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RESULTS 🎾

💥 = Beatdown \\ 🤕 = Injury \\ ‼️ = Upset \\ 🤯 = Epic

Featured Matches

(2nd Rd of Queens 🇬🇧)

Schwartzman d Cilic: 6-4, 6-4 ‼️

TL;DW: Cilic was all over the place today, missing forehands very long and wide, and chucking in some very badly timed double faults to surrender breaks of serve. Schwartzman on the other hand, aside from one poor game in the 1st set, was excellent today. The Argentine won the backhand to backhand battle comfortably, and gave Cilic more trouble on serve than most players manage on grass. This was the biggest difference today, in particular the 2nd serve performance. Schwartzman, despite having the much more underpowered serve, won 68% of his 2nd serve points compared to Cilic’s 42%. Cilic badly misfired throughout the match, but credit should go to Schwartzman for looking the far more stable player. Diego’s backhand in particular was awesome, finding some brilliant passes and two sumptuous lobs.

(1st Rd of Queens 🇬🇧)

Tsitsipas d Edmund: 6-3, 7-5

TL;DW: (Resumed with Tsitsipas leading 6-3, 3-3…) Both players started the resumption looking relatively comfortable on serve, but Edmund then played a marathon game while serving to stay in the match at 5*-6. 6 MP’s came and went for Tsitsipas, thanks to a combination of his own errors and Edmund’s serving and forehands. But Edmund’s forehand, when it wasn't saving match points, was very messy, missing wildly to keep the steady stream of MP’s coming Tsitsipas’s way. Finally, on the 7th MP, Tsitsipas clipped the line with a backhand to take a deserved win. Edmunds movement looked suspect yesterday and today, and his forehand just doesn’t suit grass like it does hard and clay. Tsitsipas unspectacular but solid.

(1st Rd of Queens 🇬🇧)

Auger-Aliassime (FAA) d Dimitrov: 6-4, 6-4

TL;DW: Dimitrov didn’t play badly for the vast majority of the match (won 78% of his 1st serve pts and 73%(!) on 2nd serve). But in one game in each set (@ 3*-3 in set 1 & 0*-0 in set 2), a combination of FAA putting some great 1st serve returns in play, and Dimitrov missing wildly on his 2nd shot, surrendered what turned out to be decisive breaks of serve. FAA then looked after his own serve with relative ease to close out each set (aided by 15 aces, one of which came in a 15-30 hole serving at 4*-3). Dimitrov double-faulting down BP in the first set was the most glaring of his mistakes, but really FAA had done well to create chances in the first place. When it mattered FAA raised his game, and when it mattered Dimitrov faltered. Grigor still looking for confidence and wins. Unsure if this was a conscious decision or just a side affect of being tight, but Dimitrov’s 1st serves were much more conservative than usual, placement and speed-wise, when facing pressure situations. — When it mattered today, FAA found some great 1st serve returns. (TennisTV)

(2nd Rd of Queens 🇬🇧)

Mahut d Wawrinka: 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(2) ‼️

TL;DW: Wawrinka served for the match at 5*-4 in the third set, but Mahut came up with some good returns, and a wonderful volley on BP, to get back on serve. Mahut then grabbed an immediate mini-break in the deciding tiebreaker and never let go of his serve. Big win for Mahut who simply played the big points better than Stan in the deciding set. Serve and volley, and low approaching slices, win the day once again on grass (even in 2019).

