Djokovic: A Work Of Spirit

An inspired Novak Dkojovic defeated Rafael Nadal 6-4, 6-1, 1-6, 6-3 to claim his first Wimbledon title today.

===

It would be impossible to briefly sum up the monumental strides that Novak Djokovic has made, both as a tennis player and as a person, in the last 8 months. Still, we ought to try. And perhaps when we do try, each of us might find a way to glean a bit of magic from the man who has stormed the tennis world in dramatic fashion in 2011.

"What is it that's made you virtually unbeatable this year?" asked a genuinely curious John McEnroe, in a post-match interview with the newly-crowned Wimbledon champion today.

Djokovic smiled. He must have been thinking: 'Ah, where to start, and how to not sound too corny?' Then he spoke: "There's a small percentage of improvement in a couple of shots in my game," Djokovic began, "like serve for example, maybe a little bit better forehand coming to the net, good return."

Fair enough. There's no denying that everything Djokovic has done in 2011 has been better than ever, but deep down we all know that the man's torrid 2011 is about so much more than a small improvement in a few strokes. Yes, he's been striking the ball with gusto, opening up the court with ridiculous angles and moving like a gazelle. But still, there's something more, something intangible that Djokovic now possesses, and it's been playing a large role in all his recent success.

"There was no major changes," continued Djokovic, in response to McEnroe's question, and finally getting to the crux of the matter. "It's just I think that I matured mentally and I believe on the court that I can win against Nadal, Federer, Murray -- the big guys in the big tournaments -- and now it's really coming true."

And that is the essence of this magical spell for Djokovic: belief.

For Djokovic, it's not simply about hitting the ball -- he's always known how to do that -- or constructing points, or even his increased stamina. His resurgence has been fueled by something bigger, something all-encompassing. His journey to the top of tennis has been less about x's and o's (or gluten or the lack of gluten) than it has has been about resolve, stick-to-itiveness, conquering demons and overcoming hurdles.

Yes, Djokovic's rise to the top of men's tennis provides a perfect tactical guide for how to be a champion -- the technique is there, the flexibility too -- but none of the mind-blowing tennis that Djokovic produced today would have been possible without a certain spiritual alacrity.

Djokovic's greatest improvement, more than the flexibility that has led to his Cirque Du Soleil poses at the baseline or any of his newfound pop on the serve, has come from within. That big bloody beating device inside his chest, the one he pounds mercilessly while communing with his player's box during matches: the heart.

And from the heart comes belief. Djokovic had it throughout today's tense affair, even as he struggled with a determined Nadal, who started to find his groove in the third and fourth sets.

Surprisingly, if anyone lacked confidence in today's final, it was Nadal. "I was a little bit too nervous, probably at 5-4 in the first set," said the 10-time Grand Slam champion, "and probably 4-3 of the last set. At that moment the match was there -- I had chances to be there and to be playing the fifth right now."

Those moments of nervousness for Nadal were moments of inspiration for Djokovic.

Long rallies, normally the domain of Nadal, went to Djokovic on crucial points time and time again. Djokovic won 16 of 25 points that went 10 or more strokes, but more importantly, he won three consecutive long rallies to go from 0-30 down in the 10th game of the first set to holding set point.

He converted the set point, and from that point on it was his match to win or lose.

As Nadal mounted a serious charge in the third and fourth sets, Djokovic once again called upon his belief to get him over the finish line. He secured the decisive break in the fourth set after a 14-stroke rally, then used his first serve-and-volley play of the match at 30-all in the final game to secure a look at a match point.

He would only need one look. Nadal's backhand sailed long and the Serb fell to his back on the grass, celebrating the most coveted title in all of tennis.

The look on his face was priceless, but it was not a look of surprise. Djokovic is a man who knows he belongs at the top of tennis now.

Now that he's beaten Rafael Nadal five consecutive times on three different surfaces, and become the only man besides Federer to defeat the Spaniard in a Grand Slam final, that fact is pretty hard to deny.

Djokovic can look at the stats to get his confidence for the hardcourt season, or he can keep doing what he's been doing all year -- looking within for inspiration.

Either way he should be fine.

Kvitova Swoops In For First Wimbledon Title

Petra Kvitova savours the moment after acing Maria Sharapova on match point in the 2011 Wimbledon final.

===

Perhaps Petra Kvitova is the player that we've all been searching women's tennis for: that rare species of player that can dominate an era, let alone matches.

With Kvitova, you can see it, feel it, and now -- believe it.

Haven't you noticed?

These days, it's hard not to notice. There's so much potential in the 21-year-old Bilovec, Czechoslovakia native. So much game. So much unabashed leftiness.

