First massive upset of the tournament about to happen next round: Tomic will beat Djokovic. Mark my words. Something about that guy’s game turns titans into frustrated wimps.

June 27th, 2011 at 8:34 pm

Drama queen…..He is just trying to make it up for the ill timed MTO. I will bet my money that he will play QFs….Hope he looses to Fish…

June 27th, 2011 at 8:34 pm

muzza vs deliciano next..ha-ha. i can see the camera concentrating on Judy Murray expressions.

June 27th, 2011 at 8:50 pm

I hope tomic make a match of it. he has played well so far but i think he will find djokovic a little bit above his level.

June 27th, 2011 at 8:51 pm

i don’t know if the media is hyping it up if or if there is a legitimate chance Nadal will not play the QF match.

What bad luck. To be basically injury free from the AO on and to get it right in the heart of Wimbledon. I hope its just hype and he gets to play.

I know a lot of people think its drama but i watched the video and it looked pretty legit to me. I think you can play with a foot injury though. If it is at all possible for him to play I think he will.

June 27th, 2011 at 8:56 pm

A bit worried about Nadal. I hope the MRI results will let him continue playing, and if he does not win, it is a legitimate excuse for not winning. Otherwise, if he can play with pain(painkillers can help him), he has a shot at winning his 11th grand slam.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:14 pm

Rafa will be fine versus Fish. But if the foot is an issue, it might matter more is versus Murray in the semis, assuming (and I do assume) Murray gets there. Murray may be poised for a break through Wimbledon finals appearance. I can see it happening for him this year. He is very focused.

I think there is a benefit to doing well on clay and transitioning to grass; a lot of the guys who made it into the second week of this event had good-to-solid clay results this year (Nadal, Nole, Murray, Fed, F-Lo, Gasquet, Delpo, Ferrer all had titles or went deep at least one event – even Fish and Tsonga went a few rounds at RG and made the R16 at other clay events).

June 27th, 2011 at 9:18 pm

An online psychic just told me she sees Nole as the Wimbledon champion this year. His chart is perfect.

Ajde!

June 27th, 2011 at 9:23 pm

kimberly,

this is kind of off-topic but i’ll share it anyway.

i think you were one of those who commented to the interview link that trufan posted the other day regarding nadal’s questionable comments in comparing how players play today to how agassi, sampras, etc. played.

i came across a recent interview where nadal was asked a similar question. here’s an excerpt.

Q. Today’s top players have it all: size, power, defence to offence, great on all surfaces. You might not want to answer this. But fans love to imagine how the top players of this era would match up against the great players of the past, like Pete with his serve or Andre with his baseline.

RAFAEL NADAL: Andre wasn’t that far. I played against Andre. And Federer played against Andre Agassi. So you can prove that. Nothing new.

I don’t know. The champions are champions in his era, in his part of his history. I don’t know. Is difficult to compare the moments of tennis 15 years ago between now because the game changes. Not for that reason says the players of today are better than the players of 15 years ago, or the players of 15 years ago are better than today.

The only thing that I can say is before, in my opinion, the top four players didn’t play as solid as today is doing. I think all the tournaments, even if there isn’t a Grand Slam, is 1000, 500 points tournaments, top players are always there in the finals, semifinals, playing in the final rounds. Probably in the past, didn’t happen that a lot.

That’s probably because can be two things: is the courts are a little bit slower than before, so the best have a little bit more chances to play the points, and finally if you have more time to play, the best player have better chances to win.

Second thing is because the players of today have big rivalry, and they know if they don’t play at his best in every tournament, going to be very difficult to be in the top positions at the end of the season. For that reason we have to be very focused mentally every week.

Q. And the players do really well on all surfaces today?

RAFAEL NADAL: That’s easy to explain. That’s very easy to explain. Before, the ranking was completely different. You played in tournaments, and the best 18 results counts for the ranking.

Today is not like this. Today you have to play four Grand Slams, nine Masters 1000, four 500, and two 250s. You have to play well on all surfaces, because if not, it’s zero points. Before, a lot of Spanish players didn’t come here because they know if they came here didn’t make a big difference on the points.

