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Brian Swartz · 11-13-2017, 08:01 PM

Wimbledon

Not too bad, not too good for Mehul/Kroese who continue to sort of hang around. They made it to the quarters pretty easily, losing there to (3)Zopp/Srbulovic in four sets. Could have been a straight-sets loss. Shyam Senepathy had a miserable trip to England, losing right away to qualifier Pantelija Cucurevic in four. It wasn't as close as that sounds; he only won six games combined in the three sets he lost. Not his finest moment.

All the seeds went through their first match, though Luc Janin was pushed the distance -- and then bageled his challenger in the final stanza. All made it through the second one as well. Definitely rare to see none of the Top 32 get bounced early. Blagota Cojanovic had the most trouble against Zimmolo, coming through 6-7(1), 7-6(1), 7-6(4), 7-5. 54 aces and five breaks of serve, only two total points separating the players. That's grass-court tennis for you. In the next round, he proceeded to take an epic against former champion Johnny Browne, 8-6 in the 5th for that upset. That was really the only notable surprise though as things continue to go amazingly on-form. Valentin Rosenberg had to go to 9-7 in the final set to evade Besson, and Espinoza was pushed the distance as well, but both got through.

On then to the fourth without a whole lot having happened yet. Jake Jolland pushed Kaspar to a pair of early tiebreaks, yet departed in straights. Cojanovic was dismissed routinely by Dudwadkar later on. #3 Martin Zarco was knocked out by Schmucker, a finalist last year, in four sets. Not a huge surprise there given the 11th-ranked Czech's grass acumen. There were two real epics on display though, both in the bottom half. Prakash Mooljee was involved in probably the best one, an age-vs-youth tussle against American Matthew Panter(13th). He came out on top of it, 6-7(11), 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-8. Couldn't win a tiebreak, but eventually managed to get through in the final set. Panter's despicable 2 of 19 showing on break chances was the match; without that, he's the one moving on. Then, after each player had survived a 5-setter in the last round, Rosenberg and Espinoza both went there again. The Swede eventually made it out, 8-6 in the determiner. The quality and excitement of play rising, the first week was complete.

7 of the Top 8, plus last year's finalist Milos Schmucker. A real high-quality field to decide tennis's grandest championship this year. Milos rallied from two sets down, perhaps taking advantadge of fatigue in a victory over Rosenberg that stood as the match of the round. Elsewhere, Kaspar eased past Hsuang-tsung Teng, and Gillo Fangio lost a trio of 6-4 sets to Dudwadkar in a critical matchup for both players, stunning failing to convert any of his four break opportunities, and just as surprisingly losing the ace battle 19 to 7. Guus Dircx was sent home a bit early by Mooljee in four sets, a pretty surprising result. Even match, another one decided by which player would convert in the big moments. A fair bit of choking going on out there, and we seem to be taking advantadge.

Mateo Kaspar continued his trend of taking a close tiebreaker and then steamrolling in the semifinals, sending Dudwadkar home 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3. Schmucker stopped Mooljee in another three sets, though much closer, in the second match. So both of our players end up two wins shy of the title, one of the final. Not bad really. It's the same matchup as last year -- and the same result, though Milos Schmucker looked to have the upper hand. Another escape by Kaspar here, 6-7(4), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. He could easily have lost both here and RG -- but he won both. It's one of those summers that really puts the stamp on his legacy, just refusing to lose even when he's up against it and doesn't appear to have his best game. 29 aces for Schmucker ... but 0-for-6 with the chance to break the legend. And that's pretty much that.

11-13-2017, 08:01 PM	#705
Brian Swartz Grizzled Veteran Join Date: May 2006	Wimbledon Not too bad, not too good for Mehul/Kroese who continue to sort of hang around. They made it to the quarters pretty easily, losing there to (3)Zopp/Srbulovic in four sets. Could have been a straight-sets loss. Shyam Senepathy had a miserable trip to England, losing right away to qualifier Pantelija Cucurevic in four. It wasn't as close as that sounds; he only won six games combined in the three sets he lost. Not his finest moment. All the seeds went through their first match, though Luc Janin was pushed the distance -- and then bageled his challenger in the final stanza. All made it through the second one as well. Definitely rare to see none of the Top 32 get bounced early. Blagota Cojanovic had the most trouble against Zimmolo, coming through 6-7(1), 7-6(1), 7-6(4), 7-5. 54 aces and five breaks of serve, only two total points separating the players. That's grass-court tennis for you. In the next round, he proceeded to take an epic against former champion Johnny Browne, 8-6 in the 5th for that upset. That was really the only notable surprise though as things continue to go amazingly on-form. Valentin Rosenberg had to go to 9-7 in the final set to evade Besson, and Espinoza was pushed the distance as well, but both got through. On then to the fourth without a whole lot having happened yet. Jake Jolland pushed Kaspar to a pair of early tiebreaks, yet departed in straights. Cojanovic was dismissed routinely by Dudwadkar later on. #3 Martin Zarco was knocked out by Schmucker, a finalist last year, in four sets. Not a huge surprise there given the 11th-ranked Czech's grass acumen. There were two real epics on display though, both in the bottom half. Prakash Mooljee was involved in probably the best one, an age-vs-youth tussle against American Matthew Panter(13th). He came out on top of it, 6-7(11), 6-3, 6-3, 6-7(5), 10-8. Couldn't win a tiebreak, but eventually managed to get through in the final set. Panter's despicable 2 of 19 showing on break chances was the match; without that, he's the one moving on. Then, after each player had survived a 5-setter in the last round, Rosenberg and Espinoza both went there again. The Swede eventually made it out, 8-6 in the determiner. The quality and excitement of play rising, the first week was complete. 7 of the Top 8, plus last year's finalist Milos Schmucker. A real high-quality field to decide tennis's grandest championship this year. Milos rallied from two sets down, perhaps taking advantadge of fatigue in a victory over Rosenberg that stood as the match of the round. Elsewhere, Kaspar eased past Hsuang-tsung Teng, and Gillo Fangio lost a trio of 6-4 sets to Dudwadkar in a critical matchup for both players, stunning failing to convert any of his four break opportunities, and just as surprisingly losing the ace battle 19 to 7. Guus Dircx was sent home a bit early by Mooljee in four sets, a pretty surprising result. Even match, another one decided by which player would convert in the big moments. A fair bit of choking going on out there, and we seem to be taking advantadge. Mateo Kaspar continued his trend of taking a close tiebreaker and then steamrolling in the semifinals, sending Dudwadkar home 7-6(4), 6-2, 6-3. Schmucker stopped Mooljee in another three sets, though much closer, in the second match. So both of our players end up two wins shy of the title, one of the final. Not bad really. It's the same matchup as last year -- and the same result, though Milos Schmucker looked to have the upper hand. Another escape by Kaspar here, 6-7(4), 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. He could easily have lost both here and RG -- but he won both. It's one of those summers that really puts the stamp on his legacy, just refusing to lose even when he's up against it and doesn't appear to have his best game. 29 aces for Schmucker ... but 0-for-6 with the chance to break the legend. And that's pretty much that.