Day 8 Today at Wimbledon

Previously on grass, a you have Marion Bartoli who kicked her Dad

off court and beat Serena Williams, against Sabine Lisicki and who

maybe the new Steffi Graf and has the fastest serve on the tournament.

Petra Kvitova idolises Martina Navratilova and was a semi-finalist

last year. Tsvetana Pironkova is ranked 80. -- Paszek. She is the

lowest-ranked woman for left, and her opponent will not go quietly.

Cibulkova used today Gael Monfils and hit out Caroline Wozniacki and

is not light -- and is not very tall, unlike Maria Sharapova, who

The day that the rain came, but some of the biggest names have

already been washed away. So from the winner of the US Open, he would

stake their claim? -- who would. Yesterday, you knew it was summer

because it was so hot and today, there was thunder and Tropical Rain

of apocalyptic magnitude. So for Andrew Castle and Lindsay Davenport,

less to talk about their unusual because one match is still taking

place on Centre Court, the one outstanding match in the women's

quarter-finals that you can see on the red button. And we will update

you. The most remarkable thing today was eight players from eight

countries, all European, the first time that had happened since 1913.

First, Germany against France, Sabine Lisicki against Marion

Bartoli. Both players have beaten a big opponents, and two players with

doctors as fathers. And there was lightning in this match. This is

the third point of the match, when did you last see a return of serve

Then it started to get silly. We are indoors. And Sabine Lisicki was

not a loan of thinking that Fonda was aimed at her! -- thunder. It

was a strange atmosphere because it was like being at Kew Gardens in a

giant conservatory and the rain was hammering on the roof. The cloud --

it was like the crowd was clapping throughout the match. That was a

fantastic half volley from Marion Bartoli, but Sabine Lisicki came

back with this to win it. So it went to the German six games to

four. Here she is serving just one game away from a place in the semi-

Howl in the world Tichy miss that?! -- how in the world did she miss

that? Why did she go to a slice forehand? Nervous, maybe, trying to

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When something like that happens, It is nice to have that weapon, she

That first serve is 95. One of the first times in the match she has

That is amazing! She got away with that because Bartoli should have

put that drop shot away. She was so Match point number two. I do not

think she will spend this in. -- You live by the sword and you die

by the sword! I cannot believe this is not over, and neither can

She has not got her breath back from the last point! She has come

back so well on the deuce points but is holding back on the match

points, we have not seen the Schett this match. Match point number

three. -- we have not seen this A foot fault has been called.

that is not going to please Bartoli. You have got to be kidding! Never

has anybody wanted to be called for foot fault more than a Lisicki just

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What a way to lose a game you have had three match points in. So we

find ourselves at 6-all, Sabine Lisicki held her nerve to get to a

tie-break, and we join it at the That should give her some

confidence. She controlled every shot in that rally, trying to

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This has become a tug-of-war, And one on Marion's biggest serves

of the match. She has knocked got many free points, she has had to

work hard in this match. She will A nice job by Lisicki of

controlling the ground. She has got more pace but now has to improve

her serve because it has fallen off drastically in the last 10 minutes.

Such a huge reason she was ahead in It is impossible to try harder. It

It is three hours and 8 minutes longer on Court Four Marion up to

That first serve percentage has dropped off quite a bit for Lisicki

and she is only winning 37% on that second serve. That has affected her

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in the latter stages of the second What a time for the best rally of

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the match. Important for Lisicki to It is so often easier playing from

behind and finishing it off, and never easy. Quite a few times in

Lisicki's career she has had match That second serve was not good

enough, 70 Miles per hour. Right to one of the best return players in

the game. Just over 20 minutes ago, Bartoli saved a third match point

She has got it! With the pressure, would you believe?! Back from the

brink, Marion Bartoli. After one hour and 45 minutes, it is one set-

all! The quality of the match wheelie

had gone through the roof, that second set were outstanding -- will

really had. We had high hopes of a dramatic finish, but it did not

work out that way. This is a good rally. Marion Bartoli seemed to to

deflate. She had a sit down. Bit by bit, are you felt there was an ever

to ability about the result and here we have the next Steffi Graf -

- an inevitability. And she is into her first Wimbledon semi-final, and

that is a smile of delight. She was smiling throughout the first set,

very relaxed and the big atmosphere. It slipped away when she got

nervous. At the end, it ended well for Sabine Lisicki. And that is the

smile again. It is worth reiterating took

everybody listening around the world what kind of a journey you

have had because last year you had to learn to walk again after an

horrific injury. Can you quite believe that journey?

