 |
| A Warm embrace between competitors at the end of a tremendous semi-final |
Wimbledon 2013: Day 9, 10, 11 Catch-up!
Sadly my second week of Wimbledon has been blighted by ill health and blogging has been a victim of this. Thankfully i'm just about getting back to full health for Finals weekend; so here is a VERY quick race through the 3 days I missed.
Day 9 - Men's quarter finals
Typically Berdych could not maintain a hot second set patch against Djokovic and let slip a 3-0 double break lead in the second set and the top seeded 2011 champion came through in straight sets.
It looked like the Serb would face David Ferrer in his first semi-final when the Spaniard's opponent Juan Martin Del Potro took a spectacular fall on his injured knee in the first game. However somehow the giant Argentine made a stunning recovery and played lights out - including two final sensational forehands on the final two points - to see off the fourth seed 6-2 6-4 7-6(7-5).
MORE AFTER THE JUMP:
In the bottom half Jerzy Janowicz won the all-Polish battle with Lukasz Kubot 7-5 6-4 6-4 having saved a set point at 4-5 in the first. The two men embraced emotionally celebrating Janowicz becoming the first Polish semi-finalist at a major.
US Open and Olympic champ Andy Murray endured a tough road to the semi-finals as the British No.1 had to claw back from two sets down to see off Fernando Verdasco 4-6 3-6 6-1 6-4 7-5.
Day 10 - Women's semi-finals
A day of two very differing matches. First Kirsten Flipkens seemed overwhelmed by her first major semi-final, and affected by a knee injury, and was mowed down 6-1 6-2 by a confident and aggressive Marion Bartoli who progressed through to her second Wimbledon final.
The other semi-final could not be more different as Sabine Lisicki fought past 2012 finalist Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4 2-6 9-7. The German, conqueror of reigning champion Serena Williams, hit back from 0-3 down in the third and overcame losing her serve at 5-4 in the decider to reach her first major final.
Day 11 - Men's semi-finals
The semi-final between Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin Del Potro will go down as one of the all-time great semi-finals at SW19. The Argentinean played the same brand of massive tennis that won him the 2009 US Open and almost took him to the Olympic Final last year.
After four hours and 44 minutes Djokovic edged through to his second Wimbledon final 7-5 4-6 7-6(7-2) 6-7(6-8) 6-3 but only after Del Potro bravely fought off two match points at 4-6 in the fourth set tie-break to force a decider.
The other semi-final was less thrilling but had it's moments as Andy Murray came from behind to reach his second consecutive Wimbledon final with a 6-7(2-7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 defeat of dangerous Jerzy Janowicz.
The British No.1 hit back from 1-4 down in the third and overcame a delay when the roof was controversially closed to book his place in his seventh Grand Slam final.
No comments:
Post a Comment