Today all the players have to come here and play well here. If not, you have zero points on your ranking.

So the way that the ranking goes today affects on the players are more complete and are able to play well on all surfaces because they have to do. Before, all the players played a lot more tournaments on clay. A lot of Spanish players played all the season on clay.

Today, even if everybody talks I am a clay court specialist, I play four or five tournaments for a year.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:36 pm

I talked to the “moonball psychic”. He said the only thing Djoker is capable of on grass is mowing it.

I am sure Ms. Judylicious is looking forward to watching Deliciano.

Dear Rafa Nation,

Don’t be worried about injuries, time outs etc. Tennis at the highest level is like war. All is fair in love and war. It it takes 11 injury time out and 12 bathroom breaks to win Wimbledon, it is worth it, no?

Also please make sure you nominate me for the Stefan Edberg Sportmanship award, just like last year. I don’t want to “give it away” to another perennial winner. My worse nightmare is that before I retire, the ATP clowns may call it the “Maestro Roger Federer Award”.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:37 pm

Mem, thanks for the info. I was the one who said rafa is entitled ton his own opinion of what tennis is fun and not. And clearly the fans like rallies. Did anyone actually enjoy the mueller march/serving contest?

Humble rafa, you bag on my guy but I cant help laughing at most of your posts!

June 27th, 2011 at 9:44 pm

Judy isn’t the only one looking forward to watching mr. Delicious! I personally will DVr it. The sadder thing is he is even hotter in person.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:45 pm

Ok, here are my picks for men’s quarters(which I guess are same as most of us):

* Rafa beats Mardy
* Andy beats Lopez
* Fed beats Jo
* Nole beats Tomic

There was no upset in FO quarters, so I have feeling that there won’t be one at Wimby either.
But, still if Rafa is not fit enough Mardy can beat him, (this could be the first time Mardy beats Rafa).
If Jo hits great serves and plays his best, he can beat Fed. But, still I don’t see it happening in a GS, and especially at Wimby.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:50 pm

I watched the video too Kimberly and the injury is legit. Just so many nut cases on this sight who care more about their own agenda than really looking at the tape to see what happened. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem that Rafa is ever bothered by the hype.

June 27th, 2011 at 9:55 pm

mem,

Thanks for that interview. I do think Agassi was part of the games transition today. He pounded the ball relentlessly from the baseline, starting taking defense into offense from the backcourt, etc. To bad his best years seem to be when Father time was on his shoulder. Remember, he is the only man since Borg to win FO and Wimby ( the old fast stuff, and from the baseline!!! )Me thinks if he was in his 20′s today his game would fit pretty darn good in this group compared to others in his time, even Sampras. I do agree with Rafa on better field now. Agassi in his day had played Becker, Lendl, Connors, Courier, Chang, Sampras, Hewitt, Kuerten, etc. All GS winners. It was actually a wider field that was excellent, not just 4 guys. The year he won Wimbledon, yes he beat Goran, but what is rarely mentioned is he beat Becker and Jmac along road to Goran!! Anyways…side note…Sampras once said that Fed was a Hybrid…part of the old…and part of the new….which seems as we look back about right.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:00 pm

“I do agree with Rafa on better field now.” I meant I don’t agree…..ugh Ipad.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:01 pm

No one is talking about 1 incident. It is the pattern of calling for the trainer on important points that calls his sportsmanship into question.

Rafa won’t be bothered by the hype. After all, he is the one responsible for it. I hope he loses Wimbledon, just for this type of non sense he likes to pull off.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:02 pm

Humble Rafa – Do you mind if I quote you. The “all’s fair in love and war” is a classic, and a good chuckle never hurts.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:03 pm

I must admit now I am quite concerned rafa wont play :(

Originally I didn’t think it was so severe. Heartbreaking. I hope I am wrong.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:08 pm

Ooooo, a little schitzo Humble. Guess your not so entertaining after all. But since you’ve broken from your comic self and have knowledge of Rafa’s many MTO’s on important points, I’d appreciate it if you could fill me in on the last 3 times this has occured. Maybe I could better understand your position if I actually knew of these events. I wonder if there’s a stat somewhere that keeps track of the number of mto’s a player took during the course of a year, and if there were just where Rafa would fall when compared to say the other top ten players. And who decides what an important moment is. I would say that the moment Rafa went down in the first set was actually more important for him than JMDP. Yeah, your one of those with your own agenda.

