Wimbledon - Reed: All Williams final on the cards

Eurosport - Sun, 28 Jun 15:32:00 2009

Eurosport-Yahoo! blogger Simon Reed believes that despite great form from the younger players, no-one can stop an all Williams final at Wimbledon.

2008 Wimbledon Venus and Serena Williams - 0

There were two huge upsets in the women's draw with teenagers Sabine Lisicki and Melanie Oudin ousting established stars Svetlana Kuznetsova and Jelena Jankovic.

Lisicki is someone who I have liked for a long time and I know the German public have a lot of high hopes for her. She played very well and could be a challenger in the years to come.

As for Oudin, her win over Jankovic was great to see and her fairytale run continues.

I have been unsure about Jankovic for a long time now, she was off rhythm and just did not look right, and that was before she began struggling with stomach cramps and pains in her feet.

The 17-year-old American is having the absolute time of her life right now. This time last year she was beaten by Laura Robson in the juniors and she did well just to be here, coming through three rounds of qualifying, and facing match points in one of those qualifiers. To make it to the second week is a great achievement and her match against Agnieszka Radwanska should be intriguing.

Lisicki, Oudin, Radwanska and the Dane, Caroline Wozniacki, are four excellent players and it has been great to see their run at SW19 this week. But for these teenagers, their runs at the title will be cut short.

The problem for these younger players is that they need to beat Venus Williams to get to the final. I think Wozniacki will get the furthest, and will be beaten by Venus in the semi-final.

On the other side of the draw, there is no one who can really challenge Serena and you would be a fool to bet against the Williams sisters making it a fourth all-Williams final.

It is not just the younger players who are having good runs.

It has been nice to see Amelie Mauresmo battling her way through. It was really now or never for her, and I think if she crashed out then she would have retired. But she has shaken things up and is working well with her new coach, Hugo Lecoq. She meets Dinara Safina in the next round and I would not at all be surprised if she denies Safina the chance of a Grand Slam title.

On the men's side of things, I saw Tomas Berdych defeat Nikolay Davydenko and he looked very good doing so. He has all the ingredients to challenge the top players and is playing unbeatable tennis right now. He matches up well with his fourth round opponent, Andy Roddick, and I think he will take the lead. But Roddick is playing some great tennis and I think the American will ultimately be too strong for him.

The middle Saturday of Wimbledon is always a special day of the year. There was a huge crowd packed in and they left happy with Andy Murray's win. The guy is just in unbelievable form.

Simon Reed / Eurosport

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  1. LOL Wozniacki in Wimbledon semi final??? Is this guy a­ looney? She is a pusher compared to Lisicki, the only­ way Caroline will get past Sabine in the R4 is if­ Sabine makes loads of DF and errors...also Amelie­ wouldn't have retired, she has a had good form this­ year :S x

    From opera.aria, on Sun 28 Jun 11:33PM
  2. My honorable tennis fan friends: Use your­ noggins...THINK! "The Mur" would have had to­ face Nadal in his draw! Give him a break, please. He­ was not given a free "tiptoe through the­ tulips" path to the final. He was given the­ Wimbledon 2008 Champion as a roadblock to struggle with­ in order to reach the semis. It's not Murray's­ fault that Nadal can't play.

    From Hatsutking, on Sun 28 Jun 11:06PM
  3. Oops! Forgot one thing. I am not ashamed of my­ nationality: I am an American Indian of the Tsalagi­ tribe.

    From Hatsutking, on Sun 28 Jun 10:41PM
  4. Caselpusterlengho: This will be my last posting­ addressed to you. Your most recent one greatly shamed­ and concerned me. It was the first post in which you­ became emotional and revealed your misunderstanding of­ banter. Please do nme the courtesy of reading this post­ and believing my sincerity in what I write. Most­ long-term posters who do me the honor of reading mine­ and bantering with me know that i have no interested in­ your or anyone's nationality. They know me as a­ 75-year old university professor emeritus with two PH­ D's (one in Psychoanalysis from the Carl Yung­ Institute in Switzerland; the other in Philosophy and­ the Liberal Arts curriculum). This does not prevent­ them reaming me out---especially ralph r--and reminding­ me that with two Ph D's I should offer better. And­ yet...we respect each other in our gross disagreements­ at time. I am an unrepentant tennis addict. I­ appreciate your negative comment about my weak ego:­ finally, I am successful. I have tried for half of my­ like to weaken it. I am greatly ashamed that I did not­ realize, until I read your recent post to me, that your­ unique use of language is not an attempt to rob the­ dignity of others although it gives tha impression. I­ was also ashamed that your got two thumbs down on that­ post, but that is because poster to who speak and read­ English as a first language perhaps made the same­ mistake that I did. I apologize to you. I did not see­ your posting that invited me to contact you persoanlly­ or, I assure you, I would have and, as you say, have­ spared other poster these remarks. But in the case, I­ hope that other posters read your post to me and this­ one to you. They will now understand and not criticize­ you. I respect you and will certainly "get off­ your back for good." I wish you well..;..{RALPH R:­ If you are reading this...not a chance, buddy. I'm­ watching you like a hawk anmd waiting to pounce!­ Cheers!)

    From Hatsutking, on Sun 28 Jun 10:25PM
  5. Reed didnt even menthioned Azarenka.Mabye he doesnt­ know her

    From Dimitris, on Sun 28 Jun 9:52PM
  6. Would like to see Venus in the final but not Serena she­ to big headed for my liking.Have to say though Serena­ said some nice things about Michael Jackson in her­ interview.I will miss him and his music rest in peace­ Michael i loved you.

