The Championships, Wimbledon II

[SirBloody Idiot]

Nah look a Colombian winning on grass? That's less realistic than people writing insightful responses to computer-generated tennis results.

This is the last week. I better make the most of it.

 

[Jarquis]

Hell yeah Highsmith!

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Singles
GRAND SLAM - Monday (Fourth Round) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• Sixteenth seed Jojo Mustard has suffered one of the most disappointing losses of his season after being bundled out in a humiliating straight sets loss to József Boros. The Hungarian sixth seed was in decent enough form coming into the match, but few expected him to have it quite so easy as Mustard showed little fight or interest in his quick defeat. The rot set in at 2-2 in the first as Mustard double faulted twice in a row to hand the Hungarian an early break. From there, Boros racked up sixteen of the next nineteen games as a frustrated Mustard effectively threw in the towel. For the second year running, Boros wins through to a quarter final after a 6-3, 6-1, 6-1 win.

• He will play 23rd seed Heath Davis who continued his streak of straight set wins against Tom Vollan. The Norwegian giant killer's run came to an abrupt end as Davis, another big man, was firing. In perhaps his best win of the week, the big West CWLander bolted out of the gates and then proceeded to keep his quality tennis up even in the face of renewed opposition from Vollan. The Norwegian had a break lead in the second set, and also a set point in the third; but he failed to take advantage of either and was sent packing 2-6, 4-6, 5-7. Davis' win sets up a quarterfinal showdown with Boros; the first in his Grand Slam career.

• Also into the quarter finals is eighth seed Jefferson Drake after the East CWLander accounted for unseeded Spaniard Javier Villaneuva. A runner up at Queens, Drake's form in the first week of Wimbledon was solid but here he started sluggishly as he was broken in the first game. Despite that, he quickly got himself into the match and avoided a typical first set collapse as he created numerous chances on the Spaniard's serve to take the first set 7-5. Villaneuva, who had looked so explosive in his three other matches, clearly struggled with Drake's power and top spin as he was forced behind the baseline and was not able to adapt well enough. Drake was clinical on serve, and rounded out a dominant victory 7-5, 6-2, 6-3. He now meets World No. 3 Radek Špidlá who continued his magnificent run by accounting for unseeded Frenchman Christopher Durand 7-5, 6-4, 7-5.

• Fifth seed Sven Oxenstierna made it three from four with a straight sets win over Diego Hurtado. In easily his best performance of the tournament so far, Oxenstierna turned up the heat on the Colombian 15th seed as he sent him packing with a fine performance. Securing early breaks in the first two sets, Oxenstierna did just enough to keep the Colombian clear as he looked composed with accurate serving. There were some jitters in the third, but Oxenstierna managed to come from a break down twice to kill off the Colombian's spirited charge 6-4, 6-3, 7-6(1). Oddly enough, he has a massive opportunity to make the semi finals as he faces second seed Daniel Páez Blanco. The Spaniard came from a set down to end Rick Henson's run 6-4, 6-7(4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in one of the best matches of the day.

• By far the biggest upset of the day, though, was the shock exit of defending champion Darcy Cowan. Blowing the tournament open in the process, tenth seed Dwayne Murdoch routined the American ace in a crushing victory as the tournament favourite was sent packing in a humiliating 1-6, 4-6, 2-6 loss. Murdoch's win sets up an intriguing quarterfinal meeting with Davis Kennedy after the Canadian beat Morgan Carter 7-6(0), 5-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Morgan Carter;
  
  Darcy Cowan;
  
  Rick Henson;
  
  Diego Hurtado;
  
  Jojo Mustard.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Not good enough from Vollan & Mustard.

Drake-Shpidla is the match-up from hell.

(while Ox-Páez is the match-up of bulls. Moo.)

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

I'm scared

 

[Mister Wright]

Poo to be out, but congrats to doubles partner Davis who is playing awesome at the moment. Would love to see him lift both singles and doubles trophies. Unfortunate way to go out in what could possibly be Mustard's last singles match.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Gutted for Mustardo, and the tests really start here. I've had a pretty damn easy route to the quarters - can I lift my game up another couple of notches for Boros?