June 27th, 2011 at 10:20 pm

Anna,

My best bud Nic told me to post this one for ya, he said the ladies who were at the event want Rafa to do more MTO’s :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMuj88gC5YQ

June 27th, 2011 at 10:23 pm

Anna,

Exactly 1 year ago…at Wimbledon

http://anygivensurface.wordpress.com/2010/06/27/petzschner-unhappy-with-nadals-medical-time-out/

June 27th, 2011 at 10:29 pm

The match was stopped for a total of eight minutes before the first set tiebreak after Rafa appeared to tweak something in his ankle. Eight minutes.

Given that Del Potro had the momentum of holding serve from set-points down, such a ridiculous delay was grossly unfair on him.

I have no idea if Rafa was hurt badly or if there was some gamesmanship on his part, it’s not really the point.

The only way to prevent such scenes is to ban medical time-outs during a set. You can’t finish the set without treatment? Tough. You forfeit. Players need to man up.

As some viewers put it: “I’m almost in favour of saying, you know what, if you’re not fit enough, just get out of here.”

June 27th, 2011 at 10:42 pm

I SO HOPE FEDERER WINS WIMBLEDON 2011!!!!!!!

June 27th, 2011 at 10:43 pm

The sadder thing is he is even hotter in person.

Yes, he looks a lot better in person than on TV!

June 27th, 2011 at 10:59 pm

Rafa posted this on his facebook a few hours back.
“This afternoon I played a hard match and I need to rest, I’ll continue the training tomorrow.”

Hope he plays the qtrs.

June 27th, 2011 at 11:05 pm

HR,

Even when you get serious your relevant :)

Good dig!

June 27th, 2011 at 11:05 pm

skeezer,

i too agree about agassi being part of the transition; he too was an excellent baseliner. i particularly agree that changes in the games make it difficult to compare players from one era to another. it’s just not possible; too many variables.

June 27th, 2011 at 11:11 pm

To be fair i remember Del Potro using that kind of tactics in the 2009 US open final asking for the Hawk Eye when Federer was already sitting at the end of a game. That antic broke Feds concentration.

June 27th, 2011 at 11:14 pm

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June 27th, 2011 at 11:20 pm

Now Rafa wins both ways. If he wins, he can show to the World that despite injury he is invincible and if he loses, he can very well revert to the foot injury which crippled his game. All in all, Nadal is the winner downright.

June 27th, 2011 at 11:49 pm

Predictions for the next 2 majors

Wimbledon: Nole wins

USO: Fed wins

Take it to the bank.

June 28th, 2011 at 12:01 am

Jamie, I sense it will be the reverse of what you predict. Federer at Wimbledon and Novak for the USO. Let us see what happens ??

June 28th, 2011 at 12:02 am

hahahhahhahahahahha people make me laugh who really consider for one second that nadal wont play the qf.

did anyone see him play and run like a fu…ing rabbit or not’???

omg nadal will win the next match and he will be a hero ??!?!!?!!!!!
this is worse than a predictable tele novela

what a crap !!!

June 28th, 2011 at 12:53 am

Jamie, you’re kind of an idiot. Nole wins Wimbledon? It’s easily his worst slam and by far his worst surface. You were so sure he would win the French too, and look what happened. And now you’re saying that he’s going to win Wimbledon — but Roger will reclaim the USO???

June 28th, 2011 at 1:46 am

“The only way to prevent such scenes is to ban medical time-outs during a set. You can’t finish the set without treatment? Tough. You forfeit. Players need to man up.”

No, definitely disagree. We wouldn’t have this great match.

