TENNIS THREAD - Wimbledon starts tomorrow!!

[magimedi]

Am most excited & thought the grass needs a new thread.

I'll stick my neck out & say Fed to win the mens' & Carolina Plisshkova (sp?) for the womens'.

No hip chat yet. John asked Boris why he needed two microphones and he said he wants everyone to hear what he has so say

To say! Fognini could go either way.

Boris is funny . And went to Foggy's wedding - cool!

Hip mention! Boris is fed up talking about it.

I'm not sure how much I will see.

Boris mentioned the hip Boris doesn't believe there was ever a problem with the hip

Murray looking collected at the moment.

So glad Rafa sorted himself out for that tie-break. I definitely did not watch from behind a cushion

I have just discovered that there are several Kiwis doing well in the doubles (men's and mixed). So it would seem we're rubbish singles but decent at doubles. What a surprise.

Some fun rallies in this. I think they're looking fairly evenly matched at this point. (Early days, I know.)

Enjoyed the ending of that Rafa match - such excellent tennis I like him a lot but would genuinely like to see Andy progress and take the title again. We shall see...

As for Venus - really not sure how I feel about that. She has always come across as a rather lovely lady and I bet she is devastated. Tennis is also her job and I doubt I'd be able to just stop going to work if something similar happened to me. It might just be because she's had to leave the country it seems a bit heartless? But she is clearly hurting - she broke down earlier this week when asked about it. Without knowing the specifics (and despite initial reports, it doesn't seem to have been her fault), I probably shouldn't speculate.

San she does seem genuine, Venus. More so than her sister ever seems to be about anything. I've never much liked Serena. But, a difficult situation really.

A quick Google brings up this report - so she's 'at fault' but not in a criminal way.

www.rollingstone.com/sports/venus-williams-fatal-car-crash-everything-we-know-w491313

Regardless, it is tragic.

Just found a channel on Freeview that I didn't know about called BBC RB1, so I watched the end of the Venus match on that. Talk about rolling back the years. She was in imperious form! S'pose I'd better join everyone else now and switch over to Muzza!

That first set was much quicker than I expected.

Right , back from eating - and a complete set gone !

Oooh, a break back and a racquet toss. Delightful.

Fognini has a warning - is he normally like this ? Not seen him before

He's quite beautiful, is Fognini, and he definitely knows it. He should grace the cover of a smutty romance or two, a la Fabio.

true, but sadly ungracious ( I do love a dark haired man with beard - reminds me of DH - well, when he was dark and had hair )

A set for Fognini. (Was putting the baby in bed so I missed it.)

Andy needs to lift his levels. He's looking very flat.

Is that a skull on Foggy's headband? Does he fancy himself a pirate?

I now see that there are skulls all over his outfit. Is that what McEnroe mentioned earlier?

I'm not a fan of the skull logo. He is rather lovely though.

I feel very sorry for Venus, it sounds like it was an accident which she feels a lot of remorse for. Devastating for the poor family of the man who died though.

Just spotted the old fellow in the black stetson for the first time this tournament!

pah - is the ankle injury going to spoil this

I was hoping this would be a battle but Fognini seems to be fading fast.

he is very inconsistent - some good shots, some half hearted

It is a shame that he;s hurt his ankle, though.