philwrig wrote:

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Still think Lisicki will win for what its worth.

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I hope she beats Agi in the SF anyway. I love the way Radwanska plays, but once again she employed the MTO trick having just lost the second set, Li Na running away with it at the end. All Na's momentum lost at a stroke. How long was the break: 6-8 minutes I'd guess. There's no shame, no pretence that there was a medical emergency requiring treatment at that particular moment. No suggestion after the match that there is any danger of her not being ready for the SF. THIS IS BLATANT CHEATING (within the rules, which therefore need to be changed). Same as the extended toilet break....no difference.

I don't have a ready made solution, short of point penalties for the next 2 or 3 games to the MTO taker if they are behind in the match, or where they have lost the previous game or set. Or perhaps players should have 3 MTOs per season, and toilet breaks only with the opponent's permission. The instances of this happening in the women's game are now stacking up to such an extent that it is almost becoming expected and the norm for the more "professional" players. I could say Eastern European (Jankovic, Azarenka, Radwanska, Sharapova, etc), but I'm sure there are plenty of serial MTO takers from all parts of the world. You aren't allowed to go off for 10 minutes in a boxing match if you are being beaten, so why here?

What was clear, however, was that in one of the other QFs, Kvitova (who I have always regarded as fair and honourable in the way she plays) was genuinely ill.....she asked for a MTO to see the Doctor having just WON the first set, which to be proves she had a genuine problem, and the fact that she didn't ask for it during the first set was probably to avoid disrupting her opponent.

Anyway, I'd love to see a Lisicki (crowd favourite) vs Bartoli (pride of Corsica) final

-- Edited by korriban on Wednesday 3rd of July 2013 08:55:39 AM

I really don't know what to make of Aga yesterday. I do think that the rule needs changing, you can't say someone is cheating when they don't break the rules. On the flip side, they are all professionals and they all know that the rules are there to be used, and have to deal with rain breaks - which have helped one player of the other in the past, so why not the ridiculous injury/toilet breaks. Better at the end of a set than at match point!

I was really sorry for Li, also for Sloane as Bartoli employed gamesmanship when the rain came down too. I would personally like to see Flipkens best Bartoli.

Random side note: Anne has been doing a great job (in my opinion) commentating on some matches over the last few days for the BBC. If you want a sample of her style, she's commentating with David Mercer on Peschke/Groenefeld vs Srebotnik/Petrova (though she is unwell & losing her voice).

Makes me wonder whether she is exploring future options or just having fun/ helping out (I believe she has occasionally commentated for Eurosport in the past).

WD40 wrote:

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I have watched a couple of the matches that Anne has commentated on and in one of them she said that she had no plans on commentating as she was still concentrating on her tennis at the moment................but having said that you never know!!

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 Yes, I think I was watching that match too and Anne set she was taking some time off because of her injury problems (no specific time because she didn't know long long it would take to recover) but that she was definitely carrying on for a while yet. If she does retire soon it will be because of injury rather than having had enough.

I bet Lucie Ahl never thought she'd beat Navratilova at Wimbledon, but she did today in the Invitational Doubles.

Bartoli 6-1 *3-0 flipkens.

We all know what happens next, this being a women's tennis match.

MTO Flipkens. Bartoli broken immediately.

CHEATING within the rules. So change the rules.