And BTW, BOTH of them got an MTO. Nadal between games, Del Potro smack bang in the middle of a game. Bot were for sudden on-court injuries and the ump used his discretion to allow MTOs, as he should.

No biggie. Both took approx eight minutes, 5 to asses injury, 3 for a MTO. Usual stuff.

They are pros, and clearly their concentration was NOT affected nor any momentum was stolen (Delpo was actually leading 3-0 in the first set tiebreak, and only at the very end made one crucial mistake – nothing to do with MTO; same for Nadal – he won his interrupted game after Delpo returned from his lengthy MTO).

So please, stop this silly whining.

June 28th, 2011 at 2:11 am

Look, I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it again. Rafa takes too many MTOs for it to just be coincidence. But it’s not gamesmanship, it’s intelligent play – he’s undoubtedly been injured or felt in pain every time – and if his opponents let it get to them, that’s not his fault. Again: disrupting momentum isn’t gamesmanship. Or, rather, letting your momentum get disrupted just means you didn’t deserve it in the first place. That’s the real key.

June 28th, 2011 at 2:22 am

Miles, et al:
You may call this “silly whining,” but I am truly getting tired of Nadal’s ill-timed MTOs.Trailing Federer 5-3 in the first set at the FO, Nadal called for a trainer. For what? To rebandage his foot. Now, honestly, couldn’t that have waited until after the first set?

Now, Nadal’s MTO might well be legit, but I told my son earlier in the tournament that I would not be surprised at all if Nadal called for a trainer at crucial moments during the upcoming matches. Sure enough, he did, twice in the last two matches he played.

How many times have you seen Federer take a medical time out in his entire career? Not once. Zilch. Nada. Not even when he had mono, glandular fever, back pains, etc.

I honestly would like to see Nadal go through a grand slam tournament without once taking a medical time out. It would indeed be refreshing.

June 28th, 2011 at 2:27 am

Nobody whined about Del Potro taking an MTO when Nadal was up 40-15 in the 3rd set. Oh well, that MTO is legit because we all saw him slipped and grimaced in pain. But what about after the MTO when Del Potro was running well and it seemed he was okay? Apparently, nobody thought he was faking it. But when it comes to Nadal, a lot of people quickly jump into thinking he is faking it.

June 28th, 2011 at 3:04 am

Anyone believes in WWF should also believe in Rafa’s MTO.

June 28th, 2011 at 3:48 am

aleish17 ..how can he fake when he had such a fall in the mid court. Also is MTO looks like has affecting his game. With the momentum he could have easily broken Nadal in the 3rd set had it not for the fall. So it has affecting his game and probably cost him the match along with Nadal’s fake injury time out.

June 28th, 2011 at 3:50 am

@ Nims:

Easily broken Nadal in the 3rd set? Are you kidding me? The match was really tight. Nadal was holding his serve just fine. If Delpo’s game was affected by that slip, he would not have closed in on Nadal. They got to a TB in the 3rd set. Nadal was just the better player in those moments that mattered most.

June 28th, 2011 at 4:05 am

Yep..but it would have never gone to tie breaker had Del P not been injured. It’s a pity.

June 28th, 2011 at 4:09 am

Yeah, says you. They both have only 1 break point converted. Delpo got 3 break point chances, converted 1. Nadal got 5 BP, converted 1. That tells you how tight the match was. Delpo’s game did not change after that slip. He was serving well, and he was doing just fine keeping up in the rallies with Nadal.

June 28th, 2011 at 4:24 am

I think you are bringing up the stat at the end of the match, which is irrelevant. DelP’s movement was compromised severely after the fall, except his serve held it’s ground. Advantage Cheater.

June 28th, 2011 at 4:38 am

That is the stat throughout the match. Go check it!

June 28th, 2011 at 5:09 am

LOL. How cant he stat be same thoughout the match. I hope u too are influenced by the Cheater.

June 28th, 2011 at 5:19 am

I wish to see Rafael nadal and Roger federer in the finals.So All the best to both the guys.

