First of all, can I just say, loved my introduction.
I also love that it is right there in writing that I can write whatever I please, so there will be no apologies if I go off on a tangent.

There is one apology though. No, make that two apologies. Not on my behalf but on that of my college. First of all, they only allowed me to have a good camera out until 4.30pm, which would have allowed me to photograph three matches. It would have, if they gave me a camera that was fully charged.
They did not.
Hope you like the couple of photos I got of Dan Evans (GBR) and Daniel Berta (SWE), then.

I don’t know if this has anything to do with height, but both Dan Evans and Dan Cox remind me of Clement whenever I watch them play. Evans was punchy and hard hitting with an impressively accurate serve, and as much as I don’t want to sound like my nan, he really was a delight to watch. He took the lead right from the start, keeping the match on serve but breezing through his service games, and taking Berta to sometimes painfully long deuce points. Those always seem to happen when you’re waiting to sit down, I’ve found. I’m not saying that Berta was in any way unimpressive, don’t get me wrong. His accuracy was top drawer and I found myself thinking ‘See, Roddick, that’s where the line is. Hit that.’ But unfortunately for Berta, he seemed to get a kick out of sloppiness and the consistencey just wasn’t there. The match belonged to Evans, the angry little pistol that he is, he won it 7-6(2) 6-4.

Things I was distracted by during this match:

  • The hot umpire from Queen’s 2009 standing, sitting, walking, anything, beside and in front of me. We call him ‘Sharky’, because he looks a bit shark-y.
  • Being reminded how horrendously cold Scotstoun is. If you’re thinking of attending, bring layers. And your own teabags for cheap (if not free, depends on who serves you…) tea to warm your hands.
  • How much Rodrigues looks like a cross between Verdasco and Bolelli. But he’s French. Yes, it was as good as it sounds.
  • Evans still looks like somebody who should be hanging out in the local swingpark with a bottle of MD 20/20 with an attitude to match, but gosh darnit I still think he’s great.

Dan Evans

 

Daniel Berta

 

My next match was the one I was most excited about. Nicolas Rosenzweig (FRA) vs Ahmed El Menshawy (GBR). Menshawy is currently ranked 1227 (anyone else find this funny?) in the world and is a wildcard into the Glasgow event. Or, was a wildcard I should say, because Rosenzweig annihiliated him. Completely unphased by classes of school children stampeding up and down the stands (mid point, may I add), he was chasing after balls that a lot of players at this level don’t bother their arse with. It reminded me of the way I’ve seen Simon run across the court, must be a French thing. Both players were taking risks left, right and centre, but it was Rosenzweig’s that really paid off. He beat El Menshawy 6-1 6-4, like a boss.

I literally stayed on Court 6 all day. I was meant to venture out to courts 7 and 8, but my bank balance couldn’t justify another £14 on taxis to and from the Stadium. This is a hint to anyone who wants to give me a lift any other day this week. I am 100% okay with getting into a car with a stranger as long as it takes me to the tennis.
So, the last match I managed to catch on Court 6 before I had to retreat back to college, was Chris Eaton (GBR) vs Marc Sieber (GER). It didn’t start very well for Eaton, he was playing like how I imagine a Viennese Whirl would play, if biscuits played tennis. Little bit like a fairy, little bit awkward, little bit like he didn’t want to break anything, such as a sweat, or my concentration on the wall beside him. But I quickly took it back, because a couple of games later he was on much better form. Great support from the crowd, too, even when he was playing like the son Mr Kipling wishes he never had. Just goes to show the good a little bit of Wimbledon glory can do. I missed the end, but he defeated Sieber 6-4 7-6(3).

Tomorrow’s lineup…

Uladzimir IGNATIK (BLR) (1) Vs Baptiste DUPUY (FRA)
Kenny DE SCHEPPER (FRA) Vs Mathieu RODRIGUES (FRA) (8)
Michael RYDERSTEDT (SWE) (3) Vs Robert VARGA (HUN)
Gleb SAKHAROV (FRA) Vs Jamie BAKER (GBR) (6)
Juho PAUKKU (FIN) (7) Vs Chris EATON (GBR)
Albano OLIVETTI (FRA) Vs Mirza BASIC (BIH)
Daniel EVANS (GBR) (5) Vs Alexander SLABINSKY (GBR)
Nicolas ROSENZWEIG (FRA) Vs Alexandre SIDORENKO (FRA) (2)

I have used top technology of today to highlight the matches that I hope don’t start until roughly 4pm. I definitely want to catch Ignatik, the top seeded player. I also want to see Rodrigues for much shallower reasons. Rosenzweig because, as much as I want to have faith in him, I think it’ll be the last match he plays this week. Evans because I just hate loving him, and love hating him.

For the rest of the results from today, head on over HERE.

I will leave you today with a photograph of Evans looking angry. Evans always looks angry.