Wimbledon Final Preview

Petra Kvitova

I would first like to congratulate Petra Kvitova on her first Grand Slam win, defeating '04 Maria Sharapova convincingly in straight sets.  I do not believe that she will be a one Slam wonder.  This one has the game & the guts to be a threat for years to come.

The fortnight is almost over, and we find ourselves on the eve of the Men's Wimbledon final, and the top two seeds stand ready to battle for the trophy.   The match will be a very close one, but one thing is clear - Monday morning when the rankings come out, for the first time in seven years, Federer or Nadal will not appear at the top - Novak Djokovic has claimed the number one position by making it to the finals.  With Rafa nursing a foot injury, and Nole now free of the pressure of trying to become number one, I give him the slightest edge.  But then again, across the court will be Rafael Nadal & he is a different animal when it comes to finals in a major.  Neither of the finalists have played their best tennis to make it this far, but like true champions, they fought through the field.   Their service games for the tournament have been close w/Nadal edging by a percentage point in each category, except second serves won (1st serves in Nadal 69.5%, Djokovic 68.7%; 1st serves won Nadal 79.2%, Djokovic 78.8%; 2nd serves won Nadal 60%, Djokovic 61%).  Nole does hold a slight edge with winners & this match will come down to just that - unreturnable balls, off the serve or off the ground.  The key battles will be the Djokovic forehand to the Nadal backhand - this is where Nole is the clear favorite.  Movement and defending used to be an area Nadal reigned supreme in, but now, especially with the foot injury, this battle should also show Djokovic as the favorite.  Having already beaten Rafa four times this year (all in finals & two on clay) the mental edge would have to be given to Nole, but with Rafa, he's never defeated until the umpire says 'game, set, match'.  All things considered, I see Djokovic coming out on top in a tight one.  


Sit back, buckle your seat belts and enjoy the ride that will be the 2011 Wimbledon Men's final.

Wimbledon Men's Semifinals Preview in brief

We're fast reaching the end of the fortnight at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, and the big four (minus one) have done what was expected of them.  This Friday, we will see the top three, plus a number twelve seed do battle for a spot in the Sunday's final.  Rafael Nadal will face with the great British hope, Andy Murray, and  Novak Djokovic will take on Frenchman, Jo Wilfried Tsonga.

Andy Murray (left); Rafael Nadal (right)

In the quarterfinals, Rafa dispatched Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.  It was pretty routine until the third set when Rafa took his foot off of the gas and let the American back into the match.  Nadal showed no signs of being hampered by the foot injury he suffered against Del Potro, saying after the match “I don’t have nothing really important. I have pain on the foot. I cannot run in perfect conditions without sleep the foot. But I don’t know how exactly to say in English. Is strange for me. The anesthetic there I don’t feel nothing, I don’t feel the pain.”  Andy had a bit of an easier time in his quarterfinal match against Feliciano 'Deliciano' Lopez, winning in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.  If Andy plays the way his been playing throughout the tournament (I've said these words before) he has a fighting chance.  Rafa is not playing his best tennis.  Not that Rafa needs to play his best tennis to win anything, but he hasn't been as focused as he needs to be to win against a guy the caliber of Andy Murray.  As long as Andy doesn't revert to his passive, defensive game, he has a very good shot of reaching the final.  Andy's thoughts on his chances against Rafa, "I believe I can win against him. I had chances last year. I was up a break in the third set; had break point on my serve in the second set. I think there was only one break in the first set. We both played good tennis. I just have to have a better game plan this year.''

Novak Djokovic (left); Jo Wilfried Tsonga (right)

Novak Djokovic just has to make the finals of Wimbledon to take over the number one ranking from Rafa, even if Rafa wins, Nole will be the world's number one.  Standing in his way is the man who took out Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, Jo Wilfried Tsonga. Nole made it to the semifinals with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 scoreline, but underestimated his 18 year old unseeded quarterfinal opponent, Bernard Tomic.  Tomic, who is the youngest player since Boris Becker to make it to the Wimbledon quarterfinals, played a lot of 'junk balls' causing Nole to fall out of his rhythm.  Had Nole not had the confidence that a 'one loss season' has given him, he could have been the second upset of the day.  Speaking of upsets, there is Mr. Tsonga, who came from two sets down to defeat six time champion Roger Federer in a thrilling five set match 3-6, 6(3)-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.  Jo-Willey is a big dude with a big game, and in coming back from two sets down to beat The Federer, he showed his mental resolve as well.  Not only will Djokovic have the pressure (again) of having the number one ranking on his raquet, he has the added pressure of Tsonga trying fight his own way into the finals.  Nole better bring his A game & his nerve, Tsonga will definitely fight until the end.

Roger Federer may be missing from the Wimbledon semi finals, but these two matches on Friday will both be full of fireworks (as long as Murray doesn't crumble).

