TennisToday

Pierre -VS- Maggie May

Some London paper fun ahead of Wimbledon.

Though I think Novak's dog is cute I certainly prefer Andy's.

No contest.

ATP & WTA Winners at Eastbourne & 's-Hertogenbosch

's-Hertogenbosch ATP 250 - Men's Final

Q Nicolas Mahut d 2 Stanislas Wawrinka - 63 64

This is the feel good story of the weekend.

At 31 Nicolas is the oldest 1st time ATP winner since 2005.

Before this tourney he had a W/L of 1-2 for the 2013 season.

Post match: It's amazing. I cannot believe I won today.

Eastbourne ATP 250 at - Men's Final

Feliciano Lopez d 2 Gilles Simon - 76(2) 67(5) 60

Feli wins his 3rd title and 1st on grass - and 1st in 3 years.

Post match: I think grass is my best surface,

and to have at least one title on grass is very nice feeling.

***

Interesting to note: both men's winners this weekend are over 30.

WTA Eastbourne - Women's Final

Elena Vesnina d Q Jamie Hampton - 62 61

Elena picks up her 2nd title (both 2013) - Jamie will wait for her 1st.

Post match: But I kept believing in myself. I knew I would win this title.

I knew it was going to happen. It's not self-confidence - I knew if I kept

working hard and believing in myself, it would come. And it did.

WTA 's-Hertogenbosch - Women's Final

Simona Halep d 4 Kirsten Flipkens - 64 62

2 weeks - 2 titles. Last week she won at Nurnberg.

So she's on a nice little 10 match winning streak.

Will she be too tired to do much at Wimbledon?

Post match: I'm really happy. I want to enjoy this evening.

It's a special moment for me.

Jamie Hampton Gains Her 1st Ever WTA Final - At Eastbourne

WTA Eastbourne - Women's Semifinal

Q Jamie Hampton d 5 Caroline Wozniacki - 67(8) 75 63

Jamie beat Caro once in the juniors now she can boast an official WTA win.

The win will push Jamie to new heights - the top 30.

Her qualifying days will now be a thing of the past.

And hello American hopeful pressure.

Poat match: I didn't come just to play the qualifying. I try to enter every

tournament & think to get deep in the tournament, & look to win the title.

So coming off my Roland Garros run I had a good amount of confidence,

and I was hoping to get deep into this tournament this week too.

***

US hopeful vs US hopeful: Jamie just drew Sloane in Wimby 1st round.

So there's that bummer US hopeful news from London today.

Caroline Wozniacki into Semifinals at Eastbourne

WTA Eastbourne - Women's Quarterfinals

5 Caroline Wozniacki d Ekaterina Makarova - 46 60 63

The '09 champ is still in the hunt for her 1st title of the year.

She will face American Jamie Hampton for the 1st time.

Well 2nd, they played against one another in the 2005 US Open juniors.

Hampton won that one. Caro doesn't even remember it. LOL

Caro: I'm not sure - I mean, I've played so many matches before,

so I don't remember.

I don't know why that really strikes me as funny. But it does.

Prolly cuz you know Jamie tells anyone who'll listen.

I would.

Rafael Nadal is Seeded 5th for 2013 Wimbledon

The seedings have been released for the coming Championships and...

Rafael Nadal has been placed as the tournaments 5th seed.

Wimbledon ignored giving Rafa a deserving discretionary bump.

Most in the tennis world think he should at least be the 4th seed.

There is one word to use here: dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

Let's see... Rafa is a 2-time champ and 3-time runner-up.

4th seed David Ferrer has been a quarterfinalist exactly once.

Moreover, Rafa has beaten David all 4 times they've played this year.

AND - we don't even need to compare their 2013's. It's no contest.

Well, as payback I hope Rafa gets placed in Murray's quarter...

Only then will Wimby get that they've made a serious blunder.

It's worth repeating: dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb.

***

Photo: Rafa's first practice yesterday at Wimby,

 

Andy Murray Wins 3rd Title at Queens Club

Queen's Club ATP 250 - Men's Final

1 Andy Murray d 5 Marin Cilic - 57 75 63

Queen's Club becomes the 1st tourney where Andy has collected 3 titles.

He could not have asked for better Wimbledon prep.

Post match: I feel good. I'm a bit tired. Because of the weather it's been

mentally a quite draining week. I'll probably take a day off tomorrow and

start hitting on Tuesday, quite light, and get myself fresh, work on a

couple of things in the build-up to Wimbledon.

***

Andy donated his prize money to the Royal Marsden Hospital.

Where pal & tennis pro Ross Hutchins recieved treatment for Hodgkin’s.

Well done, Andy.

Roger Federer Wins 1st Title of 2013 at Halle

Halle ATP 250 - Men's Final

1 Roger Federer d Mikhail Youzhny - 67(5) 63 64

The GOAT needed to dig deep in his last 2 matches.

He dropped the 1st set in both of those matches to Haas & Youzhny.

But in the end he won his 6th title at Halle.

It had to feel good as he hadn't won a title since Cincy last summer.

