JUST WONDERING: Is Djokovic the foremost seeker in the game? (See our previous post today, where Nole gives a spiritual talk about meditation, perspective and harmony).
THE PAIN OF BEING ‘BRENGLED’: After American Madison Brengle upset Petra Kvitova, the BBC noted the two-time Wimbledon Czech champ “has been Brengled. Madison makes players play badly and she does it well…She is many people’s favorite [to win the tourney] going out.”
WOMEN’S MATCH OF THE TOURNEY SO FAR: Jo Konta’s 7-6(4), 4-6, 10-8 reversal of fortune against Nottingham champ Donna Vekic, a strong serving display on Centre Court that ended with an embrace and Vekic crying on Konta’s shoulder at the handshake. With Kvitova out, Konta’s Wimbledon campaign just grew much stronger.
RANT OF THE TOURNEY: Daniil Medvedev said the umpire doing his match out on Hawkeye-less Court 16 had something against him, since there were so many rulings in favor of his foe. He calculated it as five-to-one against him. He claimed the umpire “wanted me to lose.” He barked, “Change the ref!” and “Where the hell is the supervisor?” After the match, he reached into his wallet and derisively tossed coins at the ref. Later he said it was all “in the heat of the moment” and that he “did something bad.”
GO FIGURE: Wimbledon is selling candles with one of the best scents in the world – that would be fresh-cut grass…French Open champ Jelena Ostapenko has played eight three-set matches in a row, winning seven of them.
SLAM SLAYER: Madison Brengle, who beat two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova, has also beaten both Slam winners from this year – Serena and Jelena Ostapenko. She’s also defeated now-retired 2015 US Open winner Flavia Pennetta.
HEADLINES:
Tomic Undermines the Spirit of Wimbledon with Stinking Attitude
Bernard Tomic ‘Couldn’t Care Less’ About Winning
Tomic the Tank Engine – Aussie Bad Boy Reaches New Low
Mac’s Djok Crock Shock
Brexit Strawberry Shortage Branded “Fake News”
Shortchanged! Fans’ Outrage as Four More Players Quit
Centre Court Farce
Pitiful Players Came, Saw and Skulked Off, $45,000 the Richer
Djokovic and Federer Barely Break a Sweat in Retirement Farce
Federer Calls for Rule Change After Bloodless Victory
Fit Our Schedules Around Baby, Say the Tennis Mums
Watch Wimbledon for Great Tennis? With a Side Serving of Sexism
Wimbledon Viewers Berate Clare Balding for ‘Too Much Chat’
QUOTEBOOK:
“I don’t know why but I felt a little bored out there, to be completely honest.” – Bernard Tomic
“You’re an embarrassment to yourself and Australian tennis.” – Aussie Pat Cash to Bernard Tomic
“Tomic is the underbelly of pro sport, a talented lad who delights in inverting the ethos at the heart of competition.” – I – The Paper for Today
“You can’t just go down to a shop and buy it.” – The BBC on confidence
“The food has definitely gotten better.” – Kim Clijsters, who returned to Wimbledon as a BBC broadcaster after being away for several years
VENUS’ RECIPE FOR SUCCESS: Venus used power groundies, an imposing serve, careful drop shots, stretch volleys and years of experience today on Court 1 as she came from behind to down China’s Qiang Wang 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
SAY IT ISN’T SO: Federer’s and Djokovic’s first-round matches took 83 minutes…All six Australian men lost in the first round, as did two of three Aussie women…Flying ants invaded Wimbledon, and Jo Konta said she swallowed a few, since she’s trying to stick to lean foods in her diet.
THE BASELINER WITH A BABY BUGGY? Mandy Minella, who lost her first-round match while being four-and-a-half months pregnant, said, “I want to compete again at Wimbledon 2018 – and bring the baby buggy.” Ranked No. 82, she’s applying for a protected ranking.
CRACKDOWN ON QUITTERS: Wimbledon is considering new rules to deter players with injuries from quitting.
THE ONLY PERSON IN TENNIS NOT INSPIRED BY ROGER: We thought everyone in tennis (well, except maybe Nadal and Djokovic) was inspired by Federer. And so did a reporter who asked new mother Vika Azarenka whether she was inspired by the Swiss star, who is the father of two sets of twins. A strong feminist, Vika said no disrespect, but she was not inspired by Roger.
NASTY WARNINGS APPEAR: Ilie Nastase behaved in a wretched manner in Romania when he verbally abused two members of Britain’s Davis Cup team. Then he was celebrated at the Madrid Open, by his friend Ion Tiriac, who owns the tournament. But he has been banned from Wimbledon, and security here distributed his picture to make sure he doesn’t enter.
NO KIDDING: New mom Vika Azarenka says becoming a mother is the best thing in the world…Andy Murray said all the mid-match withdrawals are “really not positive for the tour.”
