Credit: Lou
No time for a rest Jo, you have a Roger to prepare for!
How can you follow up a day like that at Wimbledon? Well, I have an idea - how about more awesome tennis to behold and enjoy? Yes, whilst yesterday was an absolute mammoth of a day with big names falling out and some huge matches being played today is no different and there's plenty to look forward to down on the hallowed greens of SW19.
So, Day 7. What a day that was. As the sun came out to scorch tennis fans, some waiting all weekend in tents outside the grounds, it wasn't just the weather that was impressing. Andy Murray stormed his way to victory with an impressive straight set victory over Richard Gasquet despite the rising temperatures with a very impressive victory. As well as this, Rafa Nadal took a step further to retaining the championship following a very, very entertaining match with Juan Martin Del Potro late last night although a foot injury is yet to be examined for Nadal. Hopefully he'll be alright but I really was kind of hoping Del Potro would win. He put up a good fight though. Elsewhere, Roger Federer, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Novak Djokovic and Bernard Tomic booked their place in the final 16 respectively. It's quite impressive that Tomic has made it this far considering he's the first qualifier in 11 years to make it into the final 16, so fair play to him.
The big shocks came in the Womens' championship though as some very big names in the game fell out of the tournament. Of course, one of the big talking points about Wimbledon this year has been the return of the Williams' sisters and both Venus and Serena found themselves on the losing side of the net, losing to Tsvetana Pironkova and Marion Bartoli respectively. On the plus side this does mean we'll get a new champion and it's always nice when we get a new champion from the year before so yay! It's also another missed opportunity for a Grand Slam championship for Caroline Wozniacki, as the world Number One was also eliminated by Dominika Cibulkova. I miss Li Na. Her name was easy to type. I'm also kind of amazed that the World No. 1 has never won a Grand Slam. Tennis, you crazy.
But that was yesterday and there is plenty to look forward today, as you can see on the schedule of play with the emphasis on the various doubles championships and Womens quarterfinals it seems. Ohh this is going to be fun to type with their names! On Centre Court from 1pm this afternoon we have a tantalising little clash set up between Sabine Lisicki and Marion Bartoli, both beating big favourites in the previous round. I'm putting my money on Lisicki as her serve slightly scares me. I don't think we need to have Wimbledon 3D just yet. Later on in the same court Maria Sharapova will continue her march through the championship as she goes up against Dominika Cibulkova in the battle of long names, before the final match scheduled for the day there including Jamie Murray as he looks to progress from the second round of Mixed Doubles. Mmm. Mixed Doubles sounds like a Crunch Corner yoghurt. Of course this is all only the Centre Court stuff and you'll find much, much more on that Schedule of Play than I could ever do justice explaining. There's something for everyone then, see!
Let's hope there's plenty more brilliant matches on court today because yesterday was slightly ridiculous. My brain totally melted trying to keep up with all the results and news when I got in from work and that wasn't even the heat. Even Roger Federer tried to do that move that Andy Murray keeps doing and succeeded in fashionable style! I'm not quite sure why it's called the Hot Dog. Why not the Alley-Oop? I'm sad that Federer has to play Tsonga in the next round too. They should both go through and be a tag team of awesome against the rest of the singles guys. Much better idea. Enjoy Day 8, tennis fans!
Pretty good preview video of the upcoming action: http://bit.ly/mox2ah
Sue Barker doesn't really have a strong enough voice for the crazy dramatic opening. Still better than EJ though.
The roof is on.
Murray: "You need to try and stay as calm as possible."
Hahahaha. Ha.
Roof is opening now.
Lisicki breaks Bartoli in the opening game.
I think Bartoli broke back. I was distracted by the thunder. Perhaps Lisicki was too.
And another break! Three games done, no one has held their serve yet.
Not sure who I want to win this. Lisicki has a nice smile but seems quite stressed. Bartoli is delightfully bonkers. They both seem equally good at tennis.
It's crazy raining there. The roof is so noisy!
