Wimbledon Draw - How it shapes up

The draw has come out and how does it shape up for the Main Contenders.

THE MEN - FIRST QUARTER

Rodger Federer sits on top in this section and has a pretty good draw.The next-highest seed is Davydenko, who's coming back from a long layoff and has never done much at Wimbledon.Tomas Berdych is also in this section and looks the player that could test Federer.He hasn't had a lot of matches on the Grass so how will that effect him.The other player with some grass court form is Janko Tipsarevic.

SECOND QUARTER

This section is really loaded.Andy Roddick sits in this side of the draw and is seeded to meet Novak Djokovic .Is his form as good as last year. I don't think so!His serve will carry him along but one slip and he's gone.Players he has to watch are Philipp Kohlschreiber and Marin Cilic .Djoker has a minefield ready to explode on him ,Lleyton Hewitt being one.He has to get through his first match against Olivier Rochus who has had a recent win over him.

THIRD QUARTER

Andy Murray could not have wished for a better draw,unless the pressure gets to him he really has a great opportunity to win this section.His main test is Sam Querrey winner of Queens and this will shape up as his key match should they meet.And on the other side, the top two seeds are Verdasco and Tsonga, neither of whom are very good at the majors.Look for a few upsets in this section.

FOURTH QUARTER

The Other hot section has Number two seed Rafael Nadal who opens his campaign against a young Japanese player who is being talked about in some circles as a young player to watch Kei Nishikori . If seeds go according to plan he will meet Robin Soderling in the final round of this section, and that could be a different story on the grass rather than the red clay.Other players to watch out for are Gulbis ,Youzhny .

I'm predicting lots of close matches this year and plenty of upsets!

THE WOMEN - FIRST QUARTER.

Whilst most of the leading players have chose to play warm up events prior to Wimbledon,defending champion Serena Williams has not.One day this is going to bite them on the xxx and this championship could be it.Maria Sharapova is in her section but can she get back the consistency to test Serena or in fact win her rounds before they meet.Serena has Larcher de Brito, a solid hitter , in the first round, and, potentially, Andrea Petkovic in the second. Post Sharapova, Serena might see Li Na, Svetlana Kuznetsova, or Wimbledon adept Aggie Radwanska in the quarters.

SECOND QUARTER

Sam Stosur, Caroline Wozniacki, Victoria Azarenka, Zheng Jie are the name players.Look for a Wimbledon flop from Stosur.Reading a recent press release on her chances for Wimbledon she says she will be happy to reach the quarters.I bet Serena doesn't come out and say she is happy to make the quarters ...these players are in it to win it.

THIRD QUARTER

Its a shame Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin could meet in the third round.Jelena Jankovic is seeded 4th but I mean she has as much chance of winning Wimbledon as me. I'm thinking the winner of Henin and Clijsters will come through.

FOURTH QUARTER

Francesca Schiavone AND Venus Williams seeded to meet in this Quarter,Im tipping one of these players wont be there.Falling by the wayside will be Schiavone.Wonder what Venus has in store fashion wise for Wimbledon.....bet it will be something special..UGH!Other players to watch out for Safina, Kleybanova, Szavay, Kudryavtseva ...did i say Safina!!! I meant to say watch which round she exits.!

You can check full draws HERE

What you say about my Fashion Sense!

As expected the Fed Express won yesterday whilst Venus Williams will just be left to concentrate on the doubles as she lost to Petrova.Tsonga lasted one set and retired,I mean why come out if you are injured play a set call the trainer and then default.Whats with these latest French Players seem to get injured way to much.Soderling I would say after watching him last match is definitely a Contender after some of his Facial expressions showing his fire.He plays Federer next and that wont go all Feds way.Here is a piece from Soderling's interview after beating Cilic.

Q. If I understand you correctly, are you saying that basically the difference between last year and this year and maybe between a top 20 player and a top 3 or 4 player, 5 player, is that you learn how to win without playing at your best level, that is, knowing how to win without being at your top level?
ROBIN SODERLING: Yeah, I'd like to think so. If you look at all the top guys, they're not playing the best tennis every week. Maybe you have three or four, maybe five matches in a year where you feel like you play really, really well.
The other 50 matches you still have to win, and then all the top guys, they win a lot of matches against good players without playing the best tennis. I think that's the biggest difference between a guy ranked in the top 10 and the guy ranked in the top 30, 40.

