ATP
Welcome to the Last Eight Club
MAYBE it should be called the Quarters Club, because the Last Eight Club in SW19 is a little known corner of Wimbledon where those who have made it to the quarter-finals at a Wimbledon championship can gather once the dust has settled.
To get membership of this club, situated in a building that was once the All England boardroom, a player needs to have reached the singles quarter-finals or the doubles semi-finals or the mixed doubles final.
And at 6pm every day during Wimbledon fortnight members gather for Happy Hour to reminisce.
American Christopher Eubanks became the latest member last week.
There are currently 603 eligible members – although it is not known how many actually do turn up.
The club has a daily ticket allocation to the main courts, although a ballot runs for the big matches.
Feaver reached the fourth round at Wimbledon as a singles player win 1973, and reached 10 doubles finals around the world in a career that saw him hold the record for serving the most aces in a single Wimbledon match – 42 – against Australian John Newcombe.
And he played Wimbledon for 13 consecutive years.
Another Aussie, 90 year-old Australian Neale Fraser, was the oldest visitor in 2023.
When he won Wimbledon in 1960 he received a £15 voucher to be spent at a London sports store for his efforts.
How times have changed.
WIMBLEDON broadcaster the BBC was widely criticised after the ladies final yesterday for what fans claimed was a bias towards Ons Jabeur.
“How biased to Jabeur is this BBC commentary,” one fan tweeted, and another said: “Once again the BBC are fawning over Jabeur, with virtually no mention of her opponent.”
“The BBC going out of their way to point out all of the bad times Ons has been through this year! Classic BBC Sport, always having a clear favourite,” another wrote.
“Jabeur… the BBC [are] making out she is the only player at the tournament and she deserves to win. They are being disrespectful to the other finalist Marketa Vondrousova, so I will be supporting her to win,” another fan tweeted.
STICKING with the match summary theme … AI commentary at Wimbledon has been roundly condemned by fans and former players.
British player and tennis pundit Annabelle Croft called it ‘an insult’ last week.
Other words she used include ‘stiff and emotionless’.
As we revealed a few weeks back, Wimbledon has trialling AI commentary on its website and app.
Croft didn’t end there. “It’s a race against the robot for your job,’ she said on BBC radio.
“Listening to that, it was very stiff, it was emotionless, no feelings at all. Whoever is taking the decision to put a robot on to commentary and, of course, into the wider context of all jobs in life: this is going to kill humanity.
“I feel like we all need to throw our phones in the river and stop our brains being overtaken by AI.”
She added: “I really hope somebody can stop it.’
So do we.
IT was tough day at the office for Ons Jabeur, suffering another final defeat, this time at the hands of a clinical Vondrousova.
“It will try to speak because this is very tough,” she said on court and in tears after the match.
“I am going to look ugly in the photos so that’s not going to help.
“I think this is the most painful loss of my career.
It’s going to be a tough day for me today but I am not going to give up. I am going to come back stronger and win a Grand Slam one day.”
AS for Vondrousova, well she becomes Wimbledon’s first non-seeded champion.
The 24-year-old is the lowest-ranked woman to win after her 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ons Jabeur.
A big difference from a year ago when she was just a visitor – her left wrist in a cast after injury.
“When we came, I was just like, ‘Try to win a couple of matches.’ Now this happened. It’s crazy,” she said after her win.
Maybe Centre Court’s retractable roof, closed for the final, because of wind and possible rain, helped her?
“I always play good indoors,” Vondrousova said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, maybe that’s going to help me.’”
HE may not be at Wimbledon but Rafa Nadal has been kept busy filming a TV commercial for fast food giants Subway with basketball star Stephen Curry.
“This slice is as good as your tennis slice?” Curry asks in the commercial, as Nadal walks up to the basketball star.
“I can’t say that but yes,” Nadal responds.
Nadal posted a clip of the commercial on his Instagram account, with a humorous comment.
“I can’t believe I admitted that… Swipe for the slices in question,” he wrote.
SHE may be the world No.1, but Iga Swiatek isn’t the best on grass, going out in the quarters to Elina Svitolina.
No disgrace there, as Svitolina has been 9in sparking form this year, but Swiatek admitted this week she had at last found some joy playing on grass.
“I put in a lot of work, learnt a lot and what’s better: I found some joy in playing on grass,” she said.
“We know what to improve, what to work on and focus on and that’s the most important part of this experience for me this year.”
The Pole then told the world through her IG account she was taking time out from tennis for a ‘little trip’.
Swiatek is expected to return to action next month, when the North American hard court swing kicks in.
