The All England Lawn Tennis Club Championships 2018

Sport
121

Heā€™s a lot better on grass and hard than clay. And it boils down to his game being so reliant on his monster serve. Iā€™ve given you a list of Wimbledon champions and finalist of recent years. Big serves are absolutely vital so one dimensional players like Cilic do very well.

122

Marin Cilic saved a match point before beating Novak Djokovic to win his second title at Queenā€™s Club.

The 29-year-old Croat fought back to win the Fever-Tree Championships 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 in the longest final in the tournamentā€™s history.

Cilic, who won the title in 2012 and was runner-up last year, saved match point at 5-4 in the second set and came back from 4-1 down in the tie-break.

His serve was crucial in the final set as he won in two hours and 57 minutes. :joy:

ā€œIt was a special win for me because last year I had a match point and didnā€™t convert it,ā€ said Cilic.

ā€œIt was a tough match, with no breaks for me until the final set.ā€

Former world number one Djokovic, seeking to secure his first title since winning at Eastbourne last year, was upbeat despite his loss.

ā€œI have to congratulate Marin on a fantastic week,ā€ said Djokovic, who was playing in the tournament for the first time in 10 years.

ā€œHe deserved to win and came up with some big shots. Itā€™s a tough loss for me. But I have to see the positive because I havenā€™t played a final in almost a year.ā€

His return of serve and athletic play blunted Cilicā€™s powerful serve in the first set and with the Croat struggling to assert himself looked on course to end his long wait for a trophy.

But Cilic denied Djokovic match point with a blistering serve and went to take the game and then force a tie-break.

Djokovic led 4-1 in the tie-break but nerves seemed to affect him and Cilic won six points in a row to set up the decider.

It was a tense final set and Cilic produced a moment of quality to tee up the only break of serve at 4-3.

Chasing down a wide ball, the Croat fired a stunning forehand winner that left Djokovic applauding.

The world number six then served it out to love to complete his victory.

For much of this match, many of Djokovicā€™s trademark qualities were in evidence. He was serving well, defending resiliently and showing great speed across the court - and seemingly on his way to a first title for a year.

But he wobbled a little when just three points away from the prize, as a double fault and a backhand error contributed to Cilicā€™s run of six points in a row in the tie-break.

Cilic had lost his three previous finals, but he grew in confidence in the final set. His serving improved and his running forehand pass to set up the pivotal break of serve was breathtaking.

A second consecutive win over Djokovic, after 14 prior defeats, should further fuel his confidence ahead of Wimbledon.

123

The seedings have been announced for the Championship.

  1. Roger Federer
  2. Rafael Nadal
  3. Marin Cilic
  4. Alexander Zverev
  5. Juan Martin del Potro
  6. Grigor Dimitrov
  7. Dominic Thiem
  8. Kevin Anderson
  9. John Isner
  10. David Goffin
  11. Sam Querrey
  12. Novak Djokovic
  13. Milos Raonic
  14. Roberto Bautista Agut
  15. Diego Schwartzman
  16. Nick Kyrgios
  17. Borna Coric
  18. Lucas Rouille
  19. Jack Sock
  20. Fabio Fognini
  21. Pablo Carreno Busta
  22. Kyle Edmund
  23. Adrian Mannarino
  24. Richard Gasquet
  25. Kei Nishikori
  26. Hyeon Chung
  27. Philipp Kolschreiber
  28. Denis Shapovalov
  29. Damir Dzumhur
  30. Filip Krajinovic
  31. Marco Cecchinato
  32. Fernando Verdasco
124

As you would expect. Be interesting to see who Murray gets in the first round if he makes it.

125

Sir Andy is probably the most dangerous unseeded floater there has ever been at the Championship. He beat Stan Wawrinka 6-3 6-1 in Eastbourne today - another gentleman who doesnā€™t have a seeding for next week.

126

Going to be an interesting first round if either of those 2 get one of the seeds.

I see Dan Evans wasnt given a wildcard and has to play the qualifiers. It has upset yer man that played Federer a couple of years ago on centre court.

127

ā€œI have to see the positive because I havenā€™t played a final in almost a yearā€ said Djokovic. ā€œThis came at the right time because Wimbledon is the most renowned and prestigious tournament in tennis.ā€ As for his chances of a fourth Wimbledon crown, Djokovic was circumspect. ā€œI wouldnā€™t say Iā€™m a contender for a trophy or anything like thatā€, he said.