June 28th, 2011 at 5:21 am

“How many times have you seen Federer take a medical time out in his entire career? ”

Fed has taken medical time outs only rarely, that is true, but to say he never (“zilch” “nada” etc) has? That is not true. I can think of a time or two that he has had a foot bandaged, or similar, and I recall that in 2008, at the YEC, he had a time out for his back. He was playing Murray.

All players take MTOs. Some just do so more than others.

It has been great seeing Nole cut down; in the last 1.5-2 years he has been more judicious about doing so, imo, whereas previously he was sometimes too quick.

Regardless, having the option of MTOs is absolutely needed. Athletes make their livings off their bodies/fitness so they need to be cautious. Some tend to be injured more easily or more often than others. That is just the reality of it. That doesn’t mean MTOs should be banished. They are within the rules.

June 28th, 2011 at 5:31 am

What I meant is that those are the only BP chances Nadal and Delpo got and they were able to convert only one each. That goes to show the match was tight and that they were both playing well. Is that difficult to understand? Watch the whole match and you will understand. Im not good in tennis but I do understand the game.

June 28th, 2011 at 5:32 am

how come when Rafa takes a MTO, he is still able to chase balls down like a rabbit? Rafa fans, plz answer this, i beg of you

June 28th, 2011 at 6:40 am

@someone, Speed has nothing to do with most kinds of injuries. He can run anything down because he is the most agile player in the history of tennis. Even if he is 70% — like he was yesterday he can still run balls down that others can’t imagine. And he can play with pain — has done it for years now.

Get over it. Rafael Nadal is the greatest tennis player of all time.

June 28th, 2011 at 6:43 am

Queen Mirka2

you are a pathetic nadal nutsucker. “Speed has nothing to do with most kinds of injuries”. Proof please.

Nadal GOAT? GTFO. The GOAT doesn’t need to cheat and waste so much time between points and call MTO when he is behind or opponents have momentum

June 28th, 2011 at 6:49 am

@someone,

You are a pathetic Fedtard and Federina’s pussy licker. Nadal has ALWAYS been able to run crazily fast even in matches that he retired due to knee injuries. He NEVER EVER slows down due to injury. That’s the proof.

Nadal yesterday didn’t call for timeout when he was down or behind. He called when he had a SET POINT. He was up 6-5 40-30 when he got the injury. And he went on to lose the game and the first 3 points of the tiebreaker. How did the injury “help” him?

Nadal is the GOAT. Period. Federina is a smug, arrogant, selfish, pathetic loser and crybaby. Lollllll. 17-8. Enough said.

June 28th, 2011 at 6:54 am

Queen Mirka2

17-8 yeh but by pure cheating? Yeh he lost the game, but he got MTO at 6-6, and clearly del potro ended up playing too passively in the tiebreaker because he thought Nadal was injured. So the injury did help him, you shit retard.

Why don’t you respond to this?
2) When Rafa was facing philipp petzschner at wimbledon last yr, he calls the trainer when he’s down. Phillip even complained and talked about it in his post presser. Nadal then ends up winning wimbledon, his injury somehow disappears?
3)Rafa calls the trainer when he’s down in the 1st set at the FO against Fed for some GODDAMN TAPING ON HIS FINGERS? THE NO1 PLAYER DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO TAPE HIS STUPID HANDS. WHAT A DUMBASS
4)In one of the master finals on clay against Fed, Nadal calls the trainer and wastes time to fix some FRIGGIM GODAMN TAPING on his fingers when play was about to start

June 28th, 2011 at 7:45 am

jane – you sum up the situation with admirable clarity. Nevertheless, there are some grey areas, people being people, after all. Gamesmanship is part and parcel of sport and cannot be outlawed – even if you wanted to, even if you could. It would be satisfying to be able to identify it, though – but where sometimes it may be obvious it is, generally, hard to prove. I suspect players intuitively know when it is being used. They won’t necessarily tell us, the spectators, afterwards – for fear of being thought a bad sport, for instance.

Also, about MTOs being within the rules. That is true but the trouble is the rules themselves are not taken literally in some areas, notoriously that of time wasting. Whenever an umpire calls Nadal or Djokovic for timewasting, I groan inwardly. Because you know it’s just for show – regardless of the provocation, he will not call him again.