(2nd Rd of Queens 🇬🇧)

Auger-Aliassime (FAA) d Kyrgios: 6-7(4), 7-6(3), 7-5

TL;DW: A serve dominated contest, with just two BP’s across all three sets, with both players winning just 6 points on return in the 1st set (Kyrgios also won just 6 points on return in the 3rd set). Kyrgios pulled out lots of trick shots and strangely timed fist-pumps in the 1st set breaker, successfully edging FAA thanks to a couple of good returns. But FAA showed impressive maturity and focus to hang in there and not be distracted by the circus of complaints and monologues across the net. After taking the 2nd set breaker, FAA profited from a slow and tank-y looking Kyrgios after the Aussie suffered a nasty fall (looking like he tweaked his hip). After the slip, Kyrgios, who had already looked reluctant to put in too much effort on return, basically started standing still when faced with FAA’s serve. Finally while serving to stay in the match, Kyrgios effectively tanked away the last few points to hand FAA a deserved win. A shame for Nick that he got injured, but FAA’s stability at such a young age was impressive to watch. Lesser players would have lost their cool facing such a hot-serving and bad tempered opponent, but the young Canadian played his own game and managed to capitalise on an unraveling Kyrgios. Kyrgios will now be unseeded for Wimbledon. FAA plays Tsitsipas tomorrow 🔥.

(Halle 🇩🇪)

A.Zverev d Johnson: 6-3, 7-5 —

TL;DW: Excellent 1st set from Zverev, serving huge (losing just 3 points on 2nd serve and 2 on 1st serve) and returning well (winning 15/34 or 44% return points). Zverev’s level dipped a bit at the start of the 2nd set, missing with some loose forehands and exchanging some slightly helpless looks with coach Lendl. But the German held steady on serve (not facing a single BP) and took his first BP (and MP) at 5*-6 to close out the win. Zverev mentioned that his knee is still sore after his fall on Monday, but his serve and forehand speed was significantly up today compared to his 1st round match. Good, and importantly routine, win (+ only 2 double faults!). Plays Goffin tomorrow.

(Halle 🇩🇪)

Federer d Tsonga: 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5 🤯

TL;DW: A very close first set, dictated by the player who managed to not hit 2nd serves on the bigger points. Federer and Tsonga both saved BP’s with big 1st serves (Fed at 2-2, Tsonga at 4*-5), but it was Federer who pounced decisively in the 1st set breaker. Tsonga relinquished the early mini-break with a forehand error, and then Federer jumped all over a Tsonga 2nd serve to get his own mini break, and with it two set points (converting the 2nd). Fed then did exactly the same thing again to break Tsonga at the start of the 2nd set: — Federer used this play to bring up set point in the 1st set breaker, and again to break Tsonga as the 2nd set started. Fed knew Tsonga had been hitting his 2nd serve conservatively and centrally, so he made the early move and crushed the forehand. (TennisTV) But Tsonga fought back, finding a series of excellent return games, breaking Federer back and then breaking him again to take the 2nd set (somewhat out of nowhere) 6-4. Federer’s level, and specifically serve, had suffered a bit, but Tsonga’s forehand was absolutely firing and the Frenchman was finding significantly better width: 3rd set: Federer was hanging on by a thread and escaped a 15-30 hole on serve at 1*-2 thanks to a poor Tsonga backhand. A couple of games later Federer dumped a routine volley/smash into the net and set up a BP for Tsonga. But the Frenchman again squandered his chance, missing a make-able forehand well wide. Fed escaped yet again. Fed’s resilience was then rewarded as he played one of his best return games of the match at 5-5 to break Tsonga. A wonderful backhand down the line, and a few good returns, got him the break, and Federer served out the match (sealed with an ace). A bit of an escape for Federer, who was lucky not to go down the break early in the 3rd set during a patchy period of play. But Fed will also have felt unlucky not to have won the match in straights (was a set and a break up), and despite a spirited period of play from Tsonga between the middle of the 2nd and 3rd sets, it was the Swiss who came up trumps on the biggest points in the 1st and 3rd sets. Tsonga’s serve was unplayable for portions of the match, but Fed was lethal on many of the important points when Tsonga missed that 1st delivery. Case in point, 5-5 in the 3rd set, with Federer’s returns manoeuvring Tsonga into his backhand corner and then profiting decisively. Plays Bautista Agut tomorrow.