"That lefty serve..." said fellow Czech native Martina Navratilova, after Kvitova's semi-final win over Victoria Azarenka, "...It was beautiful."

Call it 'leftiness' or call it 'fearlessness:' what we are really referring to is the pony-tailed phenom's ability to dominate her service games with alarming regularity. If Kvitova is going to continue at this pace in Slams (surrendering 6 breaks of serve in 7 matches) then we can pretty much write her in for a few more Venus Rosewater dishes, right?

If you want to know "What are the advantages of a lefty serve?" Martina Navratilova is the definitely the person to ask. And since you did, here is her take on the matter: "We just get on the outside (of the ball) more because we know we can get to the backhand," said the nine-times Wimbledon singles champ. "You practice it, use it more, therefore it becomes better."

In Kvitova's case it has gotten much, much better, but what is scary is that there still seems to be a ton of untapped potential in the 21-year old's lanky frame. Considering what she did to Maria Sharapova in today's Wimbledon singles final, that's a scary proposition.

"Well right now she's riding a big wave," said Martina. "She's in the top ten, still improving."

The numbers suggest Kvitova couldn't be better -- after all she's just won Wimbledon -- yet to witness Kvitova's game is to understand that she could. In spite of her glittering fortnight, Kvitova is still prone to stretches of discombobulation. It's natural, especially when considering her almost albatross-like build. "I think for Petra the key has always been to minimize the bad streaks of play," said Martina. "She's very streaky, which is good on the good side..."

Bad streaks aside, Kvitova is clearly figuring out how to win -- and win big -- by playing a courageous, swashbuckling brand of tennis. While her opponents might have the jazz, Petra's got the rock-n-roll. She does not allow her opponent any chances to find their rhythm, and they very rarely have the game or the quickness to defend her best shots.

In other words, it's giving them the blues.

Kvitova became the first Czech women to win a Grand Slam since 1998 on Saturday, with a breathtaking display of power that wowed even her opponent Maria Sharapova, a three-times Grand Slam champion herself. "She has a very powerful game," said Sharapova. "That's her strength. That's how she wins matches...sometimes it's just too good."

Kvitova, while thrilled to win, didn't seem totally blown away with her victory. Her dad may have been crying liberally after the match, but the first-time Wimbledon champ still had her wits about her.

"Sometimes my serve wasn't so good, and I have to keep mentally good," said Kvitova, after the match, while surrounded by journalists.

Already being hard on herself, just moments after her first Wimbledon victory? Sounds like a winner to me.

"I knew that I'd have to be first who is playing hard and who is making the points," said Kvitova. "So I tried it, and I did it."

As for her thoughts on what she was feeling when she won: "I don't know... It's strange," she said.

Maybe strange, but not surprising at all.

Archie's Picks: Nadal-Djokovic

Archie believes that 2011 is the year of Nole, so he's picking Djokovic to get his fifth consecutive win over Nadal in the Wimbledon final tomorrow.

===

Well, here we go, the match to end all matches -- at least for a few days! No, seriously, as I mentioned in this post, this is the Grand Slam final that I've been waiting for since May, and Archie has too. Speaking of Archie, if you see that doggie biscuit perched on his nose in the picture above, you can get a feel for the kind of anticipation that has been built up for this match. He says he'd rather see Nadal play Djokovic in a Grand Slam final than eat that treat. And the dog don't lie.

If you've followed along with Archie through the men's quarters, you also know that he's a smart dog. He's gone 8 for 9 thus far, and if Nole continues doing what he's done for the last seven months, he'll be 9 for 10. Archie wants you all to know that win or lose, right or wrong, he's had a lot of fun sharing Wimbledon 2011 with you all. He say he'll talk to you all later in the summer when the US Open rolls around. Until then, he says you're on your own, because he doesn't do these piddly little Masters or Premier events (Take it easy, he said it with a smile.).

Without any further ado, here is Archie's Djokovic-Nadal pick.

See Archie's French Open picks here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tomic pick here.

See Archie's Federer-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Fish pick here.

See Archie's Murray-Lopez pick here.

See Archie's Kvitova-Azarenka pick here.

See Archie's Sharapova-Lisicki pick here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Murray Pick here.

See Archie's Sharapova-Kvitova pick here.

Archie's pick: Djokovic

Why: Because Nole is the type of guy that would befriend a dog like me, while Nadal would probably be told by his uncle that pit bulls are scary, and that I could injure him (so not true, imo).