Q. You've cracked that secret. Can you tell us how it's done? Can you give us just one example of knowing how to win when you're not...
ROBIN SODERLING: Of course, winning a lot of matches against good players gives you confidence. I think this year and also last year I won a lot of matches against really good players, so my confidence is good.
You know, in matches like this, it's very often it's a couple of points here and there which decides the match. And then the guy who has the best confidence wins the match and the points most of the time.

This is very much a valid point that every time you go onto the court you cant play your best tennis and players that learn how to win matches when they are not playing their best are the ones that come though.A lesson for all you junior players out there.

Other winners Justine Henin,Tomas Berdych ..who sent Andy Murray back across the channel where he can prepare for "Murray Mania" ...Francesca Schiavone,Elena Dementieva and Caroline Wozniacki.

The Roland Garros Diaries

Just a post with a few behind the scenes goings on at the French Open. I have too much time on my hands lately with the wet weather in South Canterbury and hence the above picture is a spoof on the American Hit TV Series the Vampire Diaries.Can you guess the above tennis players all no doubt will be playing a major role in the Finale of Roland Garros( Rafa,Fed ,Justine).

Serena when asked about Fed Cup and her country

Q. And your thinking on Fed Cup? Is that a matter of scheduling? Do you feel that you have any responsibility to the country in terms of getting into the championships? What are your thoughts on that?

SERENA WILLIAMS: Well, my only responsibility is my two dogs. So I have to make sure they're okay and that I can afford to take care of them. That's the only real responsibility I have.

Interesting response but not surprising.

What is Andy Murray's Favorite Surface

Q. Although you've said consistently that you think the French is the Grand Slam where you've got the least chance of winning, are you sort of actually quietly enjoying this championship and the ups and downs of how you've got this far and relishing the prospect of the second week here?

ANDY MURRAY: Yeah, I mean, I enjoy it as a tournament. I always loved to play on clay when I was younger. I've said it many times it's my favorite surface to play on, even though my results haven't been as good.
You know, I feel like I can play well on clay, play very well on clay. It just takes me a bit more time to get used to the surface again. You know, I love the tournament. It's probably the hardest physically to win, you know, because obviously a lot of long rallies, long points, and long matches.
Yeah, I enjoy coming here, and it's very different to me than at the other Slams where, you know, I'm a lot more sure of myself there just because I know how to move well and how to play properly on those courts.

Early in the week talk was that the Roland Garros courts where playing as fast as they have for 20 years.John Isner and then Todd Woodbridge telling the Tennis Channel yesterday that this was the fastest the surface has played in 20 years of his experience.Didn't help Isner!

Federer makes an appearance in the Nike football world cup commercial.Here is the commercial.



You may have picked up Nadal is wearing a watch for the first time whilst playing. Its a Richard Mille watch designed specifically for Nadal, with materials used in space exploration. Mille says there are 50 for sale—at a price of about $425,000.Nadal never before has worn a watch while competing.Wonder what the sponsorship deal is ,,,,,I will order 4 :)

If Henin Wins Today's Australian Women's Final it will be a Fairy Tale Finish

Justine Henin and Serena Wlliams will today battle for the ultimate prize the Australian Open Women's title.Head to Head Serena leads 7-6 but both players have never met in a Grand slam Final before today.Both Players defeated Chinese players in their respective Semi Finals.Thank goodness they did with no offense to the Chinese pair I could not imagine watching the final between those players.Henin has had the tougher path to the final beating 5th seed Elena Dementieva, Alisa Kleybanova, Yanina Wickmayer and Nadia Petrova en route to the semis.Serena has had a slightly easier path.Serena if she wins today adds to history it will be her 12th Grand Slam singles victory.Henin if she wins today will create the Fairy Tale Finish many are hoping for after officially retired from the tennis circuit in May 2008.It should be a great final my only concern is if Serena's bandages happen to come undone, medical time out wont be long enough to address the problem.