Just Another Manic Monday

Back to writing in the light of day. This feels much more normal. Apologies for the lack of rhythm!

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So Middle Sunday happened, followed up by possibly the most exciting day of the tournament, Manic Monday. And we had some cracking matches today - and I would just like to point out that although my strike rate for the women is pretty bad, all four of my men's semi-finalists are still in contention. Federer/Haas and a battle of the Andies. You heard it here first.

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But all four of these dudes had to come through the fourth round today, and there were a couple of interesting matches in there.

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Let's start with Federer/Soderling so I can get all my gushing out of the way. This was a very interesting match, and I think a good preperation for Federer's quarter final against Ivo Karlovic, because Soderling served brilliantly. There was only one break of serve in the entire match, which came in the first set - and the two tiebreaks were close affairs, the one in the third set in particular. If Soderling hadn't shot himself in the foot with that double fault at 5-all, who knows what might have happened? He played some great tennis and he was unlucky not to come up with at least a set.

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But anything anyone can do Roger Federer can probably do better, and he stayed cool and delivered the goods. He just looks so eminently comfortable on grass it's almost scary... actually, you know what's almost scary? Federer matches usually make me really nervous. My nerves throughout this tournament have been slight to non-existent. And that makes me nervous, because I'm sure it's some kind of jinx.

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Anyone, tough luck to the Yoker. I bet he was cursing his luck when his trajectory emerged and it was a round of sixteen clash with the big dude. And I bet he was cursing making that quip about eleven in a row in the Roland Garros presentation ceremony, because everyone remembered it.

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Another straight sets victory was that of Tommy Haas, and how about this guy? He's got the worst tennis luck in universal history and here he is in the quarter finals - and you really feel he deserves a good run after that titanic effort he put in against Roger in Roland Garros. He plays Novak Djokovic in the quarters, and if Djokovic isn't on his game, I reckon Tommy could get him. Djokovic has been coming through pretty quietly and efficiently, however... it's going to be interesting if nothing else. I'll be cheering for the big T-Haas, though!

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Andy Roddick looked simply lethal over Tomas Berdych. 'Nuff said. He'll face Lleyton Hewitt, who came back from two sets to love down against Stepanek, because he just doesn't know how to give up. You never want to count Lleyton out, but I'm smelling a quarter final crushing. Sorry Lleyton.

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And then in the match of the day, Andy Murray just edged out Stan Wawrinka in a five set epic. He's getting known for these Wimbledon R16 epics - remember the one against Gasquet last year? He was never quite as behind in this one as he was in that, but it was a near run thing. Great match from Stan Wawrinka - I was pulling for him, I have to admit, and I'm sad he couldn't pull it off. His backhand is totally divine. I loved it.

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Andy will now face Juan Carlos Ferrero, and you have to like him to win that one... it's going to be interesting!

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Over in the ladies' tennis... my heart breaks for Ana Ivanovic, poor girl. Injuries galore, and she was all crying, and it was sad, and... well, Venus was going to beat her anyway, but it's sad it had to happen like that. Serena also came through, taking approximately four seconds to win her match in order to get off the frankly insulting Court 2 - I don't know why they put her out there, but that is seriously whack. Safina through after a struggle. Dementieva through, in a sudden burst of form. A few others, and...

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...and my special favourite, Sabine Lisicki. I love love LOVE this girl. She just looks so happy and ebullient playing tennis, and she's damn good too. Her quarter final match against Safina is going to be a hard one for me - I like them both!

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Today's Results

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The Championships (Wimbledon)

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Men's Draw

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Roger Federer def. Robin Soderling, 6-4 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-5)

Andy Murray def. Stanislas Wawrinka, 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3

Andy Roddick def. Tomas Berdych, 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 6-3

Ivo Karlovic def. Fernando Verdasco, 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 7-6 (11-9)

Lleyton Hewitt def. Radek Stepanek, 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2

Juan Carlos Ferrero def. Gilles Simon, 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-2

Novak Djokovic def. Dudi Sela, 6-2 6-4 6-1

Tommy Haas def. Igor Andreev, 7-6 (10-8) 6-4 6-4

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Women's Draw

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Venus Williams def. Ana Ivanovic, 6-1 0-1 retired

Dinara Safina def. Amelie Mauresmo, 4-6 6-3 6-4

Elena Dementieva def. Elena Vesnina, 6-1 6-3

Serena Williams def. Daniela Hantuchova, 6-3 6-1

Victoria Azarenka def. Nadia Petrova, 7-6 (7-5) 2-6 6-3

Sabine Lisicki def. Caroline Wozniacki, 6-4 6-4

Agnieszka Radwanska def. Melanie Oudin, 6-4 7-5

Francesca Schiavone def. Virginie Razzano, 6-2 7-6 (7-1)