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THE CHAMPIONSHIPS (Wimbledon, England; grass; Grand Slam)
================= http://www.wimbledon.org/
Contents
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1. Women's Singles: Third-round results
2. Third-round TV-report: Bartoli v Mattek

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1. Women's Singles: Third-round results
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- MARION BARTOLI [11,DF,S] lt. Bethanie Mattek, 4-6 1-6
- Peng,Shuai [S] lt. Alla Kudryavtseva, 3-6 6-1 4-6

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2. Third-round TV-report: Bartoli v Mattek (Friday 27th June)
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- MARION BARTOLI [11,DF,S] lt. Bethanie Mattek, 4-6 1-6

The first set was an intriguing contest. Marion was looking to spread
Mattek and overpower her with Selesian groundstrokes, while Mattek was
looking to take the initiative away from Marion, vary the spins and
angles, and exploit Marion's poor mobility with plenty of dropshots.

Marion led 4-2* after Mattek made too many unforced errors for her
game-plan to succeed, but Marion fell apart badly after that, winning
only one more game in the match.

Marion took a lengthy injury-break at *4-5, for both her right
shoulder and her left leg.

After that, Marion's on-court demeanour was very poor: she looked
fed up, irritated and tetchy, and kept looking at her father in the
stands. With a ton of ranking-points to defend from reaching the final
last year - when tennis was such a joy for her - she looked like she
didn't want to be on court at all.

Marion needs to take a long break from tennis to sort herself out -
particularly mentally.


First set
---------
BARTOL @ @* *____ 4
MATTEK _@__* *@*@ 6

The match was second on Court 11, started at 15:33 BST, and I saw it
all on BBCi.

Mattek serving 0-0: Double fault (second serve long). 0/15.
Mattek netted a "tame" forehand on the third stroke. 0/30.
Marion crosscourt forehand return + "rifled" crosscourt forehand
winner. 0/40. Marion went for a backhand return-winner down the line,
but it was just wide. 15/40. Marion hit a deep crosscourt backhand,
but Mattek stood her ground and pulled off an amazing backhand winner
down the line. 30/40. Mattek dumped a backhand into the net to hand
Marion the first break.

Marion serving 1-0: Marion netted a backhand off an awkward mishit
lob-return. 0/15. Marion advanced up the court and hit a down-the-line
backhand drive-volley winner off a short floater. 15/15. Mattek
forehand long. 30/15. Mattek came to the net and hit a short
crosscourt forehand volley-winner. 30/30. Mattek netted a backhand.
40/30. Mattek came to the net and hit a low crosscourt backhand
drive-volley winner. 40/40. Marion backhand winner down the line died
away on Mattek. Ad Marion. Mattek hit a short-angled crosscourt
forehand winner. Deuce #2. Marion came to the net, but Mattek cut off
her down-the-line backhand with a crosscourt forehand volley-winner.
Ad Mattek (BP). Mattek came to the net, forcing Marion to hit a
crosscourt backhand pass just wide.

Marion's looking upset with herself, and over at her father.
The commentators said they have a very close relationship, and she's
only playing for him.

Mattek serving 1-1: Mattek netted a forehand. 0/15. Mattek forced
Marion to hit a backhand lob wide. 15/15. Mattek forehand just long.
15/30. Marion netted a backhand. 30/30. Mattek netted a wild backhand
off a deep crosscourt backhand from Marion. 30/40. Marion backhand
long. 40/40. Marion's crosscourt backhand forced Mattek to net a
backhand. Ad Marion (BP #2). Marion came to the net, but Mattek hit a
perfect lob-winner just inside the baseline. Deuce #2.
Mattek forehand long. Ad Mattek (BP #3). Mattek on the third stroke
netted a backhand.

Marion serving 2-1: Double fault (second serve just long). 15/0.
Mattek backhand return long. 15/15. Mattek netted a forehand return.
30/15. Marion crosscourt forehand just wide - awkward footwork, maybe
blame the wind. 30/30. Mattek backhand dropshot-winner from the
baseline. 30/40. Mattek drew Marion to the net with a dropshot, but
pushed a forehand lob wide. 40/40. Marion hit a scorching off-backhand
winner back behind Mattek. Ad Marion. She came to the net and hit a
two-handed backhand volley-winner crosscourt to score the first hold
of the match.