My Pick: Nadal

Why: Does it get any bigger than this? Two absolute titans of the sport, in fine form, slugging it out for the most prestigious title in all of tennis. In one corner, Rafa, in search of his third Wimbledon-French double and 11th Grand Slam, and in the other the man who has single-handedly broken up the Federer-Nadal duopoly by the sheer force of his own desire (and brilliant play).

Djokovic has been the consummate professional throughout 2011, managing his schedule to a tee, playing world-class tennis every time he steps on the court, and conquering his health-related issues and inconsistencies with aplomb. Nadal, meanwhile, started the year with some lowlights, but eventually responded by running the table at the French Open for his sixth title.

So, then, how do we pick this?

I must admit, it's tough, but I've chosen Nadal based on the fact that his game has looked a tad more fine-tuned on the Wimbledon grass. Add to that the fact that I don't know how in the heck anybody can beat this man -- at this stage of his career -- five times in a row, and there you have my pick.

That being said, if Djokovic can do it four times in a row, than can't we assume that the man can pretty much do anything? You'd be right in saying that as well, and that is what makes this final so difficult to pick.

Enjoy the match, my friends, and don't let your rooting interests get in the way of your appreciation of the tennis, which will be played at the highest level, I'm sure.

Archie's Picks: Sharapova-Kvitova

Archie went with his heart and it cost him his perfect record as Petra Kvitova won Wimbledon today.

===

This pick didn't make it to press before the match but I swear to you it's official. So the big boy is 8 for 9 heading into the final. No shame in that whatsoever.

Without any further ado, here is Archie's Sharapova-Kvitova pick.

See Archie's French Open picks here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tomic pick here.

See Archie's Federer-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Fish pick here.

See Archie's Murray-Lopez pick here.

See Archie's Kvitova-Azarenka pick here.

See Archie's Sharapova-Lisicki pick here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Murray Pick here.

Archie's Pick: Sharapova

Why: Because, like many dogs, he loves her.

My Pick: Kvitova

Why: She's a grass burner, and she was my pre-tourney pick to win (though I still didn't crack the top 1,000 on Tennis Channel's Racquet Bracket).

Proving Time for Djokovic and Nadal

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal will meet in a heavily anticipated Wimbledon final on Sunday. Get your popcorn ready.

===

The 2011 French Open, just four weeks ago, offered us many inspiring moments, but there was one thing it lacked: Rafael Nadal didn't get a chance to face his new arch nemesis, Novak Djokovic, in a battle to the death in the final. While I was thrilled for Federer when he engineered his magical run in Paris, part of me was devastated not to see what I had built up in my mind as the final to end all finals.

I couldn't stop drooling over it: The transcendent Djokovic, suddenly Nadal's kryptonite for four consecutive matches, playing with a chance to tie Guillermo Vilas for the longest men's winning streak of all-time; the hell-bent Nadal looking to claim his sixth French Open title, committed also to ending Djokovic's temporary reign over him.

It was sure to be an epic battle on many levels. You could feel the axis of tennis shifting, but you also knew in your heart that Nadal wasn't going to go down without an epic fight. Maybe he wouldn't go down at all. But it didn't seem out of the question anymore, thanks to Djokovic's stellar form.

Who would prevail? Nadal, the eminent clay court player, now subdued, doubting his game, or Djokovic, surfing the clouds, confident, committed, and possessing renewed faith and vigor?

Then Fabio Fognini withdrew from his French Open quarter-final, making it impossible for Djokovic to get his 46th win in the final. Next, Federer gave the Serb a whooping and the planet shifted back on its axis.

Is it ready to shift again?

Here we are at Wimbledon, and these two tennis titans are about to lock horns in their first Grand Slam final since all this Kryptonite talk began.

A lot has changed in the four weeks since the French -- Djokovic's streak went up in smoke and Nadal's fire is burning brightly again. The Spaniard didn't beat Djokovic in the final in Paris, but in Djokovic's loss to Federer he saw that he was human - he could lose. Since then Nadal's Wimbledon winning streak has grown to 20 matches, and he's been unrelenting throughout the fortnight.

Djokovic, while not as graceful on grass as he is on clay, appears ready for the challenge of Nadal nonetheless.

There is much to prove in this final for each, and the high stakes will certainly add to the intrigue. Nadal can win his third French-Wimbledon double (tying Borg) and his 11th Grand Slam (tying Laver and Borg). Djokovic can bag his most coveted title at Wimbledon and put a fat stamp of approval on his fresh No. 1 ranking.

However it turns out, tennis fans should be pleased. In 2011, Djokovic and Nadal is the meal and all other matches are the appetizer.

