Both FC Edmonton and Forge FC will be battling for their first win of the Canadian Premier League season when the soccer teams face one another on Canada Day — but the two sides are in different circumstances.
Forge FC is the defending CPL champion while the Eddies are trying to regroup after finishing last season — which was an abbreviated one because of the COVID-19 pandemic — without a win.
“Forge are a beast in this league,” FC Edmonton coach Alan Koch told reporters on Wednesday. “Their depth is almost second to none.”
Koch noted that after losing their season opener 2-0 to Valour FC on Sunday, Forge FC may be even more difficult to play as they are now “a wounded beast.”
“(But) we’re not intimidated by anybody,” he said. “We don’t fear anybody.
“The desired outcome on Thursday night is to continue to grow.”
Koch was brought in as the Eddies’ new coach in the off-season. He said even though his players lost Saturday’s season opener 1-0 to Atlético Ottawa, he was pleased with their effort and performance.
“You can see already we’re an attacking threat,” he said. “We didn’t score, but we were dangerous.”
Koch noted that with most of his players never having played a match together, let alone with him as coach, the disappointment of losing the first game of the season was tempered somewhat.
“We knew we’d run up against a brick wall eventually, and we did, particularly against a team like Ottawa that’s been in Europe and been playing games,” he said. “Our group grew when we went through all the different training mechanisms we had to go through.
“We’re not shying away from that… (but) we have to stay true to where we’re going,” he explained. “We started at the bottom and we have a steep hill to climb.
“We want to be protagonists (and) we want to play with energy.
“As difficult right now as it is to lay the initial bricks… we need to play the way we know is going to set us up for success in the long term… We’re going to chip away at it.”
Because of uncertainty about restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, all CPL teams are playing matches at IG Field in Winnipeg for at least the start of the season. The league hopes to have all teams play in their home markets later in the season in front of their hometown fans.
FC Edmonton players to wear orange on Canada Day
For their opening match of the season, FC Edmonton players donned orange jerseys that featured the slogan “every child matters” in an effort to raise awareness about the ongoing impact that Canada’s residential school system has today.
On Wednesday night, a spokesperson for the club confirmed the team will be wearing the orange jerseys again on Canada Day.
“In place of celebration, we choose to use this day to acknowledge the harm done to the Indigenous community,” a statement from the club read. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the many souls lost to residential schools, along with their families, friends and survivors.
“As a club, we vow to continue to use our collective voice to advocate, make time to stay informed and provide support.”
Canada's men's national rugby team is back in action, with a tough test in Wales coming up on Saturday.
As part of the Summer Internationals, the Canadians travel to Cardiff to take on the high-powered Welsh at Principality Stadium. It'll be a stern test for the Canadians, who have only defeated Wales once in 12 matches (the rest were Welsh victories).
Canada has assembled a roster heavy on talent from Major League Rugby for the Wales test and subsequent match against England, with head coach Kingsley Jones looking to see his player pool face the stiffest of competition ahead of crucial World Cup qualifiers in the fall.
“The MLR is providing our players the opportunity to consistently train and play at a high level," Jones said. "We are very excited to assemble for the first time since our high-performance camp last November. It’s been a massive undertaking in coordinating the logistics of assembling these players in a COVID-world, but we feel privileged and humbled to have the opportunity to play these critical Rugby World Cup qualification preparation matches.”
Here's everything you need to know about Saturday's broadcast.
Wales vs. Canada: Time, date
Date: Saturday, July 3 Time: 10:00 a.m. ET
The match is scheduled to kick off at 10:00 a.m. ET at Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
How to watch Wales vs. Canada: Live stream on DAZN
In Canada, the Summer Internationals are available on DAZN, the live streaming sports service.
DAZN is available on web browsers at DAZN.com, plus many popular streaming devices, including: iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets, Amazon Fire tablet, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Google Chromecast, LG Smart TV, Panasonic Smart TV, Samsung Smart TV, Sony Smart TV, Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S.
How about that for a start to the knockout stages?
The round of 16 at Euro 2020 did not disappoint. There was upsets, drama, penalty shootouts, extra-time heroics and everything else imaginable. On top of all that, fans were treated to an astounding 28 goals across the eight games. Not bad for a stage of a tournament where matches tend to become cagey.
