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Wimbledon started today so any discussions over the next 2 weeks can be done here!

Discuss:

Will Murray win Wimbledon?

Will anyone but one of the Williams win the ladies singles title?

Which Williams sister is hotter?

Roger is now on and this Falla guy is giving him a good game. 5-5 with 2 break points as I type. An upset looming in the first round already? I don't think so.

Hate Federer, come on Roddick or Nadal. Another Question: Is Andy Murray Scottish or English or British? (We had this discussion on Aptochat last night.)

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Hate Federer, come on Roddick or Nadal. Another Question: Is Andy Murray Scottish or English or British? (We had this discussion on Aptochat last night.)

He is Scottish, but because he is half decent at tennis we class him as British.

Is Federer going out in the first round? :
2 sets down now.

Marc Meakin wrote:Is Federer going out in the first round? :

This is brilliant stuff. If he goes 2 sets down here then it is a massive task to win the match. It still wouldn't surprise me if Federer did win it 3-2. However if Fed gets this set I'm sure he will run out comfortable winner. It seems strange watching Federer getting beat at Wimbledon!

Epic stuff - I hope this is a sign of things to come!

2 sets to 1. Roger's back in this.

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Epic stuff - I hope this is a sign of things to come!

Me too! It's frickin' awesome!

Martin Bishop wrote:2 sets to 1. Roger's back in this.

Yeah. Falla must be feeling it after having 4 break points at 4-4.

Federer / Falla is a stunning game.
Falla is playing out of his skin.

It's been a bit of a depressing day so far. First my favourite British womens player, Elena Baltacha, loses from a winning position, then I turn over and find Federer losing. By the time I've stopped being upset by Baltacha's loss, I'm feeling sorry for Falla.

Will Murray win Wimbledon?
I don't think Murray's game is as suited to grass as it is to hard courts. The US and Australian Opens are his best chances to get a grand slam at the moment.

Will anyone but one of the Williams win the ladies singles title?
Justine Henin. She plays well on grass and has stated that winning Wimbledon - the only grand slam to elude her - is her main motivation for coming out of retirement. Kim Clijsters is also back, but she's never liked the green stuff much.

I was also very impressed by Maria Sharapova at the French Open. If she can carry over her form from her worst surface to perhaps her best, then she could surprise a few. She's in the same part of the draw as Serena, so that could be interesting in the last sixteen.

It's a shame that there aren't any young up-and-coming players in my list of potential winners. However, I'm going to give you a name for a possible surprise package. Yaroslava Shvedova. She won't win, but if she reaches the quarters I'll look like a genius.

Which Williams sister is hotter?
Serena.

Another Brit bites the dust I thought Robson played well though, if only she could have taken that 2nd set tie breaker then it would have made Jankovic think. However still good performance from the young lass as was never expected to win that so fair play to her.

Ryan Taylor wrote:Another Brit bites the dust I thought Robson played well though, if only she could have taken that 2nd set tie breaker then it would have made Jankovic think. However still good performance from the young lass as was never expected to win that so fair play to her.

I was so so impressed by Robson. Her serve seems light years better than when I saw her play at the start of the year. 13 aces is amazing. She also managed to hit a lot of winners, while never looking like she was playing outside of her comfort zone. She doesn't play like a Williams (either one) or Sharapova, who always seem to be pushing at the limits of their physical capabilities.

I should really start betting money on tennis matches. I told my mum this morning that Schiavone would lose in the first round.

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Hate Federer, come on Roddick or Nadal. Another Question: Is Andy Murray Scottish or English or British? (We had this discussion on Aptochat last night.)

He is Scottish, but because he is half decent at tennis we class him as British.

Rubbish! He's Scottish and nothing else. At least not since he wore that Paraguay shirt. By doing that he forfeited the support of the biggest country within Britain. And he still behaves like a spoilt teenager!

P.S. I will normally happily support anyone British (Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or English). This is just a personal thing against Murray.

Karen Pearson wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Eoin Monaghan wrote:Hate Federer, come on Roddick or Nadal. Another Question: Is Andy Murray Scottish or English or British? (We had this discussion on Aptochat last night.)

He is Scottish, but because he is half decent at tennis we class him as British.

