Who will win it all?

What can now force Federer into early retirement?

Consecutive losses – at Slams, at around quarterfinals, in a five set format……….? Maybe. But there’s another notch that he may have grazed here marginally against Berdych which will make life a living hell on the tour. Have a clue?

You see, even though Federer now has 10 losses this season, most of the matches were pretty close leaving the door open for experimentation rooted in hope to turn things around. Injury further boosts the resolve by covering most of the ten steps down.

So what’s that dreaded stage?

Could it be losing in straight sets with bread sticks and bagels – to flat hitting tomato cans in early rounds – like Falla and Bozo? How can you possibly carry on after that? But Sampras did. Can those conditions come alive for Federer too?

Lesson: NEVER predict how long you will play on current numbers / form.

Can Nadal win it all?

This win over Soderling may prove to be a game changer for Nadal. Soderling today had moved even past Federer as the next best player on the tour – on any surface. Nadal eliminated Soderling in straight sets at Roland Garros. That may still be discounted given Nadal’s expertise on the surface – but straight sets – right after Soderling defeated Federer AND Berdych? But this was grass where Soderling’s flatter shots were supposed to be more effective. And they were – for the first few games – before Nadal turned his plan A on it’s head and ‘on the fly’ without Tony’s coaching, literally took Soderling’s game and heart out.

The credit mainly goes to his all improved serve – against a 6’5″ frame. Nadal had 12 freaking aces. That’s four times his average. And there were many serves which Soderling barely managed to touch as he was wrong-footed over and over freaking again. Overall Nadal is just five aces short to 50 aces for Djokovic for the entire tournament. He is at 45. That’s 9 aces per match. Add that to just 13 unforced errors per match and you have the cleanest game on the tour today.

More importantly, this was a match most predicted Nadal to lose specially coming at the heels of a five setter against Pet Detective. Even though Soderling had his own five setter it was against a far more seasoned and crafty Ferrer, not to mention that he had not lost a set till then. Add the surface and it was Soderling’s to lose hands freaking down. With the plan Nadal come with, it would have been just as scripted but Nadal improvised by calling on his ‘less in circulation’ weapons so magnificently that Soderling was forced to take in a bread stick in the fourth set.

That kind of showing under given conditions calls for nothing but the title to justify it. Otherwise you are wasting the forced progression you were coerced into. But the next two opponents – Murray and Berdych – are more than meeting the challenge today – on paper and on court. With Nadal’s time on court stat still within boundaries, next match(es) will go to the thinker and improviser.

The Cursed Nike Ad. From Chipnputt. Thanks.

CHIPNPUTT

The Cursed Nike Ad

14 football players and one tennis player featured — all but 3 football players are home.

Federer VS Berdych Wimbledon 2010.

Federer loses at Wimbledon – in quarterfinal – in four sets – with a bread stick – to Berdych.

Quick someone start blaming Bridgette Wilson for Federer’s current woes. Isn’t that what worked for Sampras to force him to come up one more time after a two-year drought? Oh, wait, something’s not right here. Oh, she was Sampras’s wife so we have to now go to Federer’s wife. With Bridgette it was quite a wild accusation. With Mirka it may be right on target thereby precluding the wave Sampras rode to his 14th Slam title. But what the heck, it’s worth a shot. If nothing else, it will prove once and for all how much he loves Mirka because that’s what fired up Sampras. I don’t think he would have gone on that rampage for Agassi. If that’s the premise, should we be then blaming somebody else who recently got married and is a fan of some acne cream?

This was yet another chance for Federer to mend his image as being a sore loser and he blew it big freaking time with “But I definitely gave away this match, I feel”. “Yeah, I mean, true, Rafa played terribly lately; Soderling is not a threat either. He’s got an easy ride to this victory, that’s for sure. Djokovic can’t play tennis anymore it seems like”.

And of course the injury excuse. The injury appears to be something he really was carrying but this was his time to be gracious and keep his sore losing mouth shut just for the big picture sake. There’s nothing you gained with anybody by offering your lame reasons for not winning. Who freaking cares what others think? Given your track record and the conditions (10 losses in 11 events) this was the last place to bring this up.

