Wimbledon R4 previews and picks: Djokovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Kudla

Djokovic practicing in Miami

Cilic1Novak Djokovic and Marin Cilic will continue their Wimbledon campaigns as the entire fourth round is played on Monday. They are set for respective encounters with Kevin Anderson and Denis Kudla.

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (14) Kevin Anderson

Djokovic and Anderson will be squaring off for the sixth time in their careers and for the first time in more than three years when they meet again in round four of Wimbledon on Monday. Anderson won their first-ever encounter 7-6(1), 3-6, 6-4 at the 2008 Miami Masters but Djokovic has since won four in a row without dropping a set. The Serb prevailed three times in 2011–including 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 at Wimbledon–and at the 2012 Indian Wells Masters.

After succumbing to Stan Wawrinka in the French Open final, Djokovic did not play any off the grass-court warmups. But it is safe to say some rest did not do him any harm. The world No. 1 steamrolled through his first week at the All-England Club with straight-set scalps of Philipp Kohlschreiber, Jarkko Nieminen, and Bernard Tomic. Anderson punched his ticket to the last 16 by defeating Lucas Pouille, Marsel Ilhan, and Leonardo Mayer. This is the 14th-ranked South African’s second career trip to the Wimbledon fourth round and second in succession. Anderson’s one-two punch with his serve and forehand will make at least two sets relatively competitive, but Djokovic knows what to expect from the big guy and the favorite’s form is far too great for anyone outside the top five right now. In fact, since last summer’s Cincinnati Masters he has only one loss to a non-top five adversary (Ivo Karlovic, Doha).

Pick: Djokovic in 3 losing 11-14 games

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(9) Marin Cilic vs. (WC) Denis Kudla

Few could have imagined that Kudla would be in the second week of Wimbledon when this fortnight began–or that he would be the last American standing. That being said, his fine form at the All-England Club has not come out of nowhere. The world No. 105 had been just 2-6 at the ATP level in 2015 prior to this tournament, but he entered two grass-court Challenger events last month and reached the final of one before winning the other. His run so far at the All-England Club has been a dream for Kudla, who owns five-set victories over Pablo Cuevas and Santiago Giraldo and a four-setter at the expense of Alexander Zverev.

Next up for the 22-year-old is a first-ever meeting with Cilic. The reigning U.S. Open champion has not quite been the same since that triumph last summer, in part due to injury, but he is finally heating up again. Cilic reached the fourth round of the French Open and the semifinals in Stuttgart before succumbing to Viktor Troicki in a third-set tiebreaker.  The ninth-ranked Croat has been far from dominant at this event, but he persevered through five-setters with Ricardas Berankis and John Isner after easing past Hiroki Moriya in his opener. Kudla wields some dangerous firepower, especially off the backhand side, but in the end this is mismatch between a slam champion and someone who had never previously been to a third round.

Pick: Cilic in 4

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241 Comments on Wimbledon R4 previews and picks: Djokovic vs. Anderson, Cilic vs. Kudla

  1. Novak should cruise and Kudla has nothing to lose so that could be interesting but I say Cilic in four tight sets with probably at least one or two breakers in there

  2. I cannot believe that Berdy lost in straight sets to Simon. I saw that Simon was playing well against Monfils, but Berdy should have had the advantage on the grass.

    Is anyone watching Novak/Anderson? In the first set tb, Novak very uncharacteristically double faulted at 6-6 to give Anderson set point and he served an ace. So now Novak has to come from behind.

  3. This is something else! Anderson is playing lights out, fearless tennis. He just wouldn’t go away. I don’t remember him hitting his groundstrokes that hard. He’s outhitting Novak! That was some stellar, gutsy tennis from Anderson to get the second set.

    I was going to go out, but now I have to stay and watch this. So Novak will have to win it in five.

    Unbelievable!

  4. How often do you see Novak lose a tb when he was up 4-0? Anderson just wouldn’t quit. Novak was struggling with his serve in those last points of the tb. He was feeling the pressure.

    The question now is, can Anderson keep it up and get this done?