Rubbish! He's Scottish and nothing else. At least not since he wore that Paraguay shirt. By doing that he forfeited the support of the biggest country within Britain. And he still behaves like a spoilt teenager!

P.S. I will normally happily support anyone British (Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or English). This is just a personal thing against Murray.

I'm an English Murray fan. Murray never wore a Paraguay shirt, and even if he did, I'd still like him. And I like his on-court passion.

Jon O'Neill wrote:I'm an English Murray fan. Murray never wore a Paraguay shirt, and even if he did, I'd still like him. And I like his on-court passion.

I love his passion for the game. The only thing that winds me up about Murray is his continual whinging about an injury. If he is playing bad he will make it known to the audience that he is injured or something. I haven't seen him doing this recently. I also started following him on Twitter which is cool.

Jon O'Neill wrote:

Karen Pearson wrote:

Ryan Taylor wrote: He is Scottish, but because he is half decent at tennis we class him as British.

Rubbish! He's Scottish and nothing else. At least not since he wore that Paraguay shirt. By doing that he forfeited the support of the biggest country within Britain. And he still behaves like a spoilt teenager!

P.S. I will normally happily support anyone British (Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish or English). This is just a personal thing against Murray.

I'm an English Murray fan. Murray never wore a Paraguay shirt, and even if he did, I'd still like him. And I like his on-court passion.

The interview where he said he'd be cheering on England's opponents was a joint one with Tim Henman. Murray arrived late to find Henman and the English journo talking about the world cup and they asked him what he thought of Scotland's chances (who hadn't qualified). It was all part of friendly banter but its taken on a life of its own and now seems to involve phantom football kits.

aaaand another Brit loses. This is disastrous. Keothavong leading 4-0 in the final set and then just implodes and loses 6 games on the bounce. What is wrong with a British person's mentality?

Ryan Taylor wrote:

Jon O'Neill wrote:I'm an English Murray fan. Murray never wore a Paraguay shirt, and even if he did, I'd still like him. And I like his on-court passion.

I love his passion for the game. The only thing that winds me up about Murray is his continual whinging about an injury. If he is playing bad he will make it known to the audience that he is injured or something. I haven't seen him doing this recently. I also started following him on Twitter which is cool.

I grew up in a time when we had NO-ONE - when Henman came along it was like a godsend, so as far as I'm concerned he can be as miserable as he wants as long as he wins.

Match on BBC2 right now is 33-33 games all in the fifth set, been on court for almost 7 hours, awesome

james doohan wrote:Match on BBC2 right now is 33-33 games all in the fifth set, been on court for almost 7 hours, awesome

37 all now, unbelievable.

Now officially the longest match ever.
A pity there must be a loser.

I just looked and it was 40-40, I assumed it was Deuce - doh!

This game is ridiculous! 46-45 as I type and I now have to go out, it's so unfair!! The standard is incredibly good too considering they've been playing for so long. Unreal!

James Robinson wrote:50-50

Bloody Mahut whinging about the light. Oh well, 59-59 when they come back tomorrow lunchtime, I wonder who'll actually be able to serve overarm by then...

Presumably with having to come back tomorrow, the winner will get the rest of the day off and not have to play the second round till Friday? Assuming they finish tomorrow, that is?

David Roe wrote:Presumably with having to come back tomorrow, the winner will get the rest of the day off and not have to play the second round till Friday? Assuming they finish tomorrow, that is?

Probably not, because the second round games have to be done by tomorrow, unless there's an exceptional circumstance such as rain.

You know that Ethiopian tribe who hunt by running after an antelope for miles and miles for days at a time, until the animal finally keels over from exhaustion? I think Mahut's related to them somehow.

Ian Volante wrote:Bloody Mahut whinging about the light. Oh well, 59-59 when they come back tomorrow lunchtime, I wonder who'll actually be able to serve overarm by then...

I would have thought it was in Mahuts favour to continue. When I first started watching (at about 35-35), Isner was 20 aces ahead of Mahut. The gap now is 4.

The lengths people will go to in order to play in front of the queen.

James Robinson wrote:

David Roe wrote:Presumably with having to come back tomorrow, the winner will get the rest of the day off and not have to play the second round till Friday? Assuming they finish tomorrow, that is?

