Day 2 Today at Wimbledon

The Ghosts of the past fostering and the Time Lords of tennis will

do battle once more -- are stirrings. There is an epic defeat

to avenge and only one man can Roger Federer, number three seed,

how can that be? Going for three in a row, Serena is back after a year

out of the game. And the man who has only lost one match all year

sets out for his first Wimbledon title. Game, set and match! The

Wimbledon dream has come true! Even though Roger and Djokovic and

Serena were on Centre Court, everybody was talking about that

match on Court 3, Isner and Mahut, after the longest match last year.

Here they were on the longest day this year. And if you are watching

it on BBC Two, you will know that this match is still going on and

that you just have a feeling it has just turned. Isner won the first

two sets, Mahut has a break in the third. You can watch it on the red

button if you want to but you know it will not finish until Thursday

so don't bother, that is my recommendation! On the red button

you can see Lleyton Hewitt and Emily Smith from Great Britain is

serving in the final set of her match on court number 14. She is

putting up a fantastic performance. We will update you. I suspect the

games will continue to be live after we go off at 9pm. There has

been a fantastic feel good factor at Wimbledon today. Maybe it is the

sunshine. Tracy Austin and Pat Cash. You have a heated bottom warm-up,

do you not? Hot cross buns, baby! am glad you said that. There are so

many things we need to talk about. Let's start with a 16 times Grand

Slam winner. Roger Federer was up against Mikhail Kukushkin from

Kazakhstan. Would the serial opponent find his opponent to be a

special cake or would he be toast? The first 12 games went with serve

and so they found themselves in the Only hit that 193 mph up the line,

that is a massive forehand! -- 93 mph. Faster than some playing a's

When it is this windy, you have to make those small adjustment steps

on your move. The ball is moving Kukushkin has the wind behind him

so it makes his shots that much When you are hitting into the wind,

you can hit the ball flat and it comes in, ASBO directed with that

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serve. -- as a Federer did with The decision to pick his time to

change the pace, to accelerate through the ball. What was so

impressive about that point was the weight Roger Federer went straight

from defence to attack. -- was the way. His movement today has been

exceptional. The timing hasn't been spot on but there on lot of good

signs out there for Roger Federer fans around the world and around

Britain. They swap sides now after Almost as if it is a little harder

The problem of Kukushkin has is the ball gets on that fraction faster

He needed just one set point, with Federer was in cruise control at

But with Federer leading, the Kazakhstani man is still not out of

the game and the quality of the tennis really went up a couple of

He is too tall, if you look at all the great chip and charge players,

he is too tall when he comes That is just so good! I mean, that

was a ridiculous backhand right there. He has got sensational hand

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This is supposed to be the weaker side of Roger Federer! Wonderful

balance and hands. He makes a very Not sure there are too many players

in the world to could play the shot but Roger Federer has just played.

The wind to the ball and he just adjusted as the very last second

and used his hands so well. The flexibility it was ridiculous. It

has been a clinic this last game. One break of serve might be

recoverable. The second should be That was the wind just carrying

that one though it will further than he thought it was going to go.

Federer provided the target, The longest game of the match so

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That is where he just need to So Kukushkin was hanging on but it

wasn't long before Federer completely established his

The speed of adjustment of his hands was just astonishing. Before

too long, here we are... Safely into round two. Like we expected.

Cool, calm and very collected, for the man looking for title number

You know this tournament so well. Do you think I have eased myself in

exactly as I wanted? I think so. I played a good tie-break and at the

end I came home very solid so overall I am very happy. I won in

straight sets, that is what I was hoping for after last year's shop

in the first round when I should have crashed out after being down

two sets so this is a better start and I feel more relaxed. That was

Roger Federer as we expect him to be. Very much so. He played so well

at the French, spectacular match in the semi-finals against Djokovic.