Mattek serving 1-3: Marion netted a forehand return. 15/0. Marion hit
a powerful, clean off-backhand winner. 15/15. Marion forehand long.
30/15. Marion netted a backhand return off a good kick serve. 40/15.
Ace down the middle: just inside the service-line.

Marion serving 3-2: Mattek exploited Marion's mobility with an
error-forcing crosscourt backhand. 0/15. Marion came to the net and
hit a backhand drop-volley winner. 15/15. Marion came to the net and
hit a crosscourt forehand drive-volley winner - off an awkward dipping
ball, too! 30/15. Mattek hit a down-the-line backhand winner back
behind Marion. 30/30. Mattek backhand very long. 40/30. Mattek
backhand return-winner down the line: just inside the baseline. 40/40.
Mattek backhand long. Ad Marion. Mattek backhand long.

Mattek is trying to take the initiative to stop Marion spreading her,
but is making too many errors. Mattek is also varying her spin and angles.

Mattek serving 2-4: Service-winner. 15/0. Mattek hit an easy backhand
winner down the line off a "horrible" high dropshot. 30/0. Double
fault (second serve long). 30/15. Marion blasted a crosscourt forehand
would-be winner just wide. 40/15. Mattek forced a short return and hit
a forehand winner down the line.

Marion serving 4-3: Mattek pounced on a short ball with a crosscourt
forehand winner. 0/15. Marion forehand very long. 0/30. Serve out wide
+ crosscourt backhand winner. 15/30. Mattek netted a forehand. 30/30.
Mattek ran down a dropshot and hit a crosscourt forehand winner just
inside the sideline. 30/40. Mattek backhand wide. 40/40. Mattek
backhand dropshot-winner - poor forward-movement from Marion. Ad
Mattek. Marion forehand winner down the line. Deuce #2.
Service-winner out wide. Ad Marion. She netted a forehand - slow
movement again. Deuce #3. Marion backhand winner down the line. Mattek
had a nasty slip, and limped to her chair to towel down.
Ad Marion. Mattek crosscourt forehand winner just inside the baseline.
Deuce #4. Mattek forehand return-winner down the line.
Ad Mattek. Marion netted a forehand.

I have to say: Mattek is a much better and more graceful mover than
Marion. Mattek glides effortlessly around the court, while Marion
struggles to get up to dropshots.

Mattek serving 4-4: Marion backhand return long. 15/0. Marion dumped a
backhand return into the net. 30/0. Marion hit a backhand
return-winner down Mattek's backhand-sideline. 30/15. Mattek forced a
short ball and hit a forehand winner down - and just inside - Marion's
forehand-sideline. 40/15. Marion backhand drive-volley long.

Marion called for the trainer, and the match was paused pending her
arrival. Marion touched her right shoulder, then the trainer did two
different evaluations: one where she tested Marion's shoulder by
moving her right arm around, and another where she rubbed Marion's
left calf. Mattek used the time to give herself a foot-massage.

Marion serving 4-5: Mattek sliced backhand netcord-winner. 0/15.
Marion blasted a crosscourt forehand just wide. Marion whacked her leg
with her racket. 0/30. Marion netted a forehand and threw her racket.
0/40 (SP #1). Service-winner down the middle. Marion backhand long.
Mattek won the first set 6-4 at 16:35 (1h02m).

Marion has collapsed badly: after leading 4-2*, she lost the last four
games of the first set. She looks fed up and irritated - opposite to
Mattek's body-language - and keeps looking at her father.


Second set
----------
BARTOL _*_____ 1
MATTEK * *@*@* 6

Mattek serving 0-0: Marion came to the net, but Mattek painted the
sideline with a crosscourt backhand pass-winner. 15/0. Mattek forehand
long. 15/15. A deep forehand return onto the baseline forced Mattek to
hit a crosscourt backhand wide. 15/30. Mattek came to the net and hit
a "lovely" crosscourt backhand half-volley dropshot-winner. 30/30.
Marion backhand long. 40/30. Marion crosscourt backhand wide.