Hopefully a couple CWLanders can make it to the semis... Preferably all 3 remaining!

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Doubles
GRAND SLAM - Tuesday (Third Round) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• Unseeded Easterners Spas Delev and Jefferson Drake were unable to survive an epic five-set affair with seventh seeds Tal Cohen and Raz Teper as they fell 3-6 in the fifth. In just their second tournament together, the two played fine tennis against a Grand Slam finalist pairing, and after claiming the fourth set 7-5 they looked in a fine spot. But the cohesive Israeli pairing worked well together; and having taken the third set 6-2 recaptured that form in the fifth to break twice early. There was a late fightback from the Easterners, but it wasn't enough as Cohen and Teper moved into the quarters against Hugh James and Ralph Robinson 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

• Eighth seeds Rob Bowenburg and Jarkko Maxum had a decidedly easier time as they tore through Carlo Amato and Roel Hervelle. After a couple of difficult matches last week, the Trans-CWLand team started like a bolt as they claimed the first set 6-0. Amato and Hervelle had been involved in five-set affairs in both of their matches at Wimbledon, but were unable to get a run on against Bowenburg and Maxum who combined brilliantly. After The Lob sealed the second set with a smash at the net, Amato and Hervelle stuck close in the third at 3-3. But they were blown away from there; the eighth seeds through 6-0, 6-4, 6-3.

• For the second time in as many Grand Slams, they will meet Heath Davis and Jojo Mustard after the top seeds beat thirteenth seeds Gai Kai and Lu Xun. After two absolute walkovers in their first two matches, Davis and Mustard had a much harder task against the Chinese duo who, after dropping the first set after having three set points, took the second 6-4. After that, though, it was more of the same for the top seeds as they continually broke the Asian duo and ran away with the match 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. The last time the top seeds met Bowenburg and Maxum was in the semis at Roland Garros; winning in three sets.

• In worse news, the brave run of Marcuss Deane and Oscar Highsmith came to an abrupt end as they were smashed by Andrej Konc and Evgeny Maximov. The wildcard duo hadn't dropped a set all tournament, but were blown away by the fifth seeds who moved into the quarter finals for the second Grand Slam running 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. They play third seeds Hayden Onwye and Ross Onwye.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Ivars Emsis &
  
  Alexey Yarkin;
  
  Gai Kai &
  
  Lu Xun;
  
  János Varga &
  
  Zoltán Varga.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Singles
GRAND SLAM - Wednesday (Quarterfinals) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• After what has been one of the least entertaining draws in Grand Slams, third seed Radek Špidlá and eighth seed Jefferson Drake have completed what was by far the match of the tournament. Two of the most imposing grass courters left in the draw, it was little surprise that the match was a tight one as last year's finalist Špidlá started early in racking up the aces to frustrate Drake. But Drake was also fantastic on serve, and at 5-5 guessed right three times to set up two break points. He converted the one he needed, and exposed Špidlá's return game with some fantastic serve and volley to take the set 7-5. The match continued along the same lines as clutch serving from both players removed them from tricky situations. While both held nearly every time they served, there were few easy games for either player as both had more than their share of break point chances. But it was Špidlá's clear advantage on serve that served him well in the tiebreakers as the big man managed to claim the second set 7-0 in the breaker and then the third 7-3 to set up a set advantage.

