Torque

Anyone thinking of backing Dimitrov anytime soon should probably think again. I've just watched most of his straight-sets loss to Kevin King, who's ranked at number 405, and it's got to be up there with one of the worst performances I've ever seen. The Bulgarian was a break up twice in the first set but lost it 7-5, then was a double break up in the second and leading 3-0 before losing it 6-4. From 3-0 in the second set he never held his serve again and would have lost the set 6-3 if it hadn't been for King failing to serve it out. Some of Dimitrov's numbers were astonishing. He won less than 1 in 4 points behind his second serve, served 8 double faults and conceded 23 break points - I'm not sure I've ever seen so high a number in a 3 set ATP match. All the way through it looked as though he couldn't really be bothered whether he won or lost. King didn't even play well himself - his first serve percentage was below 50, he fired down 9 double faults and he wasn't much better than Dimitrov on second serve. If that wasn't a performance that deserves a fine for a lack of effort then I don't know what is.

Close to a clean sweep 

Anyone thinking of backing Dimitrov anytime soon should probably think again. I've just watched most of his straight-sets loss to Kevin King, who's ranked at number 405, and it's got to be up there with one of the worst performances I've ever seen. The Bulgarian was a break up twice in the first set but lost it 7-5, then was a double break up in the second and leading 3-0 before losing it 6-4. From 3-0 in the second set he never held his serve again and would have lost the set 6-3 if it hadn't been for King failing to serve it out. Some of Dimitrov's numbers were astonishing. He won less than 1 in 4 points behind his second serve, served 8 double faults and conceded 23 break points - I'm not sure I've ever seen so high a number in a 3 set ATP match. All the way through it looked as though he couldn't really be bothered whether he won or lost. King didn't even play well himself - his first serve percentage was below 50, he fired down 9 double faults and he wasn't much better than Dimitrov on second serve. If that wasn't a performance that deserves a fine for a lack of effort then I don't know what is.

Close to a clean sweep 

Anyone thinking of backing Dimitrov anytime soon should probably think again. I've just watched most of his straight-sets loss to Kevin King, who's ranked at number 405, and it's got to be up there with one of the worst performances I've ever seen. The Bulgarian was a break up twice in the first set but lost it 7-5, then was a double break up in the second and leading 3-0 before losing it 6-4. From 3-0 in the second set he never held his serve again and would have lost the set 6-3 if it hadn't been for King failing to serve it out. Some of Dimitrov's numbers were astonishing. He won less than 1 in 4 points behind his second serve, served 8 double faults and conceded 23 break points - I'm not sure I've ever seen so high a number in a 3 set ATP match. All the way through it looked as though he couldn't really be bothered whether he won or lost. King didn't even play well himself - his first serve percentage was below 50, he fired down 9 double faults and he wasn't much better than Dimitrov on second serve. If that wasn't a performance that deserves a fine for a lack of effort then I don't know what is.

Anyone thinking of backing Dimitrov anytime soon should probably think again. I've just watched most of his straight-sets loss to Kevin King, who's ranked at number 405, and it's got to be up there with one of the worst performances I've ever seen. The Bulgarian was a break up twice in the first set but lost it 7-5, then was a double break up in the second and leading 3-0 before losing it 6-4. From 3-0 in the second set he never held his serve again and would have lost the set 6-3 if it hadn't been for King failing to serve it out. Some of Dimitrov's numbers were astonishing. He won less than 1 in 4 points behind his second serve, served 8 double faults and conceded 23 break points - I'm not sure I've ever seen so high a number in a 3 set ATP match. All the way through it looked as though he couldn't really be bothered whether he won or lost. King didn't even play well himself - his first serve percentage was below 50, he fired down 9 double faults and he wasn't much better than Dimitrov on second serve. If that wasn't a performance that deserves a fine for a lack of effort then I don't know what is.

It happens - sounds just like Fed against Djokovic. And if Federer can do it on centre court in the final of Wimbledon then anyone can. 

