Wimbledon 2022: I Hope There's Good SFs and Finals.

Men's Draw: Djokovic's Quarter: Isner vs. Alcaraz 4th round: Tough choice. Do I go with the more natural grass player, or the rising star? Usually I pick Isner, but I'll go with Alcaraz in 4. Alcaraz vs. Djokovic QF: Rooting for Alcaraz, but I think Djokovic in 4. Ruud's Quarter: I'll pick Tiafoe to win the quarter, even though he hasn't given me any reason to pick him. Tsitsipas' Quarter: Berrettini vs. Tsitsipas Quarter: I am probably making a bad choice here, but Tsitsipas in 5. Nadal's Quarter: Nadal vs. Cilic 4th round: In a surprise, given the number of sets, Nadal in 3. Nadal vs. Auger-Aliassime QF: They're going to have another classic. Nadal in 5. Djokovic vs. Tiafoe SF: Djokovic in 3. Tsitsipas vs. Nadal SF: Nadal in 3. Djokovic vs. Nadal Finals: Nadal hasn't beaten him here since 2007. Nadal in 4. Women's Draw: Swiatek's Quarter: Swiatek to the SF. Badosa's Quarter: This section is loaded. Kvitova vs. Halep 4th round: Kvitova seems inconsistent. I never know how she's going to do. Halep seems a little more reliable. Halep in 2. Serena vs. Pliskova 3rd round: Going with the player that's not just coming back from injury. Pliskova in 2. Pliskova vs. Gauff 4th round: Going with the younger player. Gauff in 3. Halep vs. Gauff QF: Gauff in 3. Jabeur's Quarter: I'll pick Kerber to the SF. Kontaveit's Quarter: I'll pick Bencic to the SF. Swiatek vs. Gauff SF: I hate to say this, but Swiatek is 3-0. The matches don't look that close. Swiatek in 2. Kerber vs. Bencic SF: Rooting for Kerber, but I think Bencic wins in 2. Swiatek vs. Bencic Finals: I think Swiatek wins easily in 2. ....

Shocking to see Serena out. Watched the first and second sets, and the beginning of the third. Thought she was in cruise-control and then boom heard she lost. Simply too many unforced errors.

Swiatek has been amazing- I can't see anyone beating her as well. And I hope you're right about Nadal winning it- I'm not so sure it'll happen but I'm rooting for him.

Serena had a 4-0 and I think 6-4 lead in the tiebreak too.

But yes, too many unforced errors.

ESPN's coverage hasn't been as good. They're not talking about all matches. Usually they at least spend a minute in the studio, talking about some of the other matches. Not a word on Querrey losing to Bernakis.

One thing I wanted to touch on, in the FO, was that I was disappointed that the broadcast removed the Russian flags on Tennis Channel.

During the matches, there was a blank area next to their names. And during the bracket pictures, no flag.

The players did nothing wrong.

Interesting that this has happened at other events too:

https://twitter.com/BenRothenberg/status/1498377828462694406

And interesting that Medvedev himself removed the Russian flag from his Instagram.

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1120159/medvedev-removes-russian-flag-instagram

Still, I don't think the players should be punished. Or, the players should be asked if they want the flag by their name, since apparently some of them don't support Russia either.

Yeah it's tough- I can understand why Wimbledon did it. It'd be kind of like allowing German players in WW2 play in Wimbledon. It's an act of protest against Russia- not too different than how most countries have placed sanctions against Russia, but certainly affecting innocent Russian as well. But I also sympathize with the players since they have nothing to do with the war. It's a no-win situation for sure.

The Wimbledon Centre court ceremony was great.

However, it's idiotic to have it when not all former champions were allowed back. Sharapova was missing, and that makes it less special, that someone who might have wanted to be there, wasn't.

Others were also missing, like Serena, Navratilova (Covid), Graf, Agassi, Barty, Connors, Becker, Virginia Wade, Goolagong, Davenport, Muguruza, Edberg, Krajicek, Stich, Emerson, Mauresmo, Newcombe.