Wimbledon, the Big Four & some honorable mentions

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray

It's quickly becoming that tennis time of year when it goes back to where it all began, the hallowed grounds of the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, better known to the masses as Wimbledon.  Dating back to 1877, the game today is a far cry from where it began, thanks in part to the Big Four of men's tennis, and the many tennis greats that came before them.  There's just something about watching tennis being played on grass, with everyone wearing their whites, that makes the game...sexy.  At only about five weeks, the grass court season goes by at the blink of an eye, and it's not nearly enough to time to fully appreciate the beauty of tennis played the way it originated.  Wimbledon is the final grass court tournament, and third slam of the year - it will begin on June 20th, and the final ball will be played on July 3rd.  The talk going into this year's Wimbledon is exactly where it should be, on the top four - deservedly so after their performances at the French Open.  Although the focus is definitely on them, there are some guys who could throw some monkey wrenches into the program.

Rafael Nadal

Number one, Rafael Nadal has been in the finals four times, 2006-2008 & 2010.  He was beaten by Federer in the '06 & '07 finals, before cracking the Federer code and taking the trophy for himself in 2008.  He was out with an injury in 2009 and was unable to defend his title, but coming back in 2010, he won the title again by defeating Tomas Berdych.  Rafa is not a grass court player by nature, he was born on the clay, but he made a point to improve his grass court play after winning his first French Open in 2005 & made winning Wimbledon his goal.  In the 2005 Wimbledon, he was ousted in the round of 64, but come 2006 he was in the final.  Rafa has long ago adjusted his game to suit any surface, and if he is in the draw, expect him to go far. With a renewed confidence after his French Open win, look for Rafa to be in the finals of this year's Wimbledon.

Novak Djokovic

Number two, Novak Djokovic's best performance at Wimbledon was last year when he made in to the semifinals, losing to Tomas Berdych.  He is currently having the best year of his career, with his only defeat coming from Roger Federer in the semifinals of the French Open he is currently 13-1 against top ten players.  Up until that point, he was on a 41 match win streak, with seven titles - including one major & four Masters series events.  Nole has proven (this year alone) that he can do battle with the two best players the game has ever seen, but the question going into Wimbledon is how will he bounce back after the defeat at the French.  Under normal circumstances it wouldn't have been an issue, but with the number one position being on his racket in that match, how will that weigh on him?  He has the game to go all the way, but where will his head be at?

Roger Federer

Roger Federer, current number three, is definitely not someone to be counted out, even if he is on course to be 30 years old in August.  I had doubted him going to the French Open, but he proved me & lots of others wrong.  The Federer is the most decorated player in the history of the game with sixteen major titles, six of them at Wimbledon ('03-'07 & '09).  His grass court game is Shakespearean - every move he makes is stoic, classic, and absolute poetry.  Roger has been a finalist at Wimbledon every year since 2003, with the exception of '10 where he was beaten in the quarterfinals by eventual finalist, Tomas Berdych.  Anytime there is grass underfoot, Roger must be included in the conversation.

Andy Murray

Number four ranked Andy Murray, my dearest Andy Murray. He's been in the last two Wimbledon semifinals, losing in '10 to eventual champion, Rafael Nadal, and in '09 to Andy Roddick.  Everyone knows that the Scot has the game to win a major, but he's head has not seemed to grasp that fact yet.  This probably the hardest major for Andy to play in, not because of the surface, but because of the British press.  Since Tim Henman's retirement, Andy has had the weight of British hopes for a major winner on his shoulders.  Maybe new coach/consultant, Darren 'Killer' Cahill, can help get Andy's head where it belongs.

Juan Martin Del Potro

Currently ranked number 22, Juan Martin Del Potro, will be a thorn in the side of any of top players that he may go up against.  His ranking is low only because he missed most 2010 with a wrist injury.  His game is one of power, hit his opponents off the court power, and he can move pretty well for a big guy.  He's done pretty well this year considering that he started the year off ranked 485.  The grass has never been his forte, but this a man who has had a taste of the big time and is hungry for more.

Andy Roddick

Andy Roddick, currently ranked number 10, could also make a little noise at Wimbledon.  He is a three time finalist ('04, '05, & '09) losing each final to the Swiss Maestro, Roger Federer.  The 2009 final was without a doubt his best showing at Wimbledon or against Federer in general, losing 14-16 in the fifth set.  He's a former US Open Champion (2003), and definitely has the game to win another title, but much like Andy Murray, his temper head gets in his way at times.  Roddick is on the tail end of his career, but with the right draw, and some old school ARod type play on the grass, he could definitely be around in week two of the tournament.  Can he take out an 'in form' Nadal, Djokovic,or Federer, highly doubtful.

Wimbledon Streaker

These six guys are just of sample of ones to look out for on the lawns of Wimbledon.  There are some others, like Jo Wilfried Tsonga, who recently took out Nadal in the quarterfinals of the AEGON Championships in London.  Tomas Berdych, who beat Federer in the quarters last year & went on to reach the final.  Robin Soderling, who has a game suited for the (now) slower playing grass courts at Wimbledon, or even David Ferrer, who is a scrappy, human backboard.  There will be plenty more players to raise some brows during the tournament, the majors are always full of surprises, and players making their breakthroughs, so I'm sure this one will be no different.  And of course, there is always the Wimbledon streaker!  Be sure to tune in!  If you are unable to watch on television, head over to livescorehunter.com for live feeds.