Wimbledon

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/p7RHiMqhVRqJkabT8

See, that is all it takes to win a match like this, 66 winners, 15 errors. We'll done Taylor.

[stroke]

Zverev out to Rinderknech in 5. Rinderknech was definitely the better tennis player out there, he has much more of an all court game than Zverev.

[jimlosaltos]

Record 13 men's seeds out in first round plus a passel of the women's seeds.

Notables: Coco Gauff out to Dayana Yastremska. Several wags pegged this as a potential upset, but I sure didn't see it coming. Gael Monfils, oldest man in the draw, took out Humbert in 5 sets. Musetti who had such a great run at Roland Garros, skipped grass tune ups and still admitted that by the third set he was knackered. Out to a pure red-liner, Basilashvili. More on five setters soon as I collect some interesting data. World number three, Sasha Zverev out in five to yet another Frenchman Arthur Rinderknecht, you may remember for his 360 deg drop shot at Roland Garros. What would tennis be without French flair? Zverev hit 31 aces and 71 winners yet lost in good part because he held 9 break points and didn't convert a solitary one of them. Happens.

Holger Rune, aftering losing to Chilean Nicolas Jarry, sounded a tad Aryna Sabalenka-like “If I play normal, I’m beating him nine out of ten times. With all due respect to Nicolas Jarry.” OK, as long as it was respectful!

Local to me Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria. Pre-Wimby Buffalo’s Jessica Pegula beat Iga Swiatek to win the warm-up tourney in Germany. But lost yesterday to Italian No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

Men's Singles:

• 3. Zverev to Rinderknecht in five
• 7. Lorenzo Musetti - first round defeat to Nikoloz Basilashvili, 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6
• 8. Holger Rune - first round defeat to Nicolas Jarry, 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6
• 9. Daniil Medvedev - first round defeat to Benjamin Bonzi, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-7(3), 2-6
• 16. Francisco Cerundolo - first round defeat to Nuno Borges, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(5), 0-6
• 18. Ugo Humbert - first round defeat to Gael Monfils, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 2-6
• 20. Alexei Popyrin - first round defeat to Arthur Fery, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 4-6
• 24. Stefanos Tsitsipas - first round retirement against Valentin Royer, 3-6, 2-6, ret.
• 27. Denis Shapovalov - first round loss to Mariano Navone, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 4-6
• 28. Alexander Bublik - first round loss to Jaume Munar, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(5), 2-6
• 30. Alex Michelsen - first round loss to Miomir Kecmanovic, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6)
• 31. Tallon Griekspoor - first round defeat to Jenson Brooksby, 2-6, 5-7, 3-6
• 32. Matteo Berrettini - first round defeat to Kamil Majchrzak, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6

Women's Singles:

• 2. Coco Gauff - first round defeat to Dayana Yastremska, 6-7 1-6
• 3. Jessica Pegula - first round defeat to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 2-6, 3-6
• 5. Qinwen Zheng - first round defeat to Katerina Siniakova, 5-7, 6-4, 1-6
• 9. Paula Badosa - first round defeat to Katie Boulter, 2-6, 6-3, 4-6
• 15. Karolina Muchova - first round defeat to Xinyu Wang, 5-7, 2-6
• 20. Jelena Ostapenko - first round defeat to Sonay Kartal, 5-7, 6-2, 2-6
• 25. Magdalena Frech - first round defeat to Victoria Mboko, 3-6, 2-6
• 26. Marta Kostyuk - first round defeat to Veronika Erjavec, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6
• 32. McCartney Kessler - first round defeat to Marketa Vondrousova, 1-6, 6-7(3)

[jimlosaltos]

I watched the first couple of sets of Carlos vs. Fognini. It wasn’t the best I’ve seen from either player, but Fognini managed the match cleverly—pacing himself and playing with economy at times, which is impressive given the challenge of facing Carlos — most players have to work their balls off just to keep up with the acrobatic Spaniard. It was stiflingly hot, so at 38, Fognini needed to conserve himself for the right moments. I enjoy watching Fognini play. He’s so talented

Fogs certainly is. His aggressive positioning and movement on returns kept Carlos off balance. He's got great hands and I guess just sees the ball well. On one play, Carlos hit what would have been a wide slider tailing away from the returner. Carlos followed it to the net probably expecting a high floater if anything coming back. Instead, he looked up and Fogs was in the middle of the doubles alley. Sliced the ball at Carlos toes. It was if he Fogs had all day. As if he camped out in the doubles alley waiting for it.

