To Wimbledon, to Wimbledon, to the Centre Court, to watch two finals, or Gold Medal matches as these are called at the Olympics. Rati and I go to see two but we get to watch four Centre Court matches instead. More of the extra two later.
Serena Williams comes from a different planet. On this planet they play better tennis than any humans have ever done. The power and panache displayed by Serena this afternoon was breath stopping stuff. Poor Sherapova could do nothing to stop the bull in, and outside, a China shop Williams.
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| Sharapova reaches for the skies but falls flat in the final. |
The match was a NC (a boxing abbreviation for No Contest) but watching Serena whack the ball perhaps harder than any women has ever done was worth our while. In the midst of this match Rati gives me stunning news. Saina Nehwal has won a bronze. The first Indian badminton player to stand on the victory podium in an Olympics. Sabash Saina. You make us proud.
The ladies singles medal ceremony is best remembered for the US flag sailing away from the flag pole in the midst of the US anthem! Wimbledon just isn't used to flags and hoisting them I guess.
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| Contrasting moods at the medals ceremony. Serena is beaming. Sharapova is sulking. A reflection of their respective performances! |
In stark contrast to the ladies final, the men's doubles final between the Bryan brothers from the US and the French duo of Tsonga and Llodra produced keen and closely fought fare. Tsonga is a character and stands out of the foursome if nothing but for his antics on court. The French give way at the end to lose a close match to the US favourites but not before we see some super fast serving, ferocious hitting and precision volleys.
"Appa, WAKE UP. I've just got an email from the Games organisers informing us of an additional earlier match on Centre Court this morning. Let's go faaast." This was how Rati ensures I begin this day!
The matches at Wimbledon are behind schedule due to rain in the last few days (nothing new!). The back log requires to be made up. These Olympics folks are so organised as to send out individual emails about extra matches to ticket holders. Amazing.
We watch two more matches on Centre Court than what we have paid for - Andy Murray's mixed doubles quarter final and the Williams sister's doubles semi finals. Both matches are super to watch. It was indeed a bonus to get to see Andy Murray and Venus Williams play, not to mention Serena again blasting away to victory. Paes and Sania lose their quarter final in the afternoon. If only they had won we would have watched them play their semis on Court no 1. If only.
The matches at Wimbledon are behind schedule due to rain in the last few days (nothing new!). The back log requires to be made up. These Olympics folks are so organised as to send out individual emails about extra matches to ticket holders. Amazing.
We watch two more matches on Centre Court than what we have paid for - Andy Murray's mixed doubles quarter final and the Williams sister's doubles semi finals. Both matches are super to watch. It was indeed a bonus to get to see Andy Murray and Venus Williams play, not to mention Serena again blasting away to victory. Paes and Sania lose their quarter final in the afternoon. If only they had won we would have watched them play their semis on Court no 1. If only.
Rati and I have an unforgetable day. A full 10 hours we spend at Wimbledon. It somehow seems like but a couple of hours, such is the way time flies on Centre Court.