OT: Nadal out in first round of Wimbledon

[EricLA]

Total stunner to a guy named Steve Darcis from Belgium. 7-6, 7-6, 6-4 - straight sets.

Nadal Stunner

 

[VAMike23]

 

[alexrgct]

Roger Federer's draw just got a bit easier. He had a Nadal-Murray-Djoker QF-Semis-Finals path to repeating. Still going to be a tall order for him, but not quite the marathon that it was previously. Would love to see him win one more.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Absolute stunner. I thought he might win it all.

Yep, easier, but still not an easy path for Roger. As it should be.

 

[wire chief]

In less weighty news...

Swiss Stan Wawrinka is blown away by Mr. Refuse-to-go-away Lleyton Hewitt,
who won this 11 years ago.

Sara Errani, 5th ranked and French finalist, was knocked off by a Puerto Rican teen.

 

[wire chief]

Also John Isner and Sloane Stephens make it into the 2nd round.

 

[easttexastrash]

Never have liked the Spanish butt picker. I'm glad to see the Prince of Pick eliminated.

 

[Kibitzer]

Yet another reminder (Boneyarders, take heed!) that there just ain't no such thing as a "sure thing" in sports.

One of Red Smith's incomparable columns discussed sure bets. He wrote that if some guy gives you 1,000 to 1 odds and claims that he can place a factory sealed deck of Bicycle playing cards on the table, then -- without touching the cards -- cause the one-eyed jack to spit in your ear, DON'T MAKE THAT BET. . .

. . . because if you do you, an instant after you put your money on the table, you will feel an earful of tobacco juice.

 

[Icebear]

Kib, wasn't that line in The Sting, too?

 

[Kibitzer]

Kib, wasn't that line in The Sting, too?

Having watched that classic about twice a year (not sure if that is biannually or semi-annually, but you get the idea) since it came out to great acclaim, I will say with supreme confidence:

No.​

 

[ScarlettB]

I watched the Nadal match and there is definitely something wrong again with his knee IMO. He refused to use injury as an excuse though. Hewitt played a very gutsy match. He is playing better tennis lately than he has in several years. I think he's fun to watch when he is playing well.

 

[Icebear]

Having watched that classic about twice a year (not sure if that is biannually or semi-annually, but you get the idea) since it came out to great acclaim, I will say with supreme confidence:

No.​

It might have been Shade then. I know that line has been used in a movie.

 

[alexrgct]

I watched the Nadal match and there is definitely something wrong again with his knee IMO. He refused to use injury as an excuse though. Hewitt played a very gutsy match. He is playing better tennis lately than he has in several years. I think he's fun to watch when he is playing well.

Nadal may never be right on grass or hardcourt again. His legacy is secure given that he gave Federer fits, he's 59-1 at the French Open since 2005, he's won every major at least once, and he's won more majors than anyone not named Roger Federer or Pete Sampras (tied with Emerson, though all of Emerson's came during the amateur era for majors). However, he may not be able to compete at a championship level for much longer. He went all out, all the time, and he's paid a price for it. He's also reaped significant rewards.

 

[EricLA]

Never have liked the Spanish butt picker. I'm glad to see the Prince of Pick eliminated.

Is that not the 2nd most annoying thing in tennis (a tad behind the screamers Azarenka and Sharapova)? I mean the guy is worth millions $ $. How about getting some panties that actually fit.

 

[RadyLady]

Is that not the 2nd most annoying thing in tennis (a tad behind the screamers Azarenka and Sharapova)? I mean the guy is worth millions $ $. How about getting some panties that actually fit.

Sometimes the screaming gets so annoying that I watch with the sound off during the points.

 

[easttexastrash]

Is that not the 2nd most annoying thing in tennis (a tad behind the screamers Azarenka and Sharapova)? I mean the guy is worth millions $ $. How about getting some panties that actually fit.

Can you imagine in 30 years when people see footage of him? He will wish someone had told him how embarrassing that is.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Sometimes the screaming gets so annoying that I watch with the sound off during the points.

The funny thing about Azarenka's screams is that they instantly stop if she hits the ball into the net. Proves that her prolonged wails are for effect only, and not because she "needs" to do it to hit the ball as hard as she does.

 

[easttexastrash]

Nadal may never be right on grass or hardcourt again. His legacy is secure given that he gave Federer fits, he's 59-1 at the French Open since 2005, he's won every major at least once, and he's won more majors than anyone not named Roger Federer or Pete Sampras (tied with Emerson, though all of Emerson's came during the amateur era for majors). However, he may not be able to compete at a championship level for much longer. He went all out, all the time, and he's paid a price for it. He's also reaped significant rewards.

His style of play is very hard on his body. Yet Fed looks like he is gliding around the court.

 

[alexrgct]

His style of play is very hard on his body. Yet Fed looks like he is gliding around the court.

Federer's footwork may be his greatest asset and certainly a big reason he's still hanging around at his relatively advanced (in tennis terms) age.