LONDON — The critics were certain. Putting a clunky old roof on Wimbledon’s beloved Centre Court would ruin it all, they shouted. Centre Court – so pure, the atmosphere cannot be tainted. It’s tennis’ grand cathedral, open to the skies. Enclosing it will destroy its pristine purity.
Phooey!
Anyone who thought Wimbledon’s roof would destroy Centre Court’s atmosphere better think again. After all, today, with thunder pounding and rain sounding — a percussive mantra — the brilliantly translucent ceiling only intensifies the drama of a quarterfinal match of modest proportions — Marion Bartoli vs. Sabine Lisicki. At changeovers, the buzz ‘n chatter of an amazed English crowd rises into a modest roar, the murmur mounts.
As the skies unleash their fearsome bounty, the once clarion sounds of the ball – thwack, thwack – suddenly vanish, unheard. Nature — quite uninvited — imposes its musical will. The drone of drops puts it all in perspective.
Storms care nothing for man’s games.
A thousand cameras may snap their shots; the Duke in the gray pinstripe suit may be transfixed by lightning German serves and angular French winners; the entire throng may stretch their necks to spot the appropriately named Irish golf star — Rory McIlory – sitting proud in the front row of the Royal Box.
The rain doesn’t care.
Thor’s thunder — a rumble above — mutes the rumble below. But on this Wimbledon afternoon, civilization has its reply — content and confident. The $150 million bright white roof — complete with elegant industrial pipes, arena lights, stylish coverings – gives us a universe within, a tennis wonder.
The gift is simple, the haven dry.
The storm may rage, but play goes on.
JIGGING, SHAKING, LEAPING, BOUNCING, SHADOW SWINGS; SIDEWAYS THRUSTS, PERPETUAL MOTION: Bartoli.
JUST WONDERING: When Bartoli wakes up in the morning, does she bounce and shadow box in front of the mirror when she’s brushing her teeth?…Has any Grand Slam quarterfinal in memory featured more drop shots than the Lisicki vs. Bartoli match?…Will a young women's player finally step up and win a Slam?
THE WORST ANALYSIS IN THE HISTORY OF TENNIS: Mary Rhodes said that Victoria Azarenaka (arguably the loudest screecher ever) “is quietly working her way through [the draw].”
BARTOLI’S WIN OVER SERENA WAS NO FAIRY TALE: Radio Wimbledon said, “Maid Marion robbed the girl from the hood.”
RUN, RABBIT RUN: Sue Mappin said that when Laura Robson was waiting for the imperious Maria Sharapova to come out for their third round match, “she looked like a scared little rabbit out there.”
HEADLINES
IT LOOKS LIKE THE END OF AN ERA AS VENUS AND SERENA EXIT ON A DAY OF BIG SHOCKS
SWING OUT SISTERS
WILLS COME OFF
IT COULD BE OVA AND OUT FOR THE DYNASTY
ANYONE FOR SUNSTROKE
FISH OUT OF WATER
MANIC MONDAY
TSONGA MAKES A STAND FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES – FLAMBOANT FRENCHMAND TRANSPORTS US BACK TO THE DAYS OF THE SHOWMEN
NADAL FIGHTS PAIN FOR GAIN
NADAL DEMONSTRATES THE HEART OF A CHAMPION BY DEFYING PAIN BARRIER
NAD-OWA
FOOT FAULT HAS RAFA FEARING FOR HIS TITLE
TOMIC POWER FIRES UP AUSSIES
DELICIANO LOPEZ PROVES THAT HE IS RATHER MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE
OH I SAY, A ROYAL MEXICAN WAVE
CAMERON PAL DIES IN GLASTO TOILET (Translation: A close friend of British P.M. David Cameron had a heart attack in a portable toilet at the annual rock festival.)
SURVIVOR TALES: The buzz is about Serena Williams coming back from an embolism that brought her near death. But Ivan Ljubicic barely survived the Balkan wars. Similarly, Novak Djokovic and many of the other Serbians practiced as NATO bombs fell and Sharapova’s family fled from Cherynobl and Andy Murray survived a mass murder in his Scottish school in Dunblane when he was in fifth grade.
MARIA’S FIANCE – SASHA ON MASHA: Sharapova’s fiancé, Sasha Vujacic, told IT that he would definitely give the ball to Masha at crunch time; that what he liked most about Wimbledon was that “everyone is so classy” and as for Sharapova’s run here at Wimbledon, things are going “so far so good.”
THE MASTER OF THE GRAND GESTURE: In 2008, Murray was considered a bit wimpy. So after one key Wimbledon win – a triumph over Richard Gasquet — he famously flexed his bicep. This year after again beating Gasquet he bowed deeply to Prince William and Kate.
WICKED DROP SHOTS, SWEET GIGGLE, NICE ANGLES, STYLISH BACKHAND AND ONE OF THE BETTER SERVES IN THE WOMAN’S GAME: German Wimbledon semifinalist Lisicki.
THE MOST INTERNATIONAL PLAYER IN TENNIS?: Timara Paszek, who lost in the quarters 6-3, 6-1 to Victoria Azarenka, is an Austrian citizen. Her mother is Chilean. Her Tanzanian-born dad was raised in Kenya and now lives in Canada, both of her paternal grandparents are Indians, her previous coach, Larri Passos, is from Brazil and her current coach Angel Giminez is from Spain.