It is so unbelievable, I cannot It is so wonderful to be standing

on Centre Court at Wimbledon, which I love so much. I am just so happy!

I am not a very disappointed because I tried my hardest. But

after one set-all, my mind was trying but I did not have any gas

left in the tank. All the matches I play from clay to grass court

really, it was just too much and my body could not any more. I'm really

tried my hardest, I really thought I would be able to win the match

after the second set but my legs could not move any more all of a

sudden and I was just too tired, so there was nothing I could do. I

still tried extremely hard but my body could not move,.

You could not question her commitment and resilience, it was

brilliant when she beat so remit -- she beat Serena Williams 24 hours

ago. She said she had nothing left, but in three sets, she almost

played five because she is bouncing up and down going through her

routine, it is exhausting to watch. And the ball is not in play!

Exactly! She has had a rough road at Wimbledon, the 3 hour match in

the third round, and Serena Williams, a mentally exhausting win

24 hours ago. But in the long run, she did more damage. She was

exhausted by the third set, she had no energy. She ran to the

changeover after every game, she was bouncing around after points,

and you have to learn not to waste energy and balance it with getting

yourself going. It seemed too much time getting herself going and it

backfired. The force was with her at one-set-all. If you were betting

on that match, you would think Marion Bartoli was going to win

because Sabine Lisicki got very tired. She missed the first hand,

missed the first serve pace, everything pointed to come at this

was going to be a third set to Marion Bartoli. Put all the

emotional energy, it is a weird looking but she is not self-

conscious. And it is exhausting, so perhaps do something different. She

has been very successful way be, it in Eastbourne and at the French, so

she is tired, fair enough. It was going back in time looking at the

players' box today. Just her mother and father, nobody else, not a

physiotherapist or the psychoanalyst or the marketing man

or the agent, it was almost refreshing. Nobody else. I liked it,

she feels she got to this position with just her father behind her and

frequently the mother is not there, just water. They feel like very own

team. And she is a lovely, it is just odd-looking on the court. She

is very personable will -- personable, and really well

adjusted, but it looks strange on court. How good is Sabine Lisicki?

She is good and on grass with that serve and forehand, she will be a

real threat and should be for years to come, it is about the mental

toughness for her. Can she hold up in these big matches? And now in a

semi-final with a big serve. And that helps on grass because if you

get nervous, if you can get a few free points. She got a few and just

needed a few more, but it does hide nerves. For the second quarter

final, from Western Europe to Eastern Europe. Maria Sharapova

from Russia one of this in 2004 when she was 17 and Dominika

Cibulkova was 15, from Czechoslovakia -- from Slovakia.

Serve this a Sharapova and an emerging talent in a Wimbledon

quarter-final -- so this is. But a match was an overstatement because

Maria Sharapova was brilliant today, all was Cibulkova overawed by the

situation? What we have here is a mixture. Maria Sharapova it is a

big presence, at no question. It is like playing Serena up for Venus a

couple of years ago. It is a tall order for anybody to beat her up,

in every sense. She is a better player. She is certainly liking the

conditions. Playing against a player that does not like grass.

She is getting her serve back under control and is moving better than

ever so it is allowing her to get in a better position. Players say

they never look at the draw, which is not true. But when Maria

Sharapova saw Williams and Williams and Caroline Wozniacki go out, she

must have thought, this is my moment. She is about seizing the

moment and Wimbledon has been her goldfish year. She was more relaxed.

She was very happy to play Cibulkova today. And why would she

not be happy? We have always known she is the most commercially

attractive female sport woman in the world, her personal life is

complete the now sorted out. She is engaged to be married. Seven years

on from being champion and she is champion again, could she be?

Congratulations, a wonderful performance, what does it mean to

be in another Wimbledon semi-final? It is an honour, it has been a few

years since I got past the 4th round and am in the semi-finals so

it is a great chance, so I am happy. For you are in such good form, and

if you play this well do you have an air of inevitability about you?

Every opponent and every day is different, that is why they put the

net up to play the matches. I have a tough opponent coming up and I am

looking forward to that match. thoughts? That will be a good match.

She was my pick at the beginning and she is experienced. When she is

down, she fights hard and she can close matches and she knows how to

win on grass. At the French Open, we said she would win but she fell

apart in the semi-finals. But clay is different. Is her serve her

Achilles heel? Of course. It has got to be on her mind but she is

the toughest mental player. One of the toughest of all time. If you

look behind us, it feels like midnight. They are still playing,

thank heavens for the roof. They are playing on Centre Court in the

one outstanding women's quarter- final. Victoria Azarenka, the 4th

seed, has a break. Would you expect Azarenka to come through?

