Neil
@neilforreal
Tennis and politics. Plus music, history, Canada, life. 🎾🎸🇨🇦 Pickleball gives you warts. (Kidding.) Nazis get punched. (Not kidding.) 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️⚤, sit down next to me. "If you're after gettin' the honey, then you don't go killin' all the bees." ~Joe Strummer
Ok, kids, time for tennis, so into the blast furnace I go. ☀️😎🎾 When you speak of me, speak well ... #heatdome #climatechange #Toronto
Linda Noskova wins Wimbledon! And it's pure joy and pure relief! Karolina Muchova asked questions but Noskova ultimately had just enough answers. Not the shot-making clinic we expected but the edge-of-your-seat drama we needed. Tennis! #Wimbledon
Getting in the weeds here but Linda Noskova opens the racquet face on her serve, which most coaches would try to "correct" (Iga Swiatek tinkered with her serve to take out the open face). Just goes to show that there is no single technique that you *must* use if you're getting results. #Wimbledon
Linda Noskova with an extraordinary 1st slam final set. Calm, clear head, strong tactics. Karolina Muchova is going to have to adjust quickly to try to get Noskova off the baseline and out of her comfort zone. Because right now she is *comfortable*.
We've been seeing him slowing out of the corners for a few years but today it felt like his synapses couldn't quite fire fast enough against a truly big hitter off both wings.
Jannik Sinner gets it done in straight sets over a listless Novak Djokovic. We'll call that one a big assist from Felix Auger-Aliassime, whether Sinner needed it or not. #Wimbledon
Coco Gauff will see that match point in her nightmares. Had an open court to hit to and tried for a drop shot. Put it in the net, and the chance didn't come again. Tennis, man. Tennis. #Wimbledon
What a match! What a tiebreak! What a drama!!! Karolina Muchova and Coco Gauff, what a performance. That was a wild ride. And Mookie is going to the final!!! #Wimbledon
Well, TennisSky, not sure how everyone's feeling about the #Wimbledon women's draw, but for me it's a "can't lose" proposition. I love them ALL -- Kostyuk, Noskova, Muchova, Gauff, I'm going to be happy no matter who takes it. Every tournament should be like this. On the men's side, however ... 🤨😒😬
Karolina Muchova passes a massive test, taking out Naomi Osaka in straight sets. What a gorgeous display of all-court tennis, punctuated by deadly accurate serving. I mean, that's just the grass-court game as it's meant to be played. Brava, both. 👏😍💪🎾
Karolina Muchova with an outstanding set of tennis. For that matter, an outstanding set from Naomi Osaka too, but she seemed to wilt a bit physically in the tiebreak. Great tennis. #Wimbledon
Seriously high-quality hitting so far from Karolina Muchova and Naomi Osaka. To paraphrase Jimmy Connors, "This is what we want! This is what we paid for!" #Wimbledon
A solid win for Coco Gauff over Jessica Pegula. It was the kind of match you would have thought Pegula would want -- straight-forward, not too many spectacular rallies, kinda flatline. But it was Gauff who -- dare I say it? -- played consistently over the last 2 sets. Gasp! #Wimbledon
Linda Noskova is starting to impose herself and fulfill the promise of her considerable talent. Takes out Madison Keys with a couple of late-set steals. And, typically, she gives a self-effacing, slightly embarrassed post-match interview. Love her game, love her personality. 😊❤️💪🎾 #Wimbledon
Ok, I know Felix Auger-Aliassime and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina had a pointed exchange after their match, but as another great day at #Wimbledon comes to an end, THIS is the spirit to take into the 2nd week.
Naomi Osaka just put on a serving clinic. And a grounstroke clinic. And a shot-selection clinic. A #Wimbledon master class takes out Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets. Wow!
It's been a wild day of sports from my comfy sofa in north Toronto. I don't often allow myself the total luxury of watching so much Wimbledon tennis (and World Cup!) but, honestly, once in a while, you gotta be good to yourself. And I'm playing tomorrow so no guilt. My favourite shot of the day...
It's beautiful to see Alex Eala soaking up the love from the Filipino fans. Right now it's all love and joy and fun, and it's wonderful. 🇵🇭🥰 BUT. All that freshness and joy can quickly turn to the weight of expectation and that can get heavy really fast. Just ask Iga Swiatek. #Wimbledon
Interesting tidbit from the comms -- I thought the first person to wear their towel as a shroud over their head between games was Vera Zvonereva. Turns out Arthur Ashe was doing it years before at #Wimbledon. When you think your generation invented something, remember, it's all been done. 😄