    • exactly! he was feeling the heat! Anderson is on fire! what a great performance it has been for him. Change of direction on his shots is hurting djokovic a lot and of course Anderson’s biggest weapon, his serve, is working so well.

      Rafa’s out so I was rooting for Muzz and Wawa and because I don’t want rafa’s rivals (fed and nole) to win slams and pull away from rafa…but K.Anderson beating novak would be a nice surprise.

      We know novak is a very very tough guy so let’s see if Anderson can win this .

      • lol…true…i don’t have anything against these two but as I said, they are rafa’s rivals so and it would be not be cool if fed gets slam no.18 or if novak gets slam no.9 …. come on Kevin! haha

  5. Anderson should continue to stick to his game plan. No reason to hesitate.

    His body language looks better now and he hitting well. Not only is he hitting hard but he is changing direction on his shots, esp the backhand, really well.

    The advantage of serving first is there too! He must get it done in 4 sets.

  6. Djokovic’s first serve has saved so many important points for him. Anderson must start looking for the slider outwide on the deuce court more on the big points…

  7. Anderson’s first serve not doing the damage it was doing in the first two sets. He is losing a lot of second serve points so first serve percentage is so crucial. It was 56% in set 1, 59% in set 2 and a dismal 41% in set 3 !! He has made 50% of them in this set so far

  8. the match has been postponed! This is massive relief for Anderson!

    Djokovic’s the favorite of course but Anderson’s chances a little better now… he can regroup,come out and play his high risk game. He won two sets so why not another one on a fresh day. Excellent recovery from Novak though! He raised his level and looks poised to advance.

  9. just dropped in to say ADJE NOLE!!
    why the hell didn’t they finish it on centre….
    why would anyone want anderson in the quarters……
    Nole or Stan for the title.

    • lol…I don’t having anything against nole but if he gets slam no.9, he’ll get a little closer to rafa’s slam tally …that i don’t want hehe

      • Nole is one of the three best chances to stop Fed from 18.

        I’d rather see Nole get 9 than Fed get 18.

        They didn’t move to Centre Court because delaying until tomorrow doesn’t cause anyone to play twice in one day as would have been the case with Simon had they suspended play on Saturday.

      • Better Fed 18 than Djoker 9. The way Rafa is playing now, it looks highly unlikely that he will get to 17. So what does it matter if Fed wins 18? The arguments for GOATwill remain unchanged ….Rafa’s record when both were in their prime, the h2h, the slam tally, the weak era…
        But if Nole gets to 9, his fans will become intolerable. And if Nole surpasses Rafa, it will be a serious dent on Rafa’s legacy.

      • I would prefer a fresh face to win Wimbledon. But if it has to be a known devil rather than an unknown angel, I would prefer Andy. He reminds me of Hamlet with his tortured ( haunted?) looks and soliloquys!

      • I haven’t mentioned it in a long time here but andy is my second favorite player. Don’t entirely know why he’s getting so much flack here… perhaps on account of the over hyping in the home press? If it be a home… any other time.

        Always wonder how much of his moods are simply Scottish, how much is that dreadful killing rampage in his school when he was but a boy, and how much is simply Andy himself regardless. All the same, I like the man and I like his game.

    • I do not want Nole to lose just because Roger is still alive. I can live with Djoko getting near or past Rafa’s tally because he has taken it to Rafa on all surfaces and is at least as good as Rafa is but Roger sitting on 17 when Rafa has beaten him everywhere just drives me nuts.

      Ajde Nole!

  10. I would like to see Murray win. Fed doesn’t need #18 and Novak doesn’t need #9.

    It’s hard to know who this benefits with play resuming tomorrow. Since Novak had the momentum winning the last two sets, I guess it could benefit Anderson and let him regroup. But I have to believe that Novak will come out and close it out tomorrow.

  11. I finally got to see the Gasquet/Krygios match on the tennis channel replay later today. That was really something to watch Krygios implode when he had the fourth set on his racket. Then he was talking to himself and gesturing like crazy. All Gasquet had to do was watch and just keep the ball in play. No seriously, I thought Gasquet played really well and kept it together in that last tb. It was 5-3 Krygios! On his racket! He had set point! Double faulted! Then Gasquet stayed cool and got the win!