— Other Queens 🇬🇧 Results —

1st Rd:

Kyrgios d Carballes Baena: 7-6(4), 6-3

2nd Rd:

Simon d Anderson : 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 ❗️

Raonic d Bedene : 6-3, 7-6

Medvedev d Pouille : 7-6(9), 6-7(5), 6-4

Tsitsipas d Chardy: 4-6, 7-6(0), 7-6(4)

Chardy served for the match in the 2nd set, then Tsitsipas served for the match in the 3rd. Both were broken while trying to close it out, and both times Tsitsipas played the better subsequent tiebreaker. Worth watching an impressive breaker bagel by Tsitsipas in that 2nd set:

Murray/F.Lopez d Cabal/Farah: 7-6(5), 6-3 ‼️

— Other Halle 🇩🇪 Results —

Berrettini d Seppi : 4-6, 6-3, 6-2

Bautista Agut d Gasquet: 6-1, 6-4

SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

— Schwartzman with a brilliant punched backhand down the line. (TennisTV)

— Great hands from Cilic. The backspin rolls the ball back towards the net after bouncing. (TennisTV)

— Edmund saving a match point in serious, titanium-dust-puffing, style. (TennisTV)

— Great backhand down the line from Dimitrov. (TennisTV)

— Very impressive volley from Auger-Aliassime to break Dimitrov in the first set. Gets down so low. (TennisTV)

— Wawrinka letting loose on a backhand down the line. (TennisTV)

— Stunning volley from Mahut to break Wawrinka while he was trying to serve for the match. This was the start of the comeback. (TennisTV)

— Some Wii tennis from Wawrinka and Mahut. The pickup off the net cord by Mahut is ridiculously good, but so are the reaction volleys to force an error from Stan. Crazy point. (TennisTV)

— Really clever defensive backhand slice from Federer. Managed to cut it low onto Tsonga’s shoelaces and then profited from the resultantly tough volley. (TennisTV)

— Simply ridiculous half-volley from Tsonga. (TennisTV)

— Fed nailing a backhand down the line to set up the decisive break points. (TennisTV)

— Sir Andrew Murray. It’s like he’s never been gone. Muzz showing excellent skills at the net. (TennisTV)

INTERVIEW/PRESSER BEST BITS🎤

Cilic after losing to Schwartzman:

“Generally I don't feel that disappointed, I have to give credit to Diego, he played a great match. He played a really good match.”

Tsitsipas after beating Edmund:

“It’s been a dream playing at Queens, I’ve been watching it since I was a kid. The courts are a great standard.

“This tournament has a lot of nice things to offer except the tennis.”

(Epic Freudian slip)

And after beating Chardy:

“I am tired after playing two matches, there is lots of bending on grass.”

Murray after winning his doubles with Lopez:

“It was brilliant. I enjoyed it a lot. I was a bit slow at the beginning but got better as the match went on. I really enjoyed it. I’m very fortunate to be back playing tennis once again.”

“A few months ago I had no clue whether I'd be back playing on a court. And to feel as well as I did out there - not perfect, but pain-free - I mean, yeah.. I feel optimistic about the future.”

ORDER OF PLAY (OOP) FOR FRIDAY - QUEENS 🇬🇧

CENTRE COURT

— 11am Local (UK), 5am CT—

🇷🇺 Medvedev vs Schwartzman 🇦🇷 (H2H: 1-0) (1st Grass Meeting) 🔥

Prediction: Medvedev in 3

🇬🇷 Tsitsipas vs Auger-Aliassime 🇨🇦 (H2H: 0-1) (1st Grass Meeting) 🔥

Prediction: Tsitsipas in 3

🇨🇦 Raonic vs F.Lopez 🇪🇸 (H2H: 3-4) (Grass H2H: 0-1 by W/O)

Prediction: Raonic in 2

(H2H: 2-1) (1st Grass Meeting)