And the forehand with the super-abbreviated take back then it explodes. Still got it. I want to type "Those facing Carlos in the future must be taking notes on how to disrupt him", but then how many can actually do what Fognini did?

Stood an average of 1 foot behind the baseline to return first serves up to 137 MPH, and 3 feet inside to return seconds.
And was often far more aggressive even than that sounds.

filedata/fetch?id=107721&d=1751408984&type=thumb

[stroke]

Fabio with his Bruce Lee 1 inch punch forehand. He has all day on that thing.

[jeffreycounts]

I wish Fognini had won. He is controversial for sure, but I've seen him play several times at the US Open and he is phenomenally talented. And the crazy personality makes him fun to watch. At 5'10 the guy punches way above his weight class.

[jeffreycounts]

Record 13 men's seeds out in first round plus a passel of the women's seeds.

Notables: Coco Gauff out to Dayana Yastremska. Several wags pegged this as a potential upset, but I sure didn't see it coming. Gael Monfils, oldest man in the draw, took out Humbert in 5 sets. Musetti who had such a great run at Roland Garros, skipped grass tune ups and still admitted that by the third set he was knackered. Out to a pure red-liner, Basilashvili. More on five setters soon as I collect some interesting data. World number three, Sasha Zverev out in five to yet another Frenchman Arthur Rinderknecht, you may remember for his 360 deg drop shot at Roland Garros. What would tennis be without French flair? Zverev hit 31 aces and 71 winners yet lost in good part because he held 9 break points and didn't convert a solitary one of them. Happens.

Holger Rune, aftering losing to Chilean Nicolas Jarry, sounded a tad Aryna Sabalenka-like “If I play normal, I’m beating him nine out of ten times. With all due respect to Nicolas Jarry.” OK, as long as it was respectful!

Local to me Katie Volynets of Walnut Creek beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria. Pre-Wimby Buffalo’s Jessica Pegula beat Iga Swiatek to win the warm-up tourney in Germany. But lost yesterday to Italian No. 116 Elisabetta Cocciaretto.

Men's Singles:

• 3. Zverev to Rinderknecht in five
• 7. Lorenzo Musetti - first round defeat to Nikoloz Basilashvili, 2-6, 6-4, 5-7, 1-6
• 8. Holger Rune - first round defeat to Nicolas Jarry, 6-4, 6-4, 5-7, 3-6, 4-6
• 9. Daniil Medvedev - first round defeat to Benjamin Bonzi, 6-7(2), 6-3, 6-7(3), 2-6
• 16. Francisco Cerundolo - first round defeat to Nuno Borges, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7(5), 0-6
• 18. Ugo Humbert - first round defeat to Gael Monfils, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 2-6
• 20. Alexei Popyrin - first round defeat to Arthur Fery, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 4-6
• 24. Stefanos Tsitsipas - first round retirement against Valentin Royer, 3-6, 2-6, ret.
• 27. Denis Shapovalov - first round loss to Mariano Navone, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 4-6
• 28. Alexander Bublik - first round loss to Jaume Munar, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7(5), 2-6
• 30. Alex Michelsen - first round loss to Miomir Kecmanovic, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(6)
• 31. Tallon Griekspoor - first round defeat to Jenson Brooksby, 2-6, 5-7, 3-6
• 32. Matteo Berrettini - first round defeat to Kamil Majchrzak, 6-4, 2-6, 4-6, 7-5, 3-6

Women's Singles:

