Video highlights! Watch the action from day eight here:
That's all for today folks ...
Thanks for your time and your company. Somebody else will be in the hotseat tomorrow - same bat-time, same bat-channel.
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Your Wimbledon women’s semi-finals line-up
- Jo Konta v Venus Williams
- Magdalena Rybarikova v Garbine Muguruza
Game, set and match Miss Rybarikova
Magdalena Rybarikova wins 6-3, 6-3 There’s a lengthy dispute between Vandeweghe and the chair umpire, in which the American accuses the official of being “out of line” in a dispute over whether or not a line judge distracted her while she was taking a shot. Rybarikova serves her way to 40-0 - three match points. She wins the first to advance to the semi-finals. That was the dampest of damp squibs following Konta’s win over Halep in a thriller.
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Second set: Rybarikova 5-3 Vandeweghe* (6-3) Advantage Miss Rybarikova for her third match point, but again Vandeweghe saves it. Showing admirable guts she wins the next two points to put Rybarikova back in to serve for the win.
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Second set: Rybarikova 5-2 Vandeweghe* (6-3) Coco gets off to the worst possible star, losing her first two points. She restores parity but gives Rybarikova a match point when she’s sends a straightforward smash long. Vandeweghe saves it, forcing Rybarikova to hit wide, but give Rybarikova another when she nets an easy volley - sloppy from the American. Vandeweghe saves the second match point with a deft volley from the net, after forcing Rybarikova from one side of the net to the other: deuce.
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Second set: Rybarikova* 5-2 Vandeweghe (6-3) Rybarikova holds, to leave Vandeweghe serving to s stay in the match.
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Second set: Rybarikova 4-2 Vandeweghe* (6-3) Vandeweghe is in big trouble here, going a break down in the second set. You have to feel for these two women, as there’s a real After The Lord Mayor’s Show feel about their match on a Centre Court that’s barely one third full.
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Second set: Rybarikova* 3-2 Vandeweghe (6-3) Rybarikova holds serve unconvincingly, but holds it nonetheless. Here’s Kevin Mitchell’s stumps report on Jo Konta’s win.
An email from Amelia Handoll-Clark: “What a shame that such an amazing match ended on sour note,” she writers of Konta v Halep. “Both ladies deserved better. However, those bandying about ‘Worst crowd in All Sport’ accusations have clearly never been to a football match (Premier League or park level).”
I suspect most of them have, Amelia. I certainly have, but only think the Centre Court crowd is the second worst in all sport after American golf galleries. At least most people at football matches seem to like football, even if they’re often having a lousy time. In the same way that Coldplay play music for people who don’t seem to like music, Wimbledon lay on sport that seems to attract an awful lot of people who have no o no real interest in sport. Event junkies, they’re known as in some circles.
The rain is pouring down: The Wimbledon souvenir shop is doing a brisk trade in umbrellas as the crowds depart, while Coco Vandeweghe and Magdalena Rybarikova warm up ahead of the resumption of their quarter-final. Rybarikova won the first set 6-3 and it’s 2-2 in the second - their match began on a packed Court No1 and looks as it it will end on a sparsely attended Centre Court.
An email from David Wall: “Has Konta been involved in three of the best four matches (so far) in this year’s tournament (Nadal vs Muller the other, of course)?” he asks.
I don’t know about that David, but this match was as good as I’ve seen at this tournament - both players were excellent and it’s a shame some bozo in the crowd ruined the conclusion. I’ll tell you one thing for free - Konta certainly hasn’t been involved in any of the best interviews this Wimbledon. I have no idea what she’s like in “real life”, but when it comes to her media duties she’s possibly the most boring, charisma-free athlete I’ve ever encountered (and I’ve encountered snooker’s Mark Selby). Her reputation in the press-room goes before her, with announcements that she’s about to give a “media briefing” invariably greeted with wry chuckles and groans.
Don’t yell out during tennis matches. Konta deserved her celebration. That was a rough and awkward end for both after such a great match.