All that without even touching the ‘gave the match away and everybody is crappy’ BS. How freaking blind or insecure do you have to be to feel the need to explain yourself? Strong individual would have taken it like a man and would have looked people in the eye at the presser like he does after a win instead of trying to hide under that hat.

To me the ONLY reason Federer came up with these excuses was to stoke the denial fire he is currently in with the hope that this will somehow cover what is now in the open for everybody to see. It’s the same reason Michael Jackson never admitted to having those numerous surgeries despite obvious evidence. He feels that by saying all this he will somehow convince people from writing him off. It’s like clinging to a straw with the storm already here. It may not be the ‘I’ll eat Lennox Lewis’s kids’ stage yet, but it certainly is headed there.

Federer needs to realize how much joy and glory he has brought to Wimbledon in particular and the sport in general. His basic thinking is flawed in that he is unable to place these tiny individual components supremely in the big picture which will TRULY define his legacy. More than the coach he needs someone who can tell him the way it is for him to make decisions worthy of all the mind-boggling work he done for a whole freaking decade. If not he will continue providing more ammunition to his detractors in their bid to bring him down when all is said and done.

Hope he handles the tail end of his career with class and humility to make everyone remember this as one of the most enviable careers in sport.

Berdych after beating Federer.

Click here.

Federer interview after loss to Berdych.

Click here.

Contenders after five matches.

Player	Aces	Ist serve pct.	Sets lost/ Unforced errors	Tie breaks/ Double faults	Bk pt conv %	Time on court.	Matches played
Federer	55	61	3 / 75	3 / 13	42	9:03	4 OUT
Murray	74	57	1 / 87	2 / 8	40	10:08	5
Nadal	45	68	5 / 67	2 / 10	44	12:56	5
Djokovic	50	62	3 / 131	1 / 30	43	12:14	5
Roddick	66	72	2 / 34	2 / 3	62	6:42	3 OUT
Isner	113	74	2 / 52	2 / 10	14	11:05	1 OUT
Soderling	62	63	2 / 101	0 / 21	56	8:13	4 OUT

Poem from Alistair. Thanks.

ALISTAIR

I have written a very long poem covering many sports – heres
a few verses (including the tennis verses) to give you an idea.

Here’s a poem that tries to recall
Great sporting events, including football
Cricket and rugby and the Olympic Games
Remember the moments, remember the names
Records being broken or perhaps broken dreams
Victories in matches between nations or teams
Famous events with sporting themes
You’ll find there are over 100

Remember Steve Redgrave, our best ever rower
Winning five gold medals, Pinsent’s got four
The annual boat race on the Thames every year
Sue Brown was the first female cox to steer
Oxford and Cambridge, it’s always those two
Are there no other teams with a stronger crew?
Perhaps we should change what the rowers do
Let’s make them do it over hurdles

There was the Winter Olympics and Katerina Witt
And Eddie the Eagle – wasn’t he….average!
Curry and Cousins skating for gold
Curry was hot and the ice was cold
At Sarajevo there was Torvil and Dean
The best ice skaters we’ve ever seen
Half the country was glued to the screen
The other half bonked to Bolero

We had a Wimbledon champion in ‘69
Anne Jones hit winning shots down the line
Sue Barker winning the French Open on clay
On a Question of Sport – was it home or away?
A Wimbledon winner in Virginia Wade
Silver Jubilee Year – the best she’d played
She beat Bette Stove and history was made
Why can’t we do it in the men’s?

We must mention Agassi and Steffi Graff
Nastase and Leconte for making us laugh
Edberg and Becker, Sampras and Cash
Newcombe and Roche and the late Arthur Ashe
Lendl, Connors, and Navratilova
Sabatini, Novotna, and Hana Mandlikova
The girl from Holland called Betty Stove
I mention her again ‘cause it rhymes!

