Wimbledon

[stroke]

Holger Rune continues his lackluster 2024 going down two sets - 1-6, 6-7(4) but serving for the third to the 220th ranked Quentin Halys.

If Djokovic survives Papyrin (they're on court now) and Rune loses following Hubi retirement with that nasty-looking knee injury, Djokovic could get to the finals by meeting only one, solitary seed, presumably Alex de Minaur (9).

Who needs two knees?

Djokovic talks about his knee in this excerpt from TheAthletic:


Djokovic has made it into the final 32 without playing someone ranked higher than 123 — with only one fully functioning knee. He was stiff at times, slow (for him) and tentative, all understandable after meniscus surgery barely a month ago. Still, he pushed just hard enough to prevail.

“The muscles around it are contracting and getting sore more than usual because they’re compensating and protecting the knee, which is normal,” he said. “There’s more work on those muscles. Maybe because they are sore, they’re also not really giving me that kind of dynamic speed and power that I need and want to have.”

Now the question is who, if anyone, will have the game and the gumption to take advantage of Djokovic’s compromised state on his favorite surface, before he meets one of his biggest current rivals, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which can only happen in a final.

Oh the drama.

[jimlosaltos]

Holger Rune continues his lackluster 2024 going down two sets - 1-6, 6-7(4) but serving for the third to the 220th ranked Quentin Halys.

If Djokovic survives Papyrin (they're on court now) and Rune loses following Hubi retirement with that nasty-looking knee injury, Djokovic could get to the finals by meeting only one, solitary seed, presumably Alex de Minaur (9).

Who needs two knees?

Djokovic talks about his knee in this excerpt from TheAthletic:


Djokovic has made it into the final 32 without playing someone ranked higher than 123 — with only one fully functioning knee. He was stiff at times, slow (for him) and tentative, all understandable after meniscus surgery barely a month ago. Still, he pushed just hard enough to prevail.

“The muscles around it are contracting and getting sore more than usual because they’re compensating and protecting the knee, which is normal,” he said. “There’s more work on those muscles. Maybe because they are sore, they’re also not really giving me that kind of dynamic speed and power that I need and want to have.”

Now the question is who, if anyone, will have the game and the gumption to take advantage of Djokovic’s compromised state on his favorite surface, before he meets one of his biggest current rivals, Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, which can only happen in a final.

[jimlosaltos]

And another WTA seed is gone -- numero uno Iga Swiatek is out to Putinseva 6-3, 1-6, 2-6

So the 29 yo Kazak is the one that baked the breadstick. How ironic.

Could Danielle Collins, on her retirement tour, take a Wimbledon crown? Her side of the draw is certainly opening up nicely.

Have to give some recognition to Yulia. Here's our Tour Portrait of Julia from San Jose and a sample with that big smile.

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[stroke]

Wall of Med stands strong vs Struff, who is a poster child to me of ATP and what it takes to get it done. Struff has a huge game, great technique, and an average ATP career.

[jimlosaltos]

GMP, with the best serve in the tournament, on to the round of 16. He looks like he goes about 6'8", 220 pounds, and very calmly athletic. He also had a top tier forehand, with what appears to me high rpm's.

I vote for using his nickname "Gio"

"Only" 27 aces today on 24 serve games (adding one for a tiebreak), or over an ace per game (down from his last 3 matches). Gio finally rated a court that has Hawkeye, and reports service speed, so we have --

Gio hit 140 MPH max, 125 MPH average (down from 134 MPH ave at Stuttgart per ATP) -- and he hit one second serve at 136 MPH. Won 84% first serve points. Two of his aces were on second serve.

Not half bad for a Lucky Loser !

That compares to Zverev, who got 15 aces, 135 MPH Max, 128 MPH ave, won 71% of firsts

[jimlosaltos]

Great match by both, great win for Sheldon. Up next, Sinner.

Father-son history adds some human interest.

Shelton beat Shapo " 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory in just over three hours. Exactly 30 years after his father Bryan reached the fourth round here, Shelton Junior will face world No.1 Jannik Sinner in the last 16.

[stroke]

GMP, with the best serve in the tournament, on to the round of 16. He looks like he goes about 6'8", 220 pounds, and very calmly athletic. He also had a top tier forehand, with what appears to me high rpm's.

[stotty]

Don't look now, but Emma Raducanu looks like she's for real. This time.

Remember when she beat Maria Sakkari to make the US Open finals? She beat Maria again today to make the Wimby last 16.

Emma: “I think today is up there with the most fun I’ve had on a tennis court,” beamed Raducanu. “I really enjoyed every single moment. I was just telling myself, how many times are you going to get to play in front of a full Centre Court?

“I’m most proud of that I was so focused, so determined in every single point, every single moment. I knew playing Maria, she’s a top 10 opponent, in a way, I came in with a free swing, but she’s so tough, she has amazing weapons and I knew I had to battle and fight hard. I tried not to let the scoreline effect me. You have to play every point like its your last. Not to be dramatic, but…”

I just think Emma, like many players, is so soundbite conscious that it can be a distraction. The best thing tennis players can do, especially ones with expectations on their back, is to read no opinion pieces or view any social media, and simply concentrate with the job in hand. I am not sure if pressers are compulsory for players but if they aren't it would be a good idea never to attend any.

[stotty]

Zverev defeats Cam Norrie in a very cagey third set tiebreak. Zverev was extremely passive in rallies and one wonders why as he has so much more firepower than Norrie. He was lucky to get through the final set playing that way as it plays right into Norrie's hands.

[stroke]

Great match by both, great win for Sheldon. Up next, Sinner.

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Sheldon up 2 sets to 1 over Shaprolova. Sheldon is really serving well. He may have the best lefty kick serve to the deuce court ever. It is kicking out way wide to Shaprolova one handed backhand. Shap has no answer for it, a real problem for him.

[jimlosaltos]

Don't look now, but Emma Raducanu looks like she's for real. This time.

Remember when she beat Maria Sakkari to make the US Open finals? She beat Maria again today to make the Wimby last 16.

Emma: “I think today is up there with the most fun I’ve had on a tennis court,” beamed Raducanu. “I really enjoyed every single moment. I was just telling myself, how many times are you going to get to play in front of a full Centre Court?

“I’m most proud of that I was so focused, so determined in every single point, every single moment. I knew playing Maria, she’s a top 10 opponent, in a way, I came in with a free swing, but she’s so tough, she has amazing weapons and I knew I had to battle and fight hard. I tried not to let the scoreline effect me. You have to play every point like its your last. Not to be dramatic, but…”

[stroke]

Sinner is looking every bit the number 1 player and the favorite to win Wimbledon. He is playing ping pong out there, just suffocating Kremanovic taking away time off both sides. I am thinking Sinner plays like Fed off both sides, taking away so much time, with a better backhand.

[stroke]

Grigor and his beautiful game routines Monfils. What could his career have looked like without the big 3?

[jimlosaltos]

Fritz looks good as a real dark horse in this tournament. He is playing very well. He has a good matchup round 3, probably Zverev in 4th round looking ahead. If he gets past that, looking at Novak in the semis.

Fritz AND Tommy Paul (straight sets over Bublik today).

Plus, talk about blast from the past, Madison Keys ! ! !

You'd think it was July 4th or something