    From AJ, on Sun 28 Jun 8:21PM
  7. lets see charming ~~ ELENA DEMENTIEVA to brighten up­ ladies singles FINAL day

    always ready with a happy­ smile ~~~~ GOOD LUCK to Olympic Gold Medalist

    From ace.firstserve, on Sun 28 Jun 7:24PM
  8. Final ticket values

    If favourite Andy Murray reaches­ final Mens singles values will double +Best tickets ­ X10 or more

    If both sisters reach womens singles­ final ticket value == half

    We shall swap our finals­ tkt pair for de Luxe Champagne lunch

    From ace.firstserve, on Sun 28 Jun 7:21PM
  9. I hope Elena or Safina can get through. But to be­ realistic, it is difficult to prevent the Williams­ final. My money is on the Williams to win the Wimbledon­ though I am not their supporter. If there are some­ players that can challenge them, it seems that it is­ not Elena or Safina (unfortunately), they might be­ Azarenka, Wozniacky, or Lisicki may be also Ana

    From Dony, on Sun 28 Jun 6:48PM
  10. I also like to say that TIME is the master here not­ people. With TIME we ALL grow older so why dont some of­ you love & respect who is here NOW? TIME WILL also­ bring a NEW & younger champion along, so WHY moan­ & complain about the PRESENT?

    From Kem-One, on Sun 28 Jun 6:36PM
  11. I would like to see Fedex vs Murray and Azarenka vs­­ Wozniacki ,Safina or Moresmo in the finals .
    Who give­ a­ ..... about sis's final ??? it's so­ annoying­ ,so boring and real tennis fans sick and­ tired of it­ ....

    What YOU'D like to see &­ what ACTUALLY happens are 2 different things. You­ should stop reading the opinions of Simon Reed if it­ annoys you so much. As for WHO gives a .... about a­ Williams Final, I think the WORLD does sonny. Speak for­ yourself also as REAL tennis fans are NOT the ones­ playing the game. They only have an opinion &­ choice of liking for a certain player & most of the­ time its what country they come from. If other tennis­ players are of calibre, skill & strength to beat­ ANY of the Williams then there would NOT have been 2­ sisters meeting in the finals 4 times in the past. So­ what does that tell YOU about the level & skill of­ the OTHER women playing tennis???? Bring on the new­ blood i say. Lets await the outcome

    From Kem-One, on Sun 28 Jun 6:29PM
  12. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­­ the day Serena williams HAS BEATEN " the best­ female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at­ Indian wells­ , who i admire the most , but since graff­ retirement10­ years ago " it`s very clear that the­ only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era­ up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U­ like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that .­ And­ rationally speaking "due to their history,­ "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS or Azeraneka­ "­ or any new teenage tennis player" ,­ williams are­ now considered the best seeded for­ Wimbledon . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:57PM
  13. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­ the day Serena williams bet " the best female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at Indian wells­ . who i admire the most , but since graff retirement10­ years ago " it`s very clear that the only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that . And­ rationally speaking "due to their history, "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS or Azeraneka "­ or any new teenage tennis player" , williams are­ now considered the best seeded for Wimbledon . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:56PM
  14. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­ the day Serena williams bet " the best female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at Indian wells­ . who i admire the most , but since graff retirement10­ years ago " it`s very clear that the only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that . And­ rationally speaking "due to their history, "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS or Azeraneka "­ or any new teenage tennis player" , williams are­ now considered the best seeded for Wimbledon . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:55PM
  15. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­ the day Serena williams bet " the best female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at Indian wells­ . who i admire the most , but since graff retirement10­ years ago " it`s tvery clear that the only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that . And­ rationally speaking "due to their history, "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS orAzeraneka " or­ any new teenage tennis player" , williams are now­ considered the best seeded for wimbledone . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:55PM
  16. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­ the day Serena williams bet " the best female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at Indian wells­ . who i admire the most , but since graff retirement10­ years ago " it`s tvery clear that the only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that . And­ rationally speaking "due to their history, "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS orAzeraneka " or­ any new teenage tennis player" , williams are now­ considered the best seeded for wimbledone . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:54PM
  17. I have been watching lady tennis Since 1999. Back from­ the day Serena williams bet " the best female­ player tennis ever !" Stefi graff at Indian wells­ . who i admire the most , but since graff retirement10­ years ago " it`s tvery clear that the only 2 most­ consistent contender lived from graff era up to the­ present are the williams , So , whether U like it or­ not. we should give them credit for that . And­ rationally speaking "due to their history, "­ with all respect to the RUSSIANS orAzeraneka " or­ any new teenage tennis player" , williams are now­ considered the best seeded for wimbledone . END OF­ DISCUSSION.

    From abdurrazeg a, on Sun 28 Jun 5:54PM
  18. many nice and single girls have a account on­ __classymingle com__ so dont miss them. dont miss your­ classy lover!!

    From Nolonger M, on Sun 28 Jun 5:30PM
  19. I would like to see a final between the two most­ in-form women and the two most in-form men at present.­ I am quite certain they will reach the finals. May one­ of them each be the winner!

    From Casalpusterlengho, on Sun 28 Jun 5:21PM
  20. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    I would like to see Fedex vs Murray and Azarenka vs­ Wozniacki ,Safina or Moresmo in the finals .
    Who give a­ ..... about sis's final ??? it's so annoying­ ,so boring and real tennis fans sick and tired of it­ ....

    From Igor l, on Sun 28 Jun 5:09PM
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