The greatest of all, that’s Mohammed Ali
Flies like a butterfly, stings like a bee
The Rumble in the Jungle, when Foreman failed
The Thrilla in Manila, when Frazier was nailed
And Henry Cooper, knocking Ali to the floor
But our Enery’s eyes couldn’t take any more
Was it a punch of Ali’s? – I’m not so sure
Perhaps he splashed on too much Brut

Then there’s the game, with the egg-shaped ball
There’s a game at Sydney, I want to recall
Australia and England in the Rugby World Cup
The moment when England’s fly half looked up
The crowd took a gasp and then they all roared
As that kick by Johnny Wilkinson “soared”
Over the bar, yes England had scored
But we knew it was a very close shave

Dennis Taylor beating Davis, it was all on the black
He won that night and he hasn’t looked back
He became World Champion, picked up some big cheques
They were even bigger when seen through his specs!
At darts Jockey Wilson, Eric Bristow, John Lowe
180 – they would continually throw
I used to play darts with my Dad years ago
But we stopped when his head went blunt

Poems from Somebody Else. Thanks.

SOMEBODY ELSE

What’s going on here?
the Fed’s out in quarters!
I mean he’s second to none
among Slam-title hoarders!

Some say that in pressers
he complains like some diva,
Don’t fret, Rog, go play with
Myla Rose and Charlene Riva.

TP was right when he said
“Stop what you’re doin’!”
Cuz this week has truly
put expectations to ruin!

Rafa’s still tickin’,
he’s mildly butt-pickin’,
he won’t take a lickin’
cuz shots are still kickin’

Brit-beacon Murray,
You seem in a hurry,
don’t worry, with shots-a-flurry,
you’ll turn doubters, all, slurry

Berdych, my one itch,
though you’re pronounced -EEK,
your insurgence on the lawn
is something of which to speak!

Indeed, my one itch
on the grass, yes, the pitch,
You’re semis in Paris matched here,
seemingly without glitch!

That leaves Djok,
of whom few spoke, no joke!
They said “Novak, you’re ‘wack’,
and you’re game’s been sacked!”
Some say “Hold on, he’s back!”
This time, will he attack?

With these four remaining,
it should be fairly stated,
I can’t be complaining,
up for grabs, I’m elated!

——————————————

After Thursday, Friday, Sat n’ Sun,
maybe a wrap-up on Mon,
Then that’s it? You’re done??

Woe is me! This can’t be!
you were just getting started,
now I’m losing control
and I think I just sharted!

Listen, please, while I know
that you’re not a fella,
you’re one of us, doll,
and as Stanley said, “STELLAAAAAA!!!”

If only from time to time
you could give us a taste,
of a quip or two, in rhyme,
don’t let it go to waste.

Today’s poem from Stella. Thanks.

STELLA

today was supposed to be about Nouni. That can wait till tomorrow.

We had a major event today. I don’t know much about the verse style called Haiku ( I read it is 3 lines, 5,7,5). Maybe Chieko San can tell me if I’ve got it all wrong but here is my attempt for today.

End of an era.
After seven straight finals.
Federer bows out.

and if I could speak to him I’d say:–

Go home , hug your girls.
You’re still their Number 1 Dad.
Your life is so blessed

Federer blames defeat on back and leg injuries. From Bjornino. Thanks.

BJORNINO

Well… This is from Wimbledons own website:

“Federer blames defeat on back and leg injuries”

http://www.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/articles/2010-06-30/201006301277916541006.html

Federer vs Berdych photos.

Photos.

Who, other than Soderling, is most likely to produce an upset tomorrow?

Wall of Fame contest.

Predict the exact scores for either Federer’s or Nadal’s match tomorrow.

First correct answer = Wall of Fame listing.

Federer upset at Nadal’s ‘go-slow’ tactics. From Claire. Thanks.

CLAIRE

Roger rattled: Federer upset at Nadal’s ‘go-slow’ tactics
By SPORTSMAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 6:01 PM on 05th July 2008
Comments (0)
Add to My Stories
Roger Federer has accused his Wimbledon final opponent Rafael Nadal of taking
too long in between points and says umpires ought to be more willing to hit the Spaniard with a time violation penalty.

Nadal has often been accused of exceeding the 20-second limit between points, and was twice hit with warnings in this year’s French Open in the semi-final against Novak Djokovic and the final against Federer.

