TENNIS THREAD!- From the Road to Rio, to Flushing Meadows...

[Raahh]

before my phone decides to give up altogether, here's a new thread to get us on our way.

Andy Murray still in the Olympic Singles, as is Rafa,

Jo Konta through for the women.

Lots of missing names from the top players- but we are edging towards the US open- without Federer- and who knows, maybe even without Djokovic.

Could we be heading for all change at the top?

I'm sure if I had been at the Wimby final in 2008 I would have collapsed!

Come on Rafa

YESSSSSSSS !

Yes! Good stuff.

Yay!

Jane- oh, blimey, it was stressful enough watching on the tv, and being able to take myself off to wander around the garden .

Yay!!!

You lot are ahead of the live scores on the web. I heard the tie-break result here first!

Right, now he needs to play like the first set. He must have the fire back in his belly now.

He's back with the advantage of serving first in the set. With new balls. So , it should start well.

-famous last words

Ds has been out (after surfacing from his pit) and bought the dog a pig's ear. So he's happy, and has stopped barking at Goady Squirrel. So I can watch in peace for a bit. .

Looking good now

Easy hold for Grigor.

Rafa needs to do the same, or we could be heading quickly to a 5th.

But then, I thought that about the Monfils match .

Oh Vamos!

Now

BREAK HIM!

I may have spoke too soon.

Feck!

Woah, did not see it going to a 5th set, the way Rafa was playing!

Well- 5 sets it is.

Vamos Rafa!!

This is all very exciting. I really want him to get through. I can't stand listening to the 'we knew he was never going to win another big match again' interviews that will inevitably happen if he loses this. Despite how well he's played all tournament.

Rafa got seriously rattled in the second set, and hasn't really got back into the driving seat since. He's not playing badly. Neither of them are. But Grigor is slightly less tense, it seems, on the big points.

Vamos

Rafa is still looking good though- not tired at all.

But Sunday cannot go on this long.

bloody build a bloody bear

Xisca is looking very calm.

I'd be having kittens. I don't know how she can sit there.

Dimitrov held it together very well in the last tie break

This is a very eventful match. But I have things to do before I pick the girls up from school. So- it needs to get a move on.

My life was so much easier when Rafa wasn't playing.

Tennis players must be among the fittest sportsmen around.

phew!