— Courtney Nguyen (@FortyDeuceTwits) July 11, 2017
I can see where he’s coming from (unless he’s being sarcastic, which is always hard to tell with Jacob): But for my money, the Centre Court crowd comes a distant second to American golf galleries in the Worst Crowd In All Sport stakes.
Worst crowd in All Sport.
— Jacob Steinberg (@JacobSteinberg) July 11, 2017
Controversy on Centre Court
During the final rally, one of the thousands of morons in the crowd at Centre Court each day unleashed a shrill, piercing scream that prompted Simona Halep to stop playing. She lost the point, but didn’t make a big deal of it. There was little or no reaction from a somewhat confused Jo Konta as the pair shook hands at the net. Anyway, she’s through to the semi-final now and will face Venus Williams.
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Game, set and match Konta ...
Third set: Konta* 5-4 Halep (6-7, 7-6) Halep wins the opening point, but Konta makes it all square. She make it 30-15 at the conclusion of a splendid rally, moving Halep from side to side relentlessly before hammering the passing shot. She earns herself two match points but only needs one of them. The match ends contentiously, however ...
Third set: Konta 5-4 Halep* (6-7, 7-6) Halep follows suit, serving out to love for the second game in a row. She’s racing through her points and looking a bit nervous in front of the partisan crowd. Konta next up to serve for the match.
Third set: Konta* 5-3 Halep (6-7, 7-6) Konta holds the first one to love and is just one game away from the semi-final. Halep, the World No2, serving to stay in the match.
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Third set: Konta 4-3 Halep* (6-7, 7-6) THere’s no messing about as Halep races through her service games. Konta needs to hold her next two to set up a semi-final against Venus Williams.
An email from Tony Wawryk: “What a tremendous game this is - both going for it with nerves only occasionally showing and then promptly being packed away again,” he says. “Is there a better retriever in the women’s game than Halep? Her court coverage is outstanding. Come on Jo!”
Third set: Konta* 4-2 Halep (6-7, 7-6) Konta gets to 40-0 after another rare unforced error from Halep (only her seventh in 32 games of this match so far). 40-15 ... 40-30 ... it’s squeaky bum time for Konta - she holds on to win the game when Halep plays a drive from the baseline shot long.
Konta breaks in the third set
Third set: Konta 3-2 Halep* (6-7, 7-6) BBC pundit Kim Clijsters, who knows a thing or two about winning Grand Slam tournaments, says she “honestly thinks that at this stage the match will come down to attitude and mindset”. Konta earns herself two break points and converts the first one - her mindset will be pretty positive right now.
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Third set: Konta* 2-2 Halep (6-7, 7-6) Every hold is a crucial one at this stage of the match and Konta wins her latest service game to 15 after going 40-0 up. Neither player is showing the slightest sign of tiredness, despite both having played yesterday as well. They’re clearly as fit as a butcher’s dogs.
Third set: Konta 1-2 Halep* (6-7, 7-6) Halep holds.
Third set: Konta* 1-1 Halep (6-7, 7-6) ... advantage Konta ... game Konta! More splendid tennis from two players who seem incapable of feeling fatigue. They forcing each other to do no end of running and still hitting the ball as hard as ever. Halep has made just six unforced errors so far, which is an quite astonishing stat.
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Third set: Konta* 0-1 Halep (6-7, 7-6) Konta’s extended bathroom break may have worked against her, as the atmosphere on Centre Court seems to have evaporated while she was away. A smashed volley gets her from 15-30 to 30-30, but Halep passes her to get an early break point in this third set. Konta saves it after brilliant tennis shots from both players. Deuce ... advantage Konta ... deuce ... advantage Konta ... deuce ... advantage Konta ... deuce ...
Third set: Konta 0-1 Halep* (6-7, 7-6) Following a long delay to facilitate a Jo Konta comfort break that BBC pundit John McEnroe describes as “totally outrageous”, play resumes. Halep has been standing at one end of the court, rearing to go. Play resumes, with Halep serving, the pair exchange points and a feeble second serve makes it 30-30 when Konta smashes a return deep, like a yorker to her opponent’s toes. It’s not enough - Halep holds after a long, long delay she had every right to complain about, but didn’t.