Especially when he won, to see that energy after he beat Djokovic

playing so well, there is no doubt that he is so hungry. How much have

people who should know better, saving, Roger Federer is not the

man he was? How much has that made him think he will prove everyone

wrong? May be that is fighting him on... I don't know. He has gone and

improved his game. He is a better player. He is a better player now,

a complete player, and he was six or seven years ago when he first

won titles. In what specific areas? Particularly his backhand. He has

had to adjust it. It was a lot out as a weak shot -- it was seen as a

week a shot. He uses the drop shot now. When he first won the title he

said he would never liked the drop shot. He has become a better player

because Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have improved.

So now he is coming back with a better game. He showed signs today

of wanting to come forward and do a volley. If you can throw that in

early against Rafa and Andy Murray and Djokovic, he is going to throw

He is a better player, he is fired up, ready to go, and he still moves

unbelievably well, and he is still so fit. He can keep going until he

is 45! I think the huge cheer was for the end of Robert Soderling

beatings Petzschner in straight sets. We get the noise coming

across the arena. It sounds like it was a tremendous match. Sharapova

has also won her match. What about Isner and A-road? Are they still

going? You bet they are. Welcome to Court 3 where it is one hour and 50

minutes into this match. We are John Isner is serving. He is

leading 2-0 sets. Nicolas Mahut broke his serve, but then John

Isner broke him back. It is not packed today. A lot of people have

been talking about how Court 3 may not have been the right court to

hold this match, maybe they should have been on Court 18 or a show

court. But the area with free ticketing is packed.

JOHN INVERDALE: The weather might be an issue as well. The press

seats are packed. This is a great story to be told and one of the

great things about this match, a year ago today we were sitting here,

watching this match take place, and never imagining that two days later

we would still be talking about that match. One of the most

extraordinary things about that game is how it has brought those

two men together. They are now great friends. It was something

else. I keep shaking my head. When I saw the score, 70-69... Over the

year, that kick-started John Isner's a great year. He has become

a great player. The result looks like it... Mahut has a point now.

We might stick with it for one more point. There is a tie-break. What

are the odds of these two playing again? Well, this tie-break could

last interminably. So, we leave it there, but you can hit the red

button and see the tie-break. As far as Maria Sharapova is concerned,

she won her game. It was quite a tricky game, but she won it very

conclusively. Trick for tarts in has struggled. She hasn't played a

lot, she played a warm-up tournament before, so she was match

tough, and Sharapova is back to where she was before has shoulder

surgery. She got to the semi-finals in the French Open. She is back on

her favourite surface. She still throws a double faults in. She had

10 double faults in the French Open, so that is the one thing she has to

look out for. Soderling, the bookmakers, everybody you ask, and

several players, there is only four possible winners in the

Championship. Can you give us any reasonable reason why any other

player should be considered as a potential semi-finalist. We forget

Robert Soderling. He is a good player. Actually, Roger Federer did

not forget him. He said there are five players, sat opposite talking

about Soderling. That is a huge compliment. I actually picked

Petzschner to win this match. And he got to the final of the German

Tom and. He almost beat at Rafael Nadal last year. He is a tremendous

player. -- of the German tournament. I thought that was going to be the

upset of the first round, so that is a great win for him. Well, here

is a defeat the last couple of minutes for Webley-Smith. She

played really well. She is climbing up. This was a great opportunity

for her, given a wildcard, to get a first victory in Wimbledon. But

Zakopalova, she lost to her. The match entertained the crowd for an

awfully long time. Back to what happened earlier on today because

we talk about the finals at Wimbledon and 2008 was an

unbelievable final, but what about the match that happened the

following year, featuring Andy Roddick? He was back today, trying

to win an elusive Wimbledon title for the very first time. Certainly,

I know you are a big Andy Roddick fan, Tracey, but do you think he

has got his serving right? Do you think his game is still rounded

enough for him to challenge the top four? By challenge, you mean

winner? Yes. I don't think so. He has struggled with more injuries,

the knee, the shoulder. He obviously loves the grass. He has

been in the final three times, but I think the top four are just

playing so superior to the rest, it is tough to break into that group.

His opponent was and respect, who is in the 150th place in the world.

