Glog - Wimbledon style

Who'd have thunk this? The idea struck me as I was thinlking of what to do this weekend and I realized that I hadn't glogged in a while and hell, I have never glogged tennis, so what better place to start than the Wimbledon men's final. Really I would have liked to do the women's final, but I had to place an order for work and by the time I got home it was over. Not that I would have expected anything less, as I said in this blog in the past, about the only thing that can stop Serena Williams anymore is Serena Williams. When she is on her game, as she was for the fortnight not dropping a single set in two weeks, there is no one in the women's game that is close to her. I am kind of getting that vibe from the men's final as well, I am expecting Nadal to win and win easily, if only because his ability to track down shots in almost inhuman. Tomas Berdych has played some pretty good tennis to get to the final, knocking off Federer in the quarters and the 3 seed Djokovic in the semis, but what awaits him is a completely different animal. Berdych does have something going for him, unlike women who face Serena, he is a big server, certainly bigger than Nadal, but the same argument was made of Soderling in the French Open final when Soderling played Nadal. Soderling even had to his credit as being the only man in the last few years to beat Nadal at Roland Garros, but as big as Sodeling was hitting, Nadal was just everywhere. It isn't enough to hit big against Nadal, you have to hit big and perfect, otherwise he will find a way to track it down.

That all being said, I don't know how a tennis glog is actually going to work, I really haven't mapped out my strategy for it yet, it is very much a work in progress. I am thinking of breaking it down by game and going from there.

Dubious note, the annoucer just said that never in Wimbledon history has a player beaten the top three seeds in the tournament, which is what Berdych will have to do if he wants to be crowned champion. The players have come out of the tunnel, so I guess we are getting underway here shortly. Of note, I will be interested in seeing who gets to call the match. And yes I just heard John McEnroe. The thing is, I usually like John McEnroe calling matches, but they have been using him on a recap show at night this past week, and he was just awful, trying to be more comedian than anything else and it ill suits him. He can be good in adding to what is taking place on the court, just not nearly as good as a clownish studio host.

While I wait for the action to get underway I think I will work on my scratch off tickets here at my desk. I picked up a few when I went out for my morning coffee, usually I am lucky if I even break even on them, but they do benefit older Pennsylvanians, and I am not getting any younger. Besides, while I rarely break even, I did buy a few yesterday after work and bought one that was a $500 winner, so I at least have a big plus for the weekend. Add to that that I actually won on the poker machine in the bar, another $45 to my weekend kitty, and while not flush with cash, I am at least not worrying about it for the next few days.

Set 1

Game 1 Berdych serving

Bedrych wins, leads 1-0 and doesn't give up a single point off of his serve. Nice start here for the underdog, but for all of the talk of his big serve ther were no aces, a number that will have to go up if he expects to win today.

Game 2 Nadal serving

Nadal wins, set tied 1-1. Of note, twice Nadal failed on his first serve and Berdych failed to capitalize on Nadal's second serve.

Game 3 Berdych serving

Berdych wins, leads 2-1. Both players have held serve early here, with only Berdych surrendering a single point off of his serve. Berdych also registered his first ace of the match, a category that he should win in this match.

Game 4 Nadal serving

Nadal wins 2-2 and the players continue to hold serve. Nadal registered two aces, but Berdych is winning the longer rallies here, almost the exact opposite of what I expected coming into this match.

Game 5 Berdych serving

Berdych continues to hold serve and takes a 3-2 lead in the first set and his court coverage to this point has been impressive, Nadal has only been able to pass him once or twice in the first 5 games.

Game 6 Nadal serving

Nadal holds serve as well, leaving the first set tied at 3-3. No real epic rallies yet, just competent tennis with each player holding serve with relative ease.

Game 7 Berdych serving

Nadal has three break points (0-40) in ths game, the first time either player has had a chance to break the other's serve, and on the second one he converts to take a 4-3 lead over Berdych in the first set.

Game 8 Nadal serving

Nadal holds serve again and leads 5-3 in the first and the match is starting to take on the feel of the French Open final earlier this year where Nadal is just starting to impose his will on the match, no matter how well Berdych is playing it might not be good enough.

Game 9 Berdych serving

Nadal gets two more break points here (15-40), but a Berdych ace fends off the first one, but can't stop the break of his serve on the second one and Nadal wins the first set 6-3. Nadal didn't even allow Berdych a break opprtunity in the first set and more than held his own in the ace department, Berdych's total inflated slightly with 2 aces in the last game.

Set 2

Game 1 Nadal serving

Berdych gets his first break opportunity here (30-40), but Nadal pushes the game back to duece. A double fault creates a second break point, and again Nadal pushes it back to duece. Berdych gets a third crack at breaking Nadal, interesting stat from McEnroe is that Nadal is saving 71% of his break opportunities this year. And he is three for three in this game alone, as he again fends off a break point. This could be a killer if Berdych doesn't win this game, this has been his best chance to break Nadal, if he comes away with nothing one has to wonder just what he can do to win. Nadal has committed 5 unforced errors in seeing this game reach its fourth duece. And yet despite his sloppy play Nadal wins and takes a 1-0 lead in the second set.