Due to continued rain, there will be no further play outside, and the suspended No.1 Court match will move to Centre Court for completion pic.twitter.com/hinsOtAu0k
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 11, 2017
Catching this amazing Halep-Konta match, but best part has to be the chair umpire’s voice. Charles Boyer, only more so.
— Sarah Churchwell (@sarahchurchwell) July 11, 2017
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An email from David Wall: “I take it you won’t be looking to buy any of the used balls from this match (17.23) if you can avoid it,” he says. “Perhaps the roof amplifies the sound of their shots but these two have been belting the felt off these balls so it’d be £5 wasted.”
Konta wins the second set - it's all square on Centre Court
Konta forces a final set with a fine forehand to the corner that leaves Halep sprawling. This is a splendid game of tennis between two warriors who are giving their absolute all.
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Tie-break: 6-5 to Konta and it’s set point on her own serve!
Tie-break: Halep successfully disputes a line-call and earns an incredulous nod from the umpire when she’s shown to be correct. It goes to 5-5 - we’re on still on that knife-edge here.
Tie-break: Just as she did in the first set tie-break, Halep races into a 3-1 lead. Can Konta keep her serve functioning this time around? She gets it back to 3-2, but Halep has the mini-break. Not any more, she doesn’t - it’s 3-3 as Konta breaks back.
Second set: Konta 6-6 Halep* (6-7) Halep holds comfortably and it’s time for another tie-break.
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Second set: Konta* 6-5 Halep (6-7) Halep finds the net at 40-15 and Konta’s strong serve stands to her again. Halep to serve to save the set.
Meanwhile sitting so close to me that I can smell his aftershave and our elbows are occasionally touching, Simon Cambers has tweeted ...
So, if it rains the rest of the day, will @Wimbledon move Rybarikova-Vandeweghe to finish on Centre Court?
— Simon Cambers (@scambers73) July 11, 2017
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Second set: Konta 5-5 Halep* (6-7) Konta takes the Halep service game to deuce, twice, but a nervy shot into the net gives Halep - who has been geeing herself up - advantage again. With half the the court at her mercy, Konta volleys wide. It’s wide, she appeals ... and Hawkeye shows she was wrong to do so. A strong hold by Halep; Konta to serve.
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Second set: Konta* 5-4 Halep (6-7) Konta keeps the pressure on Halep and the pair sit down ahead of the changeover for a well-earned rest. They’re hammering that ball and forcing each other to cover a heck of a lot of ground in the process.
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Second set: Konta 4-4 Halep* (6-7) Konta makes it 0-15 and 15-30, continuing to whack that ball with mercilessness. A backhand cross-court effort gives her two break points and she fails to convert either, finding the net with a backhand return and then hitting her next return long - she’s converted just one break point out of seven now. She hits wide to give Haelp advantage, but gets it back to deuce. More unforced errors give Halep the game - a huge, huge opportunity lost for Konta in that game. One from seven in break points is simply not good enough in a match this tight. Halep, by contrast, has converted one from one.
Second set: Konta* 4-3 Halep (6-7) Konta wins her service game to love with a minimum of fuss to leave Halep playing catchup in this second set.
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Second set: Konta 3-3* Halep (6-7) Finally, some nuance! At 40-0 Halep tries a drop shot with Konta marooned on the baseline, but she overcooks it and the Brit gets up to foil her opponent with a perfectly weighted diagonal effort of her own.
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Second set: Konta* 3-2 Halep (6-7). Konta races to a 40-0 lead before hitting her first double-fault of the match (only her eighth of the tournament). At 40-30 and with Haelp wrong-footed, an attempted passing shot is sent a few inches long and its deuce. Any sense of panic is averted as Konta wins the next two points to make it 3-2. This is a great game of tennis - both women are playing superbly.
Second set: Konta 2-2* Halep (6-7) Halep holds to love.