    That was fun to watch! 🙂

  12. That was really something. I was surprised that Novak seemed to keep it together, because in the past it has rattled him when the crowd roots for the underdog like that. But he didn’t seem ruffled, at least not outwardly.

    I also have to say that Anderson played some brilliant, gutsy tennis in that second set tb. I watched that set again on the tennis channel replay and realized that Novak was up 4-1, then double faulted to make it 4-2, then made it 5-2 and still lost. Anderson came up with some big serves for aces and hit an amazing backhand stab volley at the net to make it 5-5, I believe. He earned that set!

  13. This is what confidence does to you. I saw the 1st 2 sets and Nole was 2 sets to 0 down. It was 12:45 AM at night and I went to sleep. I got up today morning to check the score and was not surprised to see Nole square it. When you are confident, you just refuse to lose.

    I think Fed is primed to win 18th. I saw Murray playing a bit in his 3rd and 4th round, Fed is clearly playing better than Murray. I hope he retires after that too :-).

  14. I thought the same thing while I watched the match. I was able to see it live in my time zone. It’s true that confidence is so important. He also knew that this is a best of five set match and that he had a good shot at coming back. These guys can play maybe one or two good sets of tennis and then that’s it.

    However, I don’t agree about Murray. I remember how Murray struggled at the 2013 Wimbledon. He was battling in every match and even was down two sets to Verdasco in the quarterfinals. He lost a set to Jerzy in the semis. So many were predicting an easy win for Novak in the final. But Andy saved his best tennis for that final.

    Players don’t have to be at their best in the fourth round. Also, Murray was playing Karlovic, the human ace serving machine. It’s never pretty when someone faces him. Fed looks better against weaker opposition. But when he bumps up against a quality player, then it’s a different thing entirely. Just think about him meeting Stan in the quarterfinals at RG.

    • Yes but NNY..I think Andy has a slight shoulder problem. He was touching it multiple times in his 3rd and 4th round. He is not aggressive from what I have seen. Fed wont let him grind . I think Andy will have a tougher time beating Fed on grass than Novak.

      Stan looks to be in great form and Stan is definitely going to make Novak work very hard in the semi.

      • Sanju,

        I didn’t realize that. The ESPN commies said that there might be something going on with him and I did forget that he called the trainer in his previous match. But I didn’t think it seemed to be anything. If there is this should problem then that could possibly change things. Because otherwise I think Andy has been playing well enough to have a shot at winning this.

  15. 4/4 first serves, 3 aces and one easy volley put away courtesy of an effective slider out wide…

    If K.Anderson can keep serving well, he has a chance.

  16. Novak got a little lucky on both break points but at the same time he played solid tennis under pressure!

    2-2… may be anderson lost his chance

  17. wow…anderson is landing so many first serves in and this ought to put a lot of pressure on novak’s service games! 81 percent of first serves in so far… remember , it was at 41 percent in set 3 and we know what happened!

    38 aces for the South African so far!

  18. Is nobody watching this?? Anderson just out-hit Novak in a long rally! 30-30!

    and he justtt missed a very makeable forehand! 40-30 Novak

    • yeah…smart serving.

      But how well is K.A serving! He is unplayable on his service games right now . No tie breaks so this is interesting! Anderson has the advantage of serving first. He has a decent shot here. Things can slip away pretty quickly on grass.

  19. Anderson winning much easier on his serve than Nole. Doesn’t bode well for the TB.

    The break really hurt Nole as Anderson’s level had trailed off late in the match yesterday but is now well rested both mentally and physically after surrendering the 3rd and 4th sets.

  20. I’m pretty certain ND will find a way to come through: meanwhile have to admit I’m rather enjoying watching him looking so frazzled. 😛

  21. OMG! two double faults IN A ROW! after serving perfectly, THIS happens. lol

    A super return and novak has the break! Anderson choked

  22. Here we go……………..Hawkeye, I answered your question above in the wrong place.
    Nole is the lesser of two evils.

  23. It was a close escape! Well played under pressure but Anderson folded in that game with two double faults in a row! he also had two break points in the third game…

    anyway, Djokovic reaches his 7th Qtr final at Wimbledon.