Nothing involving Klizan is a banker, but yeah .

The week after Wimbledon is always a bit flat. In Europe there's an inexplicable switch to clay for what seems like no time at all until the American hard court swing begins, plus a lot of players aren't playing due to their Wimbledon exertions which means a roster of minor tournaments with weakened fields. Not very attractive from a betting perspective which explains how quiet it is here right now.

The week after Wimbledon is always a bit flat. In Europe there's an inexplicable switch to clay for what seems like no time at all until the American hard court swing begins, plus a lot of players aren't playing due to their Wimbledon exertions which means a roster of minor tournaments with weakened fields. Not very attractive from a betting perspective which explains how quiet it is here right now.

.....latest weather report.....

The 148th Open Championship is set to be played at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Portrush, Northern Ireland, from July 18 to July 21.
The world's oldest golf championship returns to Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years, and the weather may be a factor in the outcome.
Extreme weather is not expected during the four days of intense play on the rugged links which feature frequent changes in direction and elevation.

Italy's Andrea Pavan plays his tee shot off the16th tee during a practice round ahead of the start of the British Open golf championships at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, Wednesday, July 17, 2019. The British Open starts Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

On Wednesday, the golfers got a taste of Northern Ireland weather as gusty winds and a soaking rain dampened spirits during the final day of practice.
First round action is slated to begin on Thursday, and rainfall and gusty winds will once again be a concern.
While rainfall is not expected to be heavy enough to cause delays, course conditions may change throughout the day creating difficult play for even the world's best golfers.
"Winds of 8-16 mph (13-26 km/h) are expected throughout the day with gusts as high as 25 mph (40 km/h) at times," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Tyler Roys.


A dry start to the day is possible on Friday for the second round of play; however, the threat of rainfall will increase during the day with a period of rain possible from midday into the evening. Light to moderate winds are forecast throughout the day.
A drier day is forecast on Saturday, but there will be the risk for a brief shower as winds remain light to moderate. Cloud may yield to a few sunny breaks during the afternoon.
RELATED: 
United Kingdom Weather Center 
Detailed forecast for Portrush, Northern Ireland 
Interactive Northern Ireland weather radar 
3 ways weather affects the sport of golf
Sunday is forecast to be the driest day of the tournament; however, gusty winds will still bring a challenge to for the final round of play.
"Strong southwest winds of 10-20 mph (16-32 km/h) are expected with frequent gusts as high as 30 mph (48 km/h)," Roys said.
While the day is expected to be dry, rainy spells are expected to arrive during the evening and continue into Sunday.
Heat will certainly not be a concern at this year's Open Championship; in fact, spectators and players will want to dress accordingly as daily high temperatures will range from 17 to 19 C (62-66 F).

So true.  But there's still some interesting stuff this week on clay in the WTA if you really love the grind:)  After losing so much on the final serena vs halep match (literally lost all of my wimbledon profits on the single match) I kinda need the break anyway.  Still felt like the bet was right, but disappointed.  I'll be courtside for the San Jose tourney which looks to be really good this year with Svitolina and some other big names coming:)

The week after Wimbledon is always a bit flat. In Europe there's an inexplicable switch to clay for what seems like no time at all until the American hard court swing begins, plus a lot of players aren't playing due to their Wimbledon exertions which means a roster of minor tournaments with weakened fields. Not very attractive from a betting perspective which explains how quiet it is here right now.

