Tennis!

[therockbox]

[gunnar hendershow]

Murray-Tsonga is going to be an amazing atmosphere. 4th semis for Murray, surely he is due to get over the hump? He has a 5-1 career record against Tsonga.

[IAceI]

It was a great win for Murray. Perhaps not the best performance but definitely a great win and his second set tie break was some great concentration. I'm very happy with these semi final matches, Tsonga is my favourite player, I obviously want Murray to do well and the other two are two of the best players in the world at differing points of their career. I can't really see passed Djokovic for the tournament but it would be so amazing if Murray could win this Grand Slam.

[Adam]

I'd love to see Federer vs Murray. The greatest player ever and an immensely popular talent against a British talent, the first in over 70 years to make a Wimbledon final. It'd be an amazing atmosphere.

Love this snippet from the BBC feed as well:

Getting excited about Andy Murray's semi-final against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga tomorrow? Prepare to be more excited: the last Briton to win a Wimbledon semi-final was Bunny Austin in 1938 and the man he beat, Germany's Henner Henkel, died at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942. Presumably it puts tennis into some kind of perspective when you're being strafed by Soviet snipers.

Right, it's women's semi-final time as Agnieszka Radwanska and Angelique Kerber prepare to walk out onto Centre Court. I've been behind Aggy for pretty much her whole career so to see her in a Slam semi is brilliant, and even more so that it is here at Wimbledon. Really pulling for her today, but to be honest whoever of these four women makes it to the final will deserve it, they've all played superbly throughout this tournament.

[Katsuya]

I don't get Radwanska. She's never really impressed me and like I said earlier in the thread, it baffles me that she's #3 in the rankings, yet this is her first GS Semi Final.

[Adam]

She's a very good all-round player, doesn't have a power game or particularly any one major strength, but she is more than capable in all areas and is extremely consistent. Tracy Austin I believe it was, may have been Lindsay Davenport, compared her to Martina Hingis earlier saying that she simply plays her opponents off the court to defeat them. She's a superb player on the rise, who for me at least has always shown plenty of signs of getting to this stage.

And there is the first set, very good recovery from a break down to win 6-3. She's halfway to the final.

[IAceI]

Did anyone hear the commentator last week talking about how Radwanska as a junior entered the tournament where the winner was crowned based off how few unforced errors they hit over the course of it? Radwanska won with 3 mistakes all competition. Fantastic that story I thought.

[Adam]

Yeah I heard that. Pretty impressive and a good concept to use for youngsters honing their craft.

[Katsuya]

Some of the returns that Serena is powering back are insane.

[Baddar]

So, Serena is through to the final, and will win me some money if she beats Radwanska. Go, Serena!

Is Murray on first or second tomorrow?

[IAceI]

Second. Djokovic and Federer go out at 1pm.

[Adam]

Serena continues to just play insanely good at this tournament. Poor Vika, she just didn't have the answer. Radwanska is going to have to respond to every single power move Serena slams at her, she has to get the serves back in the court and get into rallies, because otherwise she might get mowed down like a freight train.

[IAceI]

Serena is the antithesis of the majority of successful current female tennis players. Largely from Eastern Europe they seem to pride themselves on mental toughness and mechanical strokes off both sides without ever really having their own flair or style, I suppose it's why Schiavone is often seen as 'fresh' with her one handed backhand and explosive attitude.

I figure Serena will win and do so in a comfortable two sets to be honest, a 6-4 6-3 or the like. I'm not the Williams sisters biggest fans but theirs no doubt that the two of them have been a dominant force in tennis for a long time and in this instance Serena's absolutely dominant style of play - particularly suited for Wimbledon - is probably just going to be too much. She can do virtually everything Radwanska can do but harder, the only major difference would be Serena's - at times - disgraceful attitude and temprament.

I'm going to be really torn during Murray and Tsonga later. I want Murray to do well as a Brit but I love Tsonga, he's my favourite player by a long way, he's fun, entertaining, gracious in defeat and victory, plays the sort of tennis I like to see and play and his interview with Sue Barker yesterday reminded me why I like him so much - he's quiet, reserved and respectful when talking, no attitude about him. He just seems like the most likeable man to be around on tour.

[Johnny Drama]

I've backed Tsonga because I have done Murray each way as now I am guaranteed a return!

[Adam]

I agree on Tsonga Ace. To be honest, I will be fully behind Murray and am pulling for him to get to the final so much, but if he were to lose then I'd like it to be nobody better than Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, he is a fantastic player and an even better guy seemingly. It should be a cracking day of tennis this.

[Baddar]

What's the forecast?

[Baddar]

Unbelievable first set from Federer.

[gunnar hendershow]

All level at 1 set a piece, this couldn't have gone any other way.

[Summers]

That was lovely by Federer. I think.

I don't know much about tennis.

[Katsuya]

Novak isn't playing his best tennis right now. Federer breaks in the fourth!