Archie's Picks: Murray-Nadal

Does Andy Murray have a chance tomorrow? Heck yeah. Will he win? Heck no, says Archie.

===

Okay, big stuff going on tomorrow. Archie made his pick earlier today with a stoic, almost cold shrewdness. Why? He was hurt. Deep down he wants the underdog to have his day, and he thinks Murray deserves that much. But in an even deeper place, he knows that the pit bull that lives in Rafa's chest will squelch all the British fun.

He's torn, to say the least. Not about who's going to win, but who he wants to win.

See Archie's French Open picks here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tomic pick here.

See Archie's Federer-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Fish pick here.

See Archie's Kvitova-Azarenka pick here.

See Archie's Sharapova-Lisicki pick here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tsonga pick here.

Archie's Pick: Nadal

Why: Duh

My Pick: Nadal

Why: Normally I wouldn't think it was too far fetched to pick Murray for the stunner tomorrow, but have you guys seen Nadal play lately? He's so good on the Wimbledon grass, it's like he's still on clay. And his forehand has been an even bigger weapon that it usually is on clay. Murray is no slouch either -- far from it -- and he's scored a couple of confidence building wins at Slams vs. Nadal (2009 US Open semi and 2010 Australian Open quarters) in recent years, but the same questions persist: Can he come good in a match of epic proportions against a player of epic stature? Someday it's going to happen, but until he's erased those doubts, it's hard to go out on a limb and pick him to win a match like this.

So there you have it. Go ahead and prove me wrong Mr. Murray -- I dare you.

Archie's Picks: Djokovic-Tsonga

Archie loves underdogs, but not enough to jeopardize his perfect record as a Wimbledon seer. He's going with Djokovic over Tsonga.

===

Okay, so my dog is 6 for 6 and he's got four more matches to pick. It's crunch time, so it's out the window with sentimental BS and all that. Archie's here for one purpose: to see the future. If you guys want to make some money off him, then so be it. For him it's just an expression of clairvoyance. He's a philosophical dog, and he's comforted by the metaphysical. Seeing the future is just another way for Archie to tell non-believers that everything is going to be alright.

Okay, without any further ado, here is Archie's Tsonga-Djokovic pick.

See Archie's French Open picks here.

See Archie's Djokovic-Tomic pick here.

See Archie's Federer-Tsonga pick here.

See Archie's Nadal-Fish pick here.

See Archie's Kvitova-Azarenka pick here.

See Archie's Sharapova-Lisicki pick here.

See Archie's Murray-Nadal pick here.

Archies Pick: Djokovic

Why: He likes the fact that a chest-thumper like Nole has a soft side that let's him get in touch with squirrels.

My Pick: Djokovic

Why: I absolutely love Jo-Wilfried and his insanely athletic game, but it's really difficult to pick against Djokovic these days. Djokovic has lost the least games of any man left in the draw (57) and he's reached his 5th consecutive Grand Slam semifinal (something that only 5 other players have done in the open era). He's also 1 match away from the No. 1 ranking, with only Jo-Wilfried in his way. All signs point to Djokovic's first Wimbledon final, and even though Tsonga owns a 5-2 career edge against Djokovic, everything that happened before 2011 feels like it happened in another lifetime.

If Tsonga serves like we all know he can, he'll push Djokovic, and if he prowls the baseline in the inspired fashion that he did against Federer, he might take him out. Then again, even if Tsonga does all that, he still might go down. Djokovic has that many weapons, and more importantly, he's got that much belief.

Grass Seeds: 10 thoughts on the Men's Quarters

The Nadal camp breathed a sigh of relief when Rafael Nadal's left foot didn't give him any problems today against Mardy Fish.

===

Speaking of Rafa... If that was a guy with a foot problem out there on Court 1 against Mardy Fish today, then he's the best player with a bad foot of all-time. That would make him, in my humble opinion, the official GPWABFOAT. Not quite as sweet as being the GOAT, but I'm pretty confident that Rafa doesn't care either way. Babolat may go to the trouble of customizing Rafa's racquet bag with commemoration of his 10 previous Grand Slam titles, but in spite of all his achievements, Rafa appears only to think of one thing: what to do about smashing that yellow Slazenger that is fast approaching him. And you know what? He always seems to have the most splendid ideas about that. If only we all could be that decisive and that focused at our jobs. That's 19 consecutive Wimbedon wins for Nadal, and while he seemed a tad perturbed by his own inconsistency at times today, this is an athlete who is clearly relishing the chance to defend his Wimbledon title.

