Weekend Tennis Roundup

I had planned to write this yesterday on Wimbledon's day off, when the Round of 16 matchups were known but not decided. My hope was that the ONE Top 10 women's player remaining the draw(!) -- Karolina Pliskova -- would advance along with Williams, Kerber and Ostapenko and we could wind up with a somewhat respectable final four, all of whom were Slam winners or finalists. But I fell asleep, and now I see the three (non Top 10) women I wanted to advance did, and only Pliskova got knocked out. While it would be easy to slag the Czech -- how can we expect an incredibly athletic player with a huge serve and forehand to play well on grass? -- at least she lost to Kiki Bertens, who has been on a roll. 

I suppose it can still shape up to not be entirely embarrassing with this final eight. And it's pretty safe to say Margaret Court's record is in serious danger of being tied, even if what she won is nothing compared with Serena. 

Was very bummed that Dominic Thiem and Borna Coric -- who had just beaten Roger Federer in a grass-court final! -- were both eliminated in the first round. On the plus side, my other new love Karen Khachanov is still around -- and right now he's playing Novak Djokovic, who also didn't get upset as he is wont to do lately. A Federer finals versus Nadal or Djokovic or del Potro wouldn't exactly be dull. But if either Kevin Anderson or John Isner makes it through instead, it will be unfortunate. (I'm fine with Chief Wiggum making another final, though.) I do miss being there!

UPDATE: Djokovic handled Khachanov in straights while del Potro was up two sets to one against Simon before it got suspended.