We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
It's the second Monday of Wimbledon - IMHO the best day in tennis each year. Round of 16 - every player surviving on court in one day. It always brings me back to watching the championships in Britain as a kid. Too bad McEnroe, Borg, and Ilie Nastase aren't still playing, eh? Join me if you're watching this morning.
posted by The Blue Devil @ 7:17 AM
We are all former students at Lakenheath High School and other public schools in East Anglia. We were in school in the 70s and 80s and drank deeply from the well of British culture of those decades - the pints, the telly, and of course the footie!
217 Comments:
First up is 5th seed Maria Sharapova against 20th seed Peng Shui. Shazza as Chris Evert has been calling her has been criticized all week for her screaming.
Sharapova is defending a break point in the second game now.
Andy Murray will start on Centre Court at the top of the hour in his match against French 17th seed Richard Gasquet.
Sharapova survives a long game - 1-1 in the first set then.
Sharapova and Peng are now at 2-2 still on serve.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (aka Wills and Kate) settling into the royal box in Centre Court now in preparation for the Andy Murray match. Lucky bastards!
3-3 now between Sharapova and Peng. On serve.
4-4 now; Sharapova has been struggling with her serve but she's still got a lot of power for the two-handed approach of Peng.
Peng in trouble with her service game now.
Three break points.
And Sharapova has broken the Peng service finally and will serve for the opening set in a moment. Perfect timing for ESPN2 who I'm sure will switch over to Murray at the top of the hour.
Sharapova takes her service game and the first set easily there. Top of the hour - Murray starts in a moment and Serena Williams starts on Court #1 against 9th seed Marion Bartoli.
The commentators are making a lot of Marion Bartoli have sent her family from the stands in the last round when she was struggling with her match.
I've got the ESPN2 coverage of the Williams v. Bartoli match and the BBC coverage of the Murray v. Gasquet going now.
Early scare here for Murray in his opening service game. Break point and he's on his second serve.
Williams and Bartoli have held service. 1-1.
Victoria Azarenka is the first player through to the Quarterfinals on the women's side.
Murray survives the early scare. 1-1 in that match.
Murray doesn't really have the returns going yet. Easy service game here for Gasquet.
Now Sabine Lasicki from Germany is through to the Quarterfinals.
2-2 now between Murray and Gasquet.
Sharapova has whizzed through the second set to 5-1 and Peng is now serving to save the match.
Peng holds - 5-2 but Sharapova can now serve for the match.
Surprise of the fortnight - Aussie Bernard Tomic who slaughtered Andy Roddick in the last round - has whipped through his match this morning and is the first into the Quarters on the Men's side.
Sharapova has completed her win in just over an hour.
Murray with another long hot service game here.
Murray and Gasquet at 3-3 but it has to be said that Gasquet is playing the better and is having an easier time with his service games.
Bartoli has just broken Serena Williams' serve and is at 4-2.
Hey Bob
I am here for a little bit before I have to take a brother-in-law to the airport
I can't stand the screaming in the majority of the woman's game. Sharapova is the worst culprit
That's not really sporting. Gasquet hit a poor volley well out and the obviously home sympathetic crowd applauded it.
Morning, Dave - good to have you on board. I'm going to have a shower at 9am. I'm hoping to see the end of the first Murray v. Gasquet set.
Bartoli is now at 5-2 then. Serena in real trouble in the first set.
Bartoli has a set point now against Serena.
Murray holds service for 4-4. Easier game for him there.
How are you watching Murray?
Quick and comfy service game for Gasquet - 5-4 and Murray has to serve to save the set.
Here's the link on Atdhe:
http://atdhe.ws/live.php?v=event_id%3D52936%26tv_id%3D342%26tid%3D24335%26tmpl%3Dcomponent%26layout%3Dpopup%26Itemid%3D207.html
I have found a link through p2p for the BBC's coverage of the Murray match
Bartoli and Williams at Deuce.
Serena escapes her service game... Watch her now win the damn set!!
Murray holds
Williams has held her serve - 5-3 there.
Murray and Gasquet at 5-5.
Thanks for the link, Bob! This will make working from home today that much more fun.
Gasquet is motoring through this game too. You've got to say that he's playing better than Murray. I've rarely watched a Murray match where the guy won easily. He always seems to have to gut up a display.
Gasquet holds to Love
Welcome, Bets! Glad to have you on board.
I called it... Bartoli serves a double to go break point down
Murray now has to serve to save the set.
saves it
Murray can't get his toss right'
Set point for Bartoli
Bartoli now has a fourth set point.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in the royal box... don't disappoint them Andy!!
Saved
BBC1 leave the Murray match to so the woman's match... he's serving to save the set!!!
Break point..... my link is ahead of ESPN!!!
Williams now has a break point. Marathon game here.
Saved
My link is still on Murray.
I am stunned that the BBC left Murray
Break point for Williams again!
Did he save?
You must not be watching the Beeb
Ace from Bartoli - back to Deuce.
My bloke has just turned it over to BBC 2 for Murray
It's 40-30 Murray.