    Cilic will be a difficult test too!

  24. hawkeye63 says:
    July 7, 2015 at 1:03 pm
    Anderson winning much easier on his serve than Nole. Doesn’t bode well for the TB.
    ————————————————————-
    Tie break????????????????? This is Wimbledon!

  25. I am sorry that I missed the continuation of this match. But from reading the comments it appears that Anderson did come out and continue with his great play. I just saw the post-match interview with Novak. He seemed relieved.

    It’s too bad that Anderson had one bad serving game. But the top players find a way to win.

      • I do find myself remembering how Rafa could do it better than anyone. I still miss that Rafa. I also wish he was still here playing. 🙁

      • native is on the East coast ( Florida). hawkeye you failed. The answer is she cannot take a break from her 24/7 trolling. nadline’s answer is acceptable. It seems native waits to get vr and hawkeye’s take on the match then makes her own cut and paste post. Don’t know whether she ever watches any matches.

      • Mary,

        You seem to know a lot about me and are quite involved in my tennis viewing habits. I find that kind of weird and bizarre, given your obvious dislike for me and your need to constantly make up imaginary stories about me, of course always accompanied by your trusty shadow, nadline.

        You two make quite the tag team. Do you ever go anywhere without each other? Are you joined at the hip? Do you need to check each other’s comments before you post them just to make sure you both get it right?

        You think it makes you someone if you come on here and make up stuff about me. Someone you have never met, yet you talk as if you know me. Why do you even bother? It seems like quite a bit of effort for a person you despise. Why waste the energy? Nothing better to do with your time?

      • native, you are contradicting yourself!!! Hilarious!!!
        On the one hand you say I seem to know a lot about you and your tennis viewing habits, on the other hand you claim I make up stories about you.
        Actually it is hard not to know about your tennis viewing habits because for years you have bored us after every match with your whine that you being on the west coast you are in the wrong time zone. Then you moved East and still you could somehow never watch matches live. As suggested by me earlier, why not take a break from trolling to watch matches live? You might even make original posts instead of parroting vr or hawkeye’s observations.

    • Mary,

      Again you seem to have paid a lot of attention to what I say. It’s flattering, but sometimes it feels like you are a stalker. You know things about me, but then you say that I don’t watch tennis matches. How would you know that? Are you in my living room watching me? If I see some matches live and some on the replay, what’s the big deal?

      I haven’t said anything about how you never talk tennis. You seem to be projecting your habits onto me. I don’t think you watch any matches and that’s why you come here just to attack me over and over again. Why not admit that you don’t ever watch tennis, that you aren’t here to talk about anything related to tennis, that you and your buddy nadline are just here to take out your own misery on other people.

      It’s just kind of scary to realize that you have spent all this time reading everything I say and either committing it to memory or keeping some kind of file. Why do you care if I live in Florida or Timbuktu? So much attention devoted to little ole me. I am really not that important. Yet you devote most of your time here to me. Hmmm. 🙂

  26. Djokovic: “I congratulate Kevin for a great effort. It wouldn’t be undeserved if he would win this match” #Wimbledon

    As opposed to Federer who after a loss uses words like “lucky shot” and “it’s a shame really”.

  27. Just got in to see that nole won.thank the good lord for that otherwise we could have had some dreadful matches in that half of the draw. anderson was just going to revert back to his usual game afterwards….
    wonder if the figures in the other side of the draw had anything to do with the strictly impartial decision by the wimby committee not to finish the match last night when nole would have run through the last set like wildfire. would have been nice for both murray and fed if he had gone out but then again with british fair play uppermost in their minds am sure they would never dream of thinking such a thing…
    off to do some more work now…

    • british fair play
      all are equal and all entitled to fairness
      still, some are more entitled to fairness than others, no?
      or should I say one (1) is more entitled to fairness than the others, no? 😉

      • wonder how roger’s dad feels about having to wear that silly cap at his son’s matches….they look like a bunch of penguins up there…..(what is the collective noun for a group of penguins btw??)

