Wimbledon Preview: Day Eight
Posted by Aaress Lawless on Jul 2, 2007 | Print
| 
Matches to Watch on Tuesday
(2) Maria Sharapova vs. (23) Venus Williams
This is the thriller that fans have been looking forward to watching since the main draw came out. As nice as it would be to see Maria and Venus deliver a highly competitive match worthy of the hype, Venus has yet to bring enough game to the court over the past three rounds to prepare her for facing Sharapova.
She made it to the round of sixteen by the skin of her teeth - especially in her first match against Alla Kudryavtseva - and a slow start simply will not work against Maria. Sharapova plays every point as if it is a match point and won’t give Venus a chance to come back and force a third set.
My Call: Venus puts up a fight, but Maria still advances in two.
(4) Amelie Mauresmo vs. (14) Nicole Vaidisova
Nicole Vaidisova’s powerful ground strokes have been known to bother Amelie in the past and with the way the courts are playing fast this year, Vaidisova may be able to try and play the match ala a hard-court duel. The key to a Mauresmo win is relaxation on the part of the defending champion and variety - something Mauresmo does superbly on grass. Drop shots, some slice, and a little serve-and-volleying may be enough to keep Vaidisova from running away with the match in three.
My Call: Amelie Mauresmo dictates for a two set win.
(6) Ana Ivanovic vs. (11) Nadia Petrova
Depending on which Petrova shows up on court, Ivanovic could be in for her first big tussle at Wimbledon. If a confident and aggressive Petrova turns up, Nadia may be able to reach her second Wimbledon quarterfinals. However, if the Petrova who is depressed and contemplating an existence without tennis hits the court, Ivanovic is going to blow her away.
My Call: Ana Ivanovic in two sets.
From Monday’s preview:
(3) Jelena Jankovic vs. (18) Marion Bartoli
Jelena had a hard time in the first two sets of her third round match against Lucie Safarova, but found enough energy to come back in the deciding set. Bartoli can be a tough customer on hard courts, however she is working hard to bring her grass court game up to par. Semifinal finishes at Eastbourne and Birmingham gave Marion a good start to Wimbledon, but after three days of rest, expect Jankovic to come out on court with recharged batteries.
My Call: Jankovic gets another three set workout, but still comes out the winner.
Serena Says:
The official diagnosis:
“I had a very bad acute muscle spasm in my left calf. Acute, as you know, is a really intense pain.”
About if her leg was better in the third set:
“I just decided at one point, you know, it was over and I was going to die trying. I figured my heart wouldn’t give out, so I had a good chance of making it.”
On how she would have felt if she lost to a woman playing on one leg:
“If she was Serena Williams, I wouldn’t feel that bad.”
What’s Happening at Wimbledon?
Tamira Paszek doesn’t care about money
Money and her newfound fame hasn’t tarnished Tamira Paszek.
Henin rejects five sets for women
Justine Henin has shot down the idea of women playing best of five sets.
Battle For Doubles No.1 Spot Heats Up
The number one ranking in ladies doubles is up for grabs at Wimbledon.
Krajicek Cracks the Last Eight
Michaella Krajicek is a surprising, but welcome quarterfinalist.
USA Television Listings for Tuesday
Round of Sixteen Highlights - ESPN2 - 1:30 am to 3:30 am
Wake up to Wimbledon - ESPN2 - 7:00 am to 8:00 am (Daily Preview Show)
Ladies’ Quarterfinals - ESPN2 - 8:00 am to 10:00 am (LIVE)
Ladies’ Quarterfinals - NBC - 10:00 am to 1:00 pm (LIVE)
Ladies’ Quarterfinals - ESPN2 - 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm (LIVE)
Ladies’ Quarterfinals Highlights - ESPN2 - 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm
If you enjoyed this tennis article, please sign up for a free subscription!
Bob | Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
i really want venus-maria to be a 3-setter but i am unsure about venus’s form..
after the first match i really thought she would easily go through but she again was on the brink of defeat..
this isn’t the old venus because the errors are more than winners and df count keeps on increasing..14 dfs in one match..that is not good..
whereas i am really impressed with maria…she has done well enough to reach the 4th round..her df count is decreasing per match and she is playing solid…
hoping that the match lives up to the expectations..
Cheri Britton | Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
I’m hoping JJ has an easier time against Bartoli than she had against Safarova. It’s been reported that her mother might have a heart condition, and Jelena is keen not to stress her with another three set match. I expect we may see JJ play some of the best tennis of her life, all in concern for her mother.
Aaress | Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
Bob,
For Venus - her serve is the only thing that is going to get her past Sharapova. In the old days, I would have said that this one would go down to 2 tie-breaks and extra games in the third set because both women hold serve so well. Now, there is no way Sharapova is going to let her get away with all those double faults.
I too hope it is good match - but like you said, Venus’ form sadly implies otherwise.
Cherie,
Thanks for bringing that up about her mom’s condition. I know Jelena is devoted to her mother and in fact, she’s been crediting her for her recent form. I’ll do some looking around to see if I can find out any more info on that.
Unfortunately, it looks like today’s match is going the distance.
Bob | Jul 3, 2007 | Reply
m dead JJ lost..