Now the focus shifts to the quarterfinals, which kick off on Friday. Could we see a Cinderella run to the final, or will the favourites ultimately triumph?
Here is one key for every quarterfinal at Euro 2020.
Switzerland vs. Spain: The Swiss pace and height
Unlike Croatia, Switzerland possesses the speed to threaten Spain on the counter. Considering the Croatians still caused fits for the Spanish in the round of 16 despite their lack of pace, that’s an area of concern for the Spanish.
When Spain had possession, both full-backs pushed forward with a midfielder – Pedri on the left and Sergio Busquets on the right – covering for them. Xherdan Shaqiri and Breel Embolo can therefore exploit the open space centrally whenever Spain are overloading the flanks. Mario Gavranovic shadowed into those channels to score Switzerland’s equalizer to force extra time against France.
Switzerland’s height is also a useful weapon on set pieces or via crosses. Two of the Swiss goals were scored via headers, so Spain needs to be on high alert.
Belgium vs. Italy: Domenico Berardi
Italy’s left flank, mainly Leonardo Spinazzola and Lorenzo Insigne, where the key to the team’s round-of-16 clash with Austria, and it proved decisive as the Azzurri overcame a feisty Austrian side to win 2-1 after extra time.
But there’s an attacker flying under the radar on the opposite flank. Domenico Berardi hasn’t received the same plaudits as other teammates, but he’s been quietly effective all tournament long. Only Marco Verratti (8) has created more chances in open play than Berardi’s seven, with an expected assists (xA) total of 1.16, per Opta. His 24 shot-ending sequence involvements is level with Insigne, too.
This is topical because Berardi will be up against the ultra-attacking Thorgan Hazard at left wingback and a slower, error-prone Jan Vertonghen at centre-back. He can maneuver through tight spaces and create chances with his dribbling, but he might be a handful for Belgium’s defence.
Czech Republic vs. Denmark: Christensen’s role
The battle of the Cinderella stories will be played on Saturday as one of the Czech Republic or Denmark will book its spot in the semifinals.
Most of their starting lineups are predetermined, apart from one player: Andreas Christensen.
Christensen started against Wales in the round of 16 in a back three. But with Wales gaining a foothold on the game, the defender pushed into the midfield to help Denmark seize possession and, ultimately, control for the rest of the match. The Chelsea centre-back finished the match with two interceptions, three recoveries and two clearances.
His ability to break up attacks allowed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to then dictate the tempo of the game, leading to Denmark’s resounding victory. If the Danes find themselves in a spot of bother again, expect a similar tactical tweak to solve that issue.
Ukraine vs. England: The left side
Jack Grealish’s substitution may have swung the momentum of England’s round-of-16 victory over Germany, but it also highlighted Luke Shaw’s quality in the final third.
Shaw’s cross created Raheem Sterling’s opener against Germany and he was a constant threat whenever he meandered into the final third.
The problem for England is Ukraine’s proficiency on that same flank. Oleksandr Zinchenko (No. 17), Mykola Matvyenko (No. 22) and Mykola Shaparenko (No. 10) created a lethal triangle on that side which might exploit the English whenever they burst forward.
Given the reliance on this side of the pitch from both teams, whoever grabs hold of the match could end up exploiting that flank and secure the victory.
Turner Sports has announced more details for the fourth edition of The Match, taking place on July 6 at Moonlight Basin in Montana and featuring Phil Mickelson and Tom Brady against Bryson DeChambeau and Aaron Rodgers. They previously revealed their commentary team, and now they’ve announced full broadcast details, including a pre-event “Range Battles” show on the Bleacher Report app and YouTube channel. That show will start at 4 p.m. Eastern, with TV coverage of The Match itself beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern on TNT/TBS/truTV (starting with a pre-show, then going into live coverage). Here’s more on that from a release:
Bleacher Report will host an exclusive live stream event in the lead up to Capital One’s The Match – Range Battles presented by Capital One on the B/R app and the Bleacher Report YouTube channel starting at 4 p.m.