      • ha ha hawkeye…just spilt my tea after reading that….
        the zoological terms include a waddle…..that’s quite a good description as well…
        fedfans = waddle

      • 🙂

        The BWs then:

        blind waddlers

        blind : unthinking, hypnotized, groupthinking

        it does have one think going for it, though, the penguin gestalt: why not complete it:
        wear the penguin caps along with a black-tie (smoking) get-up

        If I only were a fedfan, I mean a BW,
        I’d wear the black-tie outfit (with the emblazened rf logo, of course!) with the obligatory rf tie,
        and I’d feel important and smug,
        a member of the most impressive club to be a member of,
        I’d learn to enjoy nespresso-machine capucinnos (after all, many fine coffee establishments in Italy use these gleaming machines now), and rolex watches (or fakes if the wallet’s not thick), and all the other finer things in life
        I’d be impressive then, important even,
        I’d have made it to the higher echelons of life and society
        and you clearly tell that about me
        you could tell by my rf black-tie uniform
        and my rf cap
        you could tell by my self-satisfaction
        and my smug smile
        I’d be a somebody then
        I could say,
        slowly
        ‘nobless oblige’
        and other impressive stuff

        but alas I am not a fedfan
        I could have been
        I could have been a contender
        but I cannot help myself
        I am but a humb!e fan
        of the boy from the island
        bearing flowers
        and the other boy from the other island
        bearing swearwords and a fiery head of hair

        but I won’t begrudge the BWs
        their impressiveness
        after all
        ‘nobless oblige’

        pace, friends

        #pax

      • good god chloro, what is the original form of that parody!! you and hawkeye are leaving me for dead today….!
        great parody though……..

      • certainly redefines the notion of eclectic chloro, so much so that is deserves its own dictionary space….
        what is that last photo of hawkeye’s a reference to??

      • amy, you did see some of the print ads (and video ads) what paint the picture of what it takes to become impressive and impressive enough to reach self-satisfied smugness, no?

        the ads by that collection of high-ticket corporations selling luxuries that have now paid the one rf 8 figures in endorsements

        If it is worth 8 figures in endorsements to sell the image to the masses of becoming one of the self-smug owners of luxury items that bestow importance and impressiveness to one. Enough masses that the increase in sales must be worth a collection 9 figures.

        Of course such numbers couldn’t possibly interfere with any kind of fairness 😉

        Let’s go back to sleep

        Let’s get back to the land of dreams

        Let’s dream together again in the cozy group we are and think the same thoughts together

        Let’s no longer entertain doubts or thoughts of our own

        Let’s see the world in the uniform consensual way our priests have graced us with
        our good priests of the holy corporations that bestow us with the finer luxuries in life

        we will waddle together
        waddle good and true

        waddle
        slowly
        towards the land
        of ever increasing glory

        the land where I too can dream
        of being rf himself
        in my dream I can allow myself to believe
        that I am he
        that I am rf
        at last

        Glory be

        #pax

      • thank you, amy
        as to hawkeye’s pic, I have no idea
        I have my little areas of nerdiness but it’s not in there

      • ok chloro i see this waddle thing is really catching on…
        could even be money in it, no??
        although not alas for Himself one thinks…..(or maybe…..)

      • thank you for teaching me a new word, didn’t know ‘twaddle’
        well, while we’re twaddling anyway
        I wonder about your question:
        does He Himself they are waddling to, after, around, below… does He Himself waddle too?
        what say you, other posters?

        will you waddle with us, will you do?
        will you twaddle with us, will you do?

        #DoYou?

  28. there are a distressingly large number of hollywood movies about penguins…do you think this is some kind of fedfan code…. a way of communicating even when their hero isn’t playing tennis..?
    that’s a frightening thought….
    steve martin has a lot to answer for….

      • a few days ago i was saying that i would have picked pete’s forehand as one of my 3 goat forehands rather than lendl’s but that this was partly subjective bias as i like pete so much more than ivan….
        saw later that you said you had really liked pete and his game…
        but isn’t pete a fedfan?? or don’t you mind in his case?

      • Yes he’s a massive fedfan and I do mind but he rectified this by saying that Roger is not the GOAT and Rafa is the reason why with his own argument for GOATdom.