-- his opponent was back. I think Roddick needs a bit of luck. The

court at the moment is slow for him. He really struggled against Andy

Murray. He played well at Queen's. But he could not damage Murray.

Murray was so quick. The courts need to quicken. He needs to play

inside, the weather needs to be good in the second week. It is not

going to change. It will. He always needs to play inside. With a game

like that and a serve like that, he is always a threat. Whether he can

beat the top four, I don't know. Roddick, he is always a threat,

let's see what he has to say. A lot has been made about this year,

we have the big four, and you are not included in that big four. How

much of a threat are you? I know how to play on grass. I feel like I

am healthy for the first time in a long time. So, who knows? I do not

feel like I deserve to be talked about with those four, but if you

are talking anybody else besides them, I think I should be. I wonder

who he is sponsored by? Moving on, this is one of the big talking

points, Australian tennis. Whatever happened to Labour, and roach, and

Pat Cash? Anyway, three Australians playing today. The highest-ranked

Australian is Lleyton Hewitt, 130th in the world, and here he is

playing Nishikori. So, he has had a source for some rejoicing. It looks

like he has won a whole tournament! He has had a lot of injuries. He is

not playing 100%. He is a top 30 players. And this is the best

junior in the world. He won the Orange Bowl, regarded as the world

junior championships. He won the US juniors, the Australian juniors. He

is a big boy, 6 ft 4. He has just beaten Davydenko. That is a strict

set whim. He went through qualifying. So that is a good

effort. -- that was a straight set Whereas you take on the game in

Australia? -- what is your take? have not got a lot of kids playing

tennis. Aussie Rules has sucked up all our athletes. Soccer as well.

The girls are not playing. They are playing netball and other sports.

Swimming... Traditional sports Illustrated, cricket, tennis, rugby,

we are losing a lot of athletes. We are doing well in the Olympics.

Tennis hasn't been pushed. How much of that is due to the fact that you

need a champion to inspire the next generation? Who are people looking

at? Not really. The other sports are promoted well. Pat Rafter,

Philippoussis, me, so these kids coming through should have watched

me and Hewitt, but we have no tennis players. We do have great

coaches. The Davis Cup coach, the guys from Newcombe and me helping

out, so we are getting the best out of our kids, but we just need more

kids. We have got a very successful Australian Open, so the money is

coming in. They are pushing hard, but we have got a few years to go.

Just wondering what is happening to Isner and Mahut. It is 6-6 in the

tie-break. This could be the world's longest tie-break! It is

always tempting fate to go to a tie-break because we could be here

for ever, but that was match point to Isner. That was a nervous volley.

That is going to continue on the red button. Let's move on from

Australian men to American women, and if it is not Venus Williams we

are talking about, it is Serena, and as tennis becomes more and more

statistics obsessed, we trot out the fact that in the past 11 years,

they have been -- there have been nine occasions where a Williams

sister has won. Serena has been absent for 49 weeks until

reappearing at Eastbourne. I suppose it is fair to say the odds

against her at being here were lengthening. She is conservatively

dressed compared to her sister! She started well against her French

opponent, Rezai, who came close to beating her at Sydney last year.

What was your thoughts on her performance today? She played

better than at Eastbourne. In the second round, she was serving for

the match against Zvonareva, and she was extra nervous today. It is

so emotional for her to be back at Wimbledon, and, as you said, up

until a couple of months ago, she didn't think she was going to be

back. The match now, the French girl was upping her again, and

leading 3-2 in the second. -- That was quite excellent from Rezai.