128

The official seedings are out. No real surprises

Singles Seeds [ATP Ranking]

  1. Roger Federer (SUI) [2]
  2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) [1]
  3. Marin Cilic (CRO) [5]
  4. Alexander Zverev (GER) [3]
  5. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) [4]
  6. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) [6]
  7. Dominic Thiem (AUT) [7]
  8. Kevin Anderson (RSA) [8]
  9. John Isner (USA) [10]
  10. David Goffin (BEL) [9]
  11. Sam Querrey (USA) [13]
  12. Novak Djokovic (SRB) [17]
  13. Milos Raonic (CAN) [32]
  14. Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) [14]
  15. Diego Schwartzman (ARG) [11]
  16. Nick Kyrgios (AUS) [19]
  17. Borna Coric (CRO) [21]
  18. Lucas Pouille (FRA) [20]
  19. Jack Sock (USA) [15]
  20. Fabio Fognini (ITA) [16]
  21. Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) [12]
  22. Kyle Edmund (GBR) [18]
  23. Adrian Mannarino (FRA) [24]
  24. Richard Gasquet (FRA) [29]
  25. Kei Nishikori (JPN) [27]
  26. Hyeon Chung (KOR) [22]
  27. Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) [25]
  28. Denis Shapovalov (CAN) [26]
  29. Damir Dzumhur (BIH) [30]
  30. Filip Krajinovic (SRB) [28]
  31. Marco Cecchinato (ITA) [31]
  32. Fernando Verdasco (ESP) [33]
129

The womenā€™s seeding. Serena in at number 25

  1. Halep
  2. Wozniacki
  3. Muguruza
  4. Stephens
  5. Svitolina
  6. Garcia
  7. Pliskova
  8. Kvitova
  9. V. Williams
  10. Keys
  11. Kerber
  12. Ostapenko
  13. Goerges
  14. Kasatkina
  15. Mertens
  16. Vandeweghe
  17. Barty
  18. Osaka
  19. Rybarikova
  20. Bertens
  21. Sevastova
  22. Konta
  23. Strycova
  24. Sharapova
  25. S.Williams
  26. Gavrilova
  27. Suarez Navarro
  28. Kontaveit
  29. Buzarnescu
  30. Pavlyuchenkova
  31. Zhang
  32. Radwanska
130

Wawrinka Dimitrov in R1

131

Federer has got a very soft draw.

Only really Raonic, Cilic and Dimitrov to worry about in reaching the final.

The other side of draw is much tougher. It contains Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Zverev and Del Porto.

132

Tough draw for Federer. Heā€™s got the finalists from the last two years in his half of the draw and at least a half dozen 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaurs lurking in the shadows.

In Round 3, he could well face a 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaur who apparently excels on grass - Ivo Karlovic. In the Round of 16, heā€™s seeded to face the in form Borna Coric who beat him in the final in Halle last week. Big Kevin Anderson, another 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaur who also apparently excels on grass is the seeded quarter final opponent. And if Big Kevin doesnā€™t make it through to the quarter final, it could be another 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaur Gilles Muller as a quarter final opponent.

If Raonic or Cilic donā€™t make it to the semi finals, Federer (if he makes it that far), it could be another 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaur in the semis in the form of John Isner who also apparently excels on grass, even though heā€™s never made it past the 3rd round.

133

Itā€™s not a tough draw. Heā€™s the only Wimbledon Champion on his side of the draw.

The other three winners of Wimbledon are on the other side of the draw. Why are you lying to the forum?

If Federer canā€™t get to the semi final and negotiate past the likes of Kevin Anderson who you have slated in the past, on his favourite surface, it would be embarrassing.

134

On form he has a way tougher draw alright.

135

What form?

136

@Cicero_Dandi is all over the place on this thread. Heā€™s spend the last few weeks bigging up 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaurs saying they were the players who excel on grass. Now that theyā€™ve pretty much all ended up in Federerā€™s half of the draw - Ivo Karlovic, Big Kevin Anderson, Milos Raonic, Gilles Muller, Marin Cilic and John Isner, heā€™s done a complete flip flop and is essentially saying that theyā€™re actually not very good and its an easy draw for a near 37 year old, semi retired 6ft 1 Federer having all these 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaurs in his half of the draw.

1 Like
137

Iā€™m not the one flip flopping.

You think Anderson is a journeyman, now youā€™re saying Federerā€™s draw is tough. The highest seed player he can meet before the semi final is a journeyman by your own words.

Plenty of big servers on the latter side of the draw - Del Porto, Kyrgios, Murray, Zverev, Edmund to name a few

138

No Iā€™m not. You were the one that came on here first saying Federer had an easy draw from the . Iā€™m pointing out that applying your criteria itā€™s a tough draw with all these 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaurs you claim excel on grass in his half. You specifically name checked and even put up video footage of Ivo Karlovic as excelling on grass. Federer could face Karlovic in Round 3.

Has Nadal got many 6ft 6 giraffe/dinosaurs in his potential path? I see heā€™s seeded to face a 5ft 6 midget Diego Schwartzman in the round of 16.

139

Beep beep beep. The Boycott backtrack is in reverse.

1 Like
140

Are you now saying the highest seed Federer could face before the semi final is not a bum?