Absolutely and she should. A lot has been expected of her and she

has not been to a Grand Slam semi- final, but she should hit her way

through. They played in Miami and if that is the final, it will be

the noisiest final at! It will blow off the roof X smack tomorrow it is

men's quarter-final day and when you have a big occasion, if you

could sample a variety of opinions. Or you could talk to one man.

It is a pleasure to say hello to Alastair MacGowan, why are you

here? I have been wondering that all week! I have been doing the

match reports for Radio 5 and this week I have been the hired comic,

at the tournament poet. You focus specifically on the quality of the

tennis fan -- of the tennis. Starting off with Andy Murray

against Feliciano Lopez, how will Andy prepare? Obviously, it is a

big game, the 4th quarter final in successive years. Obviously I will

be doing my normal preparation, which normally involves a lot of

scratching. That is probably what I will be doing, scratchings

somewhere, but I have also got a scratching coach so that is really

good. I have been working with him for a while and he used to coach

Rio Ferdinand with his scratchings are Black is it weird that your Mum

has a fixation with your opponent Feliciano Lopez? There has been a

lot of talk about that. I think really come at the thing is that if

I win, I am sure she will be very happy to show a week -- to shower

me with praise. And if he wins, she Don't answer that! Rafael Nadal

taking on Mardy Fish. I thr for me I was born, in Majorca, we eat fish

for breakfast, maybe I eat fish for brekfast today. That is my little

joke. Thank you very much. Brilliant and more from Alistair

later on previewing the next two semifinals. You can do it in your

own voice. Don't worry. Murray? Beaten Lopez four times. Playing

great. Why would we pick Lopez. lefty serve Gone five sets ch given

all his energy away. Worse than Bartoli. I think she done, I think

Murray goes through in straight sets. Fish. It would be nice but a

tough assignment against Nadal. He said the foot injury was nothing

there and was supposed to practise, tough a signment for Mardy Fish but

to get there is a huge achievement. If he plays the match of his life,

Fish likes the grass courts. So a Nadal Murray dream semi-final on

Friday. I wonder what he thinks about the Nadal foot being OK.

Because... What Murray thinks? We don't know how OK it is. There

is OK and there is OK. He was skipping round the the locker room

and it was OK. So OK enough to practice, OK enough to win what two

or three sets in his previous match. But OK, to win you know really

tough gruelling four-and-a-half hour five setter against Murray?

Well, the rules are different. You mow, with Rafael Nadal, the rules,

he won't take to the court unless he thinks he can complete a five

set match and win it. He is virtually instructable. He is

different from the others in that way so if he takes to the court, he

has to be favoured. So let us pick The Czech Republic against Bulgaria

-- Bulgaria. Kvitova made to it the semifinal last year and so did her

opponent. While Kvitova has been in good form, her opponent has won

just four matches, in 14 tournaments this year. That is a

pretty wretched record, but her form continued in that poor vein

because Kvitova blew her off the because Kvitova blew her off the

court really. I have to say I had lunch with an Australian champion,

he thinks Kvitova is the future of tennis. Pironkova got back in that

first set, but there we are with the first set going to Kvitova. And

she certainly looked as though she was heading for a semifinal. But

here we are in the second set, and it was much more even at this point

now. The Bulgarian had a big emotional win the day before,

against Venus Williams. She was back in the game here. And so let

us move on to that back drop of that wonderful London skyline to a

second set tie-break. Kvitova is what, just five points away from

the semifinal but Pironkova wants She is really pumped up. Last point

won by the server in this tie-break. A loth lovely smooth rhythm when

she need id -- needed it. I hope lob is watching Kvitova because she

could model her game on the young Being threatened good afternoon. --

She is not only got quick feet an hands, a quick mind as well. That

was the right shot for the right occasion. The fans out here

realising that Kvitova is the bigger hitter, the stronger player

but appreciating the competitive UMPIRE: Miss Pironkova is

challenging the call. Ball was They love this, they would love it

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Couldn't quite believe she had made such a basic error. But it happens.