Second set: Konta* 2-1 Halep (6-7) Konta holds and Halep will serve with the new balls. Meanwhile, the old boys will go on sale on the Wimbledon concourse at £5 for six. I’ve already bought four tubes of them this week, with a view to resurrecting a tennis career that stalled when I was around 17 years old. I was a temperamental leftie in the John McEnroe mould ... except without the shots or talent.
Second set: Konta 1-1 Halep* (6-7) A solid hold from Halep as the camera cuts to a man in the crowd who is fast asleep. I’m not sure how, because the shrieking of these two women as they leather the ball back and forth is loud enough to waken the dead. Konta shows visible frustration as a good chance to break the Halep serve goes begging.
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Second set: Konta* 1-0 Halep (6-7) Having had a first serve success rate of 93% in the build-up to the tie-break, Konta’s now down to around 50% as she perhaps dwells on what’s just happened. She gets it to 40-30 having been 0-30 down, wrongfooting Halep with a volley and closes out the game at the first time of asking.
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Halep wins the first set 7-6 (2)
Her strongest weapon in the build-up to the tie-break, Konta’s serve lets her down in the decider and she loses 7-2. First set to her Romanian opponent, who is unbelievably quick around the court. Such is her ability to chase seemingly lost causes that the umpire has already had to ask the crowd to wait until points are definitely over before applauding.
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Tie-break (cont): To Halep, that is, but Konta has the next two serves. An unforced error by the Brit ends the pair’s latest long rally and Halep passes with a murderous cross-court forehand to earn herself four set points.
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Tie-break: Halep wins an absolutely sensational point to go 2-1 up, but is blowing hard after being sent to all corners of her half of the court to do so by Konta. She makes it 3-1 but then double-faults to make it 3-2, but a wild miss-hit volley from Miss Konta makes it 4-2.
Konta* 6-6 Halep Love 15 after some indecision from Konta and the pressure is on her immediately. She bounces back immediately after one of the longer, more entertaining rallies of the match, in which both players pulverise the ball back and forth across the net. There’s no nuance here at all: no attempts to slice or spin, ne’er a drop shot to be seen. At 30-30, Konta digs out a big first serve and follows up to take the first set to a tie-break. There’s excellent tennis being played between these two women.
Konta 5-6 Halep* Halep holds. Konta must do the same to take the set to a tie-break. For the second time she serves to stay in the first set.
Konta* 5-5 Halep At 15-15, Konta contests a wide call and is justified in her decision as Hawkeye shows the ball to have been in by a good ... millimetre or so. She’s serving very, very well and holds here to make it 5-5 in the first.
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Konta 4-5 Halep* A solid service game from Halep leaves Konta serving to stay in the first set. Halep has looked more impressive thus far, but this match is on a knife-edge.
Konta* 4-4 Halep A bad bounce results in a complete miss-hit to make it 0-30 on Konta’s serve. She gets it back to 30-30 with the help of her first ace of the match and survives a challenge from Halep that Hawkeye scuppers to win consecutive points and make it 4-4 in the first.
Konta 3-4 Halep* Konta unleashes the mother of all fist-pumps after winning her eighth consecutive point to break back. We’re going with serve again ...
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Konta* 2-4 Halep Brilliant from Konta in the opening point - she gets down super low to send a Halep piledriver back with interest, leaving the Romanian stranded on the wrong side of the court as her backhand fizzes down the line. She makes it 30-0 then 40-0 before holding to love when Halep finds the net.
Konta 1-4 Halep* Halep holds and Konta needs a big game now if she’s to avoid letting this first set get completely away from her.
Konta* 1-3 Halep Konta gets on the scoreboard and if she’s as distracted by the baritone Barry White-esque tones of the umpire as I am, she’s in big trouble. The manner in which this particular Walrus of Love says “love” has apparently been making people weak at the knees since the start of these championships. Halep still has the luxury of a break in this opening set.
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Konta 0-3 Halep* Konta gets advantage, a break point on the Halep serve, but sends her return long. Another good serve from Halep and Konta goes long again. Advantage to the Romanian and she converts the point to go 3-0 up in the first set.