WHAT a catch… a fan on Court No.1 was enjoying his temps with a Pimms when a wayward return from Jiri Lehecka landed in his glass!
Amusing? Yep. But not perhaps so when a replacement drink was going to cost him £9.70.
THERE was a giant pink dodo outside gate four at Wimbledon last week, another ‘eco-warrior’ protest – this time over Barclays Bank sponsoring the event.
Members of Money Rebellion, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, held signs bearing the slogan ‘Shame Set and Match’, claiming the bank has invested billions into fossil fuels.
The irony of this protest is the dodo was manufactured from oil derivatives. As was the plastic protest sign.
IT’S not over for Venus Williams – yet.
The former World No.1 has been given a wildcard to play at the 2023 Canadian Open in Montreal in August.
Coming off a first wound Wimbledon loss to Elina Svitolina, Williams will be returning to Montreal for the first time since 2018.
“@Venuseswilliams earns a bye for the #OBN23 , marking her highly anticipated return to Montreal since 2018. The seven-time Grand Slam champion is ready to wow the crowd once again,” tweeted the official account of the Canadian Open.
“I am walking around doing my thing but most of the time have been off my feet but I’m working on getting back on tour,” Williams said on Friday.
NAOMI Osaka became the latest to join the Mum’s Club last week after giving birth to a baby girl.
The news was disclosed by boyfriend and rapper Cordae during one of his live shows, telling the audience his daughter has been named Shai.
But the hypocrisy continues as Osaka, always claiming privacy and her mental health, sold the story for a lot of money to People magazine, complete with sponsorship from an interior design company.
Osaka will most likely make a comeback in 2024 in Australia – but as we all know with Naomi – that could change.
WILL Novak Djokovic’s white tennis shoes with the green “23” printed on the heel have to be replaced soon?
The seven-time Wimbledon champion has won 23 Grand Slam singles titles, and he could add to that total today as faces young Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz.
HE may not be playing, but the polarising effect of Aussie brat Nick Kyrgios emerged again last week.
This time using his girlfriend Costeen Hatzi to defend his desire to take the money on offer from Saudi Arabia.
After buying up several other sports in what has even described as the worst kind of sports washing, tennis is next on the menu.
While ATP Tour chair Andrea Gaudenzi has held talks with the Saudi’s about the possibility of the ATP Finals being moved there, the move has drawn criticism from fans all over the world – as Saudi Arabia has one of the worst human rights records on the planet.
Russian Daria Kasatkina who is gay, has criticised the move.
‘Many issues concerning this country. It’s easier for men bc they feel pretty good there. We don’t feel the same way. As Nick Kyrgios said, he’d be so happy to go there for a big check. For me, money is not #1 priority…’ she posted on social media.
To which Kyrgios then replied: “My girlfriend felt fine there.”
The childish comment, disregarding the fact that Kasatkina is gay, was condemned by many.
‘C’mon, Nick. Don’t be stubborn. You know what’s going on there,’ one replied.
‘So that means all women will [be safe]? Bit of a reach here,’ posted another, with others stating the safety of women in Saudi as a major cause for concern.
AND finally… another whacky Wimbledon story to end our weekly look at the world of tennis.
From the London Sun newspaper a report that despite spending millions on weather radar equipment — SW19s most valuable bit of kit is a £5 water tray guarded by a duck called, wait for it … John QuackEnroe.
A tub filled with water on top of an on-site building, completed with its own rubber duck, is used to see if rain is falling.
Carlos Alcaraz ended a four-and-a-half month injury exile with a resounding 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 defeat of Roman Safiullin on Monday at the US Open to mark his return to the courts after a wrist injury.
The defending champion now ranked third is hoping to become the first man to successfully defend the title here Roger Federer won US Open over five consecutive editions (2004-2008).
“For me it’s been a really tough five months. Being able to step on Arthur Ashe and being able to compete again.. as I said before the tournament, I couldn’t decide to come back in a better tournament than here in New York,” Alcaraz said.
“It’s a really special tenement for me. I tried to enjoy as much as I can. I missed it. I missed the crowd. The energy. I missed competition. I missed everything. 🥹 I’m just really really happy I was able to compete again.”
“On this (Ashe) court, I made my dream. First major. First time becoming No. 1 in the world.
“The warm welcome I receive every time I come here is crazy. I really appreciate it. I really feel the love from the people.”
One-time top 10 regular Stefanos Tsitsipas unleashed a major surprise on Cincinnati winner Arthur Fils with a turnaround 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1, 6-4 win as the French youngster failed to earn a two-set-to-love lead over the Greek.