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UMPIRE: Miss Kvitova is challenging the call on the right baseline. The

Good challenge. UMPIRE: Replay the She is living dangerously out here,

Pironkova sliding that second serve Ooh, she's missed it again. Set

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Oh, she's pulled it out and we have And the crowd are absolutely

There's the -- where's the forehand down the line gone? That is another

Just wonder, if Pironkova, the last set was the first competitive set

of ten tis she has had the whole tournament. Wonder when pushed she

hadn't had any background to Sometimes when you have been

rolling through the matches and rolling through the round, and you

haven't had a test, sometimes it hits you and you don't respond as

well as you could, and maybe in the long run this will do her the world

of good, if she can come through She didn't have the tests that

Pironkova had. That was Vera Zvonareva and Will -- Venus

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UMPIRE: Game Miss Kvitova. Oh dear. Well after the all good to work get

herself back into the match at one set all Pironkova spiralled into a

never ending decline actually, and Kvitova, that is, a wonderful

forehand, it is interesting, talking to people about before

these, don't forget, Martina Navratilova is her hero and mar

Tina played her first and set quarterfinals once upon a time and

is now one of the great figures of all time in the women's game. Who

is to say that Kvitova, with a serve like that and a forehand like

she has got. Prapts she is going to be one of the great players over

the next decade or so. He is into her second consecutive semifinal.

She would like to go one better than she managed 12 months ago. Now

tell me, how will the experience of last year stand you in good stead

for another semifinal this year, what did you learn? It is better I

was in the semifinal last year, and I had experiences, I know how it is

feeling on the Centre Court, in semifinal, and I play against, I am

looking forward to the semifinal for sure. The last left handed

player to win this event is Martina Navratilova: I wonder what is going

through your mind now with thoughts on maybe the title, two wins away

in Well, I spoke to Martina Navratilova. She was my idol when I

was young, I try my best and we will see. Who would she play in her

semifinal? This rate it looks like being Azarenka, who was up 5-2 but

got broken and is two points away now from the first set on Centre

Court. That imagine -- match is on the red button. Let us round up

Defending champion Rafael Nadal has declared himself fit for his

quarterfinal against Mardy Fish tomorrow, after a scan on his foot

revealed no injury sh and the world number one was able to enjoy some

light practise earlier today. By the way, Andy Murray isn't flying

Union Jack on his own at these Championships. Colin Fleming and

Ross Hutchins sailed through to the last eight as they continue to

But as ever standing in their way, may well be the Bryan brothers.

2006 champions and four time finalist, they are engaged in a

Titanic tussle. It is two sets all and three games each in the fifth.

They resume tomorrow. Meanwhile Stockport's left handed Liam Brody

kept British hopes alive in the boy's singles. Sadly, both George

Morgan and Oliver Golding mated their exits -- exits in the second

round. And the fairytale appearance of the first ever player from

Burundi is over. He scannedered match point before losing in round

two. We were grabbing the atlases today, saying brund di, capital?

thanks for the warning! -- Burundi. What about the British boys here,

Liam Brody is a good player. George Morgan is, Carl Edmund, there were

nine playing yesterday. Evan hoit. They are all playing They are all

good players. They work hard. we are looking for is three or four

more years and that huge jump, that chasm to the professional game. You

know who ha is down to? That is down to them. I wish them well. But

they are a dedicated bunch. It is not down to the RTA? Why don't we

start taking personal responsibility. They have to. And

they understand it now and they will say the same thing. If you

want to take the money and take the help fine, but remember nobody else

cares but you, it is your responsibility. I think ha is a big

deal. OK. Well Alistair McGowan has told us it will be Rafael Nadal and

Andy Murray but who will win the other two men's quarters tomorrow.

Jo-Wilfred Tsonga against Federer. Surely it's a certainty he will win.

I think the important thing I take each match as it comes. We don't

look too far ahead of the draw. I was hoping not to play him but that

is what happened and I will play him and I think, yes, just don't

look too far ahead. I take each match as it comes. We all do,

unlike Marion Bartoli. What can you do. The last of the matches.

Bernard Tomic against Novak Djokovic. Novak. It has been easy

for you so far? Yes, it has been really good tournament for me and I

am happy to be here, and nobody knows how I speak, to, that is...

That is as good as it will get. Bernard Tomic, the youngest player

through the quarterfinals, since Boris Becker. Yes, and we hope that

he can do well. He will be the first 18-year-old since me, to make

it into the semifinals. It will be great for him and for us. It is a

wonderful tournament but I think perhaps you have to remember, the

Djokovic has been on this incredible streak at the start of

the year, and let's hope he doesn't go on a streak at Wimbledon because

he will be chucked out of the club. They don't like streaking here.