Under the rules, a second violation would incur a point penalty and Federer said: “The unfortunate part is the umpire will always give him a warning but he’ll never give him a point penalty.

Breaking point: Roger Federer has complianed after the amount of time taken by Rafael Nadal between points

“It’s obviously a fine line. Until he gets into position to serve he takes his 20 seconds then he takes another 10 or 15 seconds until he really serves. I’m not saying he abuses it but he never feels the heat that much.”

Federer admits he has been affected by Nadal’s go-slow tactics in the past but insists he will not let it get to him as he seeks to secure an historic sixth consecutive Wimbledon title over the Spaniard.

Federer added: “It used to be irritating when I played him a few times in a row and I really felt he was playing very slow. I think he’s speeded up since those times and I actually felt he was playing fair lately.

“It’s up to the umpire. I’ll try to concentrate. I don’t think I’ll win or lose a match because he takes five seconds extra on a point. It’s on the edge, I’m aware of that, but it’s up to the umpire to decide what he wants to do.”

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Degree of difficulty for tomorrow’s matches.

1. Nadal vs Soderling.

2. Federer vs Berdych.

3. Murray vs Tsonga.

4. Djokovic vs Lu.

If Nadal wins tomorrow – in any fashion AND his body parts hold up – he will instantly become a favorite specially if he faces Federer in the finals. This win over Soderling will provide more than enough powder to blast a gun shy Murray who must be very near the feeling he had at this year’s AO only this time he is closer to home. Murray had lost just one set (Cilic) at the entire AO and was thrashed into pulp in the final. That reversal cannot be attributed in a major way to how Federer played. The determining factor was the massive pressure that received a mini release at the award ceremony – with tears.

Murray is producing the same kind of tennis so far (hasn’t lost a set) and has not faced a legitimate contender to place the pressure squarely against a real threat. With Nadal that paradigm will receive it’s first exposure. That places Nadal at an advantageous position far more than in his match against Soderling making it (against Soderling) the make or break it match for Nadal. Conversely if he loses to Soderling, winning the title will become very difficult!!!

Federer, however, has one thing going for him against Berdych: He hasn’t lost to the same player twice this season. Berdych beat Federer at Miami. For Federer, this may be the equivalent match in determining his chances of winning it all. But a 100% Nadal will still pose hugely massive problems in the finals. Nadal losing to Soderling is not too far from Federer losing to Berdych as Berdych has not been doing too bad lately either. He reached the semis at Roland Garros after beating Murray before losing to Soderling in five sets. So both Berdych and Soderling are coming in with strong momentum.

It appears Soderling is more likely to crash the big party even though Murray seems more worthy of it on paper. Soderling, like Murray, has now reached two Slam finals and is running without the pressure Murray is bogged down with. Could this be Soderling’s time? After all, other than Nadal, he is the only one with the weapon that has been troubling Federer here in the first two rounds: Pace.

Lu knocks out Andy Roddick.

What tennis doesn’t have on other major sports.

-Brawl still raises an eyebrow at tennis matches.

-Tennis stadiums are filled with current or retired WalMart employees embalmed with Ben Gay. We destroy and melt anyone under 65 at the gate.

-Umpires are toothless tigers.

-Coaches earn free money and instant ridicule / abuse – win or lose.

-Any ‘contact’ beyond a handshake is considered rough.

-Tighter underpants for ladies?

-ONLY sport with ‘unopen’ gay athletes.

-And that 11-hour match was fixed. That’s what you get for ignoring us.

The INDISPUTABLE violations from tennis players.

There are some accusations open to debate releasing the player(s) in question from being in the direct line of attack – until the all revealing book comes out like Agassi’s. Here are some stains with no doubt as to their authenticity:

Federer:

He is one of the worst sportsman the sport has EVER seen – maybe sports in general. The number of times he has deliberately shied from dishing his opponent credit after losing, carrying long horse faces at award ceremonies, berating his opponents’ game in public etc. etc. – is so heavily documented that there can be no ambiguity.

Nadal:

Time between points.

On-court coaching.