Hosted by top online creators MMG and Deestroying, the interactive show will feature Mickelson, Brady, DeChambeau, and Rodgers competing head-to-head in a driving range competition with the goal of hitting a mobile golf cart for points. Special celebrity guests will also appear in Range Battles, which will include a challenge segment featuring quick-hitting golf-styled competitions.
Throughout the live stream, fans at home will be prompted to make selections in the B/R app on various challenge outcomes for the chance to win cash prizes.
It’s interesting to see a special Bleacher Report pre-show event here, as Turner execs have long touted how the social followings of Bleacher Report and House of Highlights are good fits for boosting their TV content, and have particularly discussed that around The Match. Of course, both specific comments linked above came from then-Turner Sports president David Levy, who left in 2019 following AT&T’s purchase of WarnerMedia, and there have been lots of questions about B/R’s future recently. One show doesn’t diminish those. But this does suggest that current Turner leadership still sees some value to Bleacher Report-branded content, and still sees B/R’s app and YouTube channel as destinations for video shows (something they’ve found success with onmultiplefronts).
Another notable part of this release is the details on the charities Turner/WarnerMedia is supporting. Charitable donations have been a big part of The Match’s installments so far, and this year’s no exception; they’re donating at least one million meals to Feeding America (the exact amount will be determined by some on-course challenges), with a portion going to the local Montana Food Bank Network, and they’re donating at least $1 million (again, exact amount determined by on-course challenges) to the My Brother’s Keeper (MBK) Alliance, ” an initiative of the Obama Foundation [that] leads a national call to action to build safe and supportive communities where boys and young men of color are valued and have clear pathways to opportunity.” And Turner Sports is also giving some MBK Alliance ambassadors the chance to contribute to the telecast:
In addition to a minimum donation of $1 million made by WarnerMedia to the Obama Foundation, among other funding raised throughout Capital One’s The Match, Turner Sports is partnering with the MBK Alliance to provide a unique opportunity for five ambassadors to participate in working roles at the event. These five ambassadors, part of MBK Alliance’s Chicago program, will contribute in various roles associated with the live telecast including production, talent relations, camera and technical operations.
Beyond that, Turner is going to have celebrity guests present throughout The Match, some appearing by satellite. One notable one they mentioned is new NHL on TNT analyst Wayne Gretzky. That makes sense, given that Gretzky’s going to be one of the faces of their new hockey coverage this fall, and given that he’s long had a passion for golf. We’ll see who else they get to show up.
Range Battles will air at 4 p.m. ET on July 6 on the B/R app and YouTube channel. The Match’s pre-show will start at 5 p.m. Eastern on TNT (simulcast across TBS and truTV as well), followed by live event coverage.
Roger Federer is through to the second round at Wimbledon, courtesy of a mid-match retirement by Adrian Mannarino.
The Swiss had just started serving in the opening game of a fifth set decider when Mannarino threw in the towel, having injured his knee a game earlier, leaving the score at 6-4, 6-7(3), 3-6, 6-2 after 2 hours and 44 minutes of play.
Mannarino, making his 10th Wimbledon appearance and getting to play on Centre Court on his birthday, slipped in the seventh game of the fourth set, injuring the inside of his right knee, which rendered him unable to put any weight on it.
Federer will next face another Frenchman in the shape of Richard Gasquet in the second round on Thursday.
Quick Match Recap
Federer won the toss and elected to serve. Mannarino, hoping to celebrate his thirty-third birthday with a huge win, looked set to receive an early gift as a poor start from the Swiss gave him a 0/40 window.
Federer needed to settle quickly, and he did so, saving all three break points and then holding to lead 1-0.
After failing to convert, Mannarino then had to save two break points himself to level for 1-1.
A more confident hold from Federer put him 2-1 up, and he soon had two more break points but could not seal the advantage.
Another quick hold moved him 3-2 in front, with the Swiss finding his feet on serve.
Mannarino then hit two double faults in his next service game but recovered to level.
Game seven resulted in another speedy hold, meaning Federer had won ten points in a row on serve, but the Frenchman continued to hang tough, holding to thirty for 4-4.
More of the same put the Swiss 5-4 in front, and in game ten, he came up with a flick of the wrist to set up two set points, converting the second with a backhand pass to take the set.
