OT: Wimbledon...

[wire chief]

...Is a week away and possibly an unfortunate bridesmaid to the World Cup. But we fans forge on.

Oddsmakers put Roger on top, despite an unexpected loss in the final yesterday in a warm up contest.
Others favored are Marin Cilic and French Open king Rafa. American men are not seen to go far.
Like at the French, Jo Willy is still a scratch, as is Tomas Berdych with back troubles.
Andy Murray returns with a wild card and that likely means some tough early matches vs. high seeds.

Bookies like 2-time champ Petra Kivitova. But they also have faith in Serena and last year's champ Garbine.
Add in Sloane and Madison Keys and you have a much more formidable line-up than the male side for us.
While Venus had 3 excellent results in 2017, especially for a 37 year old, she has been a shell this year.
she's a 5-time champ, but the most recent was a decade ago. As painful as it is for me, I must allow her to ride into the sunset, even on her favorite surface, on which she will turn 38.

Draw to be announced 6/29 and the playing schedule on Sunday. Play commences 7/2.
ESPN 1 & 2 are in charge. ABC will share on weekends.

 

[Hope]

My favorites are Camila Giorgi and RAFA.

 

[wire chief]

Men's seeds are announced; women not quite yet.

Wimbledon seeds: Roger Federer 1, Rafael Nadal 2, Alexander Zverev 4 - the FULL list

 

[wire chief]

Five of our women are seeded, including Serena at #25, despite her very low ranking.

2018 Wimbledon Womens Seeds | Draw | Serena Williams | Maria Sharapova

 

[wire chief]

Here are the match-ups for the opening round of 128.

wimbledon draw 2018 - Google Search

wimbledon draw 2018 - Google Search

 

[wire chief]

Espn kicks off at 7am

 

[wire chief]

Andy Murray has withdrawn

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Andy Murray has withdrawn

Rats! I was really looking forward to seeing him again.

 

[wire chief]

I am the bearer of bad news. Our highest rank American and French Open finalist Sloane ousted in straight sets.
Madison and Roger through in straight sets.

 

[CTexpatinFL]

Venus lost the first set and is tied in the 2nd 2-2 against Johanna Larsson. Can't watch on ESPN+, but has anyone heard of android TV?

 

[CTexpatinFL]

Well, Venus woke up and won her match.

 

[wire chief]

Yeah, Venus started slowly, committing 6 or 7 double faults, 2 of them in the tie breaker.
Then she corrected her listing ship to give up a mere 3 games subsequently.

Little Sis didn't overwhelm, but still won in straight sets. Fans remember she pulled out of the French with a muscle wall injury, so it's heartening that her 1st round went well.

Like Sloane, Coco was a 1st found casualty.

Among the lads, the "other" Swiss served notice that his unseeded self is healthy again. Three time Major champ Stan Wawrinka
ousted 6th seed Grigor Dimitrov.

The 2nd day should complete round one. In action are Rafa, Novak, Kerber, Halep, Sharapova, Muguruza. del Potro and on and on.

The Championships, Wimbledon 2018 - Official Site by IBM

 

[wire chief]

Back in December of '16, Petra Kvitová was stabbed in the hand. It's been a long road back, but her 2018 has been noteworthy.
So much so that oddsmakers installed her as the favorite here to amass her 3rd W crown. But her power and movement have not been
top notch. Coupled with an above average job by her unseeded foe, she's gone in 3.

 

[eebmg]

Back in December of '16, Petra Kvitová was stabbed in the hand. It's been a long road back, but her 2018 has been noteworthy.
So much so that oddsmakers installed her as the favorite here to amass her 3rd W crown. But her power and movement have not been
top notch. Coupled with an above average job by her unseeded foe, she's gone in 3.

I always liked her. Tough loss.

Talking about movement and power, unless my eyes are deceiving me, Serena is far from her pre-delivery form. She appears very slow to me. I do not see her winning another slam.

 

[wire chief]

Liu, Riske, Brady, Townsend, Kenin, Brengle...then add in the Sisters and Keys, and you have a whole bunch of American women
heading into the 2nd round. C'mon, you can cheer louder than that.

 

[wire chief]

Liu, Riske, Brady, Townsend, Kenin, Brengle...then add in the Sisters and Keys, and you have a whole bunch of American women
heading into the 2nd round. C'mon, you can cheer louder than that.

Now add a victory by Vickery.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Milford is hoping to be there. Representing the BY.

 

[wire chief]

Now add a victory by Vickery.

When everybody else went home, there, past 2100, was Maria Sharapova, just having her hands full with a fellow Russian.
Vitalia Diatchenko, unseeded to Marias #24, went toe to toe for 3 sets and prevailed. Like Serena, Kvitová, and Azaranka, circumstances has kept her off the court, and she needs more work.

 

[wire chief]

Milford is hoping to be there. Representing the BY.

If we all send you 5 dollars?

 

[wire chief]

Already we have a featured match, #7 Pliskova vs. Azaranka.

schedule of play wimbledon 2018 - Google Search

And the men...

schedule of play wimbledon 2018 - Google Search

 

[wire chief]

Of the 20 players that constitute the men and women top 10, 7 are gone. That's in addition to heavyweights lower ranked, like Kvitová and Sharapova. That is a W record for the 1st round.

 

[eebmg]

Already we have a featured match, #7 Pliskova vs. Azaranka.

schedule of play wimbledon 2018 - Google Search

And the men...

schedule of play wimbledon 2018 - Google Search

Keys up 1 set 6-4 2-2. Looking forward to the Azarenka Match. One of my favorite players. So many injuries and personal crap to deal with.

 

[wire chief]

Well, Keys did come through in straight sets, but Azaranka doesn't yet look like her top form self. Even then, grass was never her favorite.

Venus' match has just ended. Do we have a pattern? Like in round one, her first set was awkward for her, losing her opening serve and never breaking back. Her 1st serve % was low and her forehand off. Her Romanian opponent is a pretty solid ground stroker, but without a dominating serve. The problem for Venus is that she did not get much of a look at 2nd serves, facing about 75% 1st serve %.

Still like in round 1, Venus came alive and gave up a mere one game, improving her 1st serve and getting her forehand in order.
One frustrating oddity--Venus likes to take the net, and she hit several good volleys today. But her opponent dug then out and passed Venus again and again and again. Nonetheless, all's well that ends well.

P.S. Given how many matches are going on, I steeled myself that little of Venus would be shown. I was most happily surprised that I was wrong.

 

[Hope]

My favorites are Camila Giorgi and RAFA.

Wozniacki and Kvitová are bounced out of Wimbledon, but Camila advances into the 3rd round!

Camila Giorgi

 

[wire chief]

Order of play
wimbledon 2018 schedule of play - Google Search

Woz to umpire (to the tune of BJ Thomas song about Raindrops): "Insects keep buzzin' round my head".

wimbledon 2018 schedule of play - Google Search