COURT 1

— 1pm Local (UK), 7am CT—

🇫🇷 Mahut vs Simon 🇫🇷 (H2H: 1-6) (1st Grass Meeting) 🔥

Prediction: Simon in 3

Full Queens Schedule

OOP - HALLE 🇩🇪

STADION

— 12pm Local, 11am UK, 5am CT—

🇷🇺 Khachanov vs Berrettini 🇮🇹 (H2H: 0-2) (Grass H2H: 0-1) 🔥

Prediction: Berrettini in 2

🇩🇪 A.Zverev vs Goffin 🇧🇪 (H2H: 2-0) (1st Grass Meeting) 🔥

Prediction: Zverev in 2

🇭🇷 Coric vs Herbert 🇫🇷 (H2H: 2-0) (1st Grass Meeting)

Prediction: Coric in 3

🇨🇭 Federer vs Bautista Agut 🇪🇸 (H2H: 8-0) (Grass H2H: 1-0) 🔥

Prediction: Federer in 3

EXTRAS 🔍📊🎤

(This section is just turning into an injury list of grass slips…)

Mahut today:

Delpo has fractured his right patella, again. By slipping on grass...

Surgery imminent. So brutal.

This is what caused it:

— Source

— Nadal will play at the Hurlingham Club to warm up for Wimbledon. He’ll play: on Wednesday 26th June (@ 2pm) vs Cilic and again on Friday 28th June (@ 2pm) vs Pouille.

— Murray will play doubles with Herbert at Wimbledon!

— Nasty fall for Kyrgios. (TennisTV)

NEW BALLS PLEASE 👀

Nick Kyrgios got *very* triggered by a line call today (on a Carballes Baena serve on set point), and proceeded to berate Fergus Murphy, the umpire, for about 15 minutes:

You are taking the f*cking piss. It’s a joke, man... It’s a serious joke.” “What are you actually doing up there? It was this far out (*indicating about half a metre between his arms*). I refuse to play.” “Your hat looks ridiculous as well, seriously. It's not even sunny.” “I’m not going to give 100% when I’ve got linesman rigging the game, I don’t want to play. You’re terrible at your job so I don’t want to talk to you. Don't talk to me, Don't talk to me.” “It’s a joke, it’s f*cking terrible, shouldn’t even still be playing, should have been the set. Call the supervisor, I want to tell him how bad you are.” “His (Carballes Baena) forehand was faster than his slow serve and you still missed it.”

Nick then started mocking the lines-staff, shouting “wow” whenever one of them got a call right and trying to fist bump this guy (and getting rejected):

— This continued for another 10 minutes, with Kyrgios sarcastically asking the line staff to “get ready” and to “cover their lines” and finally accusing one of “doing it on purpose”.

(Personally I don’t care about Kyrgios getting angry by a line call, despite it happening to every player and most not getting anywhere near this irritated. But mocking linesmen and woman is low and a step too far. Also have no idea how Carballes Baena was expected to focus on the match when this weird, angry monologue was happening across the net. Probably one of Nick’s biggest matchplay advantages: tilting opponents. The handshake wasn’t the friendliest either).

Then this happened in his 2nd match of the day vs FAA:

— Nick’s return game today summed up in one GIF. (TennisTV)

And finally, after tanking the last few points away of his match vs Auger-Aliassime, Kyrgios threw his racquet out of the stands (into an area with people walking), leaving the court to boo’s. Eventful day for Nick…

— Volume up. Guaranteed to be the weirdest tennis video you’ll watch today.

— Mahut and Wawrinka playing some Wii Tennis.

I’m sending these daily recaps out to everyone this week (usually free subscribers only get weekly issues). But if you want to get the daily coverage throughout Wimbledon (and all Slams, Masters and most 500’s), you’ll need to be a paid subscriber ($5/month). Link below:

GAME, SET, MATCH 👋

— The Racquet is created, and written, by Matt.

— You can find me on Twitter here.

See you tomorrow for the Queens & Halle Quarter Finals!