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Would you pay $5/Month for a subscription to 'The Racquet'? You'd get continued daily coverage during all Slams & Masters 1000's as well as selected 500's. And weekly issues for the rest of the year. Also includes special issues like pre-tournament draw breakdowns and monthly issues on the key statistics behind featured players & matches etc. You'd also get early access to the upcoming Racquet podcast and Twitch streams + a bunch of other, future benefits/content I haven't thought of yet. There will still be a free version which would be weekly throughout the year. Please be honest.



Yes, I'd pay $5.

No, I would not. WIMBLEDON DAY 6 - RESULTS 🎾 Featured Matches:



Nadal d De Minaur 6-1, 6-2, 6-4



Probably the best tennis Nadal has played at Wimbledon since 2014 (he even hit a 'Tweener Lob', GIF below). Unfortunately for De Minaur, his game style is basically perfect fodder for the best players. He hits with pace and consistency from the baseline but doesn't yet have the weapons (serve or groundstroke) to do real damage to a player like Nadal. Rafa was solid on serve, even if he'd like to land a few more 1st serves (58% today vs 65% avg. for tournament). He will also be pleased with another impressive day's volleying, winning 19/22 points at the net. Return of serve is where Rafa did the most damage, winning 44% of receiving points overall, with some stinging backhand crosscourt returns. His court position was very aggressive on return today.



Djokovic d Edmund 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4



Edmund started by far the better of the two, crushing un-returnable forehands and serves to take a well-deserved 1-set lead. After a tight 2nd set won by Novak, it turned into the Djokovic show, playing just as well, if not better, as he did in Queens. Kyle's serve was decent today, and yet Novak won 41% of receiving points 😳, which is frankly staggering against a server as big as Edmund. Djokovic will be annoyed to have only converted 4/17 break points as well as being on the end of one of the worst umpire calls you'll see this year, late in the 4th set (GIF below). But overall, very encouraging from Novak.



Gulbis d A Zverev 7-6(2), 4-6, 5-7, 6-3, 6-0 ‼️



Strange match from Zverev. Simply, Gulbis took his chances (5/6 on BP's) and Sascha did not (3/13 on BP's). Zverev was actually solid on serve and return, but a very poor performance at the net (14/32) and on the big points cost him dearly.



Also:

(‼️ = upset)

(🤕 = injury)

(💥 = demolition)



Nishikori d Kyrgios: 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-4 💥

Nishikori was incredible on serve (finished with better serve start than Kyrgios) but even better on return (won 36%). I haven't seen anyone handle Nicks' serve as effortlessly as Kei did in this match. Nick lost just about every rally over 3 shots and never got anywhere near Nishikori's serve. Serious work needs to be done on Kyrgios's return game.



Del Potro d Paire: 6-4, 7-6(4), 6-3

As always with Delpo, if his 1st serve points won % is high, he normally wins comfortably (80% today) but struggled on 2nd serve today. Played well when it mattered.



Vesely d Fognini: 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3, 6-2

Solid from Vesely (+ 38/55 net points won(!)) but Fognini was wasteful: 1/14 on break points...



Khachanov d Tiafoe: 4-6, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-1 🤕

Strange match. Tiafoe was so good for first 2 sets and then faded physically. Stomach virus.



Raonic d D. Novak: 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

Raonic too good after play resumed today. Returned well.



Simon d Ebden: 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3, 7-6(2)

Ebden's serving was nowhere near as threatening as it had been in previous rounds and tournaments. Real test next for Simon vs Delpo. All Results INTERVIEW/PRESS TL;DR 🗣 Nadal after beating De Minaur:



- "I don't like the word 'deserve' in sports. You either are or you aren't , number one for example. You don't deserve."

Source



- "The only limitation, with my knees, is the pain. If there's no pain, you have no limitations. On grass, you can't compete if you have problems with your knees."

Source



- "In set 3 I had a little heat stroke."

Source



(Matt): Just a little "HEAT STROKE". No big deal.



- "Me and Roger playing doubles together in a regular ATP event? Difficult with our busy schedule, but never say never, why not! He's able to do it, I'm able to do it."

Source



(Matt): I'm all in for a Rafa/Roger doubles season the year after they retire. Calendar year grand-slam in doubles?



- "Would I like to meet Roger in the final? I'd like to meet an easier opponent, I'm not stupid (lols)."

Source

Djokovic after beating Edmund:



- "The atmosphere was like a Davis match. A couple of guys exaggerated on the Time Violation situation... The crowd was worst than in my matches against Murray."

Source



(Matt): Context = Novak was given a time violation, Wimbledon crowd celebrated like England had won the World Cup.

Del Potro after beating Paire:



- "Today I won in three sets again, which is good for my body. Now I hit two-handed more, that works well and is important for my whole game. I have no pain now".

Source



- "It's always a pleasure to play against [Paire] you never know what can happen."

Source



- "We must do quick here, England is playing now, I have to watch the World Cup (lols)."

