2019 Women's Wimbledon Championships

[tented]

Coco immediately drops serve. It's going to be a long day at the office (or a short one if Halep zones her)

She broke back. It’s a beginning in the right direction.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Thrilled to see Strycova come through against Mertens. Tough draw for Mertens. And what a great run for Shuai Zhang. Literally out of nowhere. Just getting the benefit or the draw crumbling. I said I didn't know who would come out of this draw. Figured it wouldn't be Osaka. Of course if Halep deals with Gauff well then she's the favorite for the semi. But still a huge opportunity for Zhang. Especially if Gauff somehow upsets Halep. Though of course then the story around her will reach a fever pitch and she'll probably be favored by many to make the semis.

And talk about Svitolina. Possibly healthy for the first time this year. Has a terrible record here. But in the open quarter and just got the seeds that aren't the most intimidating seeds around. But of course after I talked about how open the quarter was, the two highest seeds actually lived up to their seeds for once. Though. Pliskova hasn't actually completed that yet. Muchova forcing a third set. If she pulls out this upset, it'll be another collapse from Pliskova at Wimbledon after winning a grass court title in the warm up season. We'll see how that one plays out.

I'm just ... sad-ish that I missed Riske/Barty and Zhang/Yastremska. Mostly Riske/Barty. I had to sleep. I went to bed way too late to get up at 6. Good run for Yastremska here even if she couldn't win today. Probably should have won today. But as I said about Vondrousova and Anisimova, she's so young that an upset can happen at any time. It's why even if Gauff somehow beats Halep, which I don't see happening, I'd still pick Zhang or at least give her a real chance to beat Gauff. Gauff does look incredibly poised at 15. But she's still just 15. And until she proves that she is going to be the next teenager to make the semis of a slam or win it and shock us all, I'm going to pick against her. I'll just have to be surprised and wrong. I just think Halep will be too steady for Gauff today. Even if it's not Halep's best surface and Gauff has a bit more easy power. I can't see any of that being enough for Gauff to come through this one. Halep looks to be in her normal top tier form.


Edit: I thought I'd posted this 15 minutes ago. Halep and Gauff are now up and running. Halep up a break. But Gauff still giving a good showing of herself and still looks poised and hanging in there. Keeping it close.

 

[tenisplayrla08]

So Pliskova to serve for her spot in the quarters. It'd be her first here. She'll have finally lived up to her seeding here.

 

[kskate2]

I wonder if Chrissie knows she has a daughter out there. Muchova looks just like a young Evert.

 

[kskate2]

Meanwhile Halep takes the opener 6-3

 

[tenisplayrla08]

But Muchova pulls out the break. Muchova got to 0-40. But Pliskova found some first serves and got it to deuce. But Muchova pulled it out. Keeping herself alive. Fighting. Pliskova with a dip.

Halep with another break to get the first set.

 

[tented]

Meanwhile Halep takes the opener 6-3

:demon::hunting:

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Well my goodness. That was impressive from Gauff. Gets to love-40 on Halep's serve. Drops 2 points. Then finishes off the break with help from Halep.

 

[tented]

Pliskova/Muchova at 8-8 in the 3rd.

Has anyone played a deciding set tiebreak?

 

[kskate2]

No TB's yet in thus tourney and this one won't get there either. Someone will break before we get to 11 all

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Halep just keeping it simple out here. That is perhaps the ... well the simplest thing I can say. Gauff seems like she's reached the limits of her experience. Doesn't know what to do with Halep being this solid. Halep just putting the ball in the open court. Setting up the points well and getting her just reward.

A couple match points now. Well. 1 left. And Gauff saves that as well. Gets it to deuce.

 

[tented]

No TB's yet in thus tourney and this one won't get there either. Someone will break before we get to 11 all

What’s your guess — which one wins it?

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Muchova saving two break points. Stays in front and on serve. 9-8.

 

[tented]

Halep wins, ending Coco’s run.

 

[kskate2]

It's pretty even but if I had to tip my cap one way or the other I would say Chrissie's daughter will come through. Plisko has alot of pressure on her and it's showing in this match

 

[tenisplayrla08]

Kvitova saves 2 breaks points and takes it to deuce.

And Halep serves it out to 15. Just too steady for Gauff today. Gauff probably exhausted. But also just unsure of how to get through a solid Halep. I do enjoy being right. But it wasn't exactly hard to pick this one.

Still. A huge run for Gauff. Announces herself on the biggest stage in the biggest way. Has put the world on notice. Still upset a 5 time champion in the first round. A huge win for her personally. Such a wonderful young personality. I'm sure we'll see her at the US Open.

 

[tented]

It's pretty even but if I had to tip my cap one way or the other I would say Chrissie's daughter will come through. Plisko has alot of pressure on her and it's showing in this match

Right after reading this, I looked up and watched Pliskova botch a gimme.

 

[tented]

Kvitova takes the first.

 

[kskate2]

Right after reading this, I looked up and watched Pliskova botch a gimme.

She already failed to serve out the match at 5-4 and she gave her serve away in the 2nd set under crucial pressure. Her nerves have been showing since the 2nd set.

 

[Hoergren]

Despite 3 DF in the same service game Halep won the game and also rhe match