Anyone has a url for online television to follow the Wimbledon?
You've been talking a lot about it and finally I'll manage to see a little bit of it.
I only know of the Beeb: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/tennis/9524790.stm which is probably UK only.
Try
http://www.firstrowsports.eu/sport/tennis.html
The rain is so hard, can't actually hear them hitting the ball anymore.
Thanks, Christine and Steven. The second link worked for me :)
Yay!
I'll watch it later.
I've just recieved a mail telling me that I have to do another article, this time about Jarno Trulli...
First set to Lisicki.
Bartoli breaks in the second set.
Cheesy: Voice of #Wimbledon says heavy showers and thunderstorms will continue for at least an hour. Centre Court will have floated away by then
Back on serve again.
Lisicki breaks, now she just has to serve for the match.
Match point.
The one drop shot she misses and it's on match point! Madness.
Blimey, a double fault and Bartoli breaks back. Lisicki missed three match points there. Fab tennis.
I am using ladies day to catch up on sleep. Not intentionally, I just fell asleep at 6pm haha.
Mm, sleeps.
Tiebreak.
Now I'm awake and have turned on the tv though. Dangerous.
What time is it now?
12.04am
I think Bartoli is becoming a bit fistpump happy. Not so good.
That is dangerous!
I was just thinking that.go lisicki!
Boooo.
Very boo
What has happened?
She lost the second set. One set all now, and momentum with Bartoli.
I see Nadal is 100% fine. Grr I've kind of had it with him and his MTOs.
He said his ankle exploded. That would be quite something to see.
Afternoon all... which way do we think this is going to go?
I think getting the set with the drop shot means Bartoli has the momentum... but now she suddenly looks knackered... but I think Lisicki has had her mind broken a bit...
Bartoli really does look tired.
I would like to say that I always think that Baroli is Italian rather than French because of the olive oil spread
Love game for Lisicki. I'm not sure we've actually had one of those yet!
It's all that bonkers jumping about she does I reckon.
it would! His MRI said no damage at all. None!
Whatshischops seemed very upset with Nadal yesterday...
Mmm I'd like an ice boa
Although all this crazy rain has really cooled things down.
Does anyone know what that thing Bartoli chews on sometimes is?
bartoli looks like she's been playing in it
I don't get her hair. It can't be comfortable having ti all scraggly and sticking to your back.
It's very french...
They all seem to have little energy pouch things. I imagine them to be like those squeezable fruit things the supermarket sells to try and get kids to eat fruit.
Bartoli is losing it now...
She did well to hold on but can't possibly have enough to fight back from behind.
The thing I keep forgetting when I listen to Davenport is how tall she is... I know this doesn't make any sense... I might need more sleep.
Heheheh.
wha?
You don't need them because you are capable of eating actual fruit.
oh
fixed
http://www.glamour.com/health-fitness/blogs/vitamin-g/0205-squeezable-fruit_vg.jpg
If there's a break of service here then it's all over...
Done!
She found her serve... it was where she'd left it ;)
A History of Cramping in 5 parts...
FINALLY!
It's done!
And hugs too. ♥
First German through since Steffi Graf.
#whoareyouandwhathaveyoudonewithchristine
Judy!
As long as I'm not doing the hugging, it's okay. I like it when they are nice to each other.
And I like that Bartoli waited and didn't stomp off in a huff.
Ooh I think I want to stay up for masha
For a while I used to say that I preferred womens tennis but that was back at the Sampras times when it was all ace ace ace fault, ace ace ace fault.
Then that kind of thing got into the womens games with the williams sisters, and Mens tennis has been better. But that was a good match I thought. lots of stuff going on quite a few nice long rallies.
okie smokes
Am I right in thinking that Lisicki doesn't have a coach?
My tv is pulling out interviews with a childhood Tomic. Make it stop!
I think just her dad
Maria Sharapova next. She's quite tall too, Alex.
It's quite surprising to see how many tennis players don't have professional trainers.
Is there a new match going on?
