Berdy, a man tipped for the title, fell to a sublime Llodra yesterday. That man made so many half volleys you wouldn't even believe. He was in some kind of form. Berdy didn't look too shabby but Llodra was something else. There weren't too many amazing groundstrokes that Berdy usually makes, or has been making this last year. No clinging to the lines, no blistering forehands. He looked a little wooden the last couple of sets and was missing shots he made to beat the likes of the Fed and reach a semi and a final of Grand Slams this year.
So Berdy, seeded 7th, is out.
Who else? Baggy fell to Clement in five tense sets on the first day. Ljubicic (15th seed) lost to American teenage qualifier Ryan Harrison. Ljubi had his excuses: 'Throughout my career I struggled with the heat. I sweat a lot and feel really bad. I can't move. It gets to me really quick. We saw some players struggling big time. It's just brutal.' So there you go, he got hot.
On the ladies side, Azarenka had quite the dramatic collapse on court. She apparently fell in a sprint long before the match and had hit her head, and this is what caused her to collapse on court. It all sounds a bit dubious to me but I'm glad she's ok. Djocko, Monfils and the Sod were all pushed to five setters in their opening matches. Djocko especially did not look too good. He barely scraped through. Janko and screaming Shara had pretty tough matches as well. It's all looking a little crumbly and exciting.
But the saddest of them all? Oh my Roddy. I had a bad feeling when I saw he was up against Tipsy in his second round match, remembering that defeat at Wimbledon. But I went to bed happy in the knowledge last night that he'd won the first set easily 6-3. Woke up this morning and it was a different story. Tipsy won it in four. Very sad. I just watched the highlights and Tipsy played a really great match. He's just the kind of opponent Roddy hates - likes the long rallies from the baseline, is happy to just keep it going, isn't afraid to come up to the net, a good returner of serve... a bit of a grinder basically. A bally good grinder on his day. Roddy tried his dead-level best, got pretty angry at a foot fault call (I hate when he gets angry. It's so useless. It happens rarely but when it does you remember. Although I have to say even though I hate the petulance, I do find him even more attractive when he's mad...), regained his composure for the final set and took that to a tie-break but couldn't find a way through Tipsy's shot making. He redeemed his childishness at the end when they shook hands. He said something, I don't know what, but you could tell from Tipsy's reaction (a rather tender dipped head to Roddy's chest) that it was sweet and charming and humble as we know Roddy can be and usually is.
So Roddy loses 6-3 5-7 3-6 6-7.
In happier news Ray-ray breezed through his first round match against Wacko Lacko (he doesn't seem too Wacky but it rhymes...) 6-3 6-2 6-2. Ray-ray admitted he'd been a little apprehensive to play Lacko because he'd never played him before but he soon found his rhythm against the Slovakian.
Bring on GoNads and the Fed today.
Commentary comment of the week (is that two in one week? Oh well): 'He's always been a strange mix of class-act and teenage jerk.'
Talking about Roddick after the foot fault outburst.
I'll keep you blogged...