APPLAUSE. Serena trying for the angle, but

she opens up the best shot for Rezai A, and there is far too much

court that Rezai had to hit that This young woman is delivering big

Only 87 mph but she couldn't have A little bit of side spin, backspin,

get that ball to just Dyer on the Fabulous. She is on a hot streak at

the moment. Even Serena cannot But that won't go away. Six doubles

So Rezai playing really well. It wasn't that Serena was playing

badly, she uptake game. It is one set all. We started to think we

might be on the cusp of a real upset with defending champion

Serena potentially going out in the first round. It is going with serve

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A great forehand there By Serena who had lost her balance but Rezai

You could sense Serena steeling herself. That is what champions

have. This sends a moment and she senses one right now. -- they sense

That is exactly what we are not accustomed to seeing Serena du,

Miss a second serve return, not be for the balanced and ready to

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This is so crucial, this Andrew Strauss, the England captain,

watching an extraordinary bit of athleticism from Williams, although

Rezai had the opportunity to put the ball away, but she didn't take

it. This is match point and bang! Serena Williams's serve at moments

when she was in trouble really kept her in their game and Rezai's serve,

with lots of double faults, let her We can see what this means to you

after all you have been through. usually don't cry, I don't

understand it! It has been so hard. I never dreamt I would be here

right now. I just wanted to win at least one match here, I am not

playing doubles, you know... It was a really big win for me. People

around the world of watching and for those people who don't know,

you were in your own words on your deathbed at 1 point in the past

year? Yes and it has been so hard. It has been a disaster year but I

have been praying and I have my family and I love tennis and to be

able to come back at Wimbledon is pretty awesome. You know, I didn't

expect to play or even do anything so I am just excited. I never cried

with joy for anything! Yeah... That shows what it means to be back. The

way that she played so well last week in East born after not playing

for a year, I didn't think she would be this excited -- in

Eastbourne. I don't think it is the win, I think it is being back. The

year has been a disaster. Just after she won last year, her fourth

title, she goes to Munich, cuts a foot on grass, have surgery, then

surgery again in October, then has a blood clot on her lung in

February. She has had six weeks to prepare. She is taking it all in.

She's full of gratitude. If you can't be match fit, which you

cannot be if you have only played a couple of matches in 12 months,

when you have a serve that big, you have always got a chance. She is a

terrific player. Last year, I watched the final. It is the first

time I thought that the way she played, she could give the men a

run for their money. She played unbelievable. I was texting a

couple of people who were hitting partners and they said, she raised

the bar again. You know, it is great to have her back. She is not

going to be in a fame form as last year but just to have her back out

playing -- in the same form. She has a chance. And she will get

better. That is important. In the first week, she is vulnerable but

this was a good match for her to get through. It was a tough second

set. She got little bit sloppy. But with each match, her body will feel

a bit better and stronger and she will feel more confident and

believe me, nobody at Wimbledon wants to see their name next to

Serena, because they know with the great his serve every in the

women's game, she is always in, in every match -- the greatest serve

ever in the women's game. Anyway... You are wondering... That is what I

meant to say, what is happening with Isner and Mahut. What

happened? It is over fourth of it is all over. Court 3 is very empty.

-- is it over? Yes, it is all over. When you left us it was 6-6 in the

third set taking us into a tie- break, much to the delight of the

crowd. Everyone was cheering. Mahut saved two match points but in the

end, John Isner did it. It lasted two hours and three minutes.

Congratulations. A tremendous performance. What a difference a

year makes! A quick one and easy today. It wasn't easy but it was

considerably quicker than the last time. I was happy about the way I

played, especially in the third set. I was down a break. I was telling

myself, if I lose the third set, chances are we will not finish this

match. Then thinking about the second and third day and I

definitely wanted to finish it and I am really glad I am because we

were running out of daylight. that go through your mind? No. Not

then. This is what I was thinking after the second set. When I lost

the match point. I served and volleyed and missed the volley,

simple as that, a didn't choke. I knew it was really critical and I

have to win it. That would put the pressure back on him. What about

the psychology? Coming on Court Three as opposed to court 18. Would

you have preferred to be up there? With all the good memories? I don't

know if they are good memories! Long, long memories! I am glad they

put us on this court. I don't know if they want to tarnish the legacy

of court 18 by playing as the second time because chances are,

our match today was not going to live up to last year's match.

odds were huge that you two would play each other and the build up

and all it would entail. Yes, it is a huge relief. I am happy to put

this behind me. Obviously I am a lot fresher for my next match. It

is really cold out here. I wish him all the best. Congratulations and

all the best for the next round. Thank you.

