Hewitt is pretty much Exhibit 1A (Borg is Exhibit 1) of “Tennis is a young man’s game.”
Hewitt is six months older than Federer. He’s had injury problems and was always pretty one-dimensional. He’s a lesser version of what Nadal would have been if Nadal had not been so relentless about adapting his game to every surface and continually improving. As it was, Hewitt played very hard and peaked at the right time - as the Sampras-Agassi generation was in decline, the next generation failed to take off, and other players his age hadn’t matured yet. All that being said, this is a really good match and Hewitt has continued to be a good grass player while Soderling isn’t, despite the big serve and forehand.
Thought the Soderling Hewitt would go longer, Hewitt couldn’t hold serve the final three sets…oh well heard he’s retiring anyway.
I wonder if Hewitt will hold on to play the Olympics next year.
Here’s a match I’m glad ESPN is airing: Tsonga vs. Dimitrov. Dimitrov is supposed to be one of the most promising young players out there - presumptuous as it is, some people call him ‘Baby Federer’ - and he’s currently ranked 62. Dimitrov won the first set, but Tsonga is up 4-2 in the second.
Dimitrov and Tsonga are even at 1-all, 3-3 in the second set. Isner, meanwhile, is playing his fourth tiebreak in five sets at Wimbledon. Almagro got the first set and they’re on serve in the second tiebreak. Isner is kind of a glutton for punishment as far as this stuff goes. His serve is incredibly hard to handle but his return game isn’t much of a threat, so he plays these long sets in match after match.
Almagro just took the second set tiebreak, so now Isner is really in the hole despite having not dropped serve in this match. He hasn’t even gotten to break point against Almagro.
Li has served for the match twice against Lisicki, but Lisicki now has two match points at 7-6 in the third…
And Lisicki completes the upset comeback on her third match point!
Roddick is 2 sets down to Lopez…
Serving to stay in the match, in fact.
I don’t follow tennis that much anymore, but I expected him (Roddick) to achieve so much more than he has. Doubtless he will console himself with the millions he has made.
Everyone did, but then along came Federer and Nadal(and Djokovic).
He could have won 5 or more majors without those guys.
Oh well…poor Andy…
And his swimsuit model wife. I think Roddick has done about as much as he could have with his game. He’s done a lot to work on his play and he’s been frustrated by guys who are objectively a lot better than he is. Yes, you would have expected more when he won the U.S. Open and got to #1 in the world at 21. But who expected Federer to become what he became? He’s beaten Roddick in four major finals. Roddick has finished in the top 10 ever year since 2002 and I think he’s won at least one title ever year since then. The only other guy who’s been winning that long is Federer.
That being said, Roddick hasn’t even reached the quarters at a Slam since Australia last year. His results at every major have declined for two years in a row. At this point it’s clear his days of competing in major tournaments are in the rear view mirror.
Yeah, Roddick had the misfortune that what should have been his prime came when nobody could beat Federer except on clay, and few people even there.
Decline? Not while Leyton Hewitt is still running around. And I see Mardy Fish is fronting again. That guy seems to have been around forever.
In the paper last weekend they had an interview with Pat Rafter. He does seem like a really nice guy- they featured his Wimbledon loss to whats his name.
I didn’t say he’s about to retire. I said he’s not a threat to win any more majors- which was true a few years ago, but at this point he’s losing early even at Wimbledon and New York. The results speak for themselves.
28 is pretty old in tennis. You have to be a spectacular talent, a fitness freak, or both (Lendl & Agassi) to win after 30.
Speaking of older players, Venus kicked some butt just now (she won 0 & 2) and gets a rematch against Pironkova, who beat her in the quarters last year.
Will Andy Murray EVER grow up???
If Roddick is still getting Centre or Number 1 Court then I can see Serena’s sexism claims having some validity.
I saw the last hour or so of Murray’s game. Good game other than Murray’s second serve was lifeless.
We are getting the British commentary & I’m enjoying listening to McEnroe!
I’ve looked on the draws & seen Erakovic & her partner must have got through in the doubles as LL & won their first round match