Now Deuce.
Bartoli has another set point.
Set point again for Bartoli... she better make this count
Murray is at Ad In
Murray needs this one for the tie-break.
Bartoli blows it again.. that's why these players don't win more.. they can't win the important points
And does get it. 6-6.
Murray holds... tie break
Set point Batoli....again
Ace!!
Set to Bartoli
Bartoli wins the first set. 6-3.
1-0 Murray in the tie-break.
My link is a couple of second ahead of ESPN... why can't ESPN show it live!!
ESPN2 has switched over to Murray v. Gasquet now.
1-1.
Yeah - my link is ahead too.
NBC going to take over coverage at 10.
The Duke, Duchess and King all watching from the Royal Box... Billie Jean King
Switching ends... Murray up a mini break 4-2
Mexico England at 11:45 in the Women's World Cup
There goes the break
Long rally won by Murray..whatever happened to grass court tennis... big serve and volley... am I watching the French Open here??
Three set points for the Scot
Murray is in control now - 6-3.
That's it - Murray takes the first set. 7-6. Delight from the home crowd. I'm off for a shower.
That's it
First set to Andy!
I am off to the airport...
TTFN
The BBC commentator is egging John McEnroe to go on Top Gear - that would be champion!
Williams and Bartoli are on service at 4-3 in the second set.
Murray and Gasquet also on service - 3-2 in the second set.
Murray has a chance in this game. 15-30 now.
Bartoli wins the 4th game - 4-4.
Gasquet saves - 3-3.
Now Murray's in a spot of bother in his service game. This one's swinging wildly back and forth.
Williams wins the 5th game. Puts some pressure now on Bartoli to save the set.
Fantastic passing shot there from Gasquet. Shot of the match.
Deuce now between Murray and Gasquet. Andy has a chance.
Yes - set point now for Murray.
Sorry - that's just a break point. And he gets it. 5-3 and now he can serve for the set.
Murray moves to 30-love and cruising.
Three set points now for Murray.
Bartoli has a break point now to take a 6-5 lead.
And Bartoli gets it! 6-5 now and Bartoli can serve for the match.
Murray wins the set! 6-3. He's cruising it.
Gasquet holds his first service game in the third set.
Serena is digging in in this survival game.
Uh oh - 30-15 to Bartoli now. She's two points away from winning this Round of 16 match and scoring a big, big upset.
40-15 and two match points for Bartoli after an ace!
Oh - Bartoli misses a big chance to seal it. Close call. One more match point.
Great shot from Williams! Back to Deuce.
Murray holds his serve - 1-1.
A third match point now for Bartoli.
Wow - a thrilling point that Serena ends up winning with an overhead.
Gasquet holds - 2-1.
Now it's a break point to Serena.
Back to Deuce but Bartoli double faults. Ad-out for Williams.
Great passing shot return. Gets the break and forces a tie-break.
Murray has moved up a gear or two now. He's broken Gasquet's service again and is in control of the third set. 3-2 and serving.
I'm going to pedal over to work now on my new bike. I'll catch you from the office on the other side.
As I was heading out the door, Bartoli wrapped up a straight sets win against Serena Williams. The first big shock of the tournament on the Women's side. The #7 seed is out!
I've just got over to the office after a brilliant spin over here on my new bike. Murray has wrapped up a straight sets win. The second and third sets were pro forma after that tight first set. Murray on to the Quarters.
I'm watching the #1 seed Wozniaki against Cibulkova on the No. 2 Court. They're at a set apiece in the third set it's 2-1 Wozniaki on serve.
Back after a quick meeting and it's 5-4 Wozniaki. Cibulkova is serving to save the match.
And she holds her serve! 5-5 now.
I've just noticed that this is the third and deciding set. Cibulkova must have won a quick set while I was gone.
Wozniaki is in big trouble now. Cibulkova breaks her serve and now serves for the match. The #1 seed could go!
30-Love now - Cibulkova two points away from the biggest upset of the fortnight so far.
Three match points!!!!
Wozniaki wins a point back.
And another. 40-30. Gutsy stuff from the Dane.
That's it - Cibulkova has won it!
Serena has gone, Wozniaki has gone and Venus is in trouble - calamitous day for the big seeds.
I'm onto Venus Williams struggling with her match against Pironkova on Centre Court now. Atdhe.net has been magic so far.
Pironkova won the first set 6-2. The two are on serve at 3-2 now in the second set.
Venus has been broken again! She's 4-2 down now. Both Williams sisters could go today.
Venus has forced a Deuce in this game.
Venus has been terrible with return of service today.
Oh - that was good under pressure from Venus.
And she's got a break point now. Gutsy stuff.
Second service now...
Wow - great passing shot from Pironkova.
Another challenge lost for Venus. Ad-in.
Great point for Venus! She's still in it!
The Bulgarian pulls off a great serve. No response.
And she takes the game. 5-2. She only needs one more game to take this match. Venus really up against it now.
40-30 now with Venus serving to save the match.