What price on them beating each other next year?

LAUGHTER. Surely that cannot happen! In a sense it was always

going to be after the Lord Mayor's Show. Do what? Do you not know that

raise? No. Was that always going to be a disappointment? Yes. The odds

have anything dramatic happening again were pretty remote. Isner has

improved. I am not saying Mahut is any worse or whatever but it was a

tight match. It could have gone either way. John Isner has had a

lot of experience and he is the real threat. Anybody with that big

as serve and game, full of confidence and lots a Davis Cup

matches under his belt... Five-set against Rafael Nadal at the French.

In terms of Serena, Roddick, Isner, can you still serve your way to

victory? Ask Karlovic. But you can't get all the way. You need a

little bit more but it can certainly help. The youngsters that

we are working with in the US and Australia, that is what you need to

focus on. Look what it does for Serena and Venus, the top players

in the women's game. To have those non-returnables. It is such a

luxury. Let's tell you about another match that has just

finished. This is Li Na, the first Chinese woman ever to win a Grand

Slam tournament. What fantastic scenes those were in Paris. This is

her going safely through to the second round on court two. We will

talk about Li Na in a moment. After we have spoken about Caroline

She has yet to win a Grand Slam. She was up against Parra Santonja.

Tell us about Wozniacki about a player and a potential Grand Slam

winner, because she has got to win one of the mangers to get

credibility. I do feel badly for her because it is almost like she

has to apologise for being number one in the world, and she does so

well in other tournaments that are not Grand Slams. She has won five

titles this year but never made it past the 4th round in Wimbledon.

She is in a tougher draw. So it is a tough task for her. She doesn't

have that huge serve, that a weapon on grass. She doesn't feel

comfortable on grass. The warm-up tournament she played was in

Copenhagen, on a hard court. way she hijacked Djokovic's press

conference was fantastic. If you haven't seen it at home, go on

YouTube. She turned up pretending to be a report and asked him

questions about his game, which was great. It shows people are a where

people are looking at her in a different light. She is easy-going,

but she works very hard. She is enjoying the opportunity she has.

It is nice to see that. Novak Djokovic, he likes to have a lot of

fun as well, and sometimes you say, I know that the tennis world is

tough and every match is tough, but what a great opportunity. I am

going to have a bit of fun. Off the court, let's have a few laps.

strikes the right balance. Very close to her family. Well, moving

on to Djokovic quickly. Li, is she a contender? She has been in the

quarter-finals twice. She is full of confidence and she went to

Munich after the French Open, not back to China. So she is focused on

her tennis. When she got to the finals of Australia, she went back

to China and lost concentration. She is a drama as well. She is

funny! Novak Djokovic, let's look at the most successful men's tennis

player this year. 43 games he won until he lost to Federer at Roland

Garros. He was facing a Frenchman, Chardy, today. He was not unduly

stretched today. A few of the players have commented on how slow

the court is, the Centre Court, and it takes a while for them to get

their eye in. The degree on the return. It is a very slow a Centre

Court, but it is going to get quicker. What a player he is. What

a great year. He will have been disappointed by his performance in

the semi-finals, but he has come here to win.

The kind of you you have had with all those amazing title victories,

for all of that, you are coming to this tournament with people talking

about Roger, and Murray, that must be a nice position for you. It is

logical, in some ways because structure and a Nadal have been so

successful on a grass court. And they have been the most dominant

players in the last five years. They deserve to be favourites. And

then there is Murray, who is playing very well under a lot of

pressure. You know, I am one of those players behind who is working

hard and waiting for his chance, and eventually have a good to one

Would he be your first, second, third favourite? Probably my third.