The second set kicked off with yet another comfortable hold, thanks to Federer winning 88% of points behind his first serve, highlighting that the first serves landed (just 52% up to that point) rarely, if ever, determines the outcome of a set or match.
Mannarino had to fend off deuce to level for 1-1 and then won two points in a return game for the first time since the opener.
From there, it was the Frenchman's turn to build some momentum, holding to love for 2-2 and creating two break points in the fifth game, but he was unable to convert.
No more opportunities were to come Mannarino's way in the set, but he was able to hold his own on serve, winning 96% behind his first delivery over six games as he forced a second set tie break.
Into the tie break and with Federer's forehand timing from the baseline missing, Mannarino moved up an early mini-break for 2-0, and despite handing it back, he was soon back in front with a double mini-break for 4-1 after more mistimed Federer forehands.
4-1 was quickly 6-1, and although Federer won his next two service points, Mannarino converted his first set point on serve to level at one set all.
The former Rosmalen champion was aided by 12 winners to just 5 unforced errors, compared to Federer's 13 winners to 19 unforced errors.
The third set started with Mannarino pegged back to deuce from 40-15, but he held firm to lead 1-0.
Federer's forehand woes then continued as more errors handed Mannarino the early break for 2-0.
An instant response was needed, and although Mannarino saved two breakpoints, Federer ramped up the aggression to break straight back for 1-2 before a speedy hold put him level at 2-2.
However, the momentum was short-lived as Mannarino held for 3-2 then broke Federer to love for a 4-2 lead thanks to some nifty returning.
Another comfortable hold put Mannarino up 5-2, and although Federer held for 3-5, he was not perturbed holding with a classic lefty serve out wide + volley putaway for two sets to one lead.
The fourth set started with Federer needing to save a breakpoint in his opening service game; buoyed from the hold, the Swiss could up his intensity, breaking to fifteen for 2-0.
Federer held to love consolidated the break for 3-0 and quickly turned that into 4-1 thanks to some more quickfire points.
The sixth game presented Federer with a chance to secure a double break, but Mannarino used his cat and mouse style tennis to escape for 2-4.
Midway through game seven, Mannarino slipped midpoint and hurt his knee. The physio was called, and after a brief stop, Federer held for 5-2.
With Mannarino looking subdued and unsure if his knee could hold his weight, he went into winner or miss mode, dropping serve as Federer took the set 6-2.
A retirement looked imminent, and although Mannarino started the fifth set, as soon as Federer won the opening point, a disappointed looking Mannarino knew he could not continue and handed Federer the victory.
Match Stats
Roger Federer
Adrian Mannarino
Aces
16
5
Double Faults
3
6
First Serve % In
68/112 (61%)
83/130 (64%)
Win % On 1st Serve
50/68 (74%)
63/83 (76%)
Win % On 2nd Serve
27/44 (61%)
20/47 (43%)
Net Points Won
29/35 (83%)
14/25 (56%)
Break Points Won
4/13 (31%)
2/8 (25%)
Receiving Points Won
47/130 (36%)
35/112 (31%)
Winners
54
36
Unforced Errors
45
31
Total Points Won
124
118
Distance Covered
6031.2m
6173.6m
Distance Covered/pt.
24.9m
25.5m
Highlights
Thoughts on the Match
It’s awful. It shows that one shot can change the outcome of a match, a season, a career. I wish him all the best and I hope he recovers quickly so we see him back on the courts. He could have won the match in the end. Obviously, he was the better player, so I definitely got a bit lucky.
You don’t get many walkovers throughout a career and you try also not to have it happen to yourself. It’s a reminder of how quickly it goes. But of course, I’m obviously happy I can get another chance for another match here. I worked very hard and in the end, I enjoyed myself out there today. It was great fun until the end, obviously. Federer on the circumstances surrounding his win.
A bittersweet end to this match and seeing an opponent have to retire is not good for anyone involved, especially not the injured party, but for both Federer and the fans courtside, it's always a bit awkward.
From Federer's side, he'll take it as it means he gets a second match on Thursday after being outplayed for large parts of this one.