        Hated to see a burned out Sampras lose to fedfan at WImby in five and to see fedfan pass Pete’s slam count. However, fedfan will never tie Pete’s six consecutive year end No. 1 finishes.

        I was as passionate for Pete as I am for Rafa.

      • hawkeye, all the more reason to hope that rafa finally gets his act together and wins some more slams….
        i like pete and his game a lot too…..
        would like to see pete work on rafa’s serve….

      • That’s a nice thought.

        Pete’s introversion I think has prevented him from doing much in tennis after his playing career ended other than some exhos. It’s a shame.

      • so do you think that his shyness – which i like – would prevent him coaching?
        he has such tennis knowledge as well as being a classy guy…..

    • it is time now to start writing the follow-on to Minions:
      Waddluings

      Adorable waddling small-stature penguins

      Trying to be handy like minions
      handy with watches and espresso’s and rackets and such
      why with those penguins flippers
      and the snug black-tie dinner jackets

      Trying to be impressive penguins
      twaddling words of wisdom
      of the sort such as “I can’t believe myself how well I played today”
      and “I think I’ll now pay my opponent a back-handed compliment,
      and I think my fellow minions will not notice”

      Theme song:
      I am feeling so snug today
      I am feeling so smug today
      I will always feel so snug
      I will always feels so smug

      Because I’m Happy
      Waddle along if you feel like a room without a roof
      Because I’m Happy
      Twaddle along if you feel RF is the truth
      Because I’m Happy
      Waddle along if you know what RF is to you
      Because I’m Happy
      Twaddle along because that is what we all do

      For RF is He
      RF is Happiness
      For RF is Me
      (I dream)
      And Me is Happiness

      #Bliss

  29. my god chloro! all this waddling is like a virus spreading through the english language so that every single word is contaminated by it….
    see what a terrible virulent force fedfandom is? there is no viable antidote to it….

    • it does contaminate a lot, doesn’t it? and not only tenngrand threads let’s hurry to add…

      there is one antidote, alas, one that takes to speck out of the adoring eye

      it threatens the twaddling waddling blissful impressivity of the short-statured ones

      it is a humb!e boy from a small island

      it is ten past eleven at night, or twenty-three past ten in the morning

      and thus it was decreed

      that much would be arranged
      much would be done
      to hamper the progress
      of the insolent affront
      to the twaddling waddling happiness
      of the many

      and thus much was done
      waddling and wrigging
      twaddling and trick-ling
      and word-besmirching
      and booing
      and booing at the next year
      accusations of doping

      and yet it became late
      ten past the twenty-third hour
      and yet it was too early
      twenty-three past ten in the onset of a new day
      when would it end

      even the seven and ten fortress
      for a while look too assailable

      then came the accusations
      of gamemanshipping
      and clock ruling
      and timing the ruling
      to the breaking point

      fortunately came the injuries
      year and year again
      fortunately came the boy’s own
      internal Dreads
      with the inuries
      and the Dreads
      the fortress was safe
      for now at least
      but one can never be sure enough

      yet I mean not to get you down so much
      my dear friends
      do not worry
      everything is in hand
      let’s get back to waddling
      and twaddling
      and the happy dreaming
      by the side of rf
      the warm hearth of coziness
      snugness and smugness
      we are all together
      and happy
      we are rf
      and he is us
      together
      like a teakettle
      and a teacozy

      ‘t is nothing
      no ailment
      that cannot be bettered
      with a nice cup of

      so let’s be cozy
      and happy
      let’s be
      rf

      #cozy
      #pax

  30. we are rf
    and he is us
    together
    like a teakettle
    and a teacozy

    excellent chloro….will definitely pour a cup of that….
    although will not drink it i hasten to add….
    very english drink tea…
    the english have a lot to answer for as so often in the last century or 2…..

    • I do understand it is not all the english that drink this hallowed drink
      yes, they do have a lot to answer for, as do the portuguese, the dutch, the french, the spanish, the germans, the italians and the belgians
      but i hasten to add, not all the inhabitants of their countries
      and I hasten to add, a lot of others have a lot to answer for
      in fact in every country many have done so much they have to answer for too
      I get very tired to hear it is only the above countries that supposedly have done stuff to answer for

      while you drink your cup of something else
      perhaps play John’s song
      he wrote to make a bit of fun at his old school where he was told he would not amount to anything, where now they were analysing his song lyrics

      some choice rf quotes from this song:

      I am he as you are he as you are me and we are all together.