THE BEST CELEBRATION OF THE TOURNAMENT: After winning her quarter-final match, Azarenka head-butted the net and twirled her (“I'm No. 1) finger.
REFLECTIONS ON FEDERER’S MELBOURNE DOCTRINE: At the Aussie Open, where Novak Djokovic was on fire, Roger Federer said critics proclaiming his eminent decline should hold their fire for six months to see how things sort out.
Q: You could say your take‑away comment from Melbourne was, [hey everyone don’t jump to conclusions] Let's wait six months and see where things are at [in terms of my being washed up and my play against the other top players.] Now as you're advancing here, what are your thoughts? Do you think your comment is pretty justified?
RF: Got to wait and see how this turns out to be. Because, again, it could be a repeat of the Djokovic-Murray final and then I was wrong. If it's not the case, then I was right. At the end of the day, I don't care if I'm wrong or right. I know where my game is at. I know where Rafa's game is at. He was going for four Grand Slams in a row; he loses. It's a new year. I just struggle when it [conventional wisdom] goes from one extreme to the next. We've all been playing well…The top four or five guys really, for a long time. It's exciting for tennis…It's nice that we're all playing good at the same time.
Q: Do you try to stay calm and within yourself?
RF: Always. Yeah, I don't need to get into all that fuss. I just need to straighten the record sometimes, otherwise people go in a direction that's just ridiculous.
We then referred to a charming incident with Lleyton Hewitt and asked Roger about being a father.
Q: You mentioned Lleyton. After his loss the other day he approached his children here at Wimbledon and they started squealing, 'Daddy, daddy'. It was sort of a situation that kind of made your heart melt. What is it like to go back to your kids and you're just daddy to them?
RF: Normally when you have kids, it definitely changes to some degree your mindset. For some who were maybe living in a bubble,that definitely pops that bubble and makes you think there's definitely something else in your life. I thought I always had a very good perspective on life and on where I wanted to go, how important tennis is to me, how important other things are in life to me as well. I was always able to have a great balance. So when the kids came around it was natural. It was something I always wanted to do with Mirka. You have nine months sort of getting ready for it while she's pregnant. You sort of hope it all goes well, which it did. Obviously it's busy, it's intense with twins, but I love every moment. I wouldn't want it to be any different. I don't regret having them while I'm playing. I'm actually very happy I do have them while I'm playing. Yeah, maybe that day will come, too, when they will scream my name and come after me. Right now it's still just a bit early.
Q: If one of your children should say to you, “I want to be a tennis…”
RF: They won't. They can't string three words together yet.
Q: Would you be happy?
RF: Yeah, I'm okay. Sports is good. Any sports. Just not boxing maybe. I struggle to watch that stuff in the first place. Even though it's a nice sport.
SPEAKING OF DADDYS AND DAUGHTERS: The daddy-daughter relationship is one of the most interesting relationships in woman’s tennis which goes all the way back to Suzanne Lenglen and involves a bundle of issues: co-dependance, individuation etc. Of course, Sharapova is one of the relatively few woman pros to have made a clean break from her dad. She explained to an Italian reporter that she should couldn’t really say it was my choice. “After I won the Australian Open…we sat down. My dad spent and sacrificed so much in his life and his career. He never missed one practice of mine, no matter if he was sick or didn't want to be there or I was mad at him and gave him bad attitude. He was always there, even if I told him to be quiet. He committed so much of his life. After a certain point I was really happy that he came to me and said that there are other things in life he wanted to do. He certainly deserved that. I can't thank him enough for all the support. That doesn't mean he's still not involved in my tennis, in my career. I spend a lot of days with him on the court. He always tries to help me in the off-season and the weeks between tournaments. But, yeah, it's different. You know, you also grow. I'm 24 years old. My father has been with me. There's no one that's going to know you more than your parents, especially if you spend so much time with them.My dad never thought that he knew everything in tennis. That was why I appreciated his decision so much, because he never thought he was the guru. He never thought that he knew everything. He always tried to take me to the best people possible to help me in certain areas of my game. He would learn from them and he would try to, gather all this information and then help me. But then after so many years on tour you learn a lot more than maybe coaches…”
OBVIOUSLY: Sue Mappin said Bartoli was “quite a unique personality…Just because she doesn’t have a big name doesn’t mean she doesn’t know how to play tennis.”
UGLIEST OVERHEAD IN WOMEN’S TENNIS: Bartoli.
NOT EXACTLY IN THE TRADITION OF THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS:Murray said that if he had known Kate Middleton and Prince William were coming to Centre Court, he would have shaved.
NO SHOW OF THE TOURNAMENT: Beyonce was supposedly coming to the Royal Box, but she was a no show.
CURIOUS QUESTIONS:
•A headline in the Telegraph asked, “Was there a more thrilling day in tennis? [on Monday’s action]”
•“How does it feel to be the old woman in the draw?” – To Sharapova, 24. BTW: The woman’s French Open finalists were Li Na, 29, and Francesca Schiavone, 30.