Whereas Mannarino will leave London exceptionally disappointed that he slipped on the baseline when he was in with a realistic chance of recording a big victory in front of a Centre Court crowd, all on his 33rd birthday.
In terms of how the match played out, after saving the breakpoints in the opening game, I thought Roger played a decent first set, using the slice to force Mannarino to try to generate pace off his forehand, which worked well.
However, from the middle of set two, Fed slipped into a more monotonous play level, which allowed Mannarino to find his groove from the baseline.
Once he had the rhythm, he plays like the ball is on a piece of string, and he can work the angles brilliantly. His shots look like powder puff stuff, but with his takeback, it's hard to read where he's going and like Federer said, his shovel-like backhand bamboozles a lot of players.
That forced Federer into action, but he could not find that forehand potency, missing way too many of them, including four straight errors in the second set tie break.
The third set was more of the same, and his serve also tailed off, but in the fourth, something clicked back into gear, and he was able to play with more urgency and dictate play again.
Had the fifth being played and no injury had occurred, I would have made Fed a slight favourite given momentum. Still, with his level bouncing around from good to dreadful often within individual games, it wasn't a certainty, but I'd like to think his experience from that Falla match all those years ago would have paid off.
Final Thoughts
The level in sets 1 and 4 need replicating over an entire match
His forehand misfired too many times
It looks like it will take a while for him to free his mind and play instinctually. Paganini et al. can only show him the door. He has to walk through it. 🙂
Predictions vs Richard Gasquet
Federer is next up for fellow veteran Richard Gasquet after he defeated Yuichi Sugita in four sets over on Court 15.
Federer leads the H2H 18-2, and it's been ten years since Gasquet last won a set against him, so he has a huge mental edge going into the match.
However, most of Fed's matches so far have been a bit of a struggle, so it'd a surprise if it was the plain sailing we're accustomed to.
Gasquet has little to hurt Federer with, but he's got two Wimbledon semi-finals to his name, and I expect another close match with Federer winning in four sets.
What did you guys think of Federer's performance? Predictions against Gasquet? Let me know in the comments.
2021 CPL regular season (The Kickoff) — Match #5 Valour FC vs. HFX Wanderers FC June 30, 2021 at 7:00 pm ET/ 6:00 pm CT
IG Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba Watch Live: OneSoccer.ca
After very different results on the opening weekend of the 2021 Canadian Premier League season, Valour FC and HFX Wanderers are back at it on Wednesday. The Wanderers come into this match looking to bounce back from a 2-0 loss to Pacific FC on Saturday, while Valour look to build on a 2-0 victory over back-to-back champions Forge FC on Sunday.
Austin Ricci was the standout performer for Valour against Forge, drawing the penalty that would become the first goal of the match (scored by Moses Dyer) in the 6th minute, and scoring an impressive solo goal to double his team’s lead 20 minutes later. His big performance was rewarded with a spot in the Gatorade Team of the Week, alongside teammates Andrew Jean-Baptiste and Federico Peña, who put in very strong performances in the Valour backline.
It was a different story this weekend for Akeem Garcia and his HFX Wanderers side against Pacific FC. They struggled to break down Pacific FC’s defence, and the Trinidad and Tobago international striker made a limited impact in his 45 minutes on the pitch before being subbed out at halftime. His replacement Joao Morelli looked sharp after coming off the bench, but it wasn’t enough to create a goal for his side. First half goals from Marco Bustos and Ollie Bassett were enough to beat the Wanderers after a pair of lightning delays at IG Field.
“In the opening 12 minutes of the game I thought we were getting into some good positions, and we were controlling certain parts of the field, but that fell apart a bit,” said Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart. “Once changes were made in the second half, we looked more like the team that we all know. We went forward with a little more fluidity, of course that needs to be improved because we haven’t played any games.”
Wanderers defender Eriks Santos came off in the first half against Pacific with a calf injury, but HFX head coach Stephen Hart said in his pregame media availability that he is expected to be available for Wednesday’s match. Valour had an injury of their own, as Brett Levis left the match in the first half, but Rob Gale didn’t have an update on his status as of Tuesday afternoon.