Game 2 Berdych serving

Berdych closes out the game with an ace and wins easily. This ends a streak of two straight games where he was broken.

Game 3 Nadal serving

Nadal holds serve, and in much easier fashion than his previous game and takes a 2-1 lead in the second set.

Game 4 Berdych serving

Berdych wins easily, not surrending a point in tying the second set at 2-2.

Game 5 Nadal serving

A 14 stroke rally, possibly the longest in the match to this point, is won by Berdych as he continues to win the longer points but can't string anything together as Nadal continues to hold serve and take a 3-2 lead in the second set.

Game 6 Berdych serving

Berdych holds serve again and much like the first set we start this one off at 3-3. Berdych has a lead in aces, but it is only 6-5 not nearly the amount one would expect from him to this point, or maybe it is just more from Nadal than one would expect to this point.

Game 7 Nadal serving

Nadal holds again, taking a 4-3 lead in the second set. Other than the first game of this set, Berdych has yet to get a break opportunity, and one has to wonder how many more he will get at this rate.

Game 8 Berdych serving

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Berdych wins to hold serve at 4-4 and in the second set he has surrendered only 3 points off of his serve in 4 games.

Game 9 Nadal serving

Nadal holds and leads 5-4, putting all of the pressure squarely on Berdych heading into game 10.

If my tennis commentary sucks, it is very much a work in progress. I don't follow tennis like I do some other sports, but I do try to catch at least parts of the majors when they are on TV. I think I have watched 3 or 4 matches at Wimbledon this year, plus the sad update shows at night, the only plus to those being they at least pushed Leno back a half hour. Now if they could just push him off TV entirely.

Game 10 Berdych serving

Berdych again holds serve, tying the set 5-5 and has started to push his lead in aces, now at 10-5 and has seen his first % up to 54, but it still needs to be higher for him to be effective long term.

Game 11 Nadal serving

Nadal holds again and once again the pressure falls squarely to Berdych to hold and send this set to a tiebreaker, with Nadal having a 6-5 lead in the second set.

Game 12 Berdych serving

3 break points here for Nadal, as Berdych may be feeling the pressure of the moment. And Nadal needs only one, after Berdych played so well for most of the set, he loses the last game without even scoring a point and the loss puts him down two sets, with Nadal taking the second 7-5.

Set 3

Game 1 Nadal serving

Nadal wins game one of the set, and Berdych hasn't broken him yet, a sure bad sign down two sets already.

Game 2 Berdych serving

Berdych holds serve to tie the third set at 1-1. A typical Berdych service game to this point, but save for a couple of games service gavmes haven't been his problem, it has been when Nadal is serving that he hasn't stepped up.

Game 3 Nadal serving

Berdych has a break point here and once again fails to convert, making him 0-4 in break opportunities. And it becomes another missed opportunity as Nadal takes a 2-1 lead in the third set.The chances have been there for Berdych, Nadal has double faulted 3 times and committed 17 unforced errors yet for every opportunity that presents itself, Berdych just can't seem to break through and the clock is running out on his chances.

Game 4 Berdych serving

Berdych holds serve, tying the third set at 2 games a piece.

Game 5 Nadal serving

Nadal holds serve again, he has yet to be broken halfway through the third set of the match and he now leads the third set 3-2.

Game 6 Berdych serving

Another game where Berdych doesn't allow Nadal a single point, and he adds to his ace total with 2 more, he now has a 12-5 lead in aces and he has gotten his first serve percentage up to 60, but it is almost like a team adding on stats in garbage time, the outcome is all but determined now, unless Berdych can make an incredible rally here.

Game 7 Nadal serving

Nadal wins easily and takes a 4-3 lead. It will be interesting to see when Berdych's nerves start to kick in, given this is his first final in a major. At this point it really only takes one or two slip ups and the final will be over, so will Berdych continue to go after big shots with a nothing to lose attitude or will he start getting more defensive trying to delay the inevitable.

Game 8 Berdych serving

Berdych continues to hold serve, no evidence of nerves yet and the set is tied at 4-4.

Game 9 Nadal serving

Nadal does what he always does, holds serve, and it is 5-4 in the third set.

Game 10 Berdych serving

Berrdych serving to stay in the match and quickly falls behind 0-30 before battling back to 30 all. After taking a 40-30 lead it is Nadal that forces duece here in what could be the critical game of the match. A shot long by Berdych gives Nadal a break point and Nadal capitalizes and hits a passing shot for a winner to take the third set 6-4.

Rafael Nadal is your 2010 Wimbledon men's champion, winning in straight sets 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

And since I have a couple of additional minutes here I will not ethe change meter has been updated again. Another $2.48 brings the new total to $169.45, a mere .55 from the big $170 mark.

Okay, off to spell check then post. Have a Happy 4th everyone, or 5th or whatever day it is based on the International date line.