Andy Murray was understated in his post-match celebration after defeating Feliciano Lopez in the men's quarter-finals on Wednesday. He was calm, almost stoic. Could this be the look of a man who knows that every ounce of his energy now needs to be saved for the monumental task of unseating Rafael Nadal at the Wimbledon throne? Whatever the reason, Murray appears to be a player who expects to win at Wimbledon; those expectations will be put to the test on Friday, when he meets the man who bounced him from the draw in 2010.

Let's not forget the women. There are two delicious semi-finals slated for tomorrow: Kvitova-Azarenka and Sharapova-Lisicki. It seems that dudes like me (curmudgeonly tennis writers) have to defend the WTA every few weeks, so here goes again: The women have more than carried their weight during the fortnight, with Venus Williams-Date Krumm, Lisicki-Li, and Serena Williams-Bartoli being three of the most compelling matches of the entire tournament thus far, men or women. Add to that the Williams Sisters exciting return, Lisicki's rise from wildcard to phenom, the untapped potential in the already imposing 21-year-old Petra Kvitova, and you're way ahead of the power curve.

Toss in the Juxtaposition of the allure and tenacity of Maria Sharapova, and now you've got enough footage to make a blockbuster movie with several sequels.

I love Wimbledon's Centre Court roof, but I was overjoyed to see it was sunny today at Wimbledon, because it allowed me to enjoy one of my favorite tennis aesthetics: Telling time by the gentle encroachment of shadows on Centre Court. When they drift diagonally across the grass, you know the last match is almost over and you begin to wish that time would stop. It is Simply divine.

The Bryan brothers gutted out an epic victory today, 16-14 in the 5th set vs. Simon Aspelin and Paul Hanley. With Mardy Fish bowing out vs. Nadal in the quarters, can we please turn our collective eyes to the beauty and spontanaiety of the doubles game in America? Note to the networks: some live shots of the upcoming Bryan Brothers vs. defending champs Petzschner-Melzer might be a fine way to show the tennis freaks of the world that you care about us. If you can do it without a tape delay, all the better.

Betting houses currently have Rafa as the clear favorite to take the men's title. $100 will only net you $125 for a Rafa bet. That same $100 will net you $220 for Djokovic, $350 for Murray, and $650 for Tsonga.

Sabine Lisicki is the heavy underdog of the four women's semifinalists. Why do I feel that she's going to win it all?

See you soon, Bernard? So, is the youngest male Wimbledon quarter-finalist in 25 years going to drift back into relative obscurity like Alexandr Dolgopolov did after his first Slam quarter-final appearance? I certainly hope not.

Tsonga is 5-2 vs. Djokovic head-to-head. We've all heard about how great Djokovic's return is in 2011, but will he have an answer for the nastiness of Tsonga's service offerings?

Tsonga's Higher High

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga staged an improbable comeback against Roger Federer to reach the Wimbledon semifinals.

===

Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga -- he of the infectious smile and unabashed joie de vivre -- has done the unthinkable against Roger Federer.

And he made it look easy.

Before the quarter-finals began on Wednesday, Federer was 178-0 after winning the first two sets of a match in a Grand Slam. Now's he's 178-1.

The Le Mans, France native, also a quarter-finalist last year at Wimbledon, kept Federer at bay throughout his improbable rally by serving flawlessly and relentlessly attacking the six-time Wimbledon champion with free swings and steady nerves.

The result? An awe-inspiring victory from one of tennis' most dynamic talents. The fallout? More 'what's wrong with Federer?' conversation, and the harsh reality that Federer's regal domination of the Wimbledon grass is almost certainly a thing of the past as he approaches his 30th birthday.

But let's focus on the magic of Tsonga before we contemplate what might become of Federer and his lush legacy.

Long considered one of the most entertaining and athletically gifted players on the ATP Tour, Tsonga was nothing short of majestic today. Blasting serves in the upper 130's and racing to the net behind has explosive groundstrokes, Tsonga forced Federer back on his heels in the final three sets -- and he never let him recover.

Those familiar with Tsonga's game were not surprised that he could take the game to Federer. What was surprising was that he could manage his nerves (or not even experience nervousness -- it was hard to tell) and stay out of his own way long enough to finish the Swiss Maestro off. Stretches of sublime greatness are par for the course for the powerfully-built 6'2" Frenchman. The big surprise was that he did it with such a steady emotional cadence, and that he did it for so long.

Tsonga, 26, served 9 aces and only committed 4 unforced errors in the final two sets. Additionally, he won 13 of 16 second serve points in the final two sets, and never faced a break point after his first service game of the match.

How is that possible? Was Tsonga that good or was Federer that bad? What is good and what is bad, anyway?

