Wimbledon

[anfieldanfield]

You moan about the ****e summer on one thread, now this...

Tut...

Heh, true...

Nah, not that arsed really. But would like to go to the final on Monday, if possible.

[Craig_H]

Henin's gone out

And cost me £70 too

She was the 5th of a 7 bet acca, the previous 4 had come in

[publiusscipio]

He wouldn't be able to challenge Federer but he would have a chance against the other players IMO.

Sampras has a big advantage and that's that the players isn't used to play against serve and volley players. Björkman is a good example of that. He isn't any better now than a few years ago but his playing style makes him a difficult player to play against.

On the other hand, Sampras is older, the balls are heavier and the courts slower which negate his major strengths.

When Borg came back he was hopeless.

I have a hunch Nadal may win it this season. He has the potential to even surpass Federer as his game is based on power and he plays well on quick surfaces, which is usually rare with a clay court specialist.

The changes in the grass court game do not benefit the Great champion, Sampras who is older and has been out of the game for a long time now, and I fear he would fail badly returning to play at Wimbledon. His service was a terrific weopon and if it clicked into place would be a more deadly weopon for him that other exponents eg, Federer, Gasquet, Jokovic, Roddick, but that is only if it clicked again. Then there are the baseline rallies. Sampras was like a cat in his heyday and his forehand on the run was superb, but these days because the grass game has slowed there are longer rallies and the older Sampras could not live with the younger players in the top 5 whose court coverage and ability to turnaround defence into a devastating winner would be too much for him.

Agassi (who unlike Sampras, didn't have years away from the game before saying goodbye to Wimbledon last year) made his farewell, and fittingly he went out to Nadal. Agassi as a veteran could not play at Nadals intensity for a full match, and after flashes of the old brilliance early on, he was bulldozed out the way by the hugely aggressive Nadal. Nadal is a phenomenon on clay and has prevented Federer who is a very good clay player from winning in France. Nadal would not have made an impression at Wimbledon years ago as serve volleyers would have blown him off the court. Now he can more than hold his own and his second successive final at Wimbledon are possible because he has incredible fitness and can play baseline rallies till the cows come home.

Federer can parallel Borg today by winning 5 successive Wimbledons, but Nadal may be the one to parallel McEnroe by losing his first final to Federer in 2006 and winning his second today in 2007 as McEnroe lost to Borg in 1980, only to beat Borg in 1981. In their head to head Nadal leads Federer 7-3 and he may just beat him today. Federer is a magician at his best and his strokes can amaze me but, and I hate saying this Nadal amazes me just that bit more. His aggression and fitness and ability to keep returning the ball remind me of Chang in his prime, and despite his hulklike appearance he has a wonderfully deft dropshot to boot.

Typically in their games Federer blazes ahead, and then Nadal claws him back. It could go to five sets, if so I think Nadal will win. But I will be supporting Federer; I just hope he stops hitting the net mid rally with topspin back hand crosscourt shots.

[Guest]

I'll be supporting Federer too but Nadal is a fantastic competitor and will just return every ball. You make a very good point pubs in saying that the grass surface of today is much much slower than what it was, meaning players such as Nadal, who are clay court specialists (albeit a little more talented than that) will have more of a chance now.

[publiusscipio]

Federer and Nadal warming up now. I'm tense.

[anfieldanfield]

I've got money on it to go to five sets.

Federer well on top at the moment though, 3-0 up, first set.

[DeeGame]

Federer takes 1st set 7-6 (9-7) tiebreak

[Red_Polo]

Federer takes 1st set 7-6 (7-5) tiebreak

[livvy145]

Federer takes 1st set 7-6 (7-5) tiebreak

You're watching a different game Dee.

[publiusscipio]

Federer to serve first.

First set.

1st game. Federer wins easily. 1:0
2nd game, a real battle on Nadals serve The backhand let Federer down on his first break point, but went on to win. breaks on his third break point. 2:0
3rd game Still pretty easy for Federer 3:0
4th game love game win for Nadal, brings it back to 3:1
5th game Nadal really pressures Feders serve and breaks back. 3:2
6th game Nadal serve better and he is moving Federer everywhere, coming up with passing shots when he's been on the backfoot. Another love game for Nadal. All square, 3:3
7th game Federer more successful at the net and comfortably on top in this game 4:3
8th game Federer wins first point with a class backhand but Nadal takes over and in particular hits a heavy forehand down the line that Federer flails at unsuccessfully. 4:4
9th game Federer very much in control, aces the final point. 5:4
10th game closely fought to 30/30 then a superb rally with both players giving it their all. Nadal wins it then finishes off the game 5:5
11th game 1st point Good rally, Federer didn't put away first volley but lucky to get a second chance. another volley and an ace makes it 40/0. drops a point then finishes game with an inside out forehand crosscourt. 6:5
12th game Nadal dominates this game, pushing Federer all over the shop, winning point crosscourt backhand. 6:6 TIEBREAK!

TIEBREAK
Federer serves ace, 1:0
Nadal serves incredible recovery shot by Nadal 1:1
Nadal serves Unforced error into net 1:2
Federer serves unforced error of Nadal 3:1
Federer serves great smash wins poit for Federer 4:1
Nadal serves inside out forehand crosscourt wins for Nadal 2:4
Nadal serves unforced error of Nadal, wide groundstroke 5:2
Federer serves Nadal gets a net clip and drop to win point 5:3
Federer serves Good serve and deep groundstoke to win 6:3
Nadal serves Good pressure, forced error 4:6
Nadal serves Federer returns into the net on Nadal 2nd serve 5:6
Federer serves Nadal groundstoke claimed out, challenge overrules, replayed point. Federer hits forehand into net 6:6
Federer serves Nadal hits net, first set point for Federer 7:6
Nadal serves Good rally, Federer backhand to net 7:7
Nadal serves Nadal hits net with backhand. 7:8
Federer serves out wide and Nadal returning these much better, intriguing rally and Federer comes to net. and wins the set. 9:7

7:6 (9:7)

Federer wins first set. A good close battle.

[DeeGame]

You're watching a different game Dee.

Yes its the won where Nadal wins

[anfieldanfield]

Come on Rafa! Step it up lad...

Vamos!

[DeeGame]

Come on Rafa! Step it up lad...

Vamos!

Nah, his fcuked it up now.

If he took 1st set might have had better chance.

[DeeGame]

who is that fit bird in players box?

[anfieldanfield]

who is that fit bird in players box?

Nadal's missus.