World Cup - Day eighteen

Day eighteen at the World Cup and Costa Rica drew one all with Greece but beat them five goals to three on penalties. 

This has been an amazing World Cup for both Costa Rica and Greece most people did not see either of these countries getting out of the groups.

But they both prevailed and Costa Rica just had a little bit more and beat them on penalties to win the match and progress to the quarter finals. 

Netherlands beat Mexico by two goals to one and it was a controversial scoreline mainly because Arjen Robben looked like he dived to get The Netherlands their second goal which ulitmately helped them to win the match. 

World Cup - day seventeen

Day seventeen of the World Cup and it is now the knock out stages. So Brazil drew one all with Chile but beat them three goals to two on penalties. 

I think that others are now beginning to realise that this Brazil team is average and they are definitely not the Brazil of old. 

I suspect if this World Cup had not been held in Brazil then might have been knocked out already. 

 Colombia beat Uruguay by two goals to nil and Colombia probably would have got this win. 

However Uruguay being with  their banned striker Luis Suarez made it even harder for Uruguay but Colombia very much deserved this victory. 

World Cup - Day fifteen

Day fifteen at the World Cup and Germany beat the USA by a goal to nil, however curtesy to other group results going their way USA where able to qualify for the knock out stages. 

In the other group game Portugal beat Ghana by two goals to one. This was tough match for both countries because result could have gone either way. 

However I was disappointed with the way the World Cup ended for Ghana. Two players sent home in disgrace and the others demanding their bonus. 

It has embarrassed Ghana and the focus should have been on how to beat Portugual. Hopefully these discpline and financial issues will not be repeated at the next World Cup. 

Elsewhere Algeria drew one all with Russia and with this win, Algeria qualified for the knock out stages.

Algeria where two of the only African countries to make it through to the knock out stages. Which is an amazing accomplishment for them. 

Now they face Germany in the knock out stages and this will probably see them bow out but it does not take away from there amazing achievements and they certainly have made Africa proud.  

World Cup - Day fourteen

Day fourteen at the World Cup and Argentina beat Nigeria by three goals two and this was a very entertaining game. 

In the first hour Nigeria looked like they where going to win this match, however somehow Argentina just seemed to have a little bit more in terms of attack and defence. 

France drew nil nil with Ecuador and France had already qualified so this draw meant that they would finish as group winners. 

Like I said in my previous blog France definitely had the strength and depth to do very well at this World Cup. 

Switzerland beat Honduras by three goals to nil and this win helped Switzerland to qualify for the knock out stages. 

Wimbledon - Day seven

Day seven at Wimbledon and Eugenie Bouchard beat Alize Cornet in straight sets. 

This was a good win for Eugenie and she  is having a great year after reaching the quarter finals in both the French and the Australian Open. 

Sabine Lisciki beat Ana Ivanovic in three sets and it was a good win for Sabine as Ana has had a good year. It was also a much needed win for Sabine as she has a lot points to defend for making it to the final last year. 

Petra Kivitova beat Shuai Peng in straight sets and this was a good routine win for Petra. Petra has that huge serve which is very effective on grass and it's difficult for any player to get it back.

In the men's draw Andy Murray beat Kevin Anderson in straight sets and this was a nice routine win for Andy who has been winning in clinical fashion. 

Novak Djokovic beat Jo Wilfred Tsonga in straight sets and he won the first two sets with ease but Jo Wilfred put up more of an effort in the third set. But Novak seem to have a little bit more to win the set and the match. 

Stan Wawrinka beat Denis Istomin in straight sets and this was a nice routine win for Stan who is aiming to win second grandslam of the year. 

Wimbledon - Day six

Day six at Wimbledon and it was a bit of a rainy day so not all the matches where completed. However Maria Sharapova beat Alison Riske in straight sets. 

It was a routine win for Maria who has yet to lose a set and Alison did get an early break but was unable to consolidate and Maria went on win the set and the match.

Eugene Bouchard beat Andrea Petkovic in straight sets and this was a good routine win for Eugene who will face tougher challenges as the tournament progresses. 

The shock of the day was Alize Cornet beating Serena Williams in three sets. It was a weird match Serena barely moved her feet and took all the power out of hitting the ball. 

I suspect that either there is a lingering injury or things are not great with her current coach Patrick. 

However it was a good win for Alize and her second consecutive win against Serena this year. This should give her the confidence to believe that she can do well this year. 

In the men's draw Rafael Nadal beat Mikhail Kukushin in four sets and Rafa dropped the first set on a tie break but on the next three sets and the match with ease. 

Roger Federer beat Santiago Giraldo in straight sets and this was a nice routine win for the seven time champion.

Wimbledon - Day Five

Day five at Wimbledon and Petra Kivitova beat Venus Williams in three sets and this was probably the match of the tournament. 

Venus played incredibly well and only dropped her serve once in the entire match. But sadly these days Venus does not have the movement that she once had. 

Therefore had to overly rely on her serve and to be fair Petra has a fantastic serve and it's difficult to get her serves back!

So all credit to Petra for getting this win and for Venus the furthest she has progressed in a grandslam in three years.

Simona Halep beat Lesia Tsurenko in three sets and it was a really topsy turvy match which really Simona should have won in straight sets. 

Especially as Lesia is ranked a hundred and seventy in the world. But Simona prevailed and won the third set and the match. 

The shock of the day was Barbora Zahlavova Strycova beating Li Na in straight sets. Li Na was not able to play her game  against Barbora who was able to win the big points when it mattered.  

In the men's draw Novak Djokovic beat Gilles Simon in straight sets and it was another routine win for Novak who has yet to be tested in this tournament. 

Andy Murray beat Roberto Bautista Agut in straight sets and it was a routine win for Andy who has been playing without the pressure he was under last year. 

However he will face tougher opponents as he progresses through the draw. He may face Novak in the semi finals and who will be different to the kind of player to the ones he has faced so far.