DJ wrote:

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Well, I reckon I've just seen the most entertaining tennis match it's ever been my privilege to watch!
Andy decided, I think, to play that match in Fabrice's style, i.e. with a touch of magic. I think he's probably the only player out there who has the touch, the soft hands and the vision to play like Santoro, yet actually win the match. Had he decided he simply wanted to win, the match would have been over much more quickly than it was; whenever Andy got into any difficulties, he simply turned to his normal powerful style and was far too good for the Frenchman.
What great entertainment Santoro has offered over the years; if that's his last Wimbledon, I'd like to offer him my thanks for the pleasure he's given us.

Any out there remember Manuel Santana?!!

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Mm, Andy quite likes to sometimes play a bit like that, I think maybe playing Santoro lulled him into playing almost too much cleverness. I certainly don't think that he went out for some fun and wasn't trying to win the match as quickly as possible.

As for his "normal powerful style", if only !  He would be better, in my opinion, employing a more powerfiul style more often. But as I said earlier ,I was encouraged how he stepped it up at times.

Anyway, I do agree it made an entertaining spectacle.

I agree with DJ in part I must admit. If Andy had gone out there and played aggressive, pounding groundstrokes, he could have blown Santoro off the court quite easily.

For once though, I was glad he didnt do that. He certainly appeared to be really enjoying himself. We all know that he's said himself he likes Santoro's game and has said that he enjoys playing his own tennis with a lot of variety and today gave him the perfect opportunity to showcase that and presented an amazing display of tennis.

Perhaps it would have been more beneficial to his tourney progress if he had just won 2, 2 and 1 in 70 mins but it wouldn't have given us such entertainment! Hopefully now he forgets all about that first round match, and the dropshot, and concentrates on Malisse who will present a totally different matchup challenge.

Very fun match, and probably one of the most entertaining matches you'll see, but Murray probably knew that he was never going to lose the match, and he did what the top players do and step their game up a level when it got to the end of the set.

The main thing is that he won the match, and looked good at times when he needed to, and so is easily into the next round.

Malisse will be a very different match though and he'll have to play a different style to get the win, but he's off and running

(and I think he'll be on court 1 on Thursday, given that Nadal/Gulbis and Roddick/Tipsarevic (and Grosjean/Gasquet) all look more appealing and should be on centre court)

Yes, 2nd round does look like the chance for Wimbledon to make Andy "slium it" on No 1 court.  I can't see him ever going to the new Court 2.  I think I'm right in saying all 4 of his 2006 matches were on Centre Court. 

I would guess a Murray v Robredo / Haas match would be on Centre Court, and probably any matches that follow.

-- Edited by indiana at 14:49, 2008-06-25

I would love it if he "slummed it" on Court 1 on Saturday, assuming he beats Malisse of course, as that is where I will be on Saturday. . .

helki wrote:

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DJ wrote:

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[...]

Any out there remember Manuel Santana?!!

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I do!  

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Snap!   Talking of whom, this article appeared in the Wimby supplement to yesterday's Times.