Mornin'. It's too bad Li Na is out of Wimbledon, she's just such a great asset to the game, in so many ways. But I'm also happy for Sabine Lisicki; I know her a bit and think the world of her. She's the quintessential hard-working tennis pro who's had some tough times (mostly due to injury) but whose attitude has always been sunny and positive. It's not just a pleasure to see her doing well, it's also gratifying and it makes it seem like the world isn't always such an unfair place.
The men's match that catches my eye today pits Juan Martin del Potro against Gilles Simon, who's always a tough out. There's been a fair amount of talk about how Wimbledon just isn't Delpo's tournament, but I don't put too much stock in that. Granted, del Potro doesn't seem to have the flexibility and general mobility that can be such a great asset on grass, but never underestimate the value of sheer firepower, consistency, and courage. In relative terms, Delpo has underperformed at Wimbledon since his debut in 2007. But I wouldn't draw long-term conclusions from that. He's only played Wimbledon three times. I would be the last person on earth to experience surprise if he went deep. Today will be a good test for him.
Enjoy, and see you later.
-- Pete