Source

Gulbis after beating A. Zverev:



- "Zverev is a future Grand Slam Winner, no doubt about it."

Source



- "There are many good players also in the position between 200 to 400. Challenger level is not easy."

Source

Nishikori after beating Kyrgios:



- "I'm sure that this was my best ever grass match".

(BBC Interview)



- "I returned really well despite barely seeing the ball in the last couple of games."

(BBC Interview) SHOTS OF THE DAY 😮

(BBC) The TWEENER LOB. Incredible awareness (of where De Minaur was) and shotmaking from Rafa. Reminiscent of the last time he played this shot (BBC) Harder to hit the tweener lob than a regular one because you can't take a full swing at the ball. Has to be controlled.

(BBC) Measured, little flick at contact.

(BBC) Nishikori crushing a forehand.

(BBC) Another angle. Delpo missed the next shot 😂.

(BBC) De Minaur hit this backhand about as hard/deep as he could, and Rafa just dispatched it down the line on the half volley. Ridiculous.

(BBC) De Minaur suffering the same fate as just about every other opponent who decides to come to the net on Rafa's forehand...

(BBC) Perfect lob from Kyrgios.

(BBC) HUGE forehand from Edmund. Del Potro-esque.

(BBC) 4TH ROUND (MONDAY) OOP ⏰ Match to watch = 🔥 No Schedule out yet TOP HALF:



Federer vs Mannarino (H2H: 5-0) 🔥

Prediction: Federer in 3



Monfils vs Anderson (H2H: 5-0) 🔥

Prediction: Monfils in 5



Raonic vs McDonald (1st Meeting)

Prediction: Raonic in 4



Isner vs Tsitsipas

Prediction: Tsitsipas in 5



BOTTOM HALF:



Djokovic vs Khachanov (1st Meeting)

Prediction: Djokovic in 3



Nishikori vs Gulbis (H2H: 1-0) 🔥

Prediction: Nishikori in 4



Del Potro vs Simon (H2H: 4-3)

Prediction: Del Potro in 3



Nadal vs Vesely (H2H: 1-0)

Prediction: Nadal in 4 Full Order of Play EXTRAS...🔍🎤📊 After beating Paire, Del Potro is into the 2nd week at Wimbledon for the 1st time since 2013.

Nadal makes the 2nd week of Wimbledon and locks up the No.1 ranking post-Wimbledon. He will almost definitely hold that position until mid-August at the earliest.

Rafa has lost the fewest number of games getting to the 2nd week of this Wimbledon than any other year.



Top 4 Years:



- 2018 : 26 games lost

- 2017 : 28 games lost

- 2011 : 29 games lost

- 2008 : 43 games lost

A. Zverev:



- "What he said doesn't matter, he's a linesperson."

Source



- "He (the line judge) just wants to feel important on a big court at Wimbledon so somebody will remember his face."

Source



#linespeoplelivesmatter

Only 5/10 of the top mens seeds are left in the draw:



Still in: Federer, Nadal, Del Potro, Anderson, Isner

Out: Cilic, A. Zverev, Dimitrov, Thiem, Goffin.

Gulbis is the first men's qualifier to reach the Wimbledon 4th Rd since Brian Baker in 2012.

Source

This is the first time since 2007 that no British singles player has made it to the second week at Wimbledon. Insane wrist snap on Rafa's backhand. A shot that he's increased the RPM and speed of in the past couple of years.

(BBC)



1. that the ball had bounced twice before Edmund got to it.

2. that Edmund touched the net before the ball was dead.

3. that Edmund wasn't in control of his racquet during or after the shot.

4. THAT THE BALL WAS OUT ANYWAY.

🤦‍♂️

Source One of the worst umpire calls you'll see this year. At a crucial point of the 4th set, Jake Garner failed to spot:1. that the ball had bounced twice before Edmund got to it.2. that Edmund touched the net before the ball was dead.3. that Edmund wasn't in control of his racquet during or after the shot.4. THAT THE BALL WAS OUT ANYWAY.🤦‍♂️ A big reason that, in recent years, Rafa consistently leads in 2nd serve points won on tour. This is actually an improvement on last year's average for Rafa.

Federer = 0.4m behind baseline to return. Rafa = 1.8m. LOL 😂 #PRAYFORDELPOSWRISTS2018

(BBC)

BFG Delpo

(BBC) The absolute state of Paire's leg... bandaged like a mummy.

(BBC) TFW Nadal decides to play like it's 2008.

(BBC) Benoit Paire casually taking the grip tape off his racquet so he can continue towards his ambitious goal of total mummification.

(Eurosport) Doublefault28 ¿Ombellibable that the surfrace is still slippy, no¿

(BBC) Rafa, post-match, seemed more concerned by the outcome of the England - Sweden match than his own. ⚽️ "Zverev vs Kyrgios 4th Rd will be great!" NO RECAP TOMORROW (MIDDLE SUNDAY: NO TENNIS!)

GOING TO SLEEP AND PLAY 5 HOURS OF TENNIS 🙌

See you on Monday for the 4th Rd!

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