Elena Dementieva, Tennis Oracle and 2008 Wimbledon semifinalist, predicted Rafael Nadal’s defeat at Roland Garros the day before it happened. She recently explained her hunch to reporters at Eastbourne (via The Guardian):
“It was so strange because he was winning, first round, second round, but when I was watching him I didn’t see happiness in his eyes when he had finished a match. I was thinking he must be so tired, playing so many matches. It’s very physical the way he’s playing. I didn’t want him to lose. I think he’s a very nice guy and he was desperately looking for this title but when it’s enough, it’s enough. He needs to have a break.”
Her Wimbledon prediction for the men: “Don’t ask me. That was the only time I was right.”
She did say that Venus Williams is the favorite on the women’s side. And Venus agrees:
“It seems apparent, I have more passion for Wimbledon.“ Venus told The Guardian on Tuesday. “I know how to play this tournament. I know what to do to win and I’ve got the game to do it again. Yeah, like always, I’m pro-Venus.”
But Venus credits her dad as the ultimate tennis fortune teller: “He always said we (Serena and Venus) would win Wimbledon. Most of the things he said would happen have happened. He was very good at predicting.”
Bjorn Borg, who tipped Nadal as last year’s Wimbledon champion, picks Roger Federer and Andy Murray as the top contenders this year (via Reuters):
“We all know how Roger is playing on the grass, he plays unbelievable tennis on the grass. I think he is going to have a big challenge from Andy Murray, if I have to pick up two guys for this year’s Wimbledon I would pick Murray and Federer.”
Looking deeper into his crystal ball, the Swede sees more Majors in Federer’s future:
“For me Roger is the greatest player ever who played the tennis game. It’s always good to see him play and win and we are going to see so much more of Federer in the future, he is going to win more grand slam tournaments.”
How do you rate their tennis E.S.P.?
Loading ...Tags: Bjorn Borg, Dementieva, Federer, Murray, Nadal, tennis, tennis predictions, Venus, Wimbledon
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Last year, a friend of mine said: Borg’s crystal ball is made of plastic w/r to Nadal winning Wimbledon. She was wrong. I’m going with Borg.
I’m too scared of jinxes! I’m going with “anyone but Roger is going to win!” That way I’m pleasantly surprised when I’m wrong
I don’t know if my picks would be based upon predictions or just my dearest wishes. I am always looking for Venus and Roger to hoist the hardware at the end of the seven matches, so what good would it do me to speculate on their form at this point? Not much. But still, I’m hoping that Roger will carry his momentum from the French and the intense desire to regain his Wimbledon crown into the fortnight. And Venus usually straightens herself out at SW19 (with a few notable exceptions–Jankovic, Sprem, etc.) and I hope that she’s making herself match ready.
Actually I have a feeling that Maria is going to have a good run at Wimbledon this year. Even though she lost in the semis at Birmingham, she’s in great form coming off such a long and dicey injury. I don’t know that she’ll win but I still think she will probably go deep.
Pamala – I’m so with you on Venus!!! She has to make it 6. I just love, love, love how she can get her game in order on the grass.
Venus is such an enigma, and this is part of why she’s so great. It’s like she can just tell herself: “I’m going to win Wimbledon.” And she does.
Let’s veer away from Wimbledon Prediction for a moment and enjoy Roger’s new Rolex Ad that he posted in his Facebook.
enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4kczB1DjjI
This is just all kinds of aweseome, jenica! Thanks so much for bringing it to our attention. I’m posting it for those three Federer fans who like me, missed it on his Facebook page
And before i forget, Roger is also nominated in the Upcoming Teen Choice Awards 2009 as Choice Male Athlete!
thanks for the link to the Rolex ad, it’s classy. I have been voting for Roger to get a surfboard at this years teen choice awards.
Can I vote for teen choice, even though I’m not a teen? Are 30 year olds banned? I must check the rule book!
It would be so awesome if Roger won – I bet he’d go to the ceremony.
Oh just looked it up and I’m definitely banned! Vote twice for me, jfk!!!
You’re banned? I’m 21 and I just lied about my age. But I will be voting twice for you!
Borg is the biggest jinx. Didn’t he pick Roger to win the French Open last year? And sure he picked Rafa to win last year before the tournament, but he changed his predictions and went back to Roger a few days before the final. and we all know what happened there. Can’t you just go and make your undies quietly Bjorn? *freaks out*
I HOPE Venus suddenly finds her form – as she always does. She’s been in a bit of a funk during the clay season, which … isn’t all that different from every other year. So I guess we’re right on track? *nervous*
So not ready for Wimbledon …
Oh, dootsiez, you’ll be ready, don’t worry! I was totally struggling with tennis fatigue and writer’s block for a couple days this week, with Wimbledon seeming like this huge hurdle that I couldn’t get over (geeze, I wonder how the players manage) but I think I’m slowly getting into it.
Thanks for the summary of Borg – I knew that he was a jinxer but I couldn’t remember exactly how. And thanks for the mental image of Bjorn Borg, lit like a de la Tour painting, bent over his little granny sewing machine stitching waist bands on a hot pink pair of boxer briefs! Awesome!