Wednesday’s match should be an interesting tactical matchup, especially if Rob Gale’s team is willing to soak up pressure like they did on Sunday. They let Forge have the ball, and hit them on the counter attack, and it worked very well for them. That’s similar to how HFX set themselves up at times, so this could be an exciting end-to-end battle.
“It’s a tough, tough test,” said Gale of Wednesday’s opponents. “The message hasn’t changed in our room. It’s only three points (the win over Forge), it’s nothing to get excited about. We have to build off of that and try to win back-to-back football games. We know the quality they have, they have a terrific coach in Stephen Hart.”
3 THINGS TO WATCH:
2-0 a regular scoreline between these sides: This fixture has ended 2-0 on four occasions, three times in the league and once in the 2019 Canadian Championship. Coincidentally, Valour won 2-0 on Sunday, and HFX lost 2-0 on Saturday, so if matches on the opening weekend are any indication of what to expect on Wednesday, we could be in for another 2-0 match at IG Field. Both sides have strong backlines and lively attacks, so there’s a possibility that there are goals to be scored in this match.
Can Valour win two in a row for the first time?: Valour FC have never won two matches in a row during their time in the CPL — they’re the only one of the original seven CPL clubs yet to do so. After a big win over Forge FC on the opening weekend, they’ll have momentum and motivation to get a streak going to begin their 2021 season. While Rob Gale has denied that his team has any kind of advantage by playing at home, and is right to an extent, some Valour fans gathered outside IG Field for their match on Sunday, making it feel as close to a home atmosphere as possible. Before fans can get back into IG Field on July 7th, anyway. They also seemed fairly comfortable playing on the turf, whereas other teams clearly needed to adjust.
Will HFX’s attack click in game two?: In their 2-0 loss to Pacific, HFX Wanderers didn’t do much with the ball when they had it. They only had three shots on target, one of which was a long-distance effort that never troubled Pacific goalkeeper Callum Irving. Akeem Garcia was quiet, only touching the ball six times (two were from kickoffs at the centre circle) in 45 minutes before before being replaced at halftime. It wasn’t all negative, though. Stefan Karajovanovic was lively in his CPL debut, and forced a big stop out of Irving in the second half, while Joao Morelli was a much-needed spark off the bench.
Previous match: September 2, 2020 – Valour FC 0-2 HFX Wanderers FC
KEY QUOTES
“[There are] so many emotions. So many people have lost loved ones, sufferered losses unimaginable. People, livelihoods, jobs. It’s been terrible to see, and we’ve all gone through it together. We all stick together, that’s what I love about Manitoba, we support each other, we rally each other when we’re down… hopefully we can provide entertainment, enjoyment, and some relief from the hard times we’ve all gone through.” Valour head coach Rob Gale on getting fans back into the stands next week
“They have some good wide play, they do well with the overloads on each side of the pitch. On the day against Forge, they took their chances well. They’re going to be on a high mentally, and you can expect that they would be looking forward to this game to try and benefit from the momentum.”– Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart on what to expect from Valour
Make your match picks prior to kickoff at canpl.ca/predictor for a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2021 CPL Final!
2021 CPL regular season (The Kickoff) — Match #6 Atlético Ottawa vs. Cavalry FC June 30, 2021 at 10:00 pm ET/ 9:00 pm CT IG Field in Winnipeg, Manitoba Watch Live:OneSoccer.ca
Atlético Ottawa takes on Cavalry FC at IG Field on Wednesday evening in Winnipeg ,with both sides coming off a season-opening victory and looking to make two wins in a row at The Kickoff.
The only previous match between those two teams was last August during the Island Games, when Ottawa topped the Cavs 2-0 thanks to goals from Ben Fisk and Malcolm Shaw just three minutes apart midway throughout the second half.
Cavalry impressed against York United on Sunday in a 2-1 victory, with goals coming from José Escalante and Sergio Camargo, while three newcomers were given club debuts in the starting XI including defenders Daan Klomp and Tom Field as well as former Forge striker Anthony Novak.
While Wheeldon Jr. was more than pleased with his group’s performance against the Nine Stripes, he’s trying to keep a level head as they prepare for an organized Ottawa group: “It’s a regular professional season, so we can’t get too high or too low during the ups and downs.”