Konta* 0-2 Halep After a wide serve, a cross-court Konta forehand from the baseline goes wide to make it 15-30 and one rally later, Halep has two break points. She only needs one of them and Jo Konta is already in trouble in this quarter-final.
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Konta 0-1 Halep* Crisp hitting from both players as Simona Halep keeps serve in the opening game.
It’s raining again: Magdalena Rybarikova’s match against Coco Vandeveghe has been suspended with the Slovakian leading one set to love and the scores tied at 1-1 in the second. Meanwhile on Centre Court, where the roof is keeping the rain out, Jo Konta has is receiving serve from Simona Halep. Let’s stick with that one.
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Magdalena Rybarikova takes the first set against Coco Vandeveghe. The Slovakian won the opener 6-3 and we’re in the early stages of the second set, where it’s 1-1. Once Johanna Konta’s match against Simona Halep begins, we’re going to focus on that, but we’ll keep you posted on the action from Court No1.
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Here’s one I made earlier.
Game, set and match Venus Williams ...
Venus advances to the semi-finals with a straight sets win over the 20-year-old Latvian Jelena Ostapenko. She wins at a canter 6-3, 7-5 and waves to the crowd before returning to her chair to pack up her gear. She signs a few autographs for fans on her way off the court after less than 75 minutes of play. The five-times champion has thrown down a marker here and will take some beating in this tournament. Next up on Centre Court, it’s Britain’s No1 v the world No2: Johanna Konta v Simona Halep.
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And .... we’re back in the room: As Venus Williams leads by one set to love (6-3) and is serving to make it 4-4 in the second, Magalena Rybarikova is a break up against Coco (real name Colleen) Vandeweghe on Court No1.
Obligatory mention of Coco’s over-achieving family: her grandmother was Miss America, her grandfather was a basketball star with the New York Knicks and he mum was an Olympic swimmer. No pressure, Coco.
Magdalena Rybarikova v Coc Vandeweghe is next up on Court No1, but before that starts I’m off for a quick break. I’ll be back in 10 minutes or so, but you can follow Venus Williams v Jelena Ostapenko here.
Game, set and match Muguruza
The 23-year-old Spaniard reaches the women’s semi-finals, getting her first match point with an ace and winning it when Kuznetsova gets a racket on her next serve but sends her return long. Garbine Muguruza wins 6-3, 6-4 in 75 minutes.
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Kuznetsova holds her serve ... It’s a test of mettle ahoy for the 23-year-old Garbine Muguruza now, as she serves for the match. A former finalist, she might have the bottle for it.
Kuznetsova saving to stay in the Championships
The Russian trails 5-3 in the second set of her match against Garbine Muguruza and by one set to love. She is, not to put too fine a point on it, in big, big trouble.
Men's doubles latest
In other good news for British blokes who are good at doubles, Scouse siblings Ken and Neal Skupski are through to the quarter-finals of the men’s doubles after seeing off Marcus Daniell and Marcelo Demoliner in four sets.
Mixed doubles latest
Top seeds Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis are through to the quarter-finals of the mixed doubles, having beaten Roman Jebavy and Lucie Hradecka in straight sets.
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Djokovic through against Mannarino match report
Here’s the skinny on Novak Djokovic’s divot and knack-interrupted victory over Adrian Mannarino. interestingly, England cricketer Alastair Cook is in attendance today and might have an interesting chat with Novak Djokovic about the poor state of the wicket.
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A close-up inspection of Centre Court: Djokovic’s complaints about the state of the court, and he is far from the only player to have complained, appear valid as a close-up inspection of an area around the service box reveals quite a sizeable divot to be missing. Speaking on the BBC, Martina Navratilova says it looks as if somebody’s been playing golf on it. She’s not wrong. Venus Williams and Jelena Ostapenko are out warming up now - you can follow the nitty gritty of that match below, while I continue keeping tabs on all the other action here.
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Djokovic wins 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-4
On the subject of his shoulder, he has this to say: “It’s something I’ve been dragging back and forth for some time now.” He goes on to say he’s hopeful it will be OK. He’ll face Thomas Berdych in the quarter-final. They’ve played 27 times in the past and Djokovic leads 25-2 in the head-to-head.
