Wimbledon Preview

[Kieran]

The Championships start tomorrow week.

What are you thinking about it?

 

[Riotbeard]

The Championships start tomorrow week.

What are you thinking about it?

I am thinking about whether "tomorrow week" means "next week" :laydownlaughing

 

[Kieran]

The Championships start tomorrow week.

What are you thinking about it?

I am thinking about whether "tomorrow week" means "next week" :laydownlaughing

:snigger

That's the way we say it: Tomorrow week means Monday week, capisce?

 

[nehmeth]

Posted this on another thread: it's not like there is a favorite to win this. I have no idea.

Roger's play against Falla in Halle didn't inspire great confidence. Ralf and Andy got bounced from their tournaments rather quickly. And I have no idea how many rows of 'pimples' the umpires will make Nole file off his shoes when he gets to Wimbo. If Lopez didn't have a bad habit of choking up hairballs the size of calves, I'd say he had a chance... but then there was that last game at Queen's Club. :nono


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/wimbledon/10163428/Wimbledon-2013-Novak-Djokovic-told-to-change-his-shoes-as-they-might-give-him-extra-grip-on-grass.html

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

This will be about surviving the first week for the top guys I think. The draw here is much more important than RG because the clay season is long and by the time the top guys hit RG, there are no surprises any more. As of now, Rafa has a whopping 1 match under his belt, Nole has none, Andy has 2 I think and Roger won a shaky tournament, but a win nonetheless.

I have no feel for this at all yet .

 

[Kieran]

Hi Nehmeth and Murat - I totally agree.

I don't see anything to base a sound prediction on yet. Certainly, the only one of the Big 4 to have good news is Roger, by winning Halle, but some people are saying he didn't play well to do that. Even still, for Roger, he's coming off his worst sequence at slams, which is understandable at his age, and maybe having to prove himself again will be a hindrance, rather than a useful source of motivation.

Rafa had a bad tournament in Halle and I'm beginning to think that Halle is a the wrong place for him to prepare. Seems to me it's faster than Queens and maybe Rafa needs a slower surface just to make the transition. Anyway, he's relying on good quality practice now, maybe an exo, and hopefully a helpful draw that gets him through the early stages and up to speed.

Nole hasn't been seen since, which is his usual trick since 2008, and so we have nothing at all to go on, except his performances over the last two years on grass - which are irrelevant today.

Andy losing early in Queens was maybe the biggest indicator for any of the top players, because he's struggled since his back op to find his best game. I would have liked him to get more matches in, since he looked off the pace. I'm surprised he hasn't asked for a wild card into somewhere, but maybe he'll play an exo too.

Looking beyond the Four, I was really pleased to see Grigor win today. I don't think he has the maturity or the wherewithal to win Wimbledon, but you never know, if he serves the way he did today. He could be a huge trouble to anybody, and a deep run could rubberstamp his place in the queue...

 

[lacatch]

Based on their recent play/physical condition, I'd guess that neither Ralph nor Andy is going to hoist the trophy. I'd LIKE to see Roger pull it off one more time, but his recent play/difficulty closing out matches doesn't inspire confidence. And while Nole COULD pull it off, and is certainly highly motivated given his abysmal (for him) recent track record in slams, his faltering in the final stages of slams doesn't inspire confidence. If forced to choose, I'd go with either Nole or a dark horse, e.g., Dimitrov.

 

[crystalfire]

really would love to see fed pull off #8. that said i honestly cant point a finger and say who will win. it really wont surprise me if rafa wins it. idk what djokovics doing but he def has a better chance to beat rafa here than on clay imo. ferrer could go far. other than that all the big servers should go far and its not out of the question that an isner/berdych/karlovic can take out fed. im interested to see what gulbis does.

 

[Iona16]

Novak will be here 17th-21st June.

http://www.theboodles.com/

 

[TsarMatt]

Dustin Brown will win.

 

[atttomole]

I think Rafa wins Wimbledon because of the confidence he has after winning RG. He lost early at Halle, but I think he will survive the first week at Wimbledon, and that is all he needs to have another shot at the title. Rafa is amazing in that he is resilient. He has been able to overcome his physical problems time and again, coming back to win slams after every break caused by injury.