If the Czech star thought he was on the cusp of victory he was wrong as the World No. 8 earned just his second break of the match immediately in the fourth set. From there he played a stunning set of tennis as Špidlá almost resigned himself to a deciding fifth. Dropping it 1-6, a fool would have written the Season I finalist off as he came back more determined than ever and stuck close to the eighth seed. Serving second, Drake earned his third break of the match as late as 8-8, but when given the chance to serve out the match the Czech star earned his first break of the match. But that was it for Špidlá who could not muster another break point as Drake served the match out with a great backhand down the line 7-5, 6-7(0), 6-7(3), 6-1, 12-10 to advance to a maiden Grand Slam semi final.
​

• There he will meet World No. 2 Daniel Páez Blanco who moved a step closer to his first grass court final with a dominant win over Sven Oxenstierna. In a rematch of their Season I French Open final, many expected Oxenstierna to get the better of the Spaniard who has never really looked all that flash on grass. Unfortunately for The Ox, though, it was not to be as he met a grizzly end at the racquet of the Spaniard in straight sets. In a pretty drab affair, both players camped themselves on the baseline and it was Blanco who was clearly the more comfortably despite the foreign surface. Oxenstierna held a double break lead in the second set, but fluffed it completely and went down in the tiebreaker 1-7. The confidence and versatility he showed in his fourth round match disappeared against Blanco's top spin as he put up the white flag in the third in a 2-6, 6-7(1), 0-6 defeat.

• The first semi final will ensure at least one player will make their Grand Slam final debut after Heath Davis booked a showdown with tenth seed Dwayne Murdoch. The 23rd seed snared the biggest win of his career against World No. 5 József Boros as he came from a set down to send the Hungarian packing in four sets. In a tight first set, Davis missed a golden chance to take an early lead after letting a 5-1 lead inexplicably slip; dropping the set in a tiebreaker 7-4. Despite dropping his first set for the tournament, he improved quickly and offered more power and variety than Boros who relied heavily on the slice and unforced errors from Davis. After taking the next two, Davis met a Hungarian who was happy to mix it up a bit more with some aggression. But after saving two break points at 3-3, he then took what would be a decisive break of serve to charge into the semi finals 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. There he will play tenth seed Murdoch after the American ousted Davis Kennedy the 21st seed 7-6(1), 6-4, 7-6(3).

• Seeded players out:
  
  József Boros;
  
  Davis Kennedy;
  
  Sven Oxenstierna;
  
  Radek Špidlá.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

This is how the seeds have fared so far:

Seed   Rk    Player        ESP    I    II        F         W         NEW
                           Points WIM  WIM                           Points
   1     1   Hall            10295  900        45                          9440
   2     2   Blanco           9660   70       720     11510     12310     10310
   3     3   Spidla           7695 1400       360                          6655
   4     7   Cowan            4975 2000       180                          3155
   5     4   Oxenstierna      5990  300       360                          6050
   6     5   Boros            5575  500       360                          5435
   7     6   Olesen           5095  150        45                          4990
   8     8   Drake            4670  300       720      6290      7090      5090
   9    12   Varga Z          3380  900        90                          2570
  10    10   Murdoch          3630  500       720      5050      5850      3850
  11    16   Micic            2890  150        45                          2785
  12    13   Henson R         3195   70       180                          3305
  13    19   Pascaul          2685  300        90                          2475
  14    15   Brdar            2890  150        45                          2785
  15    14   Hurtado          2915   70       180                          3025
  16    18   Mustard          2770  150       180                          2800
  17    22   Charles          2345  300        90                          2135
  18    24   Amato            2235  300        10                          1945
  19    20   Stewart          2465   10        90                          2545
  20    21   Zhijun           2440   10        90                          2520
  21    25   Kennedy          2030   70       360                          2320
  22    29   Benaglio         1740   70        10                          1680
  23    26   Davis            1975   70       720      3825      4625      2625
  24    35   Vollan K         1395  500        10                           905
  25    27   Carter           1825  150       180                          1855
  26    30   Emelio           1565  300        10                          1275
  27    34   Champion         1399  300        90                          1189
  28    31   Cohen            1526   10        90                          1606
  29    37   Haas             1360  150        10                          1220
  30    33   Orlov            1420   10        45                          1455
  31    36   Maxum            1365  100        90                          1355
  32    32   Joaquin          1430   10        45                          1465

         9   Altman           4290  300         0                          3990
        11   Daneu            3480  150         0                          3330
        17   Smeltz           2795  150         0                          2645
        23   Moreno J         2305  500         0                          1805
        28   Bachunelli A     1790  150         0                          1640

This is what the new rankings would look like if everyone was to achieve the same points (first number in brackets is if active player makes the final; second is if they win). It is also worth bearing in mind this is only for the top 37 before the week - some will probably drop out (i.e. Vollan) and others will come in.