Roddick:

Complete and total freaking arrogance. In a way it’s good for him and the rest of the world that he is not a perennial No. 1. Can you imagine the attitude then?

Djokovic:

Injury time out is now part of his game conveniently timed when he is losing. If he is being thrashed just move up a notch to retirement.

Murray:

Oh, never mind.

Tsonga:

Narcissism?

Davydenko:

Raised by Meerkats?

Soderling:

Bar thug who sucks his thumb during fights?

Verdasco:

STD carrier?

Isner:

US mainstream sport reject?

Wawrinka:

Conflicted sexual orientation?

Gulbis:

Wasting his father’s money, his own talent and our time?

Querrey:

WalMart reject?

Lopez, Feliciano:

Vulgar name?

Youzhny:

Army reject?

You got more? No, you don’t!!!!!!!!!

Thoughts on Roddick’s loss.

This undoubtedly has to be a new low for Roddick given the surface, event, Roddick’s lead up to the event, the opponent, the form on display at early rounds, Federer’s release on the wise-like grip, Nadal’s knees……………………

There was NO freaking reason to go five sets on this, forget about losing. And if it did go five sets Roddick HAD to find a way to win. Didn’t some dudes named Federer and Nadal just do exactly that? That misery loves company train just goes as far as five sets and then falls off the cliff. Put the two scenarios together and it seems Roddick is like reminding us again that he is good but not great. We get it. Why rub it in. Should have folded against Kohlscreiber in the previous round to give that relentless message some rest.

This was Roddick’s ‘pretty decent’ chance of finally breaking through for a variety of ‘pretty decent’ reasons. But maybe this was a far more respectable way to go because if he had played anywhere near this against Djokovic, Federer or Nadal – his next opponents, a bagel laced thrashing was more or less guaranteed. This way at least he still may be hoping to do something at upcoming Slams. But if Federer had unloaded another of his ‘in the zone’ onslaughts in the semis peppered with bagels and bread sticks the future would have darkened far easily and rapidly.

This way he still has the luxury of brushing it under the carpet as an aberration – I don’t think anybody else is taking it that way though – maybe even Stefanki – specially when he was seen jumping ship recently – with that model girl – the one he came aboard for in the first place. Granted US Open is his favorite surface and he has won his lone Slam there, but unless there’s some massive bribe-induced draw, Roddick is as good as done at the Slams.

Stella poem for today.

STELLA

I’ve been out all day with no chance to see the day’s play so I don’t know who won or lost. So, it’s 6pm here and I have a lot of tapes to watch. that means todays verse is the more general type and not about today’s matches.

It was inspired by a kids book I spotted in Chapters on the weekend. I’m sorry Big sam Querrey lostyesterday because he’s the subject of the verse. Imagine if you will, Sam is about 8 years old , playing by his house near supper time. A load of boys with tennis racquets hitting balls in the driveway. There’s a tinkle of glass as a ball goes through a window. Dad Querey comes out to see who broke the window and sees a load of guilty looking kids.

Now, from Dr Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham , here is Sam I Am

I would not hit balls at a house.
I would not hit balls with a mouse.
I would not hit them with a fox.
No, I’m not standing on a box.
I would not hit them here or there.
I would not hit them anywhere.
I would not eat frogs legs or spam.
I do not like them, Sam I am.
I did not do it , sam I am..

PS tomorrows verse, by request is about Kader Nouni !!

Clijsters must have Agassi wondering – maybe even Federer.

For rock people, Justine literally owned Clijsters before the two retired, specially at the Slams. Following is their record at the Slams for the last five times they met on the big stage before retiring. The overall head to head then was 12-10 Justine. Now? Clijsters leads 13-12.

Year	Slam	Round	Winner	Score
2006	Wimbeldon	Semis	Henin	6-4, 7-6.
2006	FO	Finals	Henin	6-3, 6-2.
2004	AO	Finals	Henin	6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
2003	USO	Finals	Henin	7-5, 6-1.
2003	FO	Finals	Henin	6-0, 6-4.

10 foods to fight inflammation: putting out the fire.

Click here.

Don’t freaking tell me you missed the Roddick interview after his loss. Can you locate the funny part(s)?

