damn rain

[pico]

all wimbledon games are suspended.

[pico]

2.20pm The official voice has announced over the public address system that we want to wait for a prolonged dry period, because at the moment it’s raining, not raining, raining, not raining. I can’t write a clearer picture than that.

Albrecht from the USA asks if there’s ever been a tournament that wasn’t completed because of rain. Well, Albrecht, we just keep playing beyond the two official weeks of the tournament. The longest it’s gone on for is the third Wednesday, back in 1922. There was rain on every single day of the tournament that year.

A little bit more on that while I’m here: since 1919 the competition has been extended on 18 occasions, sometimes into the third week, sometimes into the middle Sunday. But 18 in total.

[pico]

2.33pm Aha, promising news folks. The covers are being deflated…

2.30pm We’ve had a few questions about middle Sunday. Just to recap, middle Sunday has only been used on three occasions – 1991, 1997, and 2004. If you’re a wine-lover like me, ’91 and ’97 correspond to a couple of pretty poor Bordeaux vintages, and 2004 was an OK vintage, but not the greatest. It’s too early to call the quality of the vintage in 2007, I’ll let you know next year.

Anyway, back to the tennis. As of Saturday, we were up to date with the matches, so there was no need to bring matches forward to the middle Sunday. That Sunday has so far only been to catch up, not get ahead.

[pico]

2.45pm Thanks to Dejan who emailed to say he is sending the sun across from Serbia. I reckon it must have worked because the covers are off and there is blue sky out there. Fantastic stuff.

[pico]

3.00pm Michel from the Netherlands asks about Cyclops – the machine that looks onto the service line and beeps when the serve is long. Michel, you’re absolutely right that it is no longer on the show courts. We have the Hawk-Eye technology this year on the show courts, but Cyclops has moved to the outside courts, so it is still in use and beeping.

Beep, beep, beep, beep – the covers are back on again, but not yet inflated.

[pico]

3.07pm Covers are inflating, which means that Blair from Australia can go to bed. OK, Drew’s coming back. I’ve temporarily run out of ways to describe rain. And I need feeding now. Thanks for all your mails. Keep them coming.

[pico]

well, at least there is no mlb games til 7pm. hopefully they get the matches done today. i bet a shitload on nadal

[pico]

3.54 pm: Covers coming off. Dave at Heathrow can see some dark clouds but reckons it’s been clear for a while, so we should be in for some tennis! Centre and No.1 to start at 4pm. Whoopee!

More quick-fire questions: a few people, including Trebla from the States, are backing Berdych to make the final. Don’t back against Rafa, I say. Muratcan from Turkey: why has Nalbandian not been in a Grand Slam final since 2002? A combination of the dominance of Federer and the head-banded Argentine not taking his chances. Last year he was on good form, but so was Nadal…


3.43 pm: They're deflating the covers!

[pico]

nadal is up 2 sets. one more to go.

[pico]

5.59 pm: Cris from Brazil has been listening to Radio Wimbledon, which of course you all can do, even during a rain break (and to answers a few people’s query, the tournament suffers a “rain delay”, while an individual match has “play suspended”).

Christian points out that Garcia and Prieto v Levy and Ram had gone to four tie-breaks and was 7-6 to the former when the rain came!

Good news for you, less good news for Serena – the rain seems to have abated and we might be back out there soon. The covers are coming off No.1 court (so Rafa may be out again soon). In the meantime, cruise the homepage, why don’t you, and check out the various match reports and features.

[20Four7]

OMG dude, about 8 days ago you said good bye and now your giving yourself minute by minute updates on the rain.

Chill.... you've been more active since you quit than when you were here and gambling.

Just my observation.

[pico]

so close to getting my money. feel like i am getting screwed if they canceled the games.

[pico]

****

6.43 pm: The rain has returned, with a vengeance… Raining hard at Heathrow, according to Dave, so further play is looking unlikely for a good while.

Moira from Norway reminds us of Michael Chang and his cramps (and slick underhand serve) against Lendl at Roland Garros in 1989. Well remembered! Speaking of injuries, many of you think Serena took too long between games and points. She did take a long time, but circumstances were exceptional.

[vanman]

Soderling has just took the third set.

[pico]

this should be the final set

[vanman]

Get some on soderling nadal could now be in big trouble,he`s not liking the conditions,his head is not right.Otherwise pray for rain again.

[pico]

nadal is not looking right. 4th set is a tough one for nadal.

[pico]

if nadal lose this game, then i am in trouble.

[pico]

oh man, this is bad. 5th set

[vanman]

2 sets all.get doing a rain dance picoman.

[pico]

if you look at nadal's record. he is not a great grass player. awesome on clay.

[vanman]

Everyone knows that.

[pico]

this is going to be a nail biter

[vanman]

That`ll be end of play for today.

[pico]

the rain always seem to come when nadal is ahead

[DiggityDaggityDo]

It's raining cats and other things here right now.