LW	NEW	Player	NEW      
			Points
2	1	Blanco	10310 (11510) (12310)
1	2	Hall	9440
3	3	Spidla	6655
4	4	Oxenstierna	6050
5	5	Boros	5435
8	6	Drake	5090 (6290) (7090)
6	7	Olesen	4990
9	8	Altman	3990
10	9	Murdoch	3850 (5050) (5850)
11	10	Daneu	3330
13	11	Henson R	3305
7	12	Cowan	3155
14	13	Hurtado	3025
18	14	Mustard	2800
16	15	Micic	2785
15	16	Brdar	2785
17	17	Smeltz	2645
26	18	Davis	2625 (3825) (4625)
12	19	Varga Z	2570
20	20	Stewart	2545
21	21	Zhijun	2520
19	22	Pascaul	2475
25	23	Kennedy	2320
22	24	Charles	2135
24	25	Amato	1945
27	26	Carter	1855
23	27	Moreno J	1805
29	28	Benaglio	1680
28	29	Bachunelli A	1640
31	30	Cohen	1606
32	31	Joaquin	1465
33	32	Orlov	1455
36	33	Maxum	1355
30	34	Emelio	1275
37	35	Haas	1220
34	36	Champion	1189
35	37	Vollan K	905

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Fantastic. The best win I've had in Singles in this thing. Massive moves up the rankings for the next tournament.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Come onnnn. What a match.

Blanco is the acid test though. Would love a Drake-Davis final .

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Doubles
GRAND SLAM - Thursday (Quarterfinals) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• Heath Davis will now have more time to focus on his singles assault after he and fellow top seed Jojo Mustard were beaten in the quarter finals of the doubles draw by compatriots Rob Bowenburg and Jarkko Maxum. In a re-match of their semi final meeting at Roland Garros, it looked as if The Lob and Maxum would fall victim to the same result as, after winning the first set in a tiebreaker, they were monstered in the second 1-6. The world's best doubles pairing looked set for yet another Grand Slam semi final as the Bowenburg serve was broken late in the third; the two-time Grand Slam champions taking full advantage as Davis served out the set 6-4. But, faced with the prospect of another loss to their more credentialed rivals, The Lob and Maxum rallied to string four games together to open up a 4-0 lead. There was a small twist as Davis played a stinging smash right at the body of Maxum to break back for 2-4, but they could not avoid a fifth set as Maxum closed it out with a great ace out wide. With it all on the line, many in the crowd expected a cracking fifth set - but they didn't get it. The eighth seeds opened up another 4-0 lead and this time did not let their foot off the gas as they secured the final set to love to advance to a second straight semi final 7-6(4), 1-6, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to end Davis' arduous quest for a rare Slam double. They will now play defending champions Sandro Bachunelli and Hicham Hadir in tomorrow's semi finals after they ousted sixth seeded Brazilian duo Carlos Machado and Denis Rodrigues 6-2, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

• In the other semi final, the two underdogs in their quarters will do battle after Andrej Konc and Evgeny Maximov, and Tal Cohen and Raz Teper upset higher seeded opponents. Konc and Maximov defeated Season I runners up Hayden Onwye and Ross Onwye 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, while second seeds Hugh James and Ralph Robinson were beaten by the Israeli seventh seeds 4-6, 2-6, 5-7.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Heath Davis &
  
  Jojo Mustard;
  
  Hugh James &
  
  Ralph Robinson;
  
  Carlos Machado &
  
  Dênis Rodrígues;
  
  Hayden Onwye &
  
  Ross Onwye.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Uwe Fuchs.

