Anyone like Tennis?

Not that I've heard (ha ha). I wonder if she works with the fairly big group of upcoming US women who have been having some success recently or if identifying as Puerto Rican means she isn't part of that group. I don't think she gets USTA support (not sure there) but there is a Puerto Rican sports authority that is supporting her.

The leading shrieker (De Brito, 109 dB) wins versus the second (Shaparova, 101dB) ... ... The ranks are quite different, though: 131 vs 3

WOW! Sharapova has her faults, but she doesn't lose to qualifiers, ever. That really opens up that side of the draw. Without Azarenka and Sharapova, 2011 winner Kvitova who everyone thought would be number one at the beginning of 2012 but who instead drifted away, now has a straight shot to the finals. Serena is looking at Stosur and Kvitova as the big obstacles between her and the title and based on their performances this year, those aren't formidable barriers. There is a nice route from Sloan Stevens to the quarter and the semis if she can get through Bartoli. Bartoli is a nice grass player so that is not a given.

Sloan Stevens wins a tough one 8-6 in the third.

I went back over Sharapova's last year and a half and she has been insanely consistent. If it weren't for Serena, Sharapova would have won Olympic gold, the year end championships and the French open. I wonder if letting herself get into a cat fight with Serena was a distraction. Sharapova is usually very media savy so I was surprised at the decision to crawl down in the mud and create the media frenzy. I've got to think the continuous media circus has not been a positive.

It doesn't look too good for Federer either ...

Federer 1:3 Stakhovsky

What looked like a killer section of the draw is now just Murray and some lower seeds. Unfortunately, it's hard to ignore that time has caught up to one of the greatest ever. It also ends Federer's amazing streak of 35 quarterfinals of the majors. Almost nine years straight.

Grass a sorry mess at Wimbledon?

slide show shows how:
http://ftw.usatoday.com/2013/06/wimbledon-grass-slippery/

No wonder Nadal with his knees had trouble with the footing (??). Or maybe not, but that's an interesting list.

The LTA have issued a statement that says the grass is exactly the same as every other year, and absolutely refute the idea that it's anything but perfect.
Have the footwear people changed anything? Composition of sole? Trendy new style tread?
Maybe it's just coincidence......

I'm somewhat sympathetic to that argument but only somewhat. Both players play on the same surface. You could make the same argument about windy days or airplane noise. Adjusting to the surface is part of the game. That said, anyone with a previous injury is going to be more tenative if the surface is slick. That USA Today article is the first I've seen suggesting a problem with the surface. In past years people have complained that they have slowed down the surface to make it more like hard courts. I bet you could put together a similar slide show at other events.

Plus, if anyone knows how to prepare the perfect surface, it would be the grounds team at Wimbledon.
They would be absolutely mad to change the formula/procedure and put Wimbledon's reputation on the line in such a high profile way.

True, I would think. Weird day though, they're going on about it over at the Guardian too, which I saw after I posted the USA today slide group.

Oh, here's one article on the courts (I think there are more but I've been looking at different sites and doing other stuff).

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2013/jun/26/maria-sharapova-criticism-wimbledon-courts

Some facts on Fed's loss from ESPN.

• Earliest defeat at Wimbledon since losing in the first round in 2002.

• Earliest defeat at a Slam since losing in the first round at Roland Garros in 2003.

• Worst defeat at any event since losing to No. 154 Mario Ancic in the first round at Wimbledon in 2002.

• First defeat by a player ranked outside the top 100 since losing to No. 101 Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals at Monte Carlo in 2005.

Haas is the only male German American (he has both nationalities, but plays only for Germany) to play next week.

Haas played 1997 in Wimbledon for the first time (out in 2nd round) and is the oldest player there this year.

You're forgetting Kimiko Date-Krumm who at 42 is about to play Serena in round three. She was a semi-finalist in '96 and is still there.

I should have written "male", sorry.

Williams 2 - Lisicki 6

Robson has just lost the first set 7/6.