Raonic one game away
Federer needed to win that match in straight sets today after Wednesday’s exertions. He was physically shot half way through fourth set. Credit to Raonic for hanging in there particularly early in 4th set when he was under the cosh.
Raonic wins 6-3 6-7 4-6 7-5 6-3
I’m devastated for Roger.
Well done Milos
Looking at how badly he was fading from half way through the 4th set, I doubt there would have been anything in the tank for Sunday if he had somehow pulled it off today.
What a surprise it would be if a big serving 6ft6 guy wins Wimbledon.
It would be. Looking at the roll call of champions over the past 25 years:
Novak Djokovic 6 ft 2
Roger Federer 6 ft 1
Rafael Nadal 6 ft 1
Andy Murray 6 ft 3
Lleyton Hewitt 5 ft 11
Pete Sampras 6 ft 1
Andre Agassi 5 ft 11
Goran Ivaniseivc in 2001 and Richard Kraijcek in 1996 the only real big men to have won it.
How did Kraijcek and Ivanisevic do on clay?
There was an elegiac and slightly melancholic atmosphere to that last set.
Both had reasonable records on clay.
Off the top of my head, I can recall Kraijcek losing in the semi final at Roland Garros in 1993 to 1991 & 92 French Open winner and World Number 1, Jim Courier. Kraijcek lost in the final in Rome another year to Thomas Muster in his pomp. Think it was either 1995 or 1996.
Ivanisevic lost the final in Rome to World Number 1, Jim Courier in 1993 and made the semi final on a few more occasions in Rome and Monte Carlo. He made the quarter finals in Roland Garros a few times in early to mid 90’s. Not sure of exact years but remember him losing there to Thomas Muster and Jim Courier. Ivanisevic lost a final in Hamburg as well to Andrei Medvedev in 1995 when Hamburg was still one of the Masters Series.
Murray coasting to the final. Takes the second set 6-3.
Thanks for clarifying that neither were successful on clay, Geoff.
How did French Open winners Michael Chang, Andres Gomez, Sergi Brugera, Carlos Moya, Alberto Costa, Gaston Gaudia, Thomas Muster, Gustavo Kuerten and Juan Carlos Ferrero fare on surfaces other than clay?
They weren’t big serving dinosaurs who could bludgeon their opposition, they were more complete players.
Not a reasonable record
They weren’t complete players. They were largely the type of one dimensional journeymen that litter the French Open winners list. Outside of the French, none of them won a Grand Slam, Gaudio never made it beyond the 3rd round, Brugera beyond the 4th round, Gomez, Muster, Kuerten or Costa beyond a quarter final.
Because clay court players are discriminated against in tennis. The old colonial boys club is still in action and Mediterranean players are very much put on back foot. 3 grass/hard grand slam tournaments to 1 clay is not acceptable.
Miss Williams wins her 7th ladies championship with a 7-5 6-3 win over Frau Kerber.
Thank God for Andy Murray, cheered me up a little. A great man.
Well done Judy also.