Another one bites the dust - Venus Williams has gone down in straight sets. That's not quite the shock - she was seeded 23rd because of her lack of match fitness but still...
Pironkova into the Quarters.
I'm onto to Djokiv - the 2nd seed on the Men's side - on the No. 1 Court.
He's two sets up and cruising it.
Djokovic is serving for the match now.
Easy. Djokovic cruises through in straight sets and into the Quarters.
Rafa Nadal has just started his match on Centre Court. What a brilliant day of tennis!
I've also got my eye on Mardy Fish - the #10 seed - the last American in the draw. He's currently at 4-4 and on service in the first set out on the No. 2 Court.
Two unseeded players - Lukasz Kubot and Feliciano Lopez are in a five set thriller out on the No. 3 court.
It's a bit hard to pick out these two. They're both Latin - Del Potro is Argentinian - and they're both wearing white bandannas.
Del Potro holds in a tight game. 3-3.
This is a squeaker. 5-5 in the first set.
6-5 Nadal now. Del Potro having to serve to save the set. Magnificent passing shot by Nadal to produce a a set point.
Nadal seems to be troubled by his left foot now.
Ad-in for Del Potro now.
Del Potro pushes it to 6-6 and a tie-break. Nadal has called for the trainer to come out and Del Potro doesn't like it.
A long delay here for Nadal to sort out his ankle problem. He pulled up abruptly after his fabulous forehand shot.
Way hay - Mardy Fish won the first set in a tie-break and is on serve in the second set against Berdych.
A real barnburner here in the tie-break. Nadal has had two set points and now Del Potro has one.
Mardy Fish is doing us proud. He's won a second set 6-4 against 6th seeded Tomas Berdych and now only needs one to knock off a big upset.
Nadal with another fantastic shot, challenged by Del Potro but it was in.
Set point for Rafa. And a second serve.
And a double fault disaster gives Nadal the first set!
Nadal is going to try to milk the break for all it's worth. That was big and now he can rest his ankle a bit.
I'm switching over to the Fish v. Berdych match out on Co. #3. Berdych is really under the cosh here.
Fish has a break in the third set. He's leading 2-1 and serving.
I can already see what's troubling Berdych - Fish has a monster serve game.
Fish wins another easy service game to 15 for 3-1 now. He's nearly there.
Berdych holds his serve for 3-2. Fish just needs to click along winning his service games now and he'll be in the Quarters.
No wonder this match hasn't taken long. There haven't been any long rallies at all. It's just big serve and volley for both men.
Nadal and Del Potro are on service at 2-1 now.
Very quick service game won by Fish there. 4-2.
Berdych holds his serve - 4-3.
Fish is a serving machine here. Serves at 130+ mph. I can't even imagine seeing the ball as it fizzed by me.
The interesting thing here is that Berdych isn't playing badly; no real errors. Fish is just too powerful for him. Another service game to love there.
5-3.
Berdych will now have to serve to survive.
Oh - what a shot from Fish to get it back to Deuce. Brilliant cross court shot.
And now Fish has one match point.
And he's got a second serve to attack.
Oh - he dumped it in the net there. A big chance. Back to Deuce.
And now it's ad-in for Berdych.
Back to Deuce. What a corker!
Ad-in again....and Berdych holds.
5-4 now to Fish. Berdych hasn't got close to Fish's serve yet. He has the chance to serve out now.
Fish has only lost three points on his serve in this set!!
Berdych has a chance here at 30 All.
And now we've got a match point.
And that's it - the only Yank left in it cruises through to the Quarters in straight sets. Wins with a big smash.
Back to Nadal v. Del Potro now. They're at 3-3 in the second set. Rafa doing it the hard way today.
Two break points now for Del Potro as Nadal slips again. He's in trouble.
Del Potro breaks and it's 5-3. He can now serve out to tie up the match.
And it is 1 set all now. The World #1 pegged back and in some discomfort. This is not going the way he would have wanted.
Meanwhile Roger Federer is ripping it up on the No. 1 Court - he's already two sets up and cruising the third one 3-0 against 18th seed Youzhny.
So here's the Quarter-final draw so far on the Men's side:
Nadal/Del Potro v. Fish
Murray v. Lopez
Ferrer/Tsonga v. Federer/Youzhny
Tomic v. Djokovic
And on the Ladies' side:
Cibulkova v. Sharapova
Lisicki v. Bartoli
Paszek v. Azarenka
Kvitova v. Pironkova
2-2 now between Nadal and Del Potro.
And now Del Potro has taken a really bad spill.
This match is taking an eternity. I don't know how they're going to finish today.
Federer has served out his string. He's into the Quarters easily.
In the last match of the Round of 16, Tsonga of France is two sets up against Spain's David Ferrer.
Nadal and Del Potro still on serve in the third set. 4-3.
Del Potro holds - 4-4.
Nadal and Del Potro are into a tie-break now.
Oh - Del Potro blew a shot there to give Nadal a break. 4-2 Nadal now. He can now serve out for the set.
Great shot of the fans on Henman Hill there. I'd love to be there!
5-3 Nadal now.
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