“I don’t have the answer,” the 10th-seeded Fils said after his collapse in form. “Once the energy went down at the end of the second, I never felt again a good energy.
“I have to talk with my team, but at my level, to do such a mistake is almost unprofessional.”
He added: “I was trying to fight; at one point I broke back early in the fourth, so I was trying to find a way, but not accurate enough on the serve.
“The ball was not going very well out of my racquet. Even if I was fighting, was tough.”
Fils had beaten No. 53 Tsitsipas in all five of heir previous matches
The Greek, playing unseeded for the first time here, reaching the second round for the sixth time as he came from a set and 5-2 down.
Former ATP No. 3 Tsitsipas pronounced himself “speechless” at his success. “It’s an amazing start to the tournament, I’m very proud of myself.
“I’m taking it a day at a time. I don’t wanna be looking too far away. I prefer to stay grounded in the moment. A win like this today matters a lot to me.”
:French veteran Adrian Mannarino, aged 38, fought back from two sets to love down for only the second time in his career to advance past Thiago Tirante 4-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
The loss ended the dream of the 42nd-ranked Argentine who beat Novak Djokovic in the Cincinnati second round last month as the Serb competed for the first time since Wimbledon at the pre-Open event.
The first-round match began on opening day but was interrupted by night-time rain and concluded on Monday.
Andrey Rublev wore down lucky loser Otto Virtanen as the Finn cramped in the closing stages on the way to a 6-7 (5), 6-7 (0), 6-0, 6-2, 7-6 (5). Virtanen entered the draw as former champion Marin Cilic withdrew.
Main photo:- ‘New look” Carlos Alcaraz celebrates first round win on return from injury – ATPTour.com
Novak Djokovic hit the wall as the 24-time Grand Slam winner vomited at the back of the court and was treated by the trainer during a disheartening first round loss which ended early Monday morning on opening day of the US Open.
The 39-year-old Serb fell ill – he said things have been this way for weeks – as he took a loss to Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
In addition to his stomach problems, the ailing Serb was seen by the trainer, the doctor and used an inhaler as he complained of cramping and general poor health during a stress test lasting nearly four and three-quarter hours.
The defeat came a fortnight after Djokovic was knocked out in his opening match in Cincinnati after reaching a Wimbledon semi-final.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said early Monday.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.
“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.
He added: “I was up a break up in the fourth, but just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, a fighter.
But, you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
The disappointing end was Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and cut off a run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories going back to a loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.
“From the perspective of the crowd and support, it was incredible, honestly from the beginning. They were trying to lift me up in important moments,” Djokovic said.
“I’m very sorry that I, you know, didn’t perform as well as I should have or could have… but the love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart.”
Seventh seed and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev came good after losing here a year ago in the first round, posting a win over Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 for his 33rd victory of the season.
Montreal quarter-finalist Daniel Merida defeated Marton Fucsovic 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn the fist straight-set men’s win of the fortnight.
Jiri Lehecka put out two-time semi-finalist Pablo Carreño Busta 6-1, 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-2. The win served as revenge after the veteran Spaniard beat the Czech in the Roland Garros first round.
No. 101 Dino Prizmic spent nearly four hours before completing a win over Alexander Shevchenko to advance in five sets.
The 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 success was hard-fought, with Prizmic leading 5-2 and serving for it in the fourth set but needing to go all the way to claim his first victory here after saving two match points.
The Croat has threatened top 10 names in the past, beating Novak Djokovic in Rome and Ben Shelton in Madrid.
Cincinnati quarter-finalist Tommy Paul recovered after losing the opening set, storming back for a 6-7 (3), 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Hong Kong qualifier Coleman Wong.
Day 1 British results were mixed, with Cam Norrie going down in an upset loss to Frenchman Luca van Assche 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 while debutant Toby Samuel’s earned the biggest win of his career as he stunned Czech Tomas Machac 6-2, 6-3, 6-2.
Former finalist Casper Ruud made a last-minute pull out on Sunday as the US Open began, with the Norwegian still affected by the back injury which forced his retirement only days ago in Cincinnati.
The runner-up four years ago to Carlos Alcaraz has been carrying the problems for several weeks and pulled the plug on his participation on opening day of the season;s final major.
Ruud becomes the 20th player to withdraw,, a list led by world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is dealing with a knee injury and who has not played since winning Wimbledon in July.
Ruud was due to start in New York against Juan Manuel Cerundolo, whom he defeated last month in Montreal.
Ruud now faces a rush to fitness if he is to compete at the Laver Cup in London from September 25.
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