What was good for Tsonga is that he played a match for the ages. He stormed back to take this one from Federer with a panache, boldness and precision; he summoned all his magic and he let it spill forth without inhibition. What was bad for Federer was that he never found an appropriate response.

Tsonga's rousing run at the 2008 Australian Open, one that saw him defeat Nadal in the semis then lose to Djokovic in a hard fought final, was the previous high point of his career. With a semifinal upcoming vs. Djokovic, it's not hard to imagine a higher high.

As good as Tsonga is, there's always been the feeling that he could be better. Perhaps this Wimbledon is his time to silence that notion.

Phony Murray Mania Has Bitten The Dust

Should Andy Murray embrace his inner punk and tell the rest of the world to bugger off? I think so.

===

Think about it. The man that many know as Muzz is no saint out there on the Wimbledon grass. Murray may stroke the ball sweetly but he plays with a bitter scowl the size of Texas on his face, and he's quick to utter Joe Strummer-like expletives to himself while he punches the strings of his racquet with his soon-to-be bloody fists.

If that's not punk by tennis standards, then I do not know what is.

But I digress. Let's talk about a more relevant topic: Murray's chance's of ending the British curse and stealing the Wimbledon Crown this year.

What's that you say? You're not interested in doing that? You'd rather hear about Andy's mom's obsession with Murray's possible quarterfinal opponent, Deliciano Lopez?

Okay, maybe I should talk about Murray's lack of a chance of winning the title instead. It is far more plausible, after all. Here are two reasons for that: 1. The trivalry 2. Murray'd actually be better off if he realized it was going to take a miracle for him to win Wimbledon this year; admitting that fact might be highly therapeutic for him.

Virginia Wade, a Wimbledon champion on the centennial in 1977, made some good points when she spoke about the pressure of being a British star at Wimbledon. "I got sort of a little annoyed two years ago at the Australian, when he'd (Murray) been playing well and he'd been winning the tournaments leading up," Wade said, "and I thought to myself 'Give him a chance,' it takes a while before you are actually ready to win it. I think now he is ready."

He may be ready. He may even be willing and able, but so too are the three top seeds. The "trivalry" at the top of tennis is in a league of its own. Sorry, but this is not Murray's tournament to win. I think it'd do him a world of good to keep that in the front of his mind. HE'S NOT GOING TO WIN. He could even make light of it to the press.

How's this for a scenario? Murray could've walked into his presser yesterday after his defeat of Ivan Ljubicic and say "Geez, I feel lucky to be in the fourth round. You guys need to relax and stop wasting your ink on me when the defending champion -- that Nadal guy -- is clearly going to win this thing."

Or something to that effect. You get the picture.

I'm not in PR, but if I was, and I was representing Murray, that's what I'd tell him. I certainly wouldn't tell him that his net worth would likely grow by a hundred times if he can become the first British man to win Wimbledon since 1936. Why? Because Muzz doesn't need to be bothered with that trivial stuff.

Murray just needs to play like a punk who has no chance. He needs to smash a few guitars, er, racquets and tell the world to piss off for the next 10 days.

If he does that, and he does it like some other British legends (Sex Pistols, anyone?) have done it before him, then he'll be doing it famously.

If he does it famously, he just might have a chance.

Roddick Still Has A Window, Albeit Small

He's prematurely gone from the Wimbledon draw, but that doesn't mean it's all over for Andy Roddick.

I remember sitting in front of Andy Roddick at a press conference at Indian Wells earlier this year, listening to the 28-year-old talk about his chances of winning another Slam. It was a typical Roddick presser: jokes were being cracked, insight was being delivered, and a sardonic stream of witticisms was flying.

Even though the mood was comical in the room, Roddick was quick to get serious when talking about his chances. Under the 'right conditions,' Roddick feels that Slam No. 2 is a possibility.

It got me wondering: what are the 'right conditions?'

You would think that the 'right conditions' would be the very grass that was growing under Roddick's feet during his three previous Wimbledon final runs.

But those conditions, once again, haven't suited Roddick's game. He crashed out yesterday, losing his first of 8 career matches against Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.

It's hard for a lot of us to imagine Andy Roddick winning another Grand Slam, given his age and inability to crack the code of tennis' "trivalry," but Roddick still doesn't think the book is closed on him. This spring in California, he felt he still had a chance to break through for a second Slam, and I doubt he feels any differently today, even with the sting of his second consecutive early Wimbledon departure still burning him up.

So, what now?

Chris Evert thinks she knows what's best for Andy.