Lovely to meet you. Enjoy the rest of it. Wonderful. I am not sure who

he thought was going to win. Who cares? That is the line up on

Centre Courtment you will see those matches because of the roof. Jo-

Wilfred Tsonga and Federer, Andy Murray and Lopez. Bernard Tomic

against Djokovic and Fish. It is Djokovic to win? There is no reason

to suspect why the top four won't make it through. That are the Fab

Four there is a reason they are still there, there is a reason they

are top four seeds. Bomb, he would be doing well to get a set. Well,

there is the view as we head out across the park. There is rain on

that lens, because it is still drizzling. It is miserable, but the

die-hard fans are there, because This miserable British weather,

really hasn't put off hundreds of die-hard Dennis fans coming to

Wimbledon park for the chance to see some men's quarterfinal matches

tomorrow. It is very organised here. People come down, they get given a

card with a number on it and that is their number in the queue. They

are told where to camp out, and when they get up in the morning

they know what their number in the queue will be. There are 500

tickets and 500 Court One tickets available. Some people have been

here since Sunday, just for the chance to guarantee themselves a

Centre Court ticket. The Perkins family here, came just today.

we left Solihull and got here this afternoon. The weather didn't put

you off On the train when it was pouring it was a downer, but we

thought we have left so we will go for it. It is not so bad at the

moment p No. What number are you in the queue, that is the key? 767.

And are you hoping for Centre Court tickets? Definitely. That is what

we want the see. So Nadal is on Court One tomorrow, so you must be

hoping there are lots of Nadal fans. We hope all the people that way are

Nadal fans. Is this your first time? I would do it again.

sister sold it to me. She broke her toe this morning so she will be

disappointed so we are here because of her, but having fun. I hope you

get your Centre Court tickets guys. The All England Club say there are

more than 1,000 people here, so you want show court tickets I am afraid

there is no chance, but if you are happy to get ground passes and sit

up on Henman Hill or Murray Mound to see the matches on the big

screen, come on down, make sure it is early. How frustrated would you

be if you had a ticket that was 501. I know you have been here for 36

hours but you are not going on see the students there. It is light

a rite of passage, they thought all their Christmases came at once when

Sonali turned up. Azarenka has just won the first set I am hearing on

I don't know what happens here, because I haven't seen it. But...

That means that Azarenka is half way to a semifinal against Kvitova.

And if that does map, -- happen, that is a very interesting game.

Yes if both pan out, Kvitova, Azarenka and three of the four is

the next generation of women's tennis, very young, 20, 21, Maria

is the old one at 24. Which is funny to say, but great tennis,

maybe the fans don't know the players as well but their level of

tennis is exceptionally high. And why should we be interested in

Kvitova? She played Wimbledon she played her first match on grass

last year and made the semifinal and he is in the semifinal again.

When you see them interviewed they are totally different to on court.

It is utter professionalism on court. Sometimes you wish to see a

bit more expression, we are not used to people who have a K and V

next to each other in their game. If they came from a culture we

understood better we could -- identify. She seems a great girl,

and she is. Last word on what is going to happen or not going to

happen tomorrow, from a Murray- Lopez point of view. What kind of

match do you expect it to be. Has Murray got to take the match to

him? On the occasions when he sits back it is almost, he allows other

players to dictate to him, and then suddenly we get anxious. Passive is

not what he is about. Even will say the same thing, including the

person who is advising him. If you sit back against Lopez he will use

the short slice, he has got weaponry, if he gets 80% of first

serves in and plays the match of his life, he has a chance,

otherwise, I just can't see three out of five sets, how he can really

make a dent in the Murray game F Andy comes with his even 90%, I

just cannot see a way through for Lopez. He is too limited a player.

I agree. Especially the confidence that Murray would have after

beating Gasquet. High sever percentage will be key. Two many

second serves will allow Lopez dom in. Murray has to be full of

confidence, there was a huge win over Gasquet. The organisers,

everybody, we, we want the same semifinal line up at Wimbledon they

had at Roland Garros. We want the big for. If one is going to tall by

the way side, who do you think it might be? I am concerned about

Nadal against Fish. Fish can do damage. I want the best player to

win and the person who deserves it to win. I love watching Roger

Federer play, I adore the way he plays. Djokovic has had a great

year, Murray because he is British. I can't see anybody out of the top

four. Not even Jo-Wilfred Tsonga against Federerment Roger has been

playing well. He has carried the clay over to the grass. He is happy,

looks confident. Looks relaxed. I will agree with you. He would love

to beat Novak again. All this talk about Novak riled him up the wrong

way. Haven't got any spare tickets have you? Right. Any way, out there

in the dark, hundreds and hundreds of people are camping, awaiting for

what is going to happen tomorrow. The atmosphere you could say is