It’s a fittingly gloomy day in London on which this newsletter is being written by yours truly. I’m sitting in a full face of makeup, growing the biggest pimple in the world right on my nose for good measure. By tomorrow I will have another face on my face. Marvellous times.
It’s been a whirlwind of Wimbledon’s week number one in which I confidently called my dark horse on all possible networks I could get my face on just for her to crash out in round 2. LOL. Where’s my raise, tennis?
There’s a lot going on in London at the moment. There’s the elections that were won in a landslide by someone, I hear. I’m still butt hurt about Brexit so I pretend I don’t care when in reality I wish I had a castle in the English countryside with a butler and a horse. Football is very much not coming home judging by the way the English team is playing and by the red, angry faces their pundits are wearing on ITV 1. It’s still dominating most of the headlines though. Glastonbury just concluded, too.
The tennis is tennising. Of course it is. We had the battle of the teenagers in round 1 between French Open sensation Mirra Andreeva and the lesser known Brenda Fruhvirtova which was won by Brenda. It’s rare that Mirra has to play somebody younger or as young as herself and the psychology got turned on its head. It gave her a glimpse of what it will be like to be hunted if she continues rising in the ranks.
It’s good to see Bianca Andreescu back and playing well. There are some players who just have it. Whatever it is. It could be the drama they bring or just the way they have you on the edge of the seat at all times with the twists and turns in their matches (and sometimes, unfortunately, also in their careers and lives). Boris Becker, who won here in SW 19 in 1986, had it. He would turn anything he touched into a Greek tragedy. It was fun while it remained on the tennis court.
Novak Djokovic has gone through his first rounds, carefully watched by everyone who has knees. Could it be done? So far, he’s looking okay. At times, it feels like he’s hesitant about putting his full weight onto the right leg. His forehand speed dropped off by 7 mph by set 3 and 4 playing young Jacob Fearnley. Could it be caution? Fatigue? After surgeries, the tissue around the incision can get tired when strained. Even if you don’t try to compete in a major tournament within two weeks time. The biggest mistake people make is measure decisions by the likes of Novak, Serena and Roger with the same standards we lay on mortals. We’re dealing with immortals here.
On the men’s side the most dominant tennis so far has been displayed by Alexander Zverev. He seems a different person here, liberated somehow. Hitting winners off both wings but more importantly: remaining on the baseline, refusing to be pushed back. Let’s see what happens when he gets a bit more resistance.
Carlos has looked very good, too. He’s just a play-child. I honestly think that he gets bored in matches when he’s too good so he helps his opponent out a bit for the tension and sakes of it. I have never seen a face light up as much as Carlos’ when he heard that Frances Tiafoe said he was coming for him. A true competitor’s heart. They are on court right now.
You know who looks sneakily good? Iga Swiatek looks sneakily good. Yes, that shouldn’t be a surprise for a world number one but we all know how little love is lost between her and the grass courts (a feeling the author of this piece can get fully behind - read here why: grass should be smoked). She’s looking calm and relaxed and is treating grass as if it was clay. Hitting her heavy spin forehands as if she were still in Paris. I would almost call her a favourite if she wasn’t on a round 4 collision course with her tennis nemesis, her kryptonite, Jelena Ostapenko who has 4:0 head-to-head with Iga. I, personally, can’t wait for that match if it was really to happen.
I could talk and write about this forever but alas, we’re on a time constraint. I’m on a time constraint. Because I regret to inform you that while you are reading this newsletter, I will be interviewing Roger Federer. I don’t regret it for me, but I do regret it for you. That’s the kind of person I am. Thinking of everyone involved. I hope you are enjoying lawn tennis, maybe occasionally even some lawn football and I hear Glastonbury is on grass, too. Only in the election, there was no lawn to be found. At least something.
Things that make me happy:
Interviewing Roger Federer in half an hour makes me very happy. I promise I will ask him to come work for us TV weirdoes soon.
Things that make me unhappy:
I will miss the Germany vs. Spain quarterfinal clash in the Europe Cup today because I will be calling Grigor Dimitrov vs. Gael Monfils on Court 1 today. Basically the Germany and Spain of tennis.
Thank you all for indulging me. This newsletter came to you with the author dressed in white as promised. Remember, next week it will be in your inboxes on Monday after the finals. May your chips be as good as the crisps are in England.
Yours truly, Andrea
When Lendl said he didn't play Wimbledon because he was allergic to grass, I thought that was cute and clever and funny, especially coming from a man known to be born lacking a sense of humor. But your line and link to "grass should be smoked" is just: Better!
Guess Grigor read this, finish the game in time, so you won't miss much.