This is your daily post for discussing today's action at The Championships. The order of play can be found here. Today's weather seems set fair, though not particularly bright. No guarantees.
Yesterday I had a ticket for Court 1 at Wimbledon, all arranged weeks beforehand. Then I saw the Order of Play for the day. Wimbledon comes but once a year, and there was only one place I wanted to be yesterday. So I immediately set about getting a Centre Court ticket. Apart from Amelie Mauresmo beginning her titie defence, there was the small matter of finishing that epic showdown between Tim Henman and Carlos Moyà, which was left hanging at 5 all in the final set the night before. And then there was the encounter between Rafael Nadal and Mardy Fish. I mean, I'd attended six out of the last eight of Rafa's previous matches - why stop? Besides, I needed to get an early look at the wide-open standless Centre Court, right? I like it, in fact. Partly because, as a photograper, I got the benefit of better lighting on a day which had only moments of brilliant sunlight. And also because I like the airy feel, and the way the whole crowd has become visible this year.
Watching Carlos sitting pensively at one of the final changeovers, with the crowd chanting for his opponent, I was thinking how sad it was that anyone had to lose. Happily, there were some Spanish supporters in the crowd, to shout "Vamos Charly!" for their man. One of the funniest moments of the Nadal match that followed was some wit in the crowd shouting "Come on, Henman!" at a tense moment in the match, in sheer high spirits after Tim's eventual nailbiting win. There is no doubt at all that the crowd played its part in the match - how could anyone not be moved and steeled by the outpouring of affection shown for him by his home crowd? Tim has played at Wimbledon for fourteen years.
I noticed at Queen's Club how much support Rafa gets during his matches in England - judged by yesterday's evidence, he was the crowd's favourite, perhaps especially among the younger spectators there. In my spot, I was surrounded by Americans who were hoping for Fish to come through - but these same people were also gasping at the sheer power of the offensive Nadal forehand. TV doesn't do it justice. Hawkeye saw a lot of action during that match - including one crucial point in the third set, where a Nadal shot was called wide, which would have given Fish a break of serve. No such luck - the challenge showed that the shot had just clipped the line. It proved to be a turning-point in the match, as Nadal went on to hold, and Fish visibly lost belief.
I gather there was some other action going on at Wimbledon yesterday - I was fortunate enough to have the chance to say hello to TW's friend Miguel Seabra, who filled me in on some of the events going on elsewhere. Looks like I missed some dramas over on Court 1, including the Sharapova and Kuznetsova matches. Miguel was a little surprised that I recognised him so easily - that's what posting your picture in TW (as he did last year with one of his pieces) will do for you! -- Rosangel