"It's his last hurrah," says Evert. "He's got to sit down and he's got to realize that 'okay, I'll give myself two to three great years, but I've got to tweak a few things.'" says Evert. "He's got to keep it simple and get back to the big serve and the big aggressive forehand."

It's the same advice that Roddick has been getting from the tennis cognoscenti for years now, but something isn't clicking in the Roddick camp. Roddick's propensity for defense suits his personality -- he's a boots-on-the-ground soldier-type of dude -- but does it suit his game? And if it doesn't suit his game, why isn't his coach FORCING him to be more aggressive?

My advice for Andy would be to start with another clean slate. I know this sounds harsh, but Mr. Roddick should seek a new coach for the "last hurrah" that Chris Evert speaks of. Nothing against Larry Stefanki, who is an absolutely fantastic coach and tennis person, but A-rod seems to get energized off of new coaching relationships.

The evidence: Roddick responded well when Brad Gilbert took the reigns and went on to win his one and only Slam; Roddick was jazzed when Jimmy Connors took the helm for a brief stint and he went on reach the 2006 US Open final; he was jazzed when Stefanki took over and he nearly won Wimbledon.

Why not look for one more shake up? A new coach -- or reuniting with an old one? -- could be the tonic that could pump some wind into Roddick's sails.

Don't worry about Stefanki. He's a world-class coach and his services would be widely sought after. This isn't about him, anyway. This is about Roddick getting the most out of himself as he nears the final act of his career.

He's got a lot to give, you can sense it.

He just needs to find a way to give it.

Djokovic's Modest Streak Now at 1

Novak Djokovic may be under the radar at Wimbledon. If he keeps playing like he did today, he won't be for long.

===
Novak Djokovic is through to the 2nd round at Wimbledon. Surprised?

Of course you aren't, but here's a better question: Will you be surprised if Nole wins Wimbledon?

Some of the most thought-provoking questions regarding the eventual men's singles champion coming into Wimbledon were about Nole. He had been the focal point of the 2011 season, but after he got banished from the French Open (to an arch rival no less) before he could break the record for tennis's longest winning streak, Djokovic suddenly became an afterthought.

We wondered: Was the streak a fluke? How would Djokovic react to losing a match, especially one as important as the one he lost? And finally, how he would Nole react to playing a grass court major with no recent matches on the surface?

One minute Nole was the best thing since sliced tennis balls, the next he was the guy who tried to rule the world, but fell just short when he had the chance to take the crown.

Two weeks later we are here at the 125th Wimbledon Championships, trying to make sense of it all. The hallowed lawns of Wimbledon have not been as kind to Djokovic as other surfaces, to be sure. But isn't a first Wimbledon crown, just like Djokovic's recent world domination tour that left him just a match away from the world's No. 1 ranking, only a matter of time now?

Last year Nole was derailed by Berdych in straight sets in the semis at Wimbledon, but we all know that the Nole of 2011 is unlike any Nole that we've ever seen. The Serb is a one man wrecking machine these days, and one loss -- albeit a HUGE one -- shouldn't change the fact that a) He's better than ever and b) If he can beat Nadal on clay, then he can beat anybody on any surface, period.

We don't need to look back further than 3 weeks to be reminded of how special a player Djokovic can be. Djokovic was in the process of declaring himself the best player in the game then, and unless his loss to Federer has shaken his belief tremendously, there's really no reason to believe he doesn't have a lot more dominant tennis in him.

Life is not about what happens to you -- it's about how you react to what happens to you. Novak Djokovic lost a huge match to Roger Federer in Paris. Now it's time for him to react to that loss. Tournaments like these are what define careers. Novak is at the precipice of something amazing for his career, but he's also at a precipice that could see him fall back down into the abyss, doomed to eternity as an afterthought.

All year he's been a force, and in spite of the fact that he came in on his biggest losing streak of the season, today was no exception.

Djokovic attacked with clinical precision against Jeremy Chardy of France in a straight-sets victory that was a complete blowout once the Serb secured a break in the 9th game of the 1st set.

Watching him dominate, it was pretty easy to remember why Djokovic has been unbeatable of late. He's got so many ways to hurt his opponents, and he's stopped hurting himself too.

It makes you wonder: can he be that guy again? The guy who simply can't lose?

Serena in "Stop and Smell the Flowers" Mode

Serena Williams spoke to the media Sunday. Her advice? "Life is too short, so have a drink."

===

Bit by bit, piece by piece, we are finally receiving the details of what Serena William's bizarre year has been like. First we thought she might be lying (she wasn't, but maybe withholding), then we thought she might be dying (she could have), but now we know everything, and a few lucky journalists have even seen the scars on her feet.