      I’m crying

      Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun

      See how they smile

      See how they snide

      Elementary penguin singing

      Yes, that nice song does Get Back to the Penguin

      #pax
      #cozy

      • one tends to get more upset about one’s own country’s failings though no?
        Beatles would have done a lot with the waddle…..
        Penguin answers to all our needs….

        he loves you yeah yeah yeah
        he loves you yeah yeah yeah
        with a love like that you know it can’t be bad
        with a love like that you know you should be glad

        glad enough to wear a penguin hat…..

      • i’d too be glad
        to wear a penguin hat
        if only I could
        I surely would

        but my love for her
        never bloomed
        and I’m left
        with the love of him
        of the islet

  31. pete working on rafa’s serve and self-confidence
    and a different professional working on his ___ condition (not married to the idea of spelling it out again 😉 ) what with a bit of talk therapy, perhaps some meds, a bit of visualization and self-talk etc…

    then imagine what rafa could do coming back after having his a____ back to a moderate level and his c___ back high (ok, that one we are allowed to spell out: confidence), with some little strategic and tactical nothings whispered in his ear by dear pete, his serve upgraded…

    perhaps going on 30 but he would, in such a scenario, still be a force to reckon with, a possible direct attack yet at the Seven and Ten Fortress… as he was supposed to be in the Four and Ten and Five and Ten years of the RF era.

  32. i am entirely convinced that with the right help and toni not boiling his bones down to a kind of gruel which he drinks regularly like an old codger vampire or werewolf (i am taking the piss out of myself here btw before someone attacks me for being literal)
    that rafa would very quickly bounce back and perhaps be even more of a force than before! imagine what rafa would be like with a serve and quick-fire return…..!

  33. am wondering who is responsible for disseminating the horrific upsurge of penguin-ness which is now polluting our entire popular culture?
    can’t just be steve martin, although he does have to take his fair share of blame….

  34. steve genius martin dat

    and, amy, what _kind_ of tea do you drink then, huh?

    sounds a little suspicious

    I think you better bring yourself back into the fold

    the cozy blanket of don_t_think_for_yourself

    • quite

      not _real_ tea then indeed, as you said

      I know I was interrogatory there

      just please don’t call me that title,
      those were not _nice_ men and women

      • Canadians are unarmed Americans with Medicare and really good beer, eh?

        we don’t, generally, descend into the darkest kind of behavior and then justify it

      • great for my shot nerves due to lack of sleep as the noise at night is appalling.
        night before last one of my neighbours was out in courtyard trying to find the outside electricity source to the flat where music was being played to shut it off!
        has been going on forever and drives one to acts of insanity….!

      • is not fun but should be ending soon as people involved should be booted out in a few weeks….
        scenes of pure farce in the meantime..
        ‘care charmer sleep…son of the sable night…….. ‘&tc….
        impossible to do without it …….

      • it’s good to hear the nightmare will end

        strong poem … and then that last line…

        thank you for introducing me to Palgrave, never read any of his poems
        went to school in a country where English was not a language of instruction so we studied little of its literature

        here’s to proper nights of restore and repose
        coming in the eight month of the year

    • palgrave chloro??
      sorry, very very tired but not following…thought that was the name of publisher/anthology?
      ‘care charmer sleep….’ has a lovely sound system…is from one of the english renaissance poets but can’t remember which right now….

  35. am all penguin-ed out for now chloro…
    in fact i think i might be in some kind of weird limbo…..
    hoping against hope to sleep tonight so am off to try and get into bed early before the horror starts…
    ordinary words look like chinese atm….
    see you!!!!

  36. hopefully you get enough rest tonight
    it occurred to me that his is perhaps why we’ve seen you posting here in the wee hours of the night UK-time

    penguins will sleep, even they must, and get another day for their waddlings and twaddlings

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