tennis gut

Wimbledon Men 2014 – 20 Jun 2014 It’s going to be fascinating to see how this Wimbledon unfolds because there is no clear favourite.  The Big 4 are the favourite-s, for sure.  But I seem easily able to convince myself that any one of them will triumph – and thus none of them really has the edge.  And there’s also the possibility that an outsider will cop the title… maybe Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov, Ernests Gulbis, Jerzy Janowicz, Richard Gasquet or Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.  There’s maybe a 20% chance it will be an outsider and then another 20% attached to each of the Big 4.  But that’s not very satisfying and so I hope, by the end of this piece, to have made a pick for winner. Rafael Nadal Nadal made five consecutive Wimbledon finals (he didn’t play 2009) and is a two-time champion.  He’s just won the French and his health – back, knees – seems at about its best so far this year.  His confidence should be high after a ninth French title.  Why isn’t he the obvious pick?  T

Wimbledon Women 2014 – 21 Jun 2014 Despite all her slam falters of late, Serena Williams is still the favourite.  When she’s on she seems unbeatable.  But will she wobble again? It seems Maria Sharapova is most likely to capitalize on a Serena hiccup.  She and Serena lead the WTA this year for titles won with three each.  Next are Ivanovic and Li with two each.  Surprisingly Azarenka, Aggie Radwanska, Kvitova, and Wozniacki – the top title-getters of the last three years, aside from Serena – have no titles this year.  Is that mid-career quartet down and out, or can they still threaten for a big title?  And what about the youth brigade of Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard, Garbine Muguruza, Sloane Stephens, and Madison Keys? First Quarter Four of my favourites are in this section, so I expect the eventual tournament winner to emerge from this quarter.  Just like at the French, Serena Williams (seeded 1) and Sharapova (5) are in the same quarter.  And just like the French, S