Just in case it wasnt clear these are Ted's selections for the Open
Outright: McIlroy 17/2 BetVic
1st Rnd Leader: McIlroy 20/1 Hills
Top European: McIlroy 4/1 Laddies
Top Former Winner: McIlroy 7/4 bet365
Top Irish Player: McIlroy 4/9 betfred
Top GB/Ire Player: McIlroy 11/4 Unibet
McIlroy to get Hole In One: 33/1 betway
Best of luck Ted, hope he does it for you mate

The open comes to God's Country....Wee Norn Iron
Royal Portrush: How one of golf’s greatest masterpieces has been made even greater
image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/01/porty6-920x584.jpg
Aerial Views of Royal Portrush Golf Club - An aerial photograph from out to sea of the par 3, sixth hole Harry Colts' in the foreground and the par 4, fifth hole 'White Rocks' behind on the Dunluce Links at Royal Portrush Golf Club the host venue for the 2019 Open Championship on October 10, 2018 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images) Credit: David Cannon/Getty
  Sporting life Royal Portrush, in County Antrim, is one of the finest golf courses not just in Northern Ireland but the world. Toby Keel paid a visit a few months before the world's best players arrive for The Open.
In 1980, a team of experts began restoring Michelangelo’s ceiling of the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. It was painstaking work, carried out millimetre by millimetre, with no expense spared in either time or money. Yet even before the 14-year project was complete, the critics’ knives were out: it was crass, simplistic, technically flawed, and completely trampled the artist’s original intention. The controversy rumbles on to this day. Restoration is a tricky business.
In golf, too, restoration is a minefield. Every time The Open returns to the Old Course at St Andrews, the track gets a few tweaks – tiny amends, really, since the place has barely changed in its essentials for over a century. And every time, there’s somebody ready to complain about the updates, grumbling that the Road Hole bunker has been made too big, or too small; or that the new tee on such-and-such a hole ruins the approach angle.
All of this makes it even more remarkable that the updates to Royal Portrush – which will host golf’s Open Championship in July – have been greeted with almost universal acclaim. And rightly so.
The comparison between Portrush and the Sistine Chapel isn’t quite so fanciful as it might initially seem. While even the Antrim club’s most fervent members wouldn’t claim it as one of the Great Works of Man, they will rightly point out that this is one of the finest achievements of golf course design on the planet. The course was regularly ranked in the world’s top 10 by golf magazines across the globe even before the tweaks made ahead of this year’s tournament. And like the Sistine Chapel, it was shaped by the hands of a master: Old Tom Morris, the towering colossus of 19th century golf, first laid the course out on the spectacular dunes of this beautiful coastline. And it was another master who gave the place it’s previous major surgery, back in the 1930s: Harry Colt, the pre-eminent architect of golf’s ‘Golden Age’ who laid out courses including Sunningdale and Muirfield.
image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/01/GettyImages-1068296856.jpg
A rainbow forms behind the green on the 431 yards par 4, ninth hole ‘Tavern’ with the 418 yards par 4 15th hole ‘Skerries’ in the distance at Royal Portrush Golf Club the venue for The Open Championship 2019 on September 12, 2018 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. Phot: David Cannon/R&A via Getty Images
But while Royal Portush’s Dunluce course, as it’s officially called, was a masterpiece, it had a problem. Or, rather, two problems: the 17th and 18th holes.
After 16 truly magnificent links golf holes, the finishing pair let the track down rather badly. Playing it was like eating the first nine-tenths of a tasting menu created by a chef with three Michelin stars, only to be served Angel Delight for pudding.
It’s not an uncommon problem with links courses, since they invariably start at the flatter land where the clubhouse lies, move out to the more dramatic terrain, then return to the duller stuff. Royal Troon is a perfect example: the opening and closing few holes are entirely forgettable, while the stretch in between as good as anything in the world. Turnberry has a similar problem with its 1st and 18th holes.
At Portrush, however, a solution been put in place by golf architects Mackenzie & Ebert. Those weaker holes were scrapped and two brand new holes built towards the end of the front nine. That’s shunted everything along by two holes, meaning that the old 16th – a fine dog-leg played to a green surrounded by hillocks and gorse – is now the 18th, while the wondrous long par-3 ‘Calamity’ (230 yards across a yawning chasm with a 100ft drop down to the right) is now the 16th instead of the 14th, meaning that nerves and fatigue will play a great role in identifying 2019’s Champion Golfer of the Year.
image: https://keyassets.timeincuk.net/inspirewp/live/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2019/01/44476509874_a2c89def90_k.jpg
Royal Portrush has magnificent views out to sea from almost every spot
Even better is the fact that the new holes – the 7th and 8th – are immediately among two of the best on the course. The former is a long par-5 played from an exposed, raised tee – wind will surely play havoc, if it blows – to a fairway tunnelling through dunes, while the 8th brings in to play the same drop in elevation that golfers later have to deal with on Calamity. Both offer precisely the sort of experience which marks out a truly great golf course: you’re constantly presented with shots that you can’t wait to hit.
  Tickets for The Open at Royal Portrush have long since sold out – pent-up demand for an Open on Irish soil meant that the entire allocation of almost 200,000 went within days – but practice day tickets are still available. Anyone who loves the game really ought to make the pilgrimage to this magical spot at least once in their lives: Portrush’s course and setting are equally beautiful, and there are a number of other courses and things to see nearby (most notably Portstewart and the Giant’s Causeway) which easily justify a trip of several days.
Green fees on the Dunluce course at Royal Portrush vary from £70 in winter to £205 in summer – see www.royalportrushgolfclub.com for more details, or www.discovernorthernireland.com/golf to find other places to play nearby.

