A LOOK AT THE MEN’S SEMIFINALS AT WIMBLEDON: DJOKOVIC vs. DIMITROV & FEDERER vs. RAONIC by Ricky Dimon

Written by: Staff on 3rd July 2014

A LOOK AT THE MEN'S SEMIFINALS AT WIMBLEDON: DJOKOVIC vs. DIMITROV & FEDERER vs. RAONIC by Ricky Dimon |

By Ricky Dimon

(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (11) Grigor Dimitrov: 2016 called. It says it wants 2014 to stop stealing its thunder two years too early. But that’s just what 2014 is doing, with up-and-comers Dimitrov and Milos Raonic in the Wimbledon semifinals. It’s true that both players have been around for a while, but neither one had even made a Grand Slam quarterfinal prior to this season. Breakouts at a major still seemed to be some ways away.

Not so. Perhaps armed with confidence from an Australian Open quarterfinal appearance, Dimitrov has been especially impressive this fortnight. The 23-year-old Bulgarian came back from two sets to one down to beat Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third round before eventually erasing Andy Murray in surprisingly easy straight sets in the quarters. With Djokovic having required five to get past Marin Cilic on Wednesday, is an upset in the cards?

(4) Roger Federer vs. (8) Milos Raonic: Has anybody ever been more enthused to see anyone other than Rafael Nadal on the other side of the net? Compare Nadal and Raonic in these departments: Nadal is 23-10 against Federer; Raonic is 0-4. Nadal has 14 Grand Slam titles; Raonic has never previously been to a Grand Slam semifinal.

That being said, nobody can ever be particularly excited to face Raonic on grass. The 23-year-old Canadian had never been great on the green stuff prior to this Wimbledon, but his massive serve has always made him dangerous and he is finally turning that danger into results. Federer is obviously the superior all-court player, but Nadal is a superior all-court player to Nick Kyrgios, too. When unafraid, huge-hitting youngsters are booming their serves, all-court tennis does not always come into play–especially on grass. Stay tuned….

(1) Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan vs. (12) Michael Llodra/Nicolas Mahut: Americans underwhelmed in singles on both the men’s and women’s sides, but take note of the doubles draw: the Bryans are still alive and so is Jack Sock. This is a rematch of a 2013 French Open final thriller that left Mahut in tears after a heartbreaking defeat.

(5) Leander Paes/Radek Stepanek vs. Jack Sock/Vasek Pospisil: Sock and Pospisil are in the semifinals? Seriously? Then again, Sock once won a Grand Slam mixed doubles title with none other than Melanie Oudin…. Something has to be said for that.

Topics: Bob Bryan, grass court tennis, GRIGOR DIMITROV, jack sock, Llodra, Mahut, Mike Bryan, Milos Roanic, Novak Djokovic, Paes, Pospisil, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Stepanek, Tennis News, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Semifinals

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

July 3, 2014 at 8:05 pm

MEN’S SEMIFINALS AT #Wimbledon : @DjokerNole vs. @GrigorDimitrov & @rogerfederer vs. @milosraonic by @RD_Tennistalk http://t.co/37tlJYwGbO
RD_Tennistalk says:

July 4, 2014 at 3:13 am

RT @10sBalls_com: MEN’S SEMIFINALS AT #Wimbledon : @DjokerNole vs. @GrigorDimitrov & @rogerfederer vs. @milosraonic by @RD_Tennistalk http…
JenNypatissier says:

July 4, 2014 at 3:13 am

RT @10sBalls_com: MEN’S SEMIFINALS AT #Wimbledon : @DjokerNole vs. @GrigorDimitrov & @rogerfederer vs. @milosraonic by @RD_Tennistalk http…