THE RACQUET There are lots of GIFS & images in The Racquet. You may need to give it a bit of time to load depending on your Wifi/4g. I promise it's worth it 😅 SPOILER FREE ZONE 🙅‍♂️ If you don't want to see todays scores yet, and instead want to catch up with the highlights first, stop here. Here are links to todays match highlights. Some may get removed.



Kyrgios vs Edmund



Dimitrov vs Djokovic



Federer vs Paire QUEENS & HALLE - DAY 4 RESULTS 🎾 QUEENS: Featured Matches:

Kyrgios d Edmund 7-6(3), 6-7(5), 6-3



Both players seemed allergic to returning serve in the 1st set thanks to a mixture of great serving (both were at >90% 1st serve points won, Nick at 32 aces total) and pretty poor returning. But, as is fast becoming normal when Kyrgios plays on grass, he manages to turn it on when it matters. Despite Kyrgios' momentum after winning the 1st set, Kyle managed to steal the 2nd set with some impressive grit, saving all 4 BP's and rallying to get to one set all. The 3rd set was very even with the real difference coming down to 52% first serves in for Edmund vs 76% for Kyrgios: Nick had lots of free points, Kyle did not.



Djokovic d Dimitrov 6-4, 6-1 ‼️Woodshed Alert‼️



Dimitrov and poor 2nd serve performances, name a more iconic duo... Broken to lose the 1st set with a double fault. Broken at 1-2 in the 2nd set with the help of a double fault. Grigor's serving woes should take nothing away from Novak however, who was, once again, impressive. Djokovic was imperious on serve (88% 1st serve points won or 30/34) and solid on return (50% of 2nd serve return points won). Very encouraging from Novak, more worrying signs from Dimitrov. Hopefully Grigor plays Eastbourne.



Also:

Mannarino vs Benneteau 7-6, 2-2 (to be finished)



HALLE:



Featured Matches:

Ebden d Kohlschreiber 4-6, 6-1, 6-2



Kholschreiber played a solid 1st set on serve winning 95% of his 1st serve points and saving a few break points in impressive fashion. The 2nd and 3rd set was a mixture of much improved serving, and 1-2 punching, from Ebden (he won 100% of his 1st serve points in the 2nd set or 14/14 points 😳) as well as a confusing drop off in level from Kholi. Impressive overall performance from Ebden and good to see him back at this level after injury,



Federer d Paire 6-3, 3-6, 7-6(7)



Fed played moderately well in the first set with a solid, if unspectacular, serve and return performance. But his serve just deserted him for most of the 2nd set with him winning just 42% of his 1st serve points, which I think is the lowest figure from a Federer match on grass in recent memory.



In the 3rd set Federer's 1st serve in % wasn't much better (56% & 57% 2nd/3rd sets) but his points won on 1st serve shot up to 91% (20/22) which equated to far more free points and routine 1-2 serve-forehand punches. Paire battled well in the 3rd, saving 3/3 BP's (to Feds 0) and managed to set up 2 match points (2nd on his serve). Fed saved the 2nd with a brilliant return of serve onto Benoit's laces. Paire then suddenly remembered that his forehand is about as good as a T-Rex's, proceeding to dump two mid-court balls half-way up the net to hand Fed a match point of his own, which was converted with yet another Paire forehand donation. Shaky performance overall from Roger.



Also:

Coric d Basilashvili 6-4,6-2

Seppi d F Mayer 6-2,6-4 INTERVIEW/PRESS TL;DR 🗣 Federer post-Paire match:



- "I think it was very exciting"

- "I think Benoit played a great match, so did I" (Uhhhhh 🤔)

- "We both got nervous at the end"

- "I had a few bad bounces and had a let down in the 2rd set which nearly cost me the whole match."

- "I need to be more aggressive on 2nd serve return."

- "Feel physically fine"

Source

Kyrgios Presser post-Edmund match:



Q: Is that something you'd like to keep more under control (swearing on court) or does it not bother you?

Kyrgios: "Do you swear?"

Q: "Well..."

Kyrgios: "No, do you swear, Yes or no? Yes or No? Do you swear? Do you swear?"

Q: I've been known to.

Kyrgios: "OK, great, Good question".

Source Jamie Murray on his brother Andy's return:



- "It was great to see him back playing"

- "Andy's obviously a long way from being at his very best"



Bruno Soares on Andy:



- "Andy is not only great for the sport, he's also a great guy so it's nice to have him around."

- "He's such a well-liked guy, a funny guy; everyone likes him. And you know, it's good to see the big guys back - Novak, Stan, Andy.

Source SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮 Kyrgios with Tweener No.743 this week 🌭 Another one... ANOTHER ONE 🔑

Federer with a 91mph 🚀. Another angle. TOMORROW'S OOP ⏰ 🔥 = match to watch



Queens (12pm Start):



Centre

Cilic vs Querrey (H2H 5-0) 🔥



Prediction: Cilic in 2



Kyrgios vs F Lopez (H2H 2-2) 🔥



Prediction: Kyrgios in 3



Djokovic vs Benneteau or Mannarino (H2H 6-1 & 2-0 )



Prediction: Djokovic in 2



Tiafoe vs Chardy (1st meeting)



Prediction: Tiafoe in 3



Halle (12pm Start):



Stadion

Sugita vs Kudla (1st meeting)



Prediction: Kudla in 3



Federer vs Ebden (1st meeting)



Prediction: Federer in 2



Bautista Agut vs Khachanov (H2H 1-1) 🔥



Prediction: Bautista Agut in 3



Coric vs Seppi (H2H 0-1)



Prediction: Coric in 2 EXTRAS... Today's win vs Dimitrov was Djokovic's first Top 5 win since Doha in January 2017! 😳

Interesting stat on the competitiveness of the Halle field over the years (no this isn't a dig at Federer, you can only play who's in front of you):

Federer has played 65 total matches in Halle and won 9 titles. Out of those 65 matches: 1 match was vs a Top5 player.

Stan Wawrinka has taken a wild-card into Eastbourne (ATP 250) next week.

Source

Updates from Wimbledon Qualifying:

- Dan Evans beat Evan Hoyt in straights.

- Marcus Willis beats Patrick Foley in straights.



Tomorrow: Evans Vs Willis in Rd 2

If watching bad doubles is your thing here are the highlights for Djokovic/Wawrinka vs Daniell/Koolhof

Source Slow-mo Shapo Rafa's day kit for US Open 2018

Source And his night kit. DARTH Rafa.

Source By now we'd normally have Federer's USO kit as well but I'm not sure Uniqlo releases designs that far in advance... 😶 Court Philipe Chatrier getting torn up for the rebuild. Ombellibable no?

Source Diego Schwartzman visiting his, and just about every other Argentinian's, preferred grass courts. 🌱⚽️

Source LOL 😂 Kyrgios ⚽️ Roger using every inch of his racquet. Paire's reaction 🤦‍♂️

Source Benoit SMASH 💥 Novak Drunkovic makes a return. Cid Subervi taking his cap to the woodshed.

Source

Halle cameraman getting an eyeful.🤕 GAME, SET & MATCH 👋 Thanks for reading! You early subscribers (Beta testers) get access to 'The Racquet' Discord. Tap/click the Discord button below so you can give some feedback (or just spam Dolgopolov emojis 🤷‍♂️) You can also follow me on Twitter here: If you know anyone who would like 'The Racquet' here is the link to send them so they can sign up: https://theracquet.carrd.co See you tomorrow for Quarter Finals day at Queens and Halle !