Probably not, because the second round games have to be done by tomorrow, unless there's an exceptional circumstance such as rain.

I'm shocked that you think the world's longest tennis game ever is not a particularly exceptional circumstance!

Last I heard they were going to be back on court "not before 6" so that suggests the Wimbledon organisers disagree with you about the exceptionalness of the circumstance, James. Also was a rumour that if the match finished within half an hour then they would play the 2nd round match straight away but that could have just been rumour. Also, one of them (Mahut I think) has a men's doubles scheduled for today.

They're third match on Court 18, but not before 3.30. Which seems a bit chancy really, they may not have time to finish. I'd suggest they play "last one left standing", but even when standing was all that Isner could do, Mahut still couldn't win.

David Roe wrote:They're third match on Court 18, but not before 3.30. Which seems a bit chancy really, they may not have time to finish. I'd suggest they play "last one left standing", but even when standing was all that Isner could do, Mahut still couldn't win.

I did like the idea of them taking them onto Centre Court last night and just making them play until one of them collapsed. Now that would be entertaining.

David Roe wrote:They're third match on Court 18, but not before 3.30. Which seems a bit chancy really, they may not have time to finish. I'd suggest they play "last one left standing", but even when standing was all that Isner could do, Mahut still couldn't win.

It's now in their mutual interests to keep the match going long enough that their second round match can't start today as well.

Matt Morrison wrote:I'm shocked that you think the world's longest tennis game ever is not a particularly exceptional circumstance!

Last I heard they were going to be back on court "not before 6" so that suggests the Wimbledon organisers disagree with you about the exceptionalness of the circumstance, James.

When I meant "exceptional circumstance", I was meaning on the lines of heavy rain 3 days straight or something similar.

Clearly being the longest game ever is "exceptional", just not the sort of "exceptional" within the Wimbledon rules.

Marc Meakin wrote:The lengths people will go to in order to play in front of the queen.

Ha!

Is Wimbledon the only tennis tournament that doesn't have a 5th set tie break?

Marc Meakin wrote:Is Wimbledon the only tennis tournament that doesn't have a 5th set tie break?

I believe the US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that does have a fifth-set tie-break, introduced in the last few years. Most tournaments don't play to five sets anyway.

James Robinson wrote:Clearly being the longest game ever is "exceptional", just not the sort of "exceptional" within the Wimbledon rules.

[citation needed]? Surely the point of a term like 'exceptional' is that it lets the organisers use their discretion as to what that means, or does the Wimbledon rulebook (which I can't find) actually specify what is or isn't exceptional?

Ian Volante wrote:

Marc Meakin wrote:Is Wimbledon the only tennis tournament that doesn't have a 5th set tie break?

I believe the US Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that does have a fifth-set tie-break.

This is what I thought too. Haven't bothered to look it up though but pretty sure that's the case.

61-60 its still on
I predict Mahut 71-69.

John Isner loses 6-0 6-3 6-2 to Dutchman Thiemo de Bakker.
Could have tried harder, you lazy get.

C'mon Murray, don't choke go for broke.

The ninth game of the third set where Murray got his break was absolutely brilliant,

Bye bye Venus.

Marc Meakin wrote:Bye bye Venus.

I didn't know there was an eclipse.

Mens Semi-final predictions

Novak Djokovic in 5 sets.

Andy Murray in 4 sets.

Marc Meakin wrote:Mens Semi-final predictions

Novak Djokovic in 5 sets.

Andy Murray in 4 sets.

That's these predictions out the window then.

Murray wasted a huge chance in that tie break by not getting a first serve in. Oh well. Set 2 statistics were dominated by Murray and he still lost it. Can't see him pulling this one back although he has just broke serve in the first game so who knows. Good stuff!

I am pleased Tomas Berdych won his semi-final (although I am also a fan of Djokovic.)
Berdych has been great to watch at this Wimbledon.
I hope he wins the championship.

Ralph Gillions wrote:I am pleased Tomas Berdych won his semi-final (although I am also a fan of Djokovic.)
Berdych has been great to watch at this Wimbledon.
I hope he wins the championship.

Agreed. As awesome as Nadal is, I'm just not a fan of his.