Marion's focus is not on the court right now, and she looked quite
tetchy changing ends - almost as if she just wants to get off court
and never mind the ton of ranking-points she's defending from reaching
last year's final.

Marion serving 0-1: Mattek forehand long. 15/0. Mattek came to the net
behind a deep forehand, forcing Marion to net a forehand. 15/15.
Marion came to the net and netted a backhand volley. 15/30. Marion
came to the net and hit a two-handed crosscourt forehand drive-volley
winner. 30/30. Service-winner out wide. 40/30. Mattek crosscourt
forehand winner. 40/40. Marion opened up the court with a great angle,
and hit a backhand drive-volley winner down the line: just inside the
sideline. Ad Marion. Mattek netted a forehand.

Mattek serving 1-1: Marion forehand return-winner onto the baseline -
Mattek left it. 0/15. Mattek forced a short return but hit a
down-the-line forehand wide. 0/30. Marion netted a forehand. 15/30.
Marion backhand lob long. 30/30. Mattek crosscourt forehand wide.
30/40. Mattek backhand winner down the line. 40/40. Marion came to the
net, but netted a forehand volley after an inadequate first volley. Ad
Mattek. Marion hit a screaming backhand winner down the line. Deuce
#2. Mattek drew Marion to the net with a dropshot, but hit an
off-forehand pass wide - why not crosscourt into space?
Ad Marion (BP). A great rally ended with Mattek hitting an
off-backhand winner back behind Marion. Deuce #3. Marion netted a
forehand. Ad Mattek. Marion crosscourt backhand return-winner.
Deuce #4. Serve out wide + crosscourt backhand winner right on the
junction of baseline and sideline. Ad Mattek. Marion came to the net
behind an error-forcing forehand down Mattek's forehand-sideline.
Deuce #5. Mattek crosscourt forehand winner into the corner.
Ad Mattek. She hit a backhand just long. Deuce #6. Mattek netted a
backhand. Ad Marion (BP #3). After a long rally, Mattek turned defence
into attack and hit an error-forcing crosscourt backhand. Deuce #7.
Marion crosscourt backhand just wide. Ad Mattek. She came to the net
but netted a forehand off a dropshot at her feet.
Deuce #8. She netted a forehand dropshot. Ad Marion (BP #4).
She netted a forehand. Deuce #9. Mattek came to the net and hit an
off-forehand volley-winner. Ad Mattek. Marion backhand very long.

Marion serving 1-2: Serve down the middle + backhand winner down the
line off a short lob-return on the sideline. 15/0. An off-forehand
return just inside the sideline forced Marion to hit a down-the-line
backhand wide. 15/15. Service-winner out wide? No, it /was/ wide.
15/30. Marion played a good spreading rally and hit a forehand
smash-winner off a lob she let bounce. 30/30. Mattek forehand virtual
winner down the line. 30/40. Mattek backhand winner down the line: on
the baseline (called long but overruled as good for a clear winner).

And that just might be the final nail in the coffin for Marion's
Wimbledon 2008 campaign.

Mattek serving 3-1: Marion netted a backhand return. 15/0. Mattek's
crosscourt backhand winner - didn't even bounce. 30/0. Marion blasted
an off-backhand return wide. 40/0. Marion netted a cheap forehand return.

Marion serving 1-4: Mattek forehand drive-volley just long. 15/0.
Mattek opened up the court and hit an off-forehand winner just inside
the sideline. 15/15. Marion came to the net, but Mattek hit a
crosscourt forehand pass-winner. 15/30. Mattek came to the net and hit
a crisp forehand volley-winner down the line. 15/40. Marion came to
the net and hit a horrendous backhand volley very long & wide.

Mattek serving 5-1: Marion crosscourt forehand return wide. 15/0.
Mattek backhand dropshot wide. 30/0. Marion hit a backhand wide off a
deep ball from Mattek. 40/0 (MP #1). Mattek came to the net behind a
crosscourt forehand that forced Marion to hit a forehand wide.
Mattek won 6-4 6-1 at 17:13 (second set 38m, match 1h40m).

--
Dr. Andrew Broad
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