It'll start in the next few minutes. They just walked on court.
In fact same as Davenport
Ok, I'll try to follow it live... Let's see how is this sport named tennis. :)
this'll be a loud one :)
Oh! Then it will be funny :D
Someone gave me a link before. I am watching a portuguese television and they are broadcasting some adverts...
Am I in the correct channel?
It always confuses me that Maria is younger than me, I feel like she was around when was a kid. Stupid winning Wimbledon so young.
Yes, I am. The bad thing is that I won't understand anything.
Anybody has a british link?
She's very short
What a strange jump she has done..
It's much easier when you can see them... unlike with Davenport you see
5'3"! So little!
I am worried about your obsession with height :)
How tall is Amy?
i bet he's already trying to work out if Nina can be good at tennis
5'2" :)
me too! I was only joking about Davenport... In that I was thinking oh yeah Lyndsey Davenport, I remember her... What do I remember... um she was quite tall wasn't she... But then I had to look it up and that's where the comment came from. But then things got a bit carried away.
Then later on there she was on screen and I practically didn't realise who it was.
Wade seems a bit obsessed with height too
Heh... we were just trying to work out if we knew how tall she is, she has seemingly quite long arms and legs
I must recognize it: I think I'd laugh if I were at the grandstands watching this match.
They're screaming every 10 seconds!
ps. There's not many people in the grandstands...
There was a very long match just before... so my guess is there is a big queue at the drinks stand right now
she'll have a better chance of winning Wimbledon the younger you start her. I'd recommend racquet shopping tomorrow.
Amy, you can't be a tennis mother to someone else's child!
she currently can't lift her own head... I'm not sure she could lift a racket
Go Mets!
excuses dont make you a champion :)
Help!
:)
Hehehe.
She is working on a shriek though
perfect. She has that whole Russian thing going for her too so clearly, the next sharapova.
I am sure everyone on the stadium is awake because of Sharapova's and Cibulkova's screams...
Masha/Azarenka would be deafening
I like to think of this time off work as my very own MTO
Double break for Sharapova.
I'm going to assume maria has this in the bag and go back to sleep. Have a bit of a sore throat so need sleep to prevent illness! Night all.
I challenge her challenge strategy!
First set to Sharapova, easy peasy.
Yes I think she's going to walk this one.
My english teacher used to say the same.
This is making it look like Sharapova to win the championship but is this simply a case of Cibulkova being not up to it?
You have to imagine that if either of the players we've seen already today were up against Sharapova, it would at least be a closer match.
Match point already?
Amy did the right thing to sleep!
Sharapova versus Lisicki. Interesting.
It will be interesting... How long does Lisicki have to recover? She'll be more knackered... But on a high
Semi-final day on Thursday. It basically goes ladies, men, ladies, men to the end now.
Are they still hitting the ball?
Pironkova is not long for this match, I fear.
I was wrong! One set all.
Hello there. Wonder if Pironkova can come back again.
Maybe not :)
Boo. I was cheering for her, although I don't know why.
I don;t want anyone to win Tsonga vs Federer tomorrow!
Hehehe, Michael mcintyre is wearing a blue shirt. Quite right :)
It's raining, it's pouring, but Colin Montgomerie is not snoring
http://twitpic.com/5i82xr
hehe i see that pic of mine is popular. featured in two wimbledon posts :)
i've just looked at tomorrow's wimbledon schedule and *cries* i'm missing the best day ever!
Is anyone writing the wimbledon post for tomorrow?
Not yet.
can i do it? it'll make up for me not being able to watch a single shot of the tennis tomorrow. and all my favourites are playing :(
You know I love a volunteer.
yaaayy! I'm very excited about the prospect of Bahrami playing :)
Ooohh, I had no idea. So much so I had to check what photo I actually put in
#sorrytsonga
It is an excellent picture, though.
Absolutely! :)
hehe it makes me happy that the same pic has been chosen twice :) shows that different people like it.. and people liking my work is the aim :)