Once you qualify the rules, informally, in this way, respect for the idea of them diminishes.

June 28th, 2011 at 7:48 am

Eric Says:

Jamie, you’re kind of an idiot. Nole wins Wimbledon? It’s easily his worst slam and by far his worst surface. You were so sure he would win the French too, and look what happened. And now you’re saying that he’s going to win Wimbledon — but Roger will reclaim the USO???

________________________

Blame it on the online psychic, mate.

June 28th, 2011 at 8:35 am

I alluded above to Nadal and Djokovic timewasting – but this was an attempt at “objectivity”. But the more I think about it, the more misconceived that seems to be. Djokovic has made distinct (and successful)efforts to speed up. Very occsaionally, Nadal has – but by and large, he goes his merry way, and it is very much he who is the problem.

June 28th, 2011 at 8:57 am

Oh well.. No one is perfect. they all have quirks in their own way..
Just enjoy the greatness !

June 28th, 2011 at 12:44 pm

The thing with Nadal is his time wasting happens all the time, not just with his MTOs as the article Skeezer links to above points out. He habitually goes to the bathroom just as the players are called to the court and keeps his opponent waiting. Then he keeps his opponent waiting again for the coin toss while he sits there. It’s rude the crowd, his opponent and yes it makes him seem less trustworthy. Does anyone really think Nadal suddenly realizes he has to go to the bathroom every match when they’re called to the court? Of course the opponent should not let it affect him but nadal does engage in these little games.

Also why does he get so upset when he gets a time warning? Surely he knows he’s taking the piss most
of the time.

June 28th, 2011 at 12:45 pm

If 99% of players follow the rules, that makes them stupid. Hey! If you can get away with coaching during the match, takes his own time when he wants and where he wants, gets MTO when he wants and where he wants, glare at the umpire when he gets a warning, after all he is the great Nadal, how dare anyone question him. He can do what he wants. The rules are not for him, they are for every one else. OH! I forgot, he is the so humble Rafa, he is the ambassador of the sport, the winner of the Stefan Edberg award. And yes, he only loses when he is tired or injured, no?

June 28th, 2011 at 2:46 pm

to the people who r going out of their way to insult the world no 1…it seems that u people r just scared that rafa who is already a 10 grand slam winner+olympic winner might win more slams n federer will hav to step down from his pedestal. U r pathetic.

June 28th, 2011 at 3:28 pm

What a big fat faker! There was nothing wrong with his ankle/foot, there is nothing wrong, the MRI scan proved there was nothing wrong. Nadal just realised he may lose the match so through a tantrum. Faker.

June 28th, 2011 at 5:22 pm

Yea he realized he was going to lose the match when he was just about at 6 all in the first set…I thought you had to win 3 sets not one..get real.
BTW – its threw not through…

June 29th, 2011 at 12:21 am

Hope Djokovic trumps him in the final. Whatever excuse, Djokovic would and should win.

June 29th, 2011 at 3:48 am

Fedarts make mountain of mole hill out of Nadal’s injury time out. Nadal does’t need gamesmanship to beat the likes of Federer or Del Potro. He can beat them anywhere, any time. He is not the one to cling to excuses for defeat. He means what he says. Even against Del Potro after the match, Nadal was totally dejected thinking about the injured foot that happened during the match. The injury was very real and frightening. He is just 25 and this man has won 10 grand slams. Do we need any other achievement to bolster his claim to greatness of being the best ever ??

June 29th, 2011 at 7:23 am

Whether I spelt through or threw…..Djokovic wins!!!

July 3rd, 2011 at 11:48 am

Rafa is and will always be the best tennis player and yes his injuries are from tennis he is just a ambitious and humble man who does not give up so stop comparing him to referee he comes from the days when tennis wasn’t extreme. Rafa made it extreme because he played the hardest ran the fastest defended like no one else. Referee is a as great but they play different and rafa and federer well always be loved and they will always be friends

August 25th, 2011 at 5:53 pm