Click here.

Players on Hawk-Eye.

The REAL reason Nadal was fined for coaching.

Do you remember anybody being fined for on-court coaching – ever? Usually there’s just a warning and that’s it. So what happened here?

Could it be largely due to Nadal’s response to the umpire after the call with something like “I am going to report this to your supervisor”? Could this be ATP’s way of saying “We stand behind the umpire and we are coming for more if you don’t straighten up at other areas in a hurry”?

It was like a kid not behaving in class telling the teacher who asks him to settle down that he will report the teacher to the Principal. Principal comes down hard to clear ALL misconceptions of getting away with this stuff any longer – casting a shadow at other similar violations currently being ignored.

Had Nadal blurted his generic ‘thank you’ he usually throws out when called for time violation, he may have been able to maintain the status quo. But he pushed too far. That’s the same criteria Federer found himself tangled with when he was fined for foul language. How many times have players gotten away with that kind of language? Remember Sharapova dropping the ‘f’ bomb at the umpire after some serve BS? Nothing happened. Federer himself dropped the ‘F’ and the ‘S’ bombs in the past – with impunity.

But when you push it to where it appears to be something you are ‘entitled’ to, you WILL provoke the hammer – no matter where you are.

Translation: If you want to keep that flow of cookies from the jar going – don’t push it.

Man in The Hat in the players box. From Stella. Thanks.

STELLA

YMD asked for a verse about the Man in The Hat in the players box.
I didn’t know where else to post it.
well YMD how about this.
His name is David Shearing and is the longest serving honorary Steward at Wimbledon. When he is not at the tennis he lives in Abu Dhabi.His job is to make sure everyone is in the right place and assist the players representatives ( from that I assume he is not able to tell them to shut up)
I think this is a video of him
http://2009.wimbledon.org/en_GB/news/blogs/2009-07-05/200907051246794556640.html

Now here is my Verse with apologies to Dr Seuss ( the Cat in the Hat)
THE MAN IN THE HAT.
I like to be here.
I like it a lot.
Said the man in the hat to the coach in the box.
I will not go away.
I do not wish to go.
And so said the man in the hat.
so so so.
I will show you another good game that I know
( how about I teach you Deaf sign language?)

Isner @ Letterman. From Claire / Jenny. Thanks.

Wimbledon poem from Alistair Speirs. Thanks.

ALISTAIR SPEIRS

Love the poems – here’s my offering

The British Dream

Every June and July, we watched someone try
To fulfil his life-long dream
We shouted “C’mon Tim, you can beat him”
As we tucked into strawberries and cream

At Wimbledon each year, it was Tim we would cheer
All of Britain hoped he would win it
But he couldn’t beat Federer, He’s that much betterer
And so the final …..Tim never got in it

In 2002, it was Hewitt who got through
In the semi’s, Tim played him and blew it
He tried to attack, but was forced to stay back
He got to the net, too “ late and knew it” !!
(Leighton Hewitt Get it?)

He excited the nation, but lost to a Croatian
As Ivanisovitch won a match in the rain
Though Tim we admired, he has now retired
And he won’t be playing Wimbledon again

He played well every year, gave us plenty to cheer
As we roared on this British star
We had such a thrill, out on Henman Hill
He got so near, but alas so far

And what other Brits have thrilled us ?

Andrew Castle and Neil Broad, we used to applaud
John Lloyd, Mark Petchy, Mark Cox
I expect they are threatenin’ …. to play as a veteran
They’re best sticking to their jobs on the Box

Roger Taylor, Nick Brown, Chris Wilkison, Barry Cowan
There was Chris Bailey and Jeremy Bates
Rusedski and Dowdeswell, entertained the crowds well
But they fell to some of the greats

Like McEnroe or Ashe, Boris Becker, Pat Cash
I wish Borg had been bjorn in Leeds
Aussie Wally Masur, was born in Britain I’m sure
He could have been one of “our” seeds

So Tim’s now a panellist, and a studio analyst
He’ll sit alongside John Inverdale or Sue
To debate with Mac or Boris, what chance there is for us
Of seeing our British dream coming true

So if it couldn’t be Tim, there’s a guy who can win
He comes from Dunblane – is that in Grampian?
This Scot Andrew Murray, is in such a hurry
As he aims to be Wimbledon Champion

Whose standing in Murray’s way?

