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| 27 Jun 2003 | |
| Day Four: Hooray for Hollywood |
"Quiet up there." "Places Everyone.” "Are we ready to start
rolling?" "Lights, camera, aaaandddd rolling."
For a while Wimbledon Centre Court became a movie sound stage and everyone got into it. Shooting began on a new feature film, a romantic comedy to be called ‘Wimbledon’. Appropriate enough, wouldn’t you say?
The movie stars Kirsten Dunst who has managed to free herself from
Spiderman’s web, and Paul Bettany, who often plays a menacing character. It’s about a British player, Peter, who has a shocking world ranking but gets a wild card into Wimbledon. He keeps winning and as he does, falls in love with an American player, Lizzie. It’s a film, it’s fantasy, only some of it is true ... the part of a British player with a low ranking getting a wild card into Wimbledon ... and the wild card winning. Let’s face it, that ain’t going to happen.
No sooner had filming of the crowd scenes been completed and Tim Henman
walked on court to play Michel Llodra. The crowd had already been stirred up with the movie sequence and that British "player" winning that they got right behind Henman and waved about their Union Jacks.
"I was aware of the plot. I think it’s obviously hopefully not reflected in our desperation to try to win this tournament one day, that they have to make films about it," smiled Henman.
"It will be interesting to see the outcome."
Henman came through with a comfortable 64 64 63 victory over Michel Llodra, the French Davis Cup player, but Henman is once again the sole British player even before the first week at Wimbledon has ended. He says it is not something that he pays a great deal of attention to.
"The only thing that I really can control is my own performance [and] I
felt like today’s performance was much improved," said Henman.
The British number one suggested the expectations on him are a bit lower than previous years. He feels his record of never getting past the semis might have something to do with that.
"This year is slightly different I do feel that, not having played as much as I would have liked," said Henman who had shoulder surgery late last year.
"The last few tournaments I’ve played, I felt my game has definitely
started to come around. It was pretty slow progress to begin with my first few tournaments back. But days like today when I’m feeling like I’m hitting the ball well, it can be good for your confidence."
He plays young Swedish qualifier Robin Soderling who beat Belgian Gilles Elseneer.
Jennifer Capriati, who played on the court with the biggest negative
reputation, Court Two, is going through the draw with a moderate amount of attention and she swept into the third round with a 62 61 thumping of Marie Gaianeh Mikaelian. Capriati’s serve was quite a weapon in the match and it was very effective whenever she needed it.
"The only thing I would dread is if it’s a noisy court, if there’s a lot of people kind of walking around, but that court has a nice atmosphere, it’s cozy, it’s not so big," said Capriati of the court that has probably seen more big upsets than any other at Wimbledon.
"I like it better than court 18 because there’s a little more room to move. I guess over the years it’s been called the Graveyard Court. I don’t really think about that. I don’t believe in that."
But the Graveyard was in effect in the match before Capriati because Mary Pierce upset the 14th seed Eleni Daniilidou 61 64 there, and after Capriati played, Sargis Sargsian upset the 26th seed James Blake in straight sets.
Justine Henin-Hardenne was given quite a test in the first set by Flavia Pennetta who took the new French Open champion to a tiebreak before crumbling, 76 61. Henin-Hardenne said she was not totally focused on every point in the match but denied that the great victory she had at Roland Garros had anything to do with it. Paris is far from her mind now and the specialness of Wimbledon has her attention.
"Being on Centre Court was very nice and I enjoyed it a hundred percent," she said.
"It’s just the beginning of a Grand Slam, it’s always hard to
play these kinds of matches. And that’s okay. I have to see the positive way.
"People look at me differently than before the French Open, for sure.
“It’s normal. I can feel it. But it’s a great feeling. Usually the crowd here is so respectful for the players, I could see it last year, two years ago. I mean for all the players. It’s a great crowd. I really enjoyed it."
She comes up against Alicia Molik who scored an impressive upset of the
31st seed Elena Likhovtseva, and Henin-Hardenne says that does not surprise her because the Australian has the type of game to do well on the grass.
Andre Agassi had to work a bit for his 63 76 63 win over Lars Burgsmuller and the second seed reckoned it was a good match. He liked the fact that he had to play a tight set and come up with the big points. While it may have been a good match to watch, Agassi says it’s hard for the player to feel the same way.
"I don’t know if you sort of enjoy it the same way a spectator does," said Agassi.
"You enjoy the challenges of it, sort of trying to figure out what
the next thing to do is. Other than that you can’t really get taken by it because you will lose concentration."
Agassi says he is doing what he has to at the moment and as the tournament goes on he, like everybody else, will need to pick up the level of play. He says he definitely knows he has to get better. You want to be ready for any situation because you never know what’s around the next net post.
In other results there were wins for Juan Carlos Ferrero who beat Nicolas Escude when the Frenchman retired at the start of the fourth set with an upper leg injury. Serena Williams defeated Else Callens and Sebastien Grosjean stopped Australian Wayne Arthurs.
So at the end of day four, the shout of "CUT" was made. "That’s a wrap."
Directors ... they always want the last word.
If you want to follow the action as it happens, with live scores and results, then please visit the Official Website at www.wimbledon.org.
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