Friday at Queen's
Big wins
David Nalbandian. Arguably the most experienced player left in the draw had to play not one, but two matches on Friday at the AEGON Championships, first seeing off Edouard Roger-Vasselin, a double giant-killer, in three sets, and then havingto come back to play another three sets to battle through against Xavier Malisse. His reward is his first semi-final on grasssince he went all the way to the final of The Championships at Wimbledon in 2002.
Happy returns
To the tale of another rejuvenated soul, Marin Cilic. The Croatian, who owes his initial foot-up in the tennis world to compatriot and hero Goran Ivanisevic, who suggested the then youngster work with Bob Brett, continues to shrug off the malaise that seemed to besiege him after his early successes, and is using his big serve and groundstrokes to excellent effect. Admittedly, he was handed an easy pass when Yen-Hsun Lu retired, but still looks in very good nick.
Celebrity spot
Sir Clive Woodward
Marathon match
Grigor Dimitrov d. Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. This quarter-final between youngster and relative oldster was not so much a marathon in match-time, but rather in swings and roundabouts. At first it seemed like the big-serving South African might picnic his way into the semi-finals, leading by a set and some distance, but, with rain on the horizon, Dimitrov came roaring back, finding a way to break Anderson’s serve, and advance to his first ATP semi-final.
One to watch
Sam Querrey. The American just keeps on trucking, two wins from a second title at Queen’s.
Play of the day
Dimitrov's return. Using topspin for 51%, and slice for 49%, Dimitrov varied his return position considerably to receive Kevin Anderson's 133mph serve, sometimes standing on or inside the baseline and on other occasions standing over 3 metres behind the baseline. He also used the sliced return to great effect, blocking the ball back into play.
Coming up on Saturday
Marin Cilic v Sam Querrey
There is a pleasing sort of symmetry to the fact that these two will be meeting in the last four here at The Queen’s C Club. Separated by just a year in age, both broke through at similar times, both are 6ft 6ins in height, both have six titles to their name, and both posess a big-serve, big-groundstroke game. Bizarrely though, they have played just once before, a five-set tie-break filled epic that Cilic sneaked at Wimbledon in 2009. The Croat may be ranked far higher, at No.25 to Querrey’s No.77, but it is sure to be tight.
David Nalbandian v Grigor Dimitrov
21-year-old meets 30-year-old as these two right-handers face off in the last four, in what is their first career meeting. Nalbandian, when he gets his teeth into a tournament, is nothing short of formidable, and, having won two three-setters yesterday, there’s no disputing the fact that he wants his stay at The Queen’s Club to be as long as possible. Where Dimitrov can trouble him will be to take the play away from the Argentine with his serve and net play, if he’s brave enough to do so. It should be a fascinating match.
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