With the obligatory caveats regarding the groundstaff working hard and being experts in their - no pun intended - field, Djokovic goes on to say that “to be honest the courts this year aren’t very good”. At the end of his match he drew the chair umpire’s attention to one divot on theservice line and ground staff are currently out trying to patch it up.
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Meanwhile on Court No1: As Djokovic leads all four sides of Centre Court (yes, yes ... it’s round) in a chorus of oles, Garbine Muguruza has a gone a set up (6-3) against Svetlana Kuznetsova in their women’s singles quarter-final.
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Game, set and match Djokovic
At 40-15 with two match points, Djokovic double-faults and it’s 40-30. FOllowing a long and entertaining rally on his next serve, he appeals a call but Hawkeye proves him incorrect. Deuce. He gets to advantage and his third match pointwins one of the longest rallies of the match to advance to the next round.
Both players hold serve: With Djokovic showing little sign of impairment from a right shoulder that is clearly bothering him, the players exchange service games. The favourite is serving for the match.
Djokovic calls a medical time-out
Interesting: Two sets up and a break up in the third which he leads 4-3, Novak Djokovic summons the physio again, who comes out and works on right shoulder. On the BBC, John Inverdale remarks more than once that “this is the irony of his game being rescheduled from last night”. Is it? I’d say it’s just bad luck. Now, if his game had been rescheduled because tournament organisers had been concerned he might slip on the evening dew and hurt his shoulder, that would be ironic.
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Garbine Muguruza gets an early break: In the women’s quarter-final being played on Court No1, the Spanish 23-year-old has raced into an early 34-1 lead against Svetlana Kuznetsova.
It’s 3-2 to Djokovic in the third. He’s serving to go 4-2 ahead, but during the changeover he summoned the physio to work on his shoulder. His movement doesn’t seem at all impaired.
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Wimbledon officials come in for criticism
The Wimbledon organisers have come in for a lot of criticism over the dithering that precluded them from moving the Djokovic v Mannarino match to the vacant Centre Court yesterday, when it became apparent that Rafael Nadal’s match against Gilles Muller might go on for a while. The Djokovic camp haven’t commented but are entitled to be unhappy, as it means all his rivals have extra rest time ahead of their quarter-finals. Here’s more on that from Caroline Davies ...
Mannarino and the ball boy
“This Mannarino guy and the ball boy incident,” writes David Hindle.” It wasn’t the first time. He has form. Make of it what you will, but perhaps you shouldn’t wax quite so poetically over what may be a perfectly nasty piece of work.”
Djokovic breaks Mannarino: The NO2 seed takes complete control of the match, breaking Mannarino’s serve with a wonderful passing shot down the line.
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Ouch! Mannarino thinks a Djokovic return is going long, attempts to hit it towards the net by reaching around his back and playing it through his legs. Quickly realising that it’s bounced in, he attempts to hit it with more power and almost whacks himself in the goolies. Good work, sir.
Meanwhile on Court No1: Play is underway between Garbine Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova in the women’s singles.
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Djokovic gets the hump: A rogue bounce around the baseline prompts Djokovic to swat a tennis ball away in anger and glare at the offending turf with as much venom as he can muster. It’s balding grass, Novak. It really doesn’t care.
Mannarino holds: For the first time in three sets, the Frenchman manages to hold his opening service game ... helped by a couple of errors from Djokovic.
The rain has stopped again: As Novak and Adrian begin their third and possibly final set on Centre Court, the covers have come off Court No1, where Garbine Muguruza and Svetlana Kuznetsova are warming up for their quarter-final.
DJokovic leads two sets to love
Game and second set, Djokovic: Djokovic serves to win the tie-break 7-5 and Mannarino wastes an appeal on a ball that was quite clearly in. Djokovic doesn’t wait for Hawkeye to prove what everybody on Centre Court knew and lets rip with two barbaric “YAWPS” while fist-pumping violently.
