 Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |  Photographer: Susan Mullane
Date: 06 Jul 2008 |
|
| 06 Jul 2008 - Wimbledon - Eleanor Preston | |
| Dimitrov the Rain Man reigns at Wimbledon |
Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov loves rainy weather so he could hardly feel more at home at Wimbledon, especially after he became the boys’ champion with a 75 63 win over Finland’s Henri Kontinen in Sunday’s final on a packed Court One.
Dimitrov had to overcome a painful shoulder injury to get past ITF/Grand Slam Touring Team member Kontinen and was thrilled with the victory afterwards. “Always when I was serving the pain was incredible,” said Dimitrov, who required treatment during the match and will undergo tests when he returns to Bulgaria. Maybe I had a bit luck. But I was using my serve, like just put the direction of the serve, and that was making him bit confused. I saw that at the beginning. I know when I have the breakpoints; I knew I was going to save it because he was a bit nervous. I could feel that. You know, also when I had the two breakpoints, when I was 5 4, he did unbelievable shots that I was, like, Okay, I mean, this guy can play well. I was just trying to keep fighting. I'm just proud of myself that I could like fight the whole match.”
Dimitrov is famous for liking the sort of wet and cool conditions that make most other people miserable and the Wimbledon weather gods served up a treat for him, with black clouds and interruptions for rain. “It was very nice when I woke up. I saw dark weather, raining a bit. I was like, ‘Yeah, it's going to be a good day’,” said Dimitrov, with a broad smile. “For me to win Wimbledon, I mean, it's pretty good, because this is what I wanted to do. The juniors are one step to get to another level for me. Always players, when they win tournaments like this, they always start having another dream, you know, start develop more, start playing more, discover more stuff about the game and how you feel, and I think this really helps me.”
In Sunday’s boys’ and girls’ doubles finals, Chinese Taipei pair Cheng-Peng Hsieh and Tsung-Hua Yang beat Australians Matt Reid and Bernard Tomic 46 62 12-10 and Australian Jessica Moore and her Slovenian partner Polona Hercog defeated an all-Australian team of Sally Peers and Isabella Holland 63 16 62. “It’s pretty cool,” said Moore afterwards. “It sounds pretty good. Getting the trophy was cool but it felt weird to hold it up and think that we were holding up Wimbledon trophies. For me, playing Australians in the final made it more difficult, especially because I know both the girls pretty well and I’m staying with them. You live together, you practice together and you know a lot about each other so that made it tough but I knew their games pretty well and that was a big help for us. I think we played pretty well and we were the ones who deserved the win.”
“I think that Wimbledon is the biggest of the all the tournaments and it means a lot to win here ,” agreed Hercoq, who joined forces with Moore last month to win the girls’ doubles title at Roland Garros. “We’ve now won ten matches in a row and they were pretty important ones too.”
Related Articles
> Robson shines for home win
> Flying Finn into final
> Rain man Dimitrov wins at Wimbledon
> Robson and Evans knock out form players
> Robson and Oudin set up Roehampton rematch
> Tomic downs Boluda in Wimbledon opener
> Junior Wimbledon Preview
^ Back to Top
|
