TO EACH THEIR OWN: A few years ago Serena got to meet Queen Elizabeth. Today her mother, Oracene Price, met Camilla, the Duchess of Kent. The once-controversial royal is not only Prince Charles’ big love, she’s a big tennis fan who had a dandy little chat with Price.
INTOXICATING DIALOGUE: After one British commentator was reflecting on Marcus Willis, the world’s No. 772 player, going up against the greatest player of all time, Roger Federer, No. 3, he concluded by saying, “This is why sports intoxicates.” His broadcast partner then replied, “That’s what Willis’ problem has been. Too often he got intoxicated.”
GO FIGURE: Gilles Simon threatened to sue the umpire during his loss to Grigor Dimitrov…Wimbledon’s ground crews do yoga…Going into Thursday’s play the only two players to have reached the men’s or women’s third round were Federer and Djokovic…Dominic Thiem has won more matches this year than Djokovic…Andy Murray’s record while recently working with coach Ivan Lendl is 7-0.
LONG LIVE MARCUS WILLIS – PARTING THOUGHTS: Before the delightful British underdog Marcus Willis fades into the horizon, let us recall:
• The $55,000 he earned at Wimbledon is a bit more than the $300 or so he had pocketed during the rest of this year.
• Willis played a club match today.
• Willis, who is from west of London, speaks a style of English few Americans would find familiar. For instance, he said Roger “Put me under the cosh. He came out firing…I was getting duffed up. I loved every bit of it. Not the duffing bit.”
When Willis was asked to describe his average Wednesdays, he said they include, “Stretching, all that malarkey in the gym. I’m on court four hours straight [and then I] get a cup of tea and bang out four hours.”
• Our favorite quote from the forthright and laid-back Brit was when he said, ”I did look up twice as I bounced the ball, and saw Roger Federer, and thought, ‘Oh, haven’t seen this before.'”
• Willis, after beating Ricardas Berankis on Monday, said it was the best day of his life and that playing Federer on Centre Court was not his average Wednesday.
• British player Dan Evans claimed, “It doesn’t matter who Marcus plays, it’s always unorthodox.”
• One commentator said, “It’s hard to say Roger Federer is playing a bit part, but he is today.”
• The beloved Roger was actually booed after one replay controversy.
• The best shot Willis hit against Federer was a backhand offensive lob winner. He said with a wink that now he could always say he lobbed Roger.
PLAYING THE ICELAND CARD ONE TOO MANY TIMES: After Iceland shocked England in Euro Cup soccer play, the island nation was a frequent reference among sports commentators. For instance, one said that “Marcus Willis may turn out to be the Iceland of tennis.” He wasn’t.
WHAT IS MORE SHOCKING: That French Open Champion and 2015 Wimbledon finalist Garbine Muguruza lost to the Slovakian qualifier Jana Cepelova; that she lost so convincingly (6-3, 6-2), or that the Spaniard showed so little fight and fire? BTW: Cepelova, who is ranked No. 124, plays her best on big courts against big players. She has wins over Serena and Simona Halep.
OH, HOW THE MIGHTY HAVE FALLEN: At the US Open, Serena was going for the Grand Slam, but she suffered a shock loss to Roberto Vinci in the semis. Then Flavia Pennetta retired just after winning the Open. After winning the Australian Open, Angelique Kerber lost in the first round of the French Open. Today, French Open winner Garbine Muguruza, the No. 2 seed here, was booted out of Wimbledon.
A TALE OF TWO TATTOOS: Slovenian Polona Hercog has a massive skull tattoo on her right arm. Stan Wawrinka has a small tattoo on his arm that famously proclaims, “Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”
OLYMPIANS NAMED: The US named its Olympic team. It includes Jack Sock and Steve Johnson, Dennis Kudla, Mike and Bob Bryan, Serena and Venus Williams, Coco Vandeweghe and Bethanie Mattek-Sands.
AMERICA ROCKS: There are 12 Americans into the second round, which is our best showing in a decade. A decade ago Donald Young won the junior title. Now he has finally gotten a Wimbledon win. He beat Leonardo Mayer. Sam Querrey took down Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets. Jack Sock, who beat Robin Haase in wet Paris, did it again today in relatively dry London. John Isner whacked 33 aces as he whipped a demoralized Marcos Baghdatis.
A nervous Madison Keys finished fast over Kirstin Flipkens on Court 7 in three sets. Venus Williams took out the pesky young 18-year-old Greek Maria Sakkari in three sets, but was miffed on how, as a five-time champ, she was put out on Court 18, while male stars aren’t shipped out to the Wimbledon outback.
Julia Boserup gained a first-ever Slam third-round appearance when Belinda Bencic retired. Steve Johnson, who just won the Nottingham tourney, beat Jeremy Chardy to reach the third round.
Coco Vandeweghe, a quarterfinalist here last year, beat Timea Babos 6-2, 6-3 to reach the third round. Sloane Stephens beat Shuai Peng on Court 5, but said she needed a map to get out there.
BEST RANT SINCE TARANGO? Serbia’s Viktor Troicki was furious with ump Damiano Torella during his second-round loss to Albert Ramos-Vinolas, calling him the “worst ever in the world.” He offered a world-class rant, saying, “You are the worst chair umpire ever. You are stupid. Do you know what you did? You are horrible. You are horrible. What are you doing there?”
The 25th seed Troicki insisted an ace that gave Ramos-Vinolas match point was out, grabbing the ball off a ball boy and showing it to the ump. His Spanish foe went on to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
ESPN noted, “Not since McEnroe shouted the immortal line, “You cannot be serious!” at umpire Edward James for ruling a serve out during the 1981 Championships has Wimbledon been treated to such an entertaining on-court outburst from a player.”
At 30-30 when he was 5-3 down in the fifth set, Troicki felt a serve from Ramos-Vinolas was wide, but Torella overruled the decision, giving the Spaniard match point.
Troicki, who was once suspended for 12 months for not providing a blood sample, started yelling there was “no white” as he examined the ball for chalk. He walked towards the ump, held up the ball and called out, “Look at it!”
He then bashed the ball into the sky and asked, “Did you see the ball? You’re so bad!” After losing he asked, “Do you know what you did?” again and again. He then yelled, “You’re horrible!” and offered a “B” bomb.
Meltdown watchers soon were comparing Troicki’s performance with Jeff Tarango’s lively rant in 1995, in which he said chair ump Bruno Rebeuh was “the most corrupt official in the game,” and Tarango’s wife slapped ump Rebeuh twice. Tarango was banned from Wimbledon the next year.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: John McEnroe said, “Serena wants to erase any doubts in people’s minds that she is the best player of all time.”
JUST WONDERING: When was the last time Serena wasn’t a favorite to win a Grand Slam?…How long did it take for Serena to get over her loss to Roberta Vinci at the US Open?…Is Serena enjoying tennis these days or is it a grind, and is she suffering from career fatigue?… Is she slower than she used to be?
MURDER SUSPECT: Mark DeYoung, the coach of Dutchman Robin Haase, went on trial Monday for the bloody stabbing murder of millionaire Dutch businessman Koen Everink. DeYoung, who had a gambling debt of about $70,000 with Everink, claims his innocence. Haase lost today to Jack Sock.
THE MOST BRITISH NAME AT WIMBLEDON: Katie Swan lost in straight sets in her first-round match. BTW: Swan’s parents live in Kansas.