Mannarino could blow this: Three unforced errors in a row gives Djokovic two set points. Mannarino saves the first ...
Djokovic appeals a line-call: He loses to go 2-3 down in the tie-break and a deft lob from Mannarino puts the Frenchman 4-2 up in a tie-break in which both players are struggling badly to hold their serve.
Mannarino gets a mini-break: But fails to make it count as his first two serves are broken.
Mannarino holds serve: Looking hot, sweaty and a little like the love child of Mark Cavendish and Jimmy Carr, the French 29-year-old serves to stay in the second set. An inch perfect DJokovic forehand down the line makes it 40-30, but Mannarino closes out the game to take the set to a tie-break.
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Away from Centre Court: It stops raining, the court maintenance teams remove the covers and it immediately starts raining again. The covers go back on. This could be a long day. If it continues rain – and the clouds overhead are very, very dark – they could play all four women’s quarter-finals back-to-back on Centre Court once the match between Djokovic and Mannarino concludes. The Frenchman holds to make it 5-5 in the second set. Djokovic leads by one set to love.
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Mannarino holds: Having gone 40-0 up on his service game, the Frenchman lets Djokovic back in with two unforced errors, but manages to serve out to make it four games apiece in the second set. Not for the first time in this match, Djokovic changes his racquet.
Mannarino breaks Djokovic: To huge roars of encouragement from the crowd, Mannarino breaks Djokovic to put himself back in the second set.
Stat attack: Unsurprisingly, Gilles Muller’s win over Rafael Nadal has been the longest match contested at Wimbledon this year so far, weighing in at 4hr 48min. Aljaz Bedene’s first round 6-7 (5), 7-6 (6), 6-7 (7), 7-6 (7), 8-6 win over Ivo Karlovic is next on the list at 4hr 25min . Dudi Sela’s unexpected five-set win over John Isner, who famously played in the longest match in tennis history, is third at a comparatively brisk 3hr 51min.
Djokovic wins his service game to love: He’s giving Mannarino a lesson here and gets down low with a minimum of back-lift to send a two-handed backhand down the line to take the game. A marvellous shot.
Djokovic leads 3-1 in the second set: And by one set to love. In less interesting news, the entry I published regarding Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis’s progress against Roman Jebavy and Lucie Hradecka has disappeared. Anyway, play is suspended in their match, where they’re a set up and it’s 1-1 in the second.
Play suspended again: The covers are dragged back on everywhere but on Centre Court as the rain spills down. It’s quite a heavy shower, but won’t affect the Djokovic Mannarino match, as they’re playing under the roof.
Over on Court No2: With Judy Murray in attendance, Jamie and his mixed doubles partner Martin Hinges have gone a set up in their Round of 16 match against ROman Jebavey and Lucie Hradecka after winning the first 6-3. A five times Grand Slam winner, Hinges won Wimbledon in 1997. She’s a long time retired from the singles game, but has enjoyed a fairly successful renaissance on the doubles and mixed doubles circuit. She and Sania Mirza won 14 women’s doubles titles, including three Grand Slams before ending their partnership.
Mannarino still serving to stay in the set: He’s flexing his hip again as a Djokovic mishit, which the Serb acknowledges, leaves him set point down. Djokovic takes advantage of his good fortune to take the first set comfortably. Let’s go see how Jamie Murray and Martina Hinges are getting on.
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Mannarino serving to stay in the set: He’s 5-2 down and seems to have caught Novak Djokovic on a good day. Mannarino plays a cheeky shot through his legs and then fluffs a shot at 40-30 to make it deuce. He seems to have a real problem with overhead shots. A loose forehand gives Djokovic advantage.
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Out on Court No2: Jamie Murray and Martina Hinges lead their opponents 4-1 in the first set of their mixed doubles encounter. They’re playing Roman Jebavey and Lucie Hradecka for a place in the quarter-finals.
Mannarino holds service: After a shaky start, Mannarino sends down his second ace of the day and 30th of the tournament to hold serve for the second time. He’s playing some decent shots, particularly heavily disguised ground-strokes with little or no back-swing. Neither player seems to be bothered by the ailments that were causing them problems earlier in this set.
