Novak has looked good so far this tournament, but by no means great by his ridiculously high standards. His first set lost so far this tournament came at the hands of Radek Stepanek, who looked like he was going to cause Novak some troubles with his imperious net-rushing, but Djokovic found the answers and came through without too much drama. Next up for him, compatriot Viktor Troicki- a very talented athlete, but I don't see Djokovic having much trouble coming through that match. Novak holds an 11-1 career head-to-head against his countryman, and last lost to Troicki way back in 2007. Djokovic comes through in straight-sets

Next up Federer. He came through that tough match against Benneteau, showing his composure under pressure in a match that looked lost. Fed is in a bit of a softer part of the draw, and his round of 16 match against Malisse shouldn't phase him too much. Federer has only lost to Malisse once in his career, more than a decade ago- in 1999! Since then he has won 10 straight matches and I imagine he's going to make it another one. Federer in 3 sets in the battle of the old-timers!

In the lower half of the draw we have the home favourite; Andy Murray who battled his way through a tricky round of 32 match against the extremely talented Baghdatis late on Saturday night. Murray looked very passive in that match, a constant issue raised by his (many it seems) critics. His next match against Cillic should be fairly routine. These guys have played each other at all the other 3 Grand Slams- this will complete the quartet. Murray succumbed to Cilic just once, in the 2009 US Open, but I think the home crowd and Murray's experience will stop a repeat of that performance. The tall Croat will bring a massive serve and powerful strokes to the confrontation, but seeing as how well Murray returns I expect him to come through in 4 sets (I'm going to take a shot that two going to tiebreaks- Murray drops one and wins one)

Outside the top 4 (well now 3) seeds, the biggest threats in the draw for me are Gasquet, who I can see giving Djokovic a world of trouble in the quarters if he can keep his head straight. Del Potro if he hits the amazing form that we all know he is capable of, and of course the gifted Frenchman Jo-Wilfied Tsonga.

So predictions for the rest of the round of 16.

Gasquet vs Mayer: Gasquet in 4 sets, the talented Frenchman is looking to strong for the German.
Istomin vs Youzhny: Going to go against experience, and say Istomin in 5 sets. (Could be wildly wrong here)
Ferrer vs Del Potro: I think this is going to be the best match in this round of matches, a great stylistic contrast between the hustling, 5'9'' Ferrer against the huge-hitting 6'6'' Del Potro. These two have never met on grass and I feel like the surface is going to really favour Del Potro in this confrontation. Very difficult to call but I think Del Potro in 5 sets.
Tsonga-Fish: Tsonga in straight-sets, I think Fish isn't (after his surgery and recent-comeback) ready to beat a player of Tsonga's class yet.
Baker vs Kohlschreiber: Baker for me has been my favourite tennis story of this year, (more to come in a later post) and I really want him to do well in this tournament. However I think his tournament ends here, in the very experienced and constantly underrated Kohlschreiber. The plucky American goes down in 4 sets. (but I hope I'm wrong!)

Ok so tomorrow I expect to be eating my words here, its my first set of predictions on this blog so no doubt I'll get about 1 out of 8! Lets see though!