2021 Wimbledon Championships...ATP 2000...London, England

[stroke]

So I switch on the TV and who do I get straight in my ear? Martina Navratilova. That's one horrible voice in your ear for an entire afternoon, plus she talks nonsense and is incredibly big-headed. I shall have to find some other coverage...

As bad as she is, I still prefer her to you know who. ESPN has the "harsh, in need of sensibility training" Johnny Mac and Patrick, who I think has graduated from sensitivity training, and as far as I can tell, may not be a racist.

[stotty]

Novak goes two sets and a break up in an extremely boring game. Novak seems to be playing as cautiously as he possible can. God know why.

I was really hoping Shapovalov might come through in his match but he is currently 2 sets to 1 down. I might have to switch over and watch despite having to suffer Navratilova's high-pitched vocal cords. Shapovalov needs my support.

[stotty]

It worked. I switched over and got right behind Shapovalov and he won the fourth set in no time. 2 sets all...he should take it from here.

[stroke]

Novak looked to be in the left lane with not much traffic the whole match. He certainly did not need his best stuff. Heck, it could almost be called a 3 set rope-a-dope.

[stroke]

Where we all need to keep our feet on the grounds is in the facts. Everyone is hoping Roger is going to somehow going to pick his way through to the final, and why not. It's great to witness great feats during one's own lifetime, and it would surely be a great feat to to lift the trophy just shy of one's 40th birthday party.

But the facts are Roger has only won 4 slams in the last 10 years...and two of those were when 'you know who' wasn't present. Rafa's decade has't been too stellar either. Outside of the FO, Rafa has only won two other slams in the last decade...and one of those was when you know who wasn't present.

For Roger to lift the trophy, we need 'you know who' to slip up and for Roger to hold his nerve if he gets there. The only reason I feel it may be possible even in the light of the facts is that Roger is a genius, a true genius. An a genius can produce things no one expects and against the odds.

I am obviously more surprised than you.

[stroke]

Matteo and FAA have split sets and looks like a toss up. Matteo has a huge serve and forehand clearly, but he is so dependent once a rally starts to go for it on his forehand to get the point initiative or hit a winner. And of course he always has to work so hard trying to run around to hit forehands. Not ideal.

[stotty]

I get home from work to find Roger slumped to a 3-0 defeat. The last set was a bagel. Now that's not possible when you have a serve like Roger so I am assuming he was injured in some way. Can anyone shed any light?

[don_budge]

“Out, Out brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing”

Macbeth

Yep...you certainly have to know when to take a powder. To be or not to be...that was an existential question. A tale told by an idiot...full of sound and fury. Words fit for a stage as grand as Wimbledon and a player as regal as Roger Federer. Well played doctorhl.

[stroke]

I get home from work to find Roger slumped to a 3-0 defeat. The last set was a bagel. Now that's not possible when you have a serve like Roger so I am assuming he was injured in some way. Can anyone shed any light?

Hubert played and served very well first of all. Hubert won the 1st set with a break. 2nd set went to tiebreaker, and Roger did not play well in the tiebreaker. 3rd set, Hubert, full of confidence, simply dominated all aspects. His returns looked like Novak. And clearly Roger was not moving well. He could have just been sore from the tournament. It did not appear to be any injury.

[arturohernandez]

Hubert played and served very well first of all. Hubert won the 1st set with a break. 2nd set went to tiebreaker, and Roger did not play well in the tiebreaker. 3rd set, Hubert, full of confidence, simply dominated all aspects. His returns looked like Novak. And clearly Roger was not moving well. He could have just been sore from the tournament. It did not appear to be any injury.

I saw Federer step funny on one point and kind of right himself as if the knee hurt or was not as strong as it used to be. My daughter was watching and seems to think he just doesn't have the firepower he used to have.

[stotty]

Well it's rather an unusual last four line up in the men's...three newcomers. I think I will take Shapovalov as the best to watch but he certainly has his work cut out in the next round. Still, if employs his serve well and throws caution to the wind he might up doing pretty well.

[glacierguy]

Reflecting on Roger's loss this morning and one thought which occurred was 'we should give thanks to John Yandell for preserving Federer's most beautiful, perfect strokes here on TennisPlayer." So, thanks!

[johnyandell]

Thank you. And I still have hope for Roger! What if he won that second set? Go Shapo.

[arturohernandez]

Thank you. And I still have hope for Roger! What if he won that second set? Go Shapo.

Based on Pagnini's assessment I think that he is not quite ready physically. He really had to rebuild his body according to his trainer.

We will see if he can bring his level up even farther than it is now. Otherwise, we really have a textbook for the 21st Century all recorded in its utter beauty on Tennisplayer.

[stroke]

New York Post : Boris Becker 'crossed the line' with comments about Marton Fucsovics fianc?e.

https://nypost.com/2021/07/07/boris-becker-blasted-as-sexist-for-players-fiancee-comments/

Cancel Culture on the hunt. At least the BBC dealt with it for what it is.