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Doubles
GRAND SLAM - Friday (Semifinals) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• After picking up the biggest win of their doubles careers yesterday, eighth seeds Rob Bowenburg and Jarkko Maxum were feeling confident about making their maiden Grand Slam final as they faced fourth seeds Sandro Bachunelli and Hicham Hadir. Despite that confidence, the defending champions, 10-0 at Wimbledon, could not be discounted and they quickly set about opening an early lead. In a tight first set, the CWLanders came from a break down to draw level at 4-4 before Maxum double faulted to effectively hand the defending champs the first set 6-4. Dropping the first set for the first time this tournament, Bowenburg and Maxum found their feet quickly in the second and set about picking off the vulnerable fourth seeds with some effective tennis. After slumping to 0-4, the Italian-Moroccan pairing effectively tanked to allow the eighth seeds to hand out their fourth bagel of the tournament. In a renewed effort, Bachunelli and Hadir played far more convincing tennis in a back-and-forth third set as no fewer than four service breaks forced it to a tiebreaker. There they dealt out a bagel of their own - 7-0 - to move to the cusp of a second final. In a repeat effort of the second set, Maxum and Bowenburg shot out to a 3-0 lead but this time they were reeled in by the fourth seeds who managed to edge ahead 4-3. With the set looking destined for another tiebreaker, Maxum was again shocked on serve as Bachunelli hit a crisp return winner to bring up match point. Needing a first serve, Maxum got it in but Bowenburg missed a relatively easy volley to hand the match to the defending champions 6-4, 0-6, 7-6(0), 7-5.

• In Sunday's final, Bachunelli and Hadir look to defend their crown against now two-time Grand Slam finalists Tal Cohen and Raz Teper after the Israelis beat fifth seeds Andrej Konc and Evgeny Maximov 6-4, 7-6(2), 5-7, 7-6(1).

• Seeded players out:
  
  Rob Bowenburg &
  
  Jarkko Maxum;
  
  Andrej Konc &
  
  Evgeny Maximov.

 

[ripper868]

Stoked to get one over Davis and Mustard...gutted to lose in such fashion to follow up though.

Still, a semi at Wimbledon is nothing to be sneezed at. Carn the Lob!

 

[SirBloody Idiot]

The Championships, Wimbledon II - Gentlemen's Singles
GRAND SLAM - Friday (1st Semifinal) - Wimbledon,

United Kingdom - Grass

• This Sunday, 23rd seed Heath Davis will compete in his first Grand Slam final after picking up undoubtedly the biggest and best win of his career against American Dwayne Murdoch. Coming out of what shaped up as a truly brutal part of the draw, Davis benefited from upsets and is just a win away from cashing in in the best way possible. For the second match running, Davis dropped the first set as Murdoch broke in his third service game and held on with comfort. The American tenth seed, despite Davis' results, was a 3/1 favourite with the bookies after coming through his last two matches in straight sets. Despite being overwhelmingly expected to make the final, he was roundly thrashed in a one-sided second set as Davis threw his weight around to take the set 6-1. The third set was, at the start, closer with both players level at 3-3. But in a dramatic turn, the 23rd seed overwhelmed Murdoch with some gutsy shots to take twelve of the next thirteen points and move a set ahead. Murdoch got a break he needed early in the fourth, but, at 5-4, failed to serve out the set and paid the price as Davis stayed alive. In that tiebreaker, Heef shot ahead to what looked to be an unassailable 5-0 and then a 6-2 lead. With four match points, he failed to convert the first three including one that was challenged by Murdoch. But with the pressure mounting, he calmly slotted home a forehand after running Murdoch around to secure passage into the final of The Championships 4-6, 6-1, 6-3, 7-6(5). Even with a loss on Sunday, Davis' world ranking will rise to No. 11 and could rise to No. 9.

• Seeded players out:
  
  Dwayne Murdoch.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Epic. Actually beaten some good players to get this far too; if not the World's Best. Rooting... for Drake in the other semi.

 

[dontcloseyoureyes]

Blanco will kill me, like he always does.

 

[ripper868]

Well in Heef