Really? Now you are making the pick first, second third! I think Roger

first because of the way he played at the French. And that is such a

slow surface. Although this is so slow, but I think that he has won

six titles, and his game is so complete. He is comfortable at the

net, he is serving well. He said at the press conference he is happy

with his serve and movement. He is not slowing down. And he wants to

tie Pete Sampras' record as well. So, Pedro, Nadal and Djokovic the

EU, and for you? Nadal, Djokovic, Federer and Murray, all equal. I

couldn't pick up one. But I think Nadal will win. This has to be one

of the most exciting Wimbledons. is wide open. So even a.

Please can we have better weather than forecast.

We were talking about Webley-Smith going out on Court 14. What else

Killed a bong, playing her 11th Wimbledon, was hoping to turn

another win in, and she was certainly up for the all-British

Her experience shone through, but she will need more energy in the

next round. She Baltacha her completed another

hat-trick. She won over bar fell. She was lapped up by the crowd.

Dan Cox was a set down over Stakhovsky. He fought well but in

vain. He lost in straight sets. James Ward made a splash with his

semi-final round at Queen's but couldn't send Michael Llodra the

same way as some recent victims, of Africa and Querrey. The British No.

2 waved goodbye to his second Grand Slam experience. He will have to

We keep talking about Eleanor Baltacha, but she is a gutsy player.

Very much so. She is 28, and she feels like she is coming into her

potential. She has been injury-free for a while, and playing well. Not

everybody reaches their full potential in their early 20s. A

good Schiavone winning the French last year. We are seeing players

reaching their peak later and later. Particularly the men. They are

going to be later and later. It is becoming more even. It takes a few

years to becomes super-fit. There were some excellent matches on the

Tennis, like so many things, is about timing.

Argentina's del Potro knows all about that. The former US Open

champion has spent plenty of time out through injury of late, but he

is back at Wimbledon with a vengeance. There was fancy footwork

aplenty as he cruised through in straight sets against Cipolla.

Once upon a time, Jankovic was world number one. The 15th seed was

found severely wanting against a player ranked 76 in the world,

Martina Sanchez of Spain. She lost in three sets.

Petra could it avert had never once since last show where she gobbled

up receipts on her way to the semi- finals but she came back for

seconds and shoot up America's Glatch 6-2, 6-2.

On Court 17, we had an Irishman playing. Niland is a bit long in

the tooth, but he certainly put up He eventually lost in an epic five-

sets, but won plenty of new fans in the process.

So does APPLAUSE. Record at Wimbledon hit rock bottom.

Stosur putts it must have felt like the longest day of the year as big

hitters Stepanek and Verdasco played out a five-set thriller.

Despite being a match point down, Verdasco clawed his way to victory

Petkovic is a player on the up, and has already reached two Grand Slam

quarter-finals this year and will be itching to make Wimbledon No. 3.

She saw of her opponent in straight sets, giving time to show off some

What a great way to celebrate. Just to alert you to this. This is Jo-

Wilfried Tsonga against the magnificent Soeda from Japan. He

has won with him. He is an interesting man in the draw. Colin

Niland, the first Irishman to win in the open era, but sadly he

Sir, here are the victims of Niland had history in his grasp.

did well going through qualifies as well. He is 29 and has been around

for a while. This was his big chance. He is a great supporter of

my charity. We are hoping for him to go through, but a double break

up in the 5th set and didn't quite finish it off, so... That is tennis.

We saw Petkovic' celebration, what do you make of this? This is Paire.

In the middle of the match, he thought, why not. Is this typically

French? I think it is fantastic. How much time he spent doing this.

A great talent. Good footwork. Very helpful. We were talking yesterday

about Venus Williams' out that. Were you a fan of that? I thought

that was very creative. What about the pedal-pushers today? She was

probably cold. It is breezing. It is very windy. She came on court,

she had a jumper on. She finished her match, and unfortunately, it

was only one point today because her opponent heard her me. That has

to be one of the shortest matches in the history of the competition.

Now, let's show you what you will see tomorrow. Let's hope that is

not the only fantastic sunset we One, and potentially, the forecast

is not good, so that match might be A quick word Murray. Your take on

him. Very impressive. His opponent played an unbelievable first set.

He slammed a winners everywhere so Murray played very good form