It wasn't just one foot mind you, it was both. And it wasn't just stepping on glass that started Serena's vicious unrelenting cycle of maladies; it started with some type of glass object dropped on one foot, then Serena stepping on the remnants afterwards (maybe, but nobody -- not even Serena -- is entirely sure).

How was such an extraordinary and unfortunate incident possible? Not even Serena -- or the folks that were with her outside of a nightclub in Munich -- knows. It's such a big mystery that even Serena herself has made light of it by saying "It's like the biggest mystery next to the Loch Ness Monster."

What happened next was slightly less mysterious but all the more incredulous.

First a surgery, then another, then a blod clot that travelled to her lungs, then, finally, a hematoma the size of a grapefruit emerged in her stomach just when it appeared that things couldn't get any worse.

What, in all that lowness, a reporter asked Serena today, was the low point? "The hematoma that I suffered," said Serena. "After I had the lung problem, I was like okay, I got through that, but having to have the surgery to remove the hematoma was just my low point. I felt it was never going to end."

Was there a point where you said that this isn't worth it anymore? Asked another reporter. "No. Never," said Serena. "I'm never the type to stop. I stop when I'm ready, and I'm just not ready, and I really thoroughly enjoy being out there."

Another reporter asked Serena how she felt about a possible semifinal with Na Li, and that drew a laugh. "Look," she said, smiling, and rolling her eyes, "I gotta get there."

Now that Serena is almost there (she's got two matches under her belt and she's many a handicappers pre-Wimbledon favorite) the questions inevitably moved to how she is feeling.

How were you able to get your conditioning back so quickly? It's only been six, seven weeks where you can really go full out? Here the mystery returned. "I don't know...I really don't know," said Williams. "I work with this guy who is a machine, and, uh, we'll see."

Very mysterious indeed, but thankfully the intrepid reporters on hand got her to elaborate a bit. "I had to do things differently because I had to expand my lung capacity because I lost a little bit of my lung," she added.

Slowly but surely the tone of the interview then turned nostalgic. Serena was asked what she felt she adds to the Tour, but she clearly was more concerned about what the Tour adds to her. "I really missed not being around the tour." she said. "I miss the ladies in the locker room, I miss laughing, I miss having matches. I miss the Tour. I hope it missed me, but I missed the Tour."

What is the void, one reporter wanted to know, on the Tour, when Serena isn't playing? "Maybe some extra color, I guess," she said with a chuckle. "I don't know. I think the Tour is doing fine, there's so much depth in women's tennis, so it's good."

Finally conversation turned to the business at hand, the things we all want to know on the eve of the 125th Wimbledon: What did Serena learn about the shape of her game during Eastbourne, and what are her expectations for the Wimbledon fortnight? "My game's doing pretty good," said Serena. "There's some things that I want to work on and improve, but I can't be upset at all about my game. It's fun. I feel like I'm young again and I have goals that I want to achieve."

How about the serve, the one that thrashed the competition relentlessly last year at Wimbledon, and could make a great deal of difference for Serena in terms of keeping points short this year?

"I didn't travel with my serve to Eastbourne," said Serena, "so I hope it was in my luggage coming to Wimbledon, because I missed him." (Her serve is, apparently, a man.)

And last but not least, what has Serena learned in the past year?

"Life is too short, so have a drink." (She did admit to kidding about this, but I'm not so sure.)

She may not be in top form, but Serena Williams is definitely still confident, still loose, and not taking anything for granted.

Might it be a recipe for a 5th Wimbledon title? Only time will tell.

Either way, it will be fun to watch, and for that, we should be thankful.

Betting Odds Still Favoring Williamses

Experts have Venus and Serena as two of the top three favorites for the Championships, but that doesn't mean nobody else has a chance.

===

One day away from the start of the 125th Wimbledon championships, and Serena and Venus Williams are heading into the fortnight as two of the top three favorites to take home the Venus Rosewater dish.

Betting odds at Bet 365 and Sky Bet both place Serena and Venus among the top three favorites, with Bet 365 placing Serena as the top favorite and Sky Bet placing Maria Sharapova as the most likely to win.

And what about the young guns, or the French Open finalists from two weeks ago? Well, if you're wondering, Na Li is an 8 to 1 to win the whole tournament, while Francesca Schiavone is facing 80 to 1 odds to claim her second Grand Slam.

Marion Bartoli, a former Wimbledon finalist who won the Aegon International title yesterday, has moved up to 25 to 1, while Petra Kvitova stands just behind Na Li with 9 to 1 odds to take the title.