Play is about to resume on the other courts: While today’s main singles action is scheduled to take place on Centre Court and Court No1, there are various doubles, mixed doubles matches and junior matches being played elsewhere. Out on Court No2, Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis are playing against Roman Jebavy and Lucie Hradecka in the mixed doubles, where they lead 1-0 in the first and are warming up again after a rain delay.
Elsewhere, there’s an invitational senior men’s doubles tournament being played, featuring players such as Patrick McEnroe and Jeff Tarango, Richard Krajicek and Mark Petchey, Jeremy Bates and Chris Wilkinson, Andrew Castle and Michael Chang, Henri Leconte and Cedric Pioline and Wayne Ferrera and Goran Ivanisovic. In the women’s equivalent, the only match I can see scheduled for today features Tracy Austin and Helena Sukova taking on Kim Clijsters and Rennae Stubbs.
Meanwhile back on Centre Court, Adrian Mannarino has finally got his name on the board, but trails 4-1 in the first set asgainst Novak Djokovic.
Djokovic leads 3-0 in the first: Novak wins his second service game to love. Weirdly, both players appear to be suffering discomfort - Mannarino was clutching his side throughout that last game, while Djokovic has just summoned the doctor. He doesn’t receive any treatment but it seems he might have a headache.
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Djokovic leads 2-0 in the first: On the BBC commentary, John Inverdale has just regaled viewers with an anecdote about Mannarino. Earlier in this tournament, he was fined £7,000 for barging into a ball boy on the way to the net during a match. The Frenchman was anything but contrite, saying that Wimbledon could continue without ball boys but not without players.
He loses his first service game here to go 2-0 down in the first set. It will be interesting to see if officials abandon the tournament when he’s eliminated this afternoon, as he almost certainly will be.
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Novak Djokovic begins his match against Adrian Mannarino: The No2 seed won the toss and elected to serve and is taken to deuce. Mannarino hits a cross-court shot from the baseline wide to give Djokovic advantage and he tales the opening game courtesy of an unforced error from his opponent. Some long rallies in this game, which suggests we could be in for a long match.
Adrian Mannarino v Novak Djokovic
A spill of gentle rain in the past half-hour means the roof on Centre Court has been closed as Novak Djokovic prepares to start his match against Adrian Mannarino. The rain has stopped now, however and play is underway on the other courts. Actually, scrap that ... it’s been suspended again. According to the weather forecast, today’s tennis action will be punctuated by interruptions but we’re at least guaranteed our three acts on the main stage.
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Today's order of play
Centre Court 12pm (BST)
Adrian Mannarino (Fra) v Novak Djokovic (Srb) (2)
Venus Williams (USA) (10) v Jelena Ostapenko (Lat) (13)
Johanna Konta (GBR) (6) v Simona Halep (Rom) (2)
No1 Court 1pm (BST)
Garbine Muguruza (Spa) (14) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (Rus) (7)
Magdalena Rybarikova (Svk) v Coco Vandeweghe (USA) (24)
Day eight at Wimbledon
It’s quarter-finals day in the women’s singles and the battle for the Venus Rosewater Dish could scarcely be more open. For the first time since 1984, Great Britain has representation in the form of Johanna Conta, who will duke it out with Romania’s Simone Halep on Centre Court for a place against Venus Williams or Jelkena Ostapenka in the semi-finals. In the other side of the draw, the unseeded Slovakian Magdalena Rybarikova will hope to continue her impressive progress against the American Coco Vandeweghe. The winner of that one will face Russia’s Svetlana Kuznetsova or the Spanish-Venezuelan Garbine Muguruza.
Due to yesterday’s marathon in which Gilles Muller eventually prevailed over Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic’s round of 16 match against Adrian Mannarino has been delayed until this morning. The duo will appear on Centre Court at noon. Wimbledon officials considered moving their match to Centre Court last night, but were concerned this course of action would “create a significant safety issue” because “as late as 8.30pm, 30,000 people still remained in the grounds”.
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