Well Nadal can play, he is at home on the clay
He has won at Queens on the grass
But he must sort out his pants, that he wore when in France
And stop them from riding up his …….bottom

(sorry I couldn’t get it to rhyme)

And there’s Djokovic the Serb, who’s been playing superb
He plays with a smile and seems jolly
But Murray can go through, he knows what to do
He must lob the Serb…. and volley

If the umpire calls out and there’s an element of doubt
Here ‘s what Andy Murray should do
In his best Scottish voice, tell the umpire he’s no choice
He must turn off Hawk Eye the noo

Well this young Scot, with the talent he’s got
He’s the one on whom we are all countin’
If he wins then we will, have to replace Henman Hill
We’ll call it instead Murray’s Mountain

Alistair Speirs, Winchester

Y. Lu interview after beating Roddick. From Claire. Thanks.

CLAIRE

This was a great interview – almost cried when Lu talked about his Father!

Wouldn’t it be awesome if he won Wimbledon and a movie made about Lu (of course got to be scene of Lu chasing the chicken ). Come on, there are the movies made of the underdog winning in other sports, baseball, football,basketball – why not tennis!

From Wimbledon official website
Y. Lu – 28 June 2010
Monday, 28 June 2010
Q. You played him twice before. What was the difference?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I think for me I know he’s very tough on grass because he has big serve. And I don’t think I’m doing different than last time. But I just show my serve when I was in trouble or when I in tough situation, I don’t overplay.

So I have to stay with him because last two match, sometimes in the pressure, I overplay because I want to make a winner.

But today I just take a time, serve regular, and stay with him, try to find a chance and to win the set, set by set, set by set, until end, I shaking hand and I win. Yeah, I just don’t think.

Q. When it was leveled at two sets each, was it psychologically tougher for you then?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, yes. This question, for me, the fourth set I have a chance. I have 3‑1. The dropshot, I come in. I still thinking when I was going to the final set. I just tell myself, I have to fight. Because I know in the fifth set, there is no tiebreak, and he has better serve.

So I just tell myself, If I can stay longer, longer, longer, then probably something happens. And finally then I waited last chance to close the match.

But I tell you, fifth set, I don’t believe I can win because he’s better server than me.

Q. You didn’t believe?

YEN‑HSUN LU: No, I mean, for chance, I don’t believe. But I just tell myself, Even I don’t believe, I have to fight, yeah.

Q. What were the emotions like for you after the match? You won, sat down in your chair. What was going through your mind after the victory?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah, I mean, for me, because I really thankful for my family. Also because I’m really upset because my father’s already pass away. I make this result. I’m really proud myself to share this victory with him in the sky. I hope he see this match.

So in that moment, I just sit and tell myself, I done it. I done for my father. I done for myself also. I done for all the people support me, yeah.

Q. May we ask when your father passed away?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Is 2000, when I turned professional, that year.

Q. So now having achieved the best result of your career, how far do you think you can go here?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Right now, I just want to say I want to have good sleep tonight. I know the next opponent is Djokovic. Also is very great players. I don’t know how far I can play. I cannot tell you. But I can tell you if I have a chance to step on the court, I will fight in the end, yeah.

Q. Is it true you call yourself Randy because your English teacher could not pronounce your name?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah, you know, because in Taiwan is difficult. Is not difficult, my name, to pronounce. But the English teacher, they want us to get American style, have the English name, to go into the English class feeling. So that’s why they ask us to pick out the name from English.

So that’s why I pick. But I don’t know the meaning, actually (smiling).

Q. Do you want to know?

YEN‑HSUN LU: No. Better not, yeah (smiling).

Q. How long have you been working with Mark Woodforde and how much has he helped your game?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, had very good experience with him last year. I mean, last year I have really bad virus with me for one‑and‑a‑half months, and also my immune system, even after I recover, I still really not in the good shape.

