Anyone for TENNIS?
Now that football’s not coming home, Wimbledon is back on centre stage with a classic semi-final battle
LONDON came to yesterday morning under a thick grey blanket of cloud. Which, given the general mood of depression around the place, seemed just about right.
The gloom cast by a World Cup gone wrong may take some time to lift. They left a key under the mat and a home-cooked dinner in the microwave but, like an errant teenager, the ungrateful little sod didn’t bother coming home after all. Well, it’s not the first time.
But by lunchtime at least the sun was breaking through in one little corner of the capital. SW19, the only postcode on this side of the wall which greeted Croatia’s win with a sense of overwhelming relief.
The nightmare scenario has now been avoided. Sunday’s final of the men’s singles is now, at least as far as the All England Club is concerned, the only show in town.
Football might be playing fast and loose with the emotions of this country but at least his dependable little brother tennis is home again. He never went away. He’s not that kind of boy.
So let’s forget for a moment that either John Isner or Kevin Anderson will be competing in Sunday’s final.
When these racquet-wielding hightowers attempt to bludgeon the life out of one another today, they are likely to serve up a slugfest that would get tennis stopped.
But when this bloodbath is over, two men will walk out on to the greatest stage in the game to light a fire under an old rivalry that seemed to have burned itself out but has returned in the nick of time. And this one should be a thing of beauty.
For Rafa Nadal, a first Wimbledon semi since 2011. For Novak Djokovic, the first time he has been this close since he got the better of Roger Federer to lift the trophy in 2015.
Now both are back. With a burning sense of vengeance.
“There is no one other match in the history of tennis that has been played more than our match – that’s a big thing,” Nadal said yesterday as he looked forward to a 53rd meeting with his old Serbian nemesis.
“We always played in important stages, important places. Friday is another important match against an opponent who is one of the most difficult you can face.
“You know you can’t win against him if you don’t play well. Novak is one of the most complex players I have ever seen in our sport so it’s always a big test.
“In the semi-finals of Wimbledon you will not have an easy opponent. You have to accept that if you want to win important things.”
Nadal – and everyone else for that matter – was gearing up for a dream showdown with Federer in a repeat of the greatest men’s final Centre Court has staged. A decade on.
But as Gareth Southgate discovered the other night, you can’t always get what you want.
While the Three Lions were having their teeth pulled in Moscow on Wednesday, Nadal was roaring back from the brink to win an epic five-setter with Argentina’s Juan Martin Del Potro.
Across the way on No.1 Court, Federer was being taken out by a hail of bullets from the racquet of Anderson in the biggest shock of the tournament thus far.
When asked what Nadal made it of it all, the No.2 seed smiled and said: “I was playing tennis. I was not thinking much about what was going on in the other court. I am not that good that I can win my match and think about all the things going on outside. It’s tough enough when Juan Martin is standing on the other side of the net.
“But now it is a reality that Federer is not here. He lost. That’s part of our sport. That’s all. It is impossible to win always, even for him.
“I just feel sorry for him and congratulate Kevin.”
The brooding Djokovic is feeling sorry for no one. Having dominated the men’s game for so long he has been busy sliding down the rankings over these last couple of years.
His has been a painful fall and the way he has scowled through the last couple of weeks suggests it has taken quite a toll. Seeded 12th, he is now within touching distance of the Final. All that stands in his way is a raging bull from Majorca.
When asked if he had been unfairly dismissed as a contender going into these championships, he said: “Well, I’ll leave that to you guys. I’m really not thinking about being an underdog or a favourite.
“I just try to build the momentum. It’s different coming into the semis this year, taking into consideration everything that has happened over the last 15 months. My results have not been up to the standard I’ve set.
“But, at the same time, I’m trying to use the experience and memories of being in the final stages of Slams.
“Whatever is behind is behind. I’ve been through that. Right now all that matters is the next match. What’s important is my level of tennis is pretty close to what it used to be. Again, it’s kind of hard to copy anything, right? I don’t like that.
“I know, as in everything in life, we are evolving. I’m a different person and player. I like the level I’m playing at right now.
“I deserve to be in the semis but I don’t want to s t o p here.”