Well, what else can I write about today but the tennis – and what can I say but ‘Wow!’ There were two utterly terrific semi-finals yesterday: I had intended to stop watching the first, between Djokovic and Del Potro, after an hour or so, but I just couldn’t tear myself away. This nail-biting five-setter didn’t follow the script at all: Djokovic ought in theory to have dispatched ‘Del-boy’ in straight sets, but the Argentine player just hung in there and produced some spectacular shots. He simply wouldn’t go away and punished each of Djokovic’s errors with a winner. So Djokovic eventually got through the match, which was the longest men’s semi-final in Wimbledon history; though there have been longer matches at other levels. You have to wonder whether, after that, he will have the reserves he needs for tomorrow’s final.
Aaaaaand yes! He will be playing Murray. After a fairly nail-biting four-setter against the eighteen-year-old Janowicz during which they had a break to put on the roof, Murray was through in fairly decisive fashion. The match was almost an object-lesson in youth versus experience, Janowicz covering the court faster but Murray playing more wisely and getting far less worked up. There was some controversy about the decision to put the roof on at that stage; there seemed to be enough light to play on but Janowicz had been whittling about the roof for a good half hour and the break favoured him as Murray was on a roll at that point. Still, in the end Murray gritted his teeth and won the fourth set and the match. You have to give him good odds against Djokovic, especially with a home crowd.
Sadly I shall be missing the women’s final as I’m meeting Chris and Peter for a drink: however I have my seat booked for tomorrow from 2 pm onwards. Not on centre court, sadly, but in front of a decent TV for a change…
Happy Saturday
Kirk out
PS I can’t remember if I mentioned that I was going to be on TV talking about urine therapy? I think I did – well, I’m not doing it now as I have received reliable information that this is not the serious scientific study it purports to be but an exercise in ridicule: apparently it is to be called ‘Health Freaks on Trial’. So no thanks, Channel 4 – if I’m going on there it should be me taking the piss….
Sarada Gray 