• 2. Coco Gauff - first round defeat to Dayana Yastremska, 6-7 1-6
• 3. Jessica Pegula - first round defeat to Elisabetta Cocciaretto, 2-6, 3-6
• 5. Qinwen Zheng - first round defeat to Katerina Siniakova, 5-7, 6-4, 1-6
• 9. Paula Badosa - first round defeat to Katie Boulter, 2-6, 6-3, 4-6
• 15. Karolina Muchova - first round defeat to Xinyu Wang, 5-7, 2-6
• 20. Jelena Ostapenko - first round defeat to Sonay Kartal, 5-7, 6-2, 2-6
• 25. Magdalena Frech - first round defeat to Victoria Mboko, 3-6, 2-6
• 26. Marta Kostyuk - first round defeat to Veronika Erjavec, 6-3, 3-6, 4-6
• 32. McCartney Kessler - first round defeat to Marketa Vondrousova, 1-6, 6-7(3)

Great summary Jim! Monfils is having a completely unexpected year. I love it.

[jimlosaltos]

I can NOT believe this. Fritz is on the verge of going past the curfew for the second five setter in a row and, get this,
the second match in a row against a 6 foot 8 inch server.

Yes, after surviving 6 ft in 8 in Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Fritz is now in the fifth set against 6 ft 8 in Gabriel Diallo of Canada. Never seen Diallo but he did upset Cerundolo in the first round at Roland Garros, I believe.

Set score Frtiz: 3-6 6-3 7-6(7) 4-6, 2-2 as I type.

Diallo has been relatively "slow" by comparison to yesterday "only" maxed at 143 MPH, which was the record fastest at Wimbledon for several years { Gio upped the record from 148 to 153 vs Firtz)

On the other hand, I can't image better practice for today's match than Fritz's prior match

[jeffreycounts]

I can NOT believe this. Fritz is on the verge of going past the curfew for the second five setter in a row and, get this,
the second match in a row against a 6 foot 8 inch server.

Yes, after surviving 6 ft in 8 in Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, Fritz is now in the fifth set against 6 ft 8 in Gabriel Diallo of Canada. Never seen Diallo but he did upset Cerundolo in the first round at Roland Garros, I believe.

Set score Frtiz: 3-6 6-3 7-6(7) 4-6, 2-2 as I type.

Diallo has been relatively "slow" by comparison to yesterday "only" maxed at 143 MPH, which was the record fastest at Wimbledon for several years { Gio upped the record from 148 to 153 vs Firtz)

On the other hand, I can't image better practice for today's match than Fritz's prior match

Wow he did it again. Incredible.

[stroke]

Wow he did it again. Incredible.

I have long been a Fritz fan. At this point, I would put him as the 3rd favorite to win this thing, and probably is his best opportunity to win a Major, which I have long thought he could accomplish.

[stroke]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Rh2KHXkHGn9n9BWk9

Updated odds to win Wimbledon

[stotty]

I was at Wimbledon yesterday and watched Mannarino vs Royer —a tight four set match, and Bonzi and Jordan Thompson, a tight five setter. It’s amazing to sit not 10 yards for the players and watch world-class tennis on grass.

Mannarino is the anomaly in today’s game, a little underpowered compared to most on the tour but he knows how to move a player around and make life difficult. Oddly enough, it’s his dead flat backhand that created the most difficulty for his opponent. Slice isn’t as effective as you might think from the TV, and most players (even those with extreme grips) can deal with it quite easily.

The trick is to use slice at the right time and not to overplay it as Dan Evans is doing right now as I watch him play Novak. Use slice as a curve ball in nervy and tight situations, then it can bear fruit, occasionally. Novak is gobbling up Evans’ slice with zero problem whatsoever.

[stroke]

Draper has tough sledding, down 2 sets vs the old warhorse Cilic. The crowd is of course all behind Draper.

[stroke]

Cilic huge win. Another great player that unfortunately had to play against the Big 3, like Gasquet, Monfils, Tsonga, Fognini, so may that had a brutal record vs the Big 3.

[jimlosaltos]

Draper has tough sledding, down 2 sets vs the old warhorse Cilic. The crowd is of course all behind Draper.

Very disappointing by and for Draper. Djokovic's quarter opens up like an over-ripe melon. Nearly 1/2 the singles seeds are gone by the end of day 3. Amazing.