 

[Haelfix]

I'm going to go either Rafa (pending on the back issue) or a darkhorse. None of the big four are really inspiring me with their play. I really haven't been inspired by anyone since Murray won. It all looks like flawed and highly vulnerable grass court tennis.

Perhaps we might see a big server win Wimbledon for the first time in a decade+

 

[rafanoy1992]

Like everyone as said, it is hard to predict the winner of this tournament. This is the only major where there are no clear favorites.

By the way, this is the first time since 2012 Wimbledon that the Big Four has occupied the top 4 seedings of a Slam.

Here are my analysis of the Big Four for Wimbledon:

1. Nadal: Even though he won the French Open, his grass court game is still very shaky. In order to do well, he needs to find a way to play well during the first week. In addition, he needs a favorable draw in order to survive the tournament.

2. Djokovic: He is the most consistent player in Slams in the past few years. Unfortunately, grass is his worst surface. Also, he has not won a Slam since the 2013 Australian Open so his confidence is still shaky especially after not winning the French Open.

3. Murray: the best grass court player since 2012. Unfortunately, his form this year is up and down. It will be interesting to see on how he plays in this year's Wimbledon. I will give you this: He is always focus when he's playing at Wimbledon. There is a reason he has reached 5 straight semifinals at this event.

4. Federer: the only member who won a grass court title. However, slams are still different than 250 tournaments. Playing best 3 out of 5 sets takes a toll on Federer at this point of his career so we will see how he plays at this event.

All in all, it is hard to predict the winner of this tournament; however, if I am gonna pick a winner it will be Murray. I just think his game translates very well in grass. In addition, his mental mindset is totally different here at Wimbledon than any other tournaments. He tends to be less vocal here than any other tournaments.

My second pick will it either be Djokovic (most consistent player in Slam in the past few years) or Federer (7 Wimbledon titles).

 

[brokenshoelace]

Djokovic doesn't inspire confidence in finals these days, but, judging by how the other 3 looked, he's probably a safer bet to actually get there. I don't know, it's pretty difficult to predict. Federer winning Halle is nice, but slams are slams, and I'm not quite sure about his form and his ability to sustain a high enough level when it matters. Nevertheless, seeing how the others are looking, it would be a great time for him to actually find some form on the surface he excels at the most.

I still think Murray will go far, and once he's the second week, he'll relax and play well. Depending on the draw, I really might go with him to reach the finals. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised one bit to see a repeat of last year's final.

If Rafa gets past the first week, all bets are off. But, conversely, it wouldn't shock me to see him crash out, and I wouldn't be surprised to see any upset really.

So yeah, I don't know what I'm talking about, basically.

 

[Front242]

I'm going to go either Rafa (pending on the back issue) or a darkhorse. None of the big four are really inspiring me with their play. I really haven't been inspired by anyone since Murray won. It all looks like flawed and highly vulnerable grass court tennis.

Perhaps we might see a big server win Wimbledon for the first time in a decade+

Karlovic I still consider Murray the favourite. People are looking too much into his Queens loss but this is best of 5 and he just made the semis of his worst slam on his worst surface so things can only improve.

 

[TsarMatt]

I swear if Djokovic reaches the final again and loses...

 

[Kieran]

It's probably the most open slam we've headed into in a long time. Usually you could pick one obvious favourite, with another who would be the second favourite, and history and current form would be reliable indicators. Everything about this one is conditional, which makes it fresher and more interesting going in...

 

[shawnbm]

If I had to bet money now on who takes it, I put mine down on Nole. He has been the guy who goes deepest in all the big ones and is often fighting for the title in the semis and finals. You keep going to the well, you will eventually draw some water. He is the one I think takes it, but a last one (and I think it would be) from Federer on his hallowed green lawns of The Championships would be nice to see as well. If I had to bet on someone outside the Big Four, then I will go with Dimitrov.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Darcis won his opening qualifier. Watch out...

 

[Kieran]

Darcis asked for a wild card, based upon his heroism last year, which was equally heroic but this time in vain. I'd like him to make it through, though, and play Rafa in the first round.

Then Nadal v Rosil.

Then Nadal v Dustin Brown... :clap