There is only 1 tourney where he has more titles: Wimbledon with 7.

And further - he tied McEnroe at 3rd on the list of all-time titles at 77.

He has quite a ways to go to catch leader Jimmy Connors at 106.

Methinks that Connors record is safe.

Post match: I am happy it worked for me today. I was satisfied with my

game in the past 10 months. Maybe people thought I was playing badly.

That was not the case. I was playing well but, when it mattered,

the others were just better. Today it worked well.

Lleyton Hewitt Thru to Semifinals at Queen's Club

ATP 250 Queen's Club - Men's Quarterfinal

Lleyton Hewitt d 3 Juan Martin Del Potro - 62 26 62

Someone is busy turning back the clock to his glory years.

Remember: Lleyton is a 4-time champion here: '00-'02 & '06.

At 32 he's looking to become the tournies oldest winner as well.

He'll next face the defender 5 Marin Cilic in the Sf's - H2H: 1-0/Lleyton.

The only time they played was last year at the London Games.

So Lleyton's gotta feel good about his match tomorrow...

Post match: Cilic is going to be another tough one, very similar to my

match against [Sam] Querrey yesterday and against del Potro today.

In terms of that, I have had good preparation for playing him,

but, he's the defending champ here.

Novak Djokovic & Brothers Spend a Day at the Beach

Is there a better way to get over a stinging loss like the one in Paris...

Than with your bro's on the beach? (Photo from Novak's Facebook page.)

It's weird how some players can get over a loss faster than their fans.

Hell, I'm still gutted over Monica Seles' loss at the '08 French Open!

And her '02 loss at Wimbledon.

Anyway, Nole next tournament will be Wimbledon.

He's defending a Sf at SW19 - and should easily be able to repeat that.

Unless Wimby farts up a #5 seeding for Rafa and they meet in the Qf's.

Anyway, have fun Nole - you've got some work to do in London.

Roger Federer into Semifinals at Halle

ATP 250 Halle - Men's Quarterfinal

1 Roger Federer d WC Mischa Zverev - 60 60

This was the 2nd time in his career Roger has double bageled someone.

Roger has only played 1 final so far this year - a loss to Rafa at Rome.

He hasn't won a title since Aug. 12 at Cincinnati.

Those are not familiar to Federer fans. It's quite a draught.

In fact, this is the latest he's gone in a season without a title since '99.

Since his last win (of his 5 here) at Halle he's been runner-up twice.

Including his loss last year to Tommy Haas.

Speaking of, Roger will play Tommy in the Sf's tomorrow.

So yea, we'll see.

Andy Murray Wins 2 Matches Today to Gain Quarterfinals at Queens Club

He's baaaaa-ack.

After a little injury layoff he's back on the grass at Queen's Club.

Tho he didn't play the French Open his ranking actually improved to #2.

But he's got lots of grass court points to defend. Or not...

He's got 1200 runner-up points to defend at Wimbledon and...

He's got 750 points just being erased because he can't defend the Olympics.

Also interesting to note - his home Slam may bump him to 3rd seed.

Federer may have the funky Wimby seeding formula in his favor.

Let's see if they have the nerve!

2013 French Open Champions

Rafael Nadal

Serena Williams

The Bryan Brothers

Ekaterina Makarova & Elena Vesnina

Frantisek Cermak & Lucie Hradecka

Rafael Nadal Wins 8th French Open Title

French Open - Men's Final

4 Rafael Nadal d 5 David Ferrer - 63 62 63

8.

Rafa moves up to 3rd with Roy Emerson on the Slam list with 12.

Only Pete Sampras with 14 and Roger Federer with 17 are ahead of him.

He improved his French Open record to 59-1. A sick winning percentage.

Rafa also notched his 20th win over Ferrer and 4th of the 2013 season.

He is also the 1st man to qualify for the season ending tournament.

In a rankings quirk the win actually saw his ranking fall back to #5.

But he is firmly atop the Race to London rankings by a mile.

With 90 points to defend the rest of the year - lookout Nole...

Hi8tory: No man has ever won 8 titles at any one Slam before.

History: And no man has ever won a Slam 9 years running.

Post match: Eight times here is a lot. I never thought about that.

But I will keep practising with the same passion and intensity to bring

my tennis to the highest level possible.

***

Rafa has played 9 tournaments this year and made the finals of all 9.

He's won 7 of them making him the tour leader.

Next up is Wimbledon where he's won it twice: '08 & '10.

It's also the place where he lost early in '12 & left the tour with an injury.

This year plan on Rafa hitting Wimby with a hunger for a big points gobble.

Serena Williams Wins 2013 French Open Title

French Open - Women's Final

1 Serena Williams d 2 maria Sharapova - 64 64

It took her 11 years to win a 2nd French Open title - but she's done it.

That is the longest gap between Slam (any Slam) titles in the Open Era.

She now has 16 Slams and at least 2 of each: AO 5, FO 2, W 5, USO 4.

She has a ways to go to catch Steffi Graf who has at least 4 of each.

