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Wimbledon Roof Closed for First Time

Posted: Jun 29th 2009 1:35PM by FanHouse Newswire (author feed)
Filed under: Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Indoor tennis has come to Wimbledon.

The new retractable roof over Centre Court was closed Monday after rain halted play during a fourth-round match with Amelie Mauresmo leading top-ranked Dinara Safina, 6-4, 1-4.

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Federer Beats Back Nadal and History for 5th Wimbledon Trophy

Posted: Jul 8th 2007 6:34PM by D-Wil (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis

8 COMMENTS

Roger Federer beat a more potent competitor that Rafael Nadal today to win his fifth straight Wimbledon title. He defeated the crushing weight of history. With Bjorn Borg, the only other man to win five Wimbledon championships in a row in attendance, Federer held his nerve and beat Nadal, 7-6 (9-7), 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 2-6, 6-2.

With this win Federer, only 25, has now won 11 Grand slam titles, just three behind U.S. great. Pete Sampras. Nadal valiantly played the part of potential foil to Federer. But in the end, Nadal's lack of a consistently strong and varied serve, plus his inability to pressure Federer by attacking the Swiss player led to Raffa's ultimate demise.

After the match, each player complimented the other using the usual platitudes. However, Nadal must surely rue the fact that twice in the final set he had double-break point on Federer's serve and failed to convert any of the four break points. Federer must privately know that Nadal has shown an increasingly prevalent knack for coming up just short against the world's #1 on every other Grand Slam surface except clay. And even at the French Open, if Federer has Nadal in a pinch late in a match, Nadal's proclivity to hit his groundstrokes a little weaker, move his feet a little less, and serve a bit slower might even haunt him at the French Open.

While there are a slew of young players on the horizon who are unafraid of Nadal, all of them fear Federer. Look for Roger to end this Grand Slam season with a 12th trophy after the U.S. Open in September.

She's Our Venus, She's Our Fire, She's Our Desire

Posted: Jul 7th 2007 3:13PM by D-Wil (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis, Women's Sports

43 COMMENTS

Thirty-one, number one. Eighteen, number two. Ask 2007 Wimbledon champion, #31-seed Venus Williams; Just ask #18-seed and runner-up Marion Bartoli of .

Tennis is funny like that, then again, so is sports. When you want to win too much, you'll invariably lose. Just ask Roger Federer about that French Open final. After Wimbledon he tailored his season for the red clay of Roland Garros - and still lost to Rafael Nadal.

For Justine Henin, Wimbledon is the one Grand Slam tournament she hasn't won. Yesterday, after a 6-1 set against Marion Bartoli, Henin was but six games from a finals matchup against Venus Williams. The thought of "tomorrow" became an untenable weight in the world's #one's mind. After a second set struggle that she lost 7-5, the weight came in the form of a boulder that rolled right over Henin. Bartoli crushed Henin, 6-1 in the third and final set.

Today, the weight appeared not to be on Williams, but on Bartoli. After she absorbed a 6-4, 6-1 beating at the racket of the older Williams sister, Bartoli broke down and cried. That only happens when a player has a plan they feel is infallible if executed correctly. Either Bartoli's plan was wrong or her execution was weak.

Maybe Williams, today at least, proved she is just the better tennis player.

The first six games of the match see-sawed. Bartoli showed her nerves in losing the first three games. Williams showed she could take her foot off the gas, even in the finals of a Grand Slam, losing the next three games. However, Williams righted herself and played like the four-time Wimbledon champion she now is and won 12 of the next 14 games.

Though Bartoli played valiantly, her groundstrokes and her athletic ability were no match for Williams. In fact, the way Venus played after her first two Wimbledon matches - they were struggles - not even a healthy Serena could have beaten her older sister.

Thirty-one is number one - at least at Wimbledon.

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On the men's side of things, Roger Federer brushed aside Richard Gasquet (or "Dickie Gasket," as ex-pro, coach of Andy Murray, and announcer Brad Gilbert calls the Frenchman), 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Club Fed will shoot for his fifth Wimbledon title in a row tomorrow against Rafael Nadal, who defeated an injured (back) Novak Djokovic, 3-6, 6-1, 4-1 (retired).

Wimbledon Update: Pfffft! Go U.S. Men, Maria Sharapova

Posted: Jul 4th 2007 12:36PM by D-Wil (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis

82 COMMENTS

Pfffft! That's the sound of American men's tennis going up in a final, feeble puff of smoke. It's also the sound of Maria Sharapova's relevance to tennis.

Wait until we get to the grass was all the American men could say after their 0-for performance on the terre batu of Paris at the French Open. Well, it's the second week of Wimbledon and only Andy Roddick is left to rep the world's #9 James Blake went down feebly to Juan

Carlos Ferrero in the 3^rd round. Mardy Fish was weak in his first round effort against Rafael Nadal. Robbie Ginepri folded against Fernando Gonzalez, and alleged rising star Sam Querry basically disappeared.

American men's tennis is on the decline and more trouble is on the winds as there are no young talented players appearing on the horizon. The powers that be in the United States Tennis Association hem and haw and hand-wring, but they seem comfortable with Roddick carrying the torch into the inevitable butt-kicking he faces against Roger Federer. And the sad thing is, beyond A-Rod, we don't even seem to care.

