WIMBLEDON 2012

lol Ernie, he's so losing in the next round...(beat)...as usual. Great tennis in the third TB though, especially after the MPs fiasco earlier.

Fuck yeah Isner losing

Isner still hasn't gotten past the second round here lol

I look at American men's tennis these days and it's like... the most consistent, predictable performer we have is Michael Russell

also, lol: http://espn.go.com/tennis/blog/_/name/espntennis/id/8094132/wimbledon-why-do-pay-attention-donald-young

This really is the perfect match-up for Watson to showcase her skillz to Centre Court. A sulky grass-hater who has never been known for her fighting spirit.

After Youzhny hit behind him for a winner, Young yelled out, "Every time I get here, I play like a punk!"

I remember this moment, it was pretty special. But the US media has always seemed very confused when it comes to assessing their players' talent compared to that of foreign players. Even in this article:

For me, Youzhny was the perfect player for the one-time prodigy

...whut. Youzhny isn't Federer but he's no 50-100 scrub, he's been ranked top 30 for most of his career, he was once the hot young thing, he is WAY WAY WAY WAY more talented than Young. He's won a title this year and is coming off a SF showing in Halle. Young's highest ranking is 38, which is about where Youzhny's been ranked in his worst career periods. There's just no reason why you'd expect even a non-slumping Young to beat Youzhny at any point and that is where the inflated expectations can do so much damage.

It's a crutch you see often, people making out that when it comes to Player X or Underachiever Y, it's all in their head. Gasquet is similar too. No, it's just not the case that if you sorted your head out you'd suddenly win Slams. You're just not as good as you think you are.

iveta benesova ‏@IvetaBenesova
F WORD GRASS!!!!!!!!

lololololol Iveta

she is actually a Wimbledon mixed doubles champ

worst thing about Gulbis never living up to even middling expectations is the years of excellent quotage lost:

Q. Is there anything you enjoy more than playing tennis?

ERNESTS GULBIS: “Yeah, a lot of stuff.”

Q. Like what? Give me some examples.

ERNESTS GULBIS: “What do you mean, enjoy most in life?”

Q. Without being really, really like polite, what is the biggest thing which you enjoy in life? Music? Verdasco says it’s food.

ERNESTS GULBIS: “Okay, Verdasco, it’s his hairstyle it looks like he enjoys the most. Put gel in his hair. Me, I will keep it a secret what I enjoy. Think about it. I think you all know.”

haha i think we do indeed

I've seen this bit happen in so many Schiavone matches where she's outgunned at first, then the more powerful opponent wavers just slightly and bang, Fran suddenly gets inspired and fights her way back into it.

Petra, Petra, Petra, WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU EVEN DOING.

Amanmuradova leads Kvitova 3-1 and it was very nearly 4-0. Petra looks a touch frozen :/

That was a pretty damn sweet drop-shot.

Hit to her backhand, Petra, you ninny!

Great stuff at the end of the Fran/Robson match. Dunno why people were talking up Laura's chances, that was entirely the wrong sort of match-up for her...

Robson is still so so over-predicted.

In anticipation of this year's Wimby, I borrowed Top Spin 4, and was amused that Robson was on the roster. Along with Villiams ("huge serve"), Ivanovic ("huge forehand") and a few others, and her skill is apparently "tactical play", i.e. "doesn't have any particularly good skills and moves like a fucking slug, but we have to have an English player somewhere". What's her career high ranking?

She's at her career high ranking now - 97. In her defence that's way way way way ahead of anyone else her age or younger.

Robson actually does have huge groundstrokes and a huge serve, she's just horrible at moving and doesn't have the fighting spirit of, say, Watson.

Goffin vs Tomic is my kind of match, especially given that Goffin is winning :)

Goffin a) is cute, and b) has a name that is fun to say.

A boon for headline writers everywhere

Godfin

That point!

Goffin and Baker both made the French Open more exciting, glad they're keeping this up at Wimbledon

Goffin wins! I heard boos, I presume Tomic did something dickish out of shot.

Yep smashed his racket. Love the way Goffin plays!

Oh, British weather.

Nadal''s lost the first four games to Thomaz Bellucci.

Uhhhh you guys Bellucci is kind of in the zone against Rafa. 4-0 and the last return of the last game was a holy shit moment

OK those two missed volleys...are the kind of thing a match like this turns on :/

What a stupid game to give one of the breaks back.

And when did McHale turn into a female Hewitt screaming COMAWWWWNNNNN after literally every point she wins. STFU, you've been taken to 10-8 in the final set against someone ranked 212.

God. Thomaz still leads 4-2 but you already know the scare is over and the set is going Nadal's way. Well, you knew that the minute he missed those volleys. WOMEN'S TENNIS

Man I just knew brainless Bellucci was going to fuck that up somehow.

I've never seen someone go from ZONING to USELESS so rapidly.

Lol that's kinda what Bellz does all the time though. So annoying to watch... And I usually like the male headcases.

That smash. Oh Bellz

Holy lol

That FH oh god

That dropshot oh god!

I think this might be the worst TB I've ever seen from an ATP player

this is the most entertaining text description of a tennis match

7-0. Of course.

lmao. seriously Bellucci does this all the time, but that TB really was a nightmare.

people I know the tennis is like really important and all but what I really want to know is who is the cutest female player this year

F.Lopez, like every year

sorry lex but I specified female

Lopez is womanly enough for me not to be attracted to him

Dimitrov takes the second set over Anderson with a dramatic dive volley :)

andrea hlavackova

Czink came pretty close to a golden set against Larsson! 14 minutes and she only lost three points.