So when I work with him, my body’s not really ready for it. But he give me a lot, you know, come to the net, and also some strategy, slice, approach. I mean, also he tell me some experience what he done before, when you play in a match, what you think. So is really help for when I work with him for two months, yeah.

Q. What was his advice? Did you speak to him today?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Actually, I meet him, like we went to the practice court, he is also practicing for this week. I was just say hi. He tell me, Well done. But we didn’t really spoke about the tournament match.

Q. Did your father teach you to play tennis? Was he involved in tennis?

YEN‑HSUN LU: He start to learn together. We learn tennis together. When I was going to high school, also he spending a lot of time, too. He’s not real coach, but he spend a lot of time to drive me to the coach, to the tennis coach, to the school. He’s take care everything.

And also when I was ‑‑ before he was always planning which direction I should go, I should go to school or keep going professional. In the moment, he pass away.

So I’m just upset that I done, and he didn’t with me. That’s why I’m just very sad about this. But today I think he’s here and he also very happy for me, yeah.

Q. When you beat Andy Murray at the Beijing Olympics, he said later that he was jetlagged and did not prepare properly. Does that make this win the best of your career?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I think every win is different in my career. I mean, of course, Andy’s ‑‑ they’re both Andy. Andy Murray’s good players. But probably he has some problem. I knew I play good tennis against him, and I beat him.

I cannot tell you next time I play him, I have to win, I have to beat him, because he’s very good players. I just find the chance to beat him.

And today the match, also in the match, I tell my coach, I say, I don’t care about if win or lose, but I just want to fight in the end. Then things happened.

Q. How difficult is it to play tennis in Taipei? Did you have economic support only from the family?

YEN‑HSUN LU: The beginning, family supporting. After, when I play till now, there’s some sponsor to support us. But when I kid, family support.

Q. What was your family doing, your family business?

YEN‑HSUN LU: My father doing, he’s selling the chicken, not the meat, but the live chicken. So they sell the chicken, send it to the farm or something. After, they kill and become the meat. So I can catch a chicken. I can show you. Yeah, serious. I can catch a chicken (smiling).

Q. Can you elaborate on that? Was this like a chicken farm where your dad worked? Did you work with him there?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I tried few times. But I don’t really like because smell really bad. But I know is very tough work. They always working between 1:00 in the morning to 6:00 in the morning, like very early. That time the chicken cannot run away because they cannot see.

Q. They were wild?

YEN‑HSUN LU: Yeah. No, but still they can run. They just put in the box or something. You have to catch them into the box. If the people want some kind of chicken, you need to separate.

Q. Roddick talked about how your serve seemed a lot tougher for him today than when you’ve played him in the past. Is that a part of your game you’ve worked on specifically? How might you be a different player today?

YEN‑HSUN LU: I mean, I think these tournaments improve my serve, especially like in the tough situation I make more first serve in. And also doing good serve is also physical‑wise because, like before the tournaments, I hire Argentina condition coach.

We training really hard for three‑and‑a‑half weeks to prepare these tournaments. And also he used the new system, it is different training program, that make me for my leg a little bit stronger.

So I can jump higher, I can serve better. That I think is better than last few times I play him, yeah.

Photos.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 29: Anna Kournikova of Russia in action during her Ladies Invitational doubles match against Anne Hobbs and Samantha Smith of Great Britain on Day Eight of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 29, 2010 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Contenders after four matches.

Player	Aces	Ist serve pct.	Sets lost/ Unforced errors	Tie breaks/ Double faults	Bk pt conv %	Time on court.	Matches played
Federer	55	61	3 / 75	3 / 13	42	9:03	4
Murray	60	57	0 / 73	0 / 6	42	7:19	4
Nadal	33	68	4 / 55	1 / 7	46	10:13	4
Djokovic	46	62	3 / 114	1 / 27	46	10:23	4
Roddick	66	72	2 / 34	2 / 3	62	6:42	3 OUT
Isner	113	74	2 / 52	2 / 10	14	11:05	1 OUT
Soderling	62	63	2 / 101	0 / 21	56	8:13	4