Read more at https://www.countrylife.co.uk/out-and-about/sporting-country-pursuits/royal-portrush-one-golfs-greatest-masterpieces-made-even-greater-191111#1Q1SHHsWmgzkIaV7.99
 

Should have been braver and backed the straight sets but I never imagined Serena could be so dismal. As well as Halep played, Serena was terrible - even worse than last year. UE after UE after UE. If that was me I'd be a bit embarrassed, and I'd also be a bit embarrassed if I was one of Serena's previous opponents in this tournament. She is so obviously lacking in fitness and limited in movement that it makes a bit of mockery of the sport that she can just show up for the big tournaments and make the final like she's done in 3 out of the last 5 Slams.

Should have been braver and backed the straight sets but I never imagined Serena could be so dismal. As well as Halep played, Serena was terrible - even worse than last year. UE after UE after UE. If that was me I'd be a bit embarrassed, and I'd also be a bit embarrassed if I was one of Serena's previous opponents in this tournament. She is so obviously lacking in fitness and limited in movement that it makes a bit of mockery of the sport that she can just show up for the big tournaments and make the final like she's done in 3 out of the last 5 Slams.

Czech punter has already answered your question above, Owenclass

Should have been braver and backed the straight sets but I never imagined Serena could be so dismal. As well as Halep played, Serena was terrible - even worse than last year. UE after UE after UE. If that was me I'd be a bit embarrassed, and I'd also be a bit embarrassed if I was one of Serena's previous opponents in this tournament. She is so obviously lacking in fitness and limited in movement that it makes a bit of mockery of the sport that she can just show up for the big tournaments and make the final like she's done in 3 out of the last 5 Slams.

Well, she can only make the final though .

Should have been braver and backed the straight sets but I never imagined Serena could be so dismal. As well as Halep played, Serena was terrible - even worse than last year. UE after UE after UE. If that was me I'd be a bit embarrassed, and I'd also be a bit embarrassed if I was one of Serena's previous opponents in this tournament. She is so obviously lacking in fitness and limited in movement that it makes a bit of mockery of the sport that she can just show up for the big tournaments and make the final like she's done in 3 out of the last 5 Slams.

I'm not brave enough to back the straight sets win, but I am going to back Halep at 2.74 on the exchanges. That's too big in my book.

He's got a chance. Novak wont like it that the crowd will largely be rooting for Federer and that could have a big impact.

You are right. But I don't think something totally unexpected happened this time 

I'm not brave enough to back the straight sets win, but I am going to back Halep at 2.74 on the exchanges. That's too big in my book.