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'.

Gutted for Rafa. I really thought he'd somehow find a way to win. Congratulations to Gilles though. What a cool customer!

I'm really surprised they didn't put Djokovic on CC. The AELTC are normally desperate to finish play on the day it's scheduled and putting Djokovic on CC was the only way that could be achieved tonight. I think you all know I can't stand him, but if they kept him and Mannarino waiting around for hours in the expectation of playing, that's incredibly unfair. Maybe they told the players ages ago that they wouldn't play tonight though. He's scheduled to play at 12 on CC tomorrow. Just announced on Today at the Wimbledon.

Poor Rafa , but what a match.
Muller is a cool older dude.
Tennis is a cruel sport.

Poor Rafa sounds really upset in his interview on Wimbledon today

It's cruel expecting players to do a proper press conference straight away after a hard loss like that.

Shame.

Pleased for Muller though. Does anyone know anything about him - other than his immense age and long career - I mean is he at least a decent guy? Do we like him or not?

Just delighted to see Muller win - am sure he heard me shouting for him from 20+ miles away.

And - GO! Jo! .

Konta to go all the way!

He seems pretty decent- I remember there were jokes when was at Queen's a few years back about him being the 10th most famous ever Luxembourger or something (as if anyone could name another- no offence to anyone from Luxembourg)

He lost to Cilic at Queen's the other week- in the semis, iirc. He meets him next. So, in typical Rafa -beating fashion, I don't think he's going any further. Marin has been very good this year.

I'm sticking with Halep and Muguruza as my choices for the women. I like both- though neither make it easy.

I was delighted to see Milos go through.

Why didn't rafa congratulate muller? Not a huge tennis fan but surely this is etiquette?

He definitely congratulated him at the net. And gave him a hug. What were you watching?

Creme I had to watch TAW late and I agree. As for asking if he was going o come back. At least it's not on court. I hate on court interviews. Winners, or losers. Let them catch their breath!

Watched on BBC and rewound it to check?

then you will have seen him go Muller to congratulate him. The commentators even mentioned it. There would be no reason for him no to. It's not the first match he has lost.

Rafa shook the umpire's hand first and then went over to Muller I think. He definitely shook his hand/hugged and congratulated him, then waited for him before leaving the court, which a lot of losing players don't do. He also signed autographs in the crowd before leaving. Perfect etiquette- he's a true gent.
Gutted for him but what a fab match!

Exactly, knock .

I just re-watched in case I was gong mad.

Rafa stayed to sign autographs, though he must have been gutted, Muller left.

He definitely shook hands with him and waited to accompany him off court before stopping to sign autographs for some children.

Pity Halep & Konta are meeting tomorrow, could have been a good final matchup (and I will be out!). I like Venus but I would prefer a "new face" to win the women's, esp as it's been so open up to now.

Agree with McEnroe about inane and insensitive questioning by reporter just after Rafa's epic match.

Why didn't rafa congratulate muller? Not a huge tennis fan but surely this is etiquette?

Maybe should have gone to Specsavers? Rafa is the biggest gentleman on the tour - the world would end before he would forget his manners!

Rafa went to the umpire first, then over to Muller and signed autographs whilst Muller didnt.
I agree that Cillic will now beat him, your body would take forever to shake off such a long match and he is also 34. It was incredibly close all the way through, it was a shame that Rafa couldnt see a way past at the end.
i bet Djok was upset at having to hang around , then not playing till today. Konta was funny talking about her muffins she makes for everyone - she might end up on celebrity bake off, if channel 4 do such a thing now its not on bbc one. She seems be very good at cakes.

Well, I'm glad we are in agreement

I was really annoyed with Rishi Persad's question to Rafa. (I think it was him). Not surprised Mac was too- but then, it's quite typical of Wimbledon's BBC 'Only tournament on the planet' mentality. He has the rest of the season to go yet.Why would he be thinking about next year? Funnily enough, he's been playing at the top of his game since Australia unlike Murray. He didn't choose to skip an entire season - like Roger did with the clay. He knows grass is no longer kind to him- he still played, and played well. He qualified for the ATP finals weeks ago- way ahead of everyone else.

Muller is a solid player on grass (but most Wimbledon viewers who watch for 2 weeks a year won't know who he is) was always a threat. And he played a blinder. As did Rafa to pull it back. He couldn't quite get there.

But it's typical of a Beeb journo to imply Rafa's career is now in the toilet.

I would like to see Konta make a Wimbledon themed cake, if she wins. That would be nice.

She could make a big towering affair with tennis balls around it and green icing for the top.
i still cant get over her accent , she sounds like minor royalty.
i hope she wins, but not easy when you have so much expectation.

i hope she wins, but not easy when you have so much expectation.

Imagine the BBC's excitement if both Konta and Murray won. How many decades would it be since a British man and woman won in the same year? We will find out this afternoon if this is even likely. I think myself that Halep will get the better of Konta.

Green icing She could do one of those profiterole tower things.

I'd like her to win. But I also really, really want Halep to win.

Bet Djok is fed up. Not only did he have to hang around yesterday, he's playing at 12 today, and that's a bit early, so no-one will watch. O.k, of course they will, but it won't feel like the 'main' event (which tv schedule wise at least, is the later afternoon match, usually). And he will know it. It is, after all, the women's quarter final day. Come on Mannarino.

DD2 is ill today, it's still pissing down with rain, provisional school sports day part 2 has been postponed again. Which means it's on tomorrow afternoon which is a bit rubbish. Hopefully, I won't miss much tennis.

By my reckoning, it was 1934 when both the men's and women's winners were British. When Perry won his last title in 36, the women's winner was American, though a British woman won again in 37.