Post match about her Slams:

I'm just trying to go up and up. Today when I won I was trying to win

the French Open; I wasn't trying to get to No.16. I think it was

Fabrice Santoro who told me that on court, 16, and I thought,

"Wow, I forgot about that.' I think it's really special. I feel like I definitely

want to continue my journey. If It means I stop at 16 or if it means I have

more, I definitely want to continue my journey to get a few more.

***

I doubt she will ever catch Margaret Court with 24 Slams but...

Serena is 2 away from Chris Evert & Martina Navratilova.

Their count is definitely in jeopardy.

David Ferrer Thru to Final at French Open

French Open - Men's Semifinal

5 David Ferrer d 6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga - 61 76(3) 62

It took 11 years and 42 Slams for David to finally gain his 1st final.

And it's very well deserved.

He had come up empty in his last 5 semifinal attempts.

He takes a massive losing record against Rafa with him - H2H: 19-4/Rafa.

Post match: I'm very, very happy. This tournament is very special for me

and to be the first final of Grand Slam in Roland Garros is amazing.

Now I want to enjoy this moment, to rest tomorrow,

and to try my best in the final.

I know he's the favourite, but I am going to be focused every point.

I will try to do my best.

Rafael Nadal Defeats Novak Djokovic in Epic 5 Set Thriller in Semifinals at the French Open

French Open - Men's Semifinal

4 Rafael Nadal d 1 Novak Djokovic - 64 36 61 67(3) 9-7

Halfway thru the 5th set this was getting classified as an instant classic.

This baby was breathtakingly contested at an unreal high level.

And it should have been the final.

Rafa is going for an 8th French Open title.

No man in tennis history has 8 titles at any one given Slam.

A win would also put his Slam total at an amazing 12.

Today he also tied the record for most match wins at the French Open: 58.

Remember: Rafa has lost ONE match in 9 years at Roland Garros.

20's: At Rome a couple weeks ago he reached 20 wins over Federer.

Today he reached the same level over Nole - H2H: 20-15.

A win in Sunday's final would put him at 20 wins over Ferrer.

Post match: You need to love the game. You [need to] appreciate what

you are doing in every moment. I learned during all my career to

enjoy suffering, and these kind of matches are very special.

You don't have the chance to play these kind of matches every day.

So when these kind of matches happen you suffer,

but I really enjoy these moments.

Serena Williams Thru to Final at French Open

French Open - Women's Semifinal

1 Serena Williams d 5 Sara Errani - 60 61

This is Serena's 20th Slam final - she has only lost 4 times at this stage.

One of them was to Maria in the '04 Wimbledon final.

In fact the only 2 times Maria beat Serena was in '04.

Since then Maria has gotten a whole series of beatdowns.

Also, this is Serena's 2nd French Open final - she won in '02.

It was the beginning of her 'Serena Slam' if you'll recall.

Post match on winning another French Open title:

It would be awesome for me. I don't think there's anything that can

describe how happy I would be. But right now it's still a dream -

I still have another match to play, hopefully to win.

It's still two people fighting for the championship.

Maria Sharapova Thru to French Open Final

French Open - Women's Semifinal

2 Maria Sharapova d 3 Victoria Azarenka - 61 26 64

The defending champion is into her 2nd (straight) French Open final.

This is also her 8th Slam final: 4-3.

And she'll be facing Serena who really does nothing but kick her butt.

Post match: I had a tremendous year last year. Obviously to come back

as defending champion, it's extremely special to get back on that stage

where it comes down to the last two players of the tournament. It's

certainly a nice feeling. I hope I can bring my best tennis for the last one.

Rafael Nadal Thru to Semifinals at French Open

French Open - Men's Quarterfinal

3 Rafael Nadal d 9 Stanislas Wawrinka - 62 63 61

Rafa won this match on the 8th anniversary of his 1st title (above).

Rafa is into his 8th French Open Sf: 7-0.

He'll face his main rival these days, Novak Djokovic - H2H 19-15/Rafa.

On clay: 12-3/Rafa. At the French Open: 4-0/Rafa. In finals: 8-8.

However... Since 2011 their H2H is 8-3/Nole.

And they've played once this year. On clay. Monte-Carlo final. Nole won.

So I'm going to say that Rafa is a bit of an underdog in this one.

Post match: So now I am in semi-finals, three matches in a row without

losing a set. The last two matches, I only lost one [game on] serve.

That's starting to be very positive numbers. Only numbers, but most

important thing at the end is the feeling, and the feeling is

completely different.  If I was not happy five days ago about my level,

today I say I am happy that I am in semi-finals.

Novak Djokovic Thru to Semifinals at French Open

French Open - Men's Quarterfinal

1 Novak Djokovic d 12 Tommy Haas - 63 76(5) 75

Nole has stated that this is the title he wants this year.

He is 2 wins away.

And it's kind of fitting that he'll have to go thru Rafa to get it too.

Seems tragically unfiiting that it's at the semifinal stage.

Post match: Now I have a big challenge in front of me & I'm ready for it.

I have been playing well. I know that this is the biggest challenge for me

in Roland Garros, no question about it,

and I'm sure that it's going to be quite a good match.