Firstly, a BIG CONGRATULATIONS to Serena Williams, who has done the amazing by achieving 22 grand slam finals!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Serena now ties with Steffi Graf in achieving this milestone in the Open Era of tennis, only still to be surpassed by the great Margaret Court who before that time has earned 24 grand slam titles.
The ultimate test for Serena, can she take on Margaret Court and pole vault over that 24 mark? Time will tell, Serena certainly knows the game. And her coach as well, Patrick Mouratoglou.
Let's take a look at Patrick for a moment. Yes, there have been rumors of Patrick and Serena as on again off again boyfriend and girlfriend. He has a spouse, so let's just move on from all that gossip and get down to who is Patrick Mouratoglou. He is of Greek and French descent, and has a terrific website. Besides being probably the smartest coach out there (sorry, Ivan Lendl and Boris Becker, this is merely personal opinion).
Funny thing here, as I write, I sit down with a cup of fresh coffee brew, and as I open to Patrick's site, there he is, with a cup of coffee, I presume? One of life's serendipitous moments :)
Okay, I must say Patrick's commentary during the entire Wimbledon tournament was spot on. The other champion commentators regard him with awe and respect. Patrick gives you the answers, ah! If we would only listen; the gods are bemused....
So let us get back to the final, and see how Serena won, a la Patrick Mouratoglou style.
THE WOMEN AT WIMBLEDON
First off, Serena is playing against the German lefty, Angelique Kerber, number 4 in the world. Angelique has come a long way, and as a lefty myself, I can relate to her thinking, her strategy, her decision making. I know that she likes her deuce serve the best, because, aha! It is a very fluid shot for a lefty. We love the deuce serve. Our ad serve is tougher, but Angelique delivers on that too, and when it works, it is one of the hugest shots in tennis. We lefties just have to figure out how to get that slice carving out wide, out of bounds, into the crowd... Angelique had many slice serves, and prefers using the hammer grip. It is an awkward grip, but once you get used to it, this serve slices the ball with tons of power.
Speaking of power, let us look at Serena's serve. Wow, this serve is used so strategically, with such finesse that you know where it is going and still impossible to return.
With many of the pros, Roger Federer too, Serena and Roger use the "T" serve to close a set, to close a match, to get an edge in a tight game from the deuce court. Serena saves her energy, she allots her energy in minimal increments as needed in a match, so that when that final set and game tip her way, she is there, ready. Like a cobra, she coils and releases with a hop and jump, hammer grip included, using all the power she has saved, to close the game, set and match.
This time, opponent Angelique Kerber certainly gave Serena a run for her money, so Serena's methodology was tougher to execute. I really think her entire game centers around this serving methodology. After all, if you win on your serve, you do not have to do anything else. Something coaches do not like to teach because alas they may be quickly out of business, but obviously Patrick Mouratoglou has made the serve in Serena's game a priority. With great dividends.
Chris Evert commented that this Wimbledon final between these two young women as one of the best, if not the most, beautifully executed matches she has ever seen. I agree. There was everything in it, and neither opponent held back.
Kerber likes to run her opponent from side to side and then move in for the closing shot, a strategy I like to use also, and Serena was running, but even on the run Serena made some winners, and at these high levels, it is only a shot here and there, a winner or conversely an unforced error, that will determine the match.
After about 90 minutes of play, the standard in women's singles tennis, Serena emerges the victor! 7-5, 6-3. Serena did not break serve once. Amazing tennis, thank you to both beautiful players, you show how the game is to be played, and inspire us all!!
Serena, on July 9th, 2016 you won your 7th Wimbledon title! And tied Steffi Graf with 22 Open Era grand slam victories!
Here is Serena holding the Venus Rosewater Dish ~
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| AFP photo/Glyn Kirk |
First off, I feel comfortable enough to say we all missed Roger Federer in the final. Yes, so many of us want him to not only play, but to win, everything! Why is that? Not really sure, maybe his age, that he has gotten so far as it is, to go for more? Something we want for Serena too, now that she is at a tie.
Before we dig into the final match of Andy Murray and Milos Raunic (a name so tough for me to personally pronounce), I want to review Roger Federer's matches, briefly.
Roger lost in the semi-final to Milos, in 5 sets, and two days before, had won having beaten Marin Cilic in 5 sets. Think about if folks, that is a lot of tennis. At the highest professional level on this planet.
The Cilic match,
The Final match of Milos Raunic versus tennis great Andy Murray~
You can tell, just looking at these numbers between Murray and Raunic, what a tight match indeed. I confess, I did not see this match, and appreciate a link sent to me for live streaming so I could nonetheless tune in to the action.
And action, indeed. Both men fought ferociously, Milos stands tall at 6 feet 5 inches with a documented weight of 216 pounds. Can you imagine playing against someone like him??
Andy Murray weighs in at 185 pounds, and is 6 feet 3 inches in height. Milos has a lot of muscle going on there, but Andy moves a bit better, again, at these levels and these scores, it is only the rare unforced error or the winner shot that determines the match.
I must also congratulate Ivan Lendl, Andy Murray's coach and former tennis champion. For Andy to get to where he is, another great coach looms behind his star. Lendl knows the game.
And let us remember, tennis is a game. Yes, it requires athleticism and is a sport, but overarching all else is that there are rules to be followed, and subtleties to be discovered and experienced.
Here is Andy, with the Gentlemen's Singles Trophy~
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| Getty Images |
Andy Murray is the first British tennis player to win Wimbledon twice.
There is talk of Andy being Sir Andy Murray.
Knighthood would serve you well!
There is talk of Andy being Sir Andy Murray.
Knighthood would serve you well!
And the Champion's Dinner, a night to remember! The headline is misleading, but the content is priceless!
Congratulations to all the players who made the grade to qualify and compete at this year's All England Lawn Tennis and Crochet Club!
Our next grand slam is the US Open, we look forward to seeing you, Novak Djokovic (and your coach Boris Becker, what will you both be cooking up for the Open?), and perhaps a final win for Roger Federer? Fingers crossed!!
Our next grand slam is the US Open, we look forward to seeing you, Novak Djokovic (and your coach Boris Becker, what will you both be cooking up for the Open?), and perhaps a final win for Roger Federer? Fingers crossed!!
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