Now to Maria. The fist-pumping and "Vamos" screaming after routine points and the "oh my god, did I just win that match" fake surprise after 6-2, 6-4 second and third round wins has made her a near-pariah to her peers. The act plays nowhere but in the minds of fans that have no understanding of the game and a weak-willed, fawning television and print press.

Continue Reading Wimbledon Update: Pfffft! Go U.S. Men, Maria Sharapova

Should American Sports Emulate Wimbledon?

Posted: Jul 2nd 2007 8:29AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis

5 COMMENTS

New York Times columnist Harvey Araton is at Wimbledon, and he has an interesting take (subscription required) on the differences between the experience of seeing Wimbledon in person and going to American sporting events.

Wimbledon may reek of royalty and rigidity, but it is the preferable extreme compared with the ever-worsening assault on our senses that games have become, for the most part, back home.
So it was a pleasure again yesterday to have left behind the exploding scoreboards and ear-splitting music of the playoffs spring and the baseball summer, the clown mascots, the busty cheerleaders and the wanton juvenility that have become America's sporting trademark. And, yes, those United States Open fans who think nothing of vacating their seats in the middle of a point when the irresistible urge for nachos kicks in.

I basically agree with Araton, and so do the guys on ESPN Radio, where I first heard about this column. When I go to a game, I'm going because I want to watch a game, not because I want to see fireworks or a laser light show or a rock concert or a guy using a shoulder-fired missile to shoot T-shirts into the crowd.

But I'm really not the target audience for sports leagues. I love sports, which means I'll watch them no matter what other nonsense I have to put up with. The target audience for the leagues is the person who's lukewarm about sports, who will consider spending money on a game but only if he's sure he'll be entertained for three hours. That person does want to see fireworks and a laser light show, and he'd love nothing more than to have another T-shirt to throw in his closet. So as long as the sports leagues cater to that guy, that's what we're stuck with.

Tim Henman Thrills Local Fans, Beats Carlos Moya in Wild 13-11 Fifth Set

Posted: Jun 26th 2007 10:30AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis

1 COMMENT

On Monday night, Tim Henman and Carlos Moya made it all the way to 5-5 in the fifth set at Wimbledon before darkness finally forced them to call it quits.

This morning they resumed their match, and it was worth the wait: The British fans went nuts as native son Henman finally finished off Moya, winning the fifth set 13-11.

There are few things better than watching the crowd at Wimbledon when an English player is in the midst of a great match. It's the perfect mix between the genteel atmosphere tennis is known for and the raucous crowds we see so often in other sports in England. This is Henman's 14th Wimbledon, and he can't last forever, so it would be great to see him give the British fans a few more chances to cheer him on this year.

Vince Spadea Can Rap (Not Really)

Posted: Jun 25th 2007 9:13AM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis

1 COMMENT

As Wimbledon approaches, what better way to get you prepared than this rap by professional tennis player Vince Spadea:

The lyrics include:

"Hotties trying to give a hug, and I'm giving them the shrug, cause I'm the menace of tennis at the Oscars of service winners."

Spadea's autobiography was critical of some of his fellow players, including James Blake, who apparently stole some women from Spadea at a party. I guess that was before he began his practice of just giving hotties the shrug when they try to give him a hug.

Hat tip: Sports by Brooks.

Is This Year Time for Wimbledon Upsets?

Posted: Jun 25th 2007 1:53AM by D-Wil (author feed)
Filed under: Tennis, Outdoor Sports

1 COMMENT

Wimbledon is upon us. As Roger Federer begins his quest for his fifth straight Wimbledon title, Justine Henin seeks her first.

Federer is an odds on favorite on the fast grass. Henin, on the other hand, must contend with women with powerful groundstrokes and big serves like Serena and Venus Williams, and Maria Sharapova.

Federer's first tough match will come in the third round against 6'4" Marat Safin. Though Safin has had an off year so far, he is always dangerous on the grass courts. Also down the road for Federer might be #13-ranked Tommy Haas or #9 James Blake.

World's #3 Andy Roddick is coming off a fourth straight victory at the Queen's Club, a warm up tournament for Wimbledon. Roddick's road to the quarterfinals appears easier than Federer's in that his main competition are player's whose games are more suited to clay than grass.

Rafael Nadal, #2-seed has an incredibly tough opening match against American Mardy Fish. Though Fish has been injured, this surface fits his serve-and-volley game to a tee. Should Fish return Nadal's serve and force his way to the net, an upset can happen. Should he get by Fish, in the third round Nadal is likely to face the huge-hitting Robin Soderling from Sweden. All-in-all I do not see Nadal reaching the final weekend this year.

On the women's side, Henin and Serena Williams appear to both have clear paths to a quarterfinal meeting. French Open finalist Jelena Jankovic must make her way through Israeli Shahar Peer or Martina Hingis, and possibly meet Anna Chakvetadze in the quarters. In Maria Sharapova's quarter of the draw it looks for all the world that she will face Venus Williams in a round-of-16 matchup worthy of the finals.

My predictions? It remains to be seen what the effect are of Federer losing to Nadal in the French Open finals. However, I feel Federer will pull through and win his fifth Winbledon. On the women's side I'm looking for Venus Williams to upset #2 Sharapova and Serena to defeat Henin in the quarterfinals. And I feel Serena takes the women's trophy.