Wild Day At Wimbledon: Nadal, Sharapova, And The Williams Sisters Gone

((HT: Wimbledon/Shane B's Vine))

First, Maria Sharapova got bumped out in three sets by Angeline Kerber. The 19-year-old Aussie Nick Kyrgios has taken another huge, ranked player down in Rafa Nadal.

After saving 9 match points in his win over Richard Gasquet, Kyrgios took out the 2-time champ in four sets: 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. He hit 37 aces and he's the first to get to the quarters in his tourney debut in a decade.


Obviously, Kyrgios, the 144th-ranked player in the world won't forget this moment at the All England Club


And, then, a very wobbly Venus Williams was encouraged to withdraw her sister-pairing in women's doubles
Evidence below


She was diagnosed with a viral illness.

This ALMOST Kept Novak Djokovic In The French Today

((HT: Seth Rosenthal's Vine))

The HQ isn't sure this is the kind of motivation we would need to stay in a major tennis tournament, but it may be enough motivation for us to get something done a little quicker than we would normally need or want to get something done...

We're showing this on a couple of different fronts:


Rafa Nadal won the French in four sets and it did look like Djokovic wanted to get out of town and have quick points to get to a fifth and deciding set.

But the other question is: Was the slo-mo too much for the average viewer or did you dig it...???

54 Or 55 Stroke Rally At Flushing Meadow In Men's Final

((HT: EuroSport/USTA))

Okay, this is either a 54 or 55-stroke rally...

The HQ is guessing that, if we're talking 55, the serve is included...

Regardless, this is ridiculous in the first set...


Djokovic and Nadal may play until Thursday...

Nadal Loses in 1st Round at Wimbeldon

Well, so goes that idea.

2 Time Wimbeldon Champ Rafael Nadal will remain a two time champ after this years tournament. That's because he's out.

Nadal was beaten in straight sets Monday by 135 ranked Steve Darcis of Belgium on Court 19, the fringes of the tennis center.

Reports say Nadal was sluggish, this despite coming in on a 22 match winning streak and yes, it's the first time he's lost in the 1st round of a Grand Slam tournament.

One of the other tourney favorites, Roger Federer, rolled in his early match, taking down Victor Hanescu in just over an hour.

Your match winner, courtesy of ESPN:

Protesters Freak Out French Open (UPDATE)

((HT: NBC))

At 5-1 up in the second set, things started to go a little sideways at the men's final at Roland Garros...

First, some folks sitting in the last row of the upper deck started chanting in between points in the David Ferrer-Rafael Nadal match-up to disturb the peace and the players.

Then, two more protesters (somehow) made their way down through the camera well and one of the made it onto the court itself...
Really freaking out Nadal...


And here...


The starch was taken out of both players for the remainder of the second set and the early part of the third. No word on who is claiming responsibility for the outbursts and the towel on fire, but the HQ's guess is Basque separatists or some other group that was looking for a quick pop on the air...

The first thought of the players on the court had to go back to Monica Seles and her attack by Gunther Parsche- understandably so...

UPDATE: The flares in possession of the protesters started the fire in the tunnel and the protesters in the upper deck supposedly were calling for the protest of French President Francois Hollande

Djokovic-Nadal Goes Monday Morning On Us

((HT: TennisAustralia/EuroSport/youtube))

For those of us who follow tennis regularly, and admittedly the HQ only does it around the time of the majors, Novak Djokovic is the man- currently.

And after a five-hour roll in the semis against Andy Murray, Joker had to go 5:53 in the final against Rafa Nadal- just to finish...

And, no that was not a misprint...

For those of you on the east coast, you got a bit of a "Breakfast At..." bonus. The match coverage started a little after 3AM eastern time and didn't finish until 10AM eastern time.

Here's how it ended...


The match was the longest final ever for a grand-slam event. The previous record was Mats Wilander's win over Ivan Lendl at the U.S. Open in 1988, which lasted 4 hours, 54 minutes.

The longest Australian Open final also involved Wilander when he beat Pat Cash in 1988. Today's match was also the longest in the tournament's history.

Not a shock...

But the best part was when, in the longest self-important thank you at the end of the tourney, aides had to bring chairs for both finalists to sit down in- since they were the last part of the ceremony and their bodies were locking up.

Four-letter play-by-player Chris Fowler had it right when Patrick McEnroe asked "What else do you say...?"

his response: "Thank you, Rafa. Thank you, Novak."

Here's last analysis from ESPN...