Ottawa fought to the final minutes against Edmonton on Saturday to eventually win 1-0 courtesy of an 82nd minute winner from Victor Martinez. While it was hotly contested affair by both teams, Atlético looked the more structured outfit and were full worth for a positive result in the end. It was a performance in the eyes of the Cavs manager reminiscent of Atlético Madrid, and one that will pose problems for his group if they start slow from the opening whistle on Wednesdsay.
“I think they do what their parent club does right, they start the game at you,” Wheeldon Jr. said of Ottawa’s win against the Eddies. “They’re very tactically astute, you’ve got to be patient with them and we learned that the hard way in the Island Games.”
Unfortunately for Ottawa, they’ll be down at least one key player on Wednesday, though: Ryan Telfer, who was a key part of their attack against FC Edmonton, has been called up to the Trinidad and Tobago national team‘s Concacaf Gold Cup squad and thus won’t be available.
In the only midweek match featuring two winners from the opening weekend, both sides will be eager to stay perfect and retain their early position atop the CPL table.
3 THINGS TO WATCH
Triple M midfield trio: One of the major strengths Ottawa displayed in their opening win against the Eddies came in the midfield battle — largely thanks to the cohesion of Chris Mannella, Ben McKendry and Victor Martinez. The three central figures showed an organization clearly born of preseason familiarity as their ability to find one another in tight spaces gave FCE all sorts of trouble in the middle of the park. Mannella and McKendry both completed over 85% of their attempted passes while Martinez ultimately found the decisive finish with a lovely left-footed curler from outside the box. Quickly earning a reputation as the ‘M&M&M’ unit, the trio could be one Mista leans on throughout the Kickoff.
Klomp dominant in debut: Replacing Dominick Zator at the back was one of Wheeldon Jr.’s biggest tasks of the offseason and in newcomer Daan Klomp, it appears he just might have a candidate. Klomp led all players on the pitch against York United in several notable categories including successful passes (61), clearances (6) and interceptions (4) — his 80 touches were second only to his defensive partner Mason Trafford with 82. While his name was relatively unknown before this season, Wheeldon Jr. says he was part of a crop of offseason additions identified specifically for their compatibility to Cavalry: “They play how we want to play, we want to play out of the back, we want to be tough when attacks come and I thought Daan Klomp was outstanding (against York.)” So far so good for the Dutch defender who could become a staple at the back for the Cavs.
Less of a leash for starpower? While both teams picked up wins in their previous match, both Mista and Wheeldon Jr. clearly put some thought to the congestion of this run of matches when selecting their starting XIs and in substitution decisions. Cavalry in particular limited minutes for some of their more exciting attacking options as Mo Farsi and Sergio Camargo settled for just 45 apiece. Ottleti were slightly less cautious as they afforded 65-70 minutes for Mannella, Ryan Telfer and Malcolm Shaw in their attack before leaning on the bench to see out the closing 20′. As Wheeldon Jr. told reporters ahead of the match on Monday, his side “weren’t going to reveal their cards right away” given this isn’t tournament football. However, in a scenario where all three points are up for grabs late in this one, it will be interesting to see if one of or both managers are willing to throw caution to the wind to try and nab six points from a possible six to open the season strong.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Atlético Ottawa wins: 1 || Cavalry FC wins: 0 || Draws: 0
Previous match:
August 27, 2020 – Atlético Ottawa 2-0 Cavalry FC
KEY QUOTES
“Cavalry’s a great team. Maybe we need to improve our rhythm with the ball, because their strikers, they have a very good press when they have the ball.” — Mista, Atlético Ottawa coach
“They (Ottawa) may have the upper hand in terms of fitness levels at this point. but we’ve got a couple aces up our sleeve that we wish to play as well.” — Tommy Wheeldon Jr., Cavalry FC coach
Make your match picks prior to kickoff atcanpl.ca/predictorfor a chance to win prizes, including the grand prize of a trip to the 2021 CPL Final!
For the second straight year, and only the fourth time in its history, the International Plowing Match and Rural Expo has been cancelled.
The directors of the Ontario Plowmen’s Association issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the cancellation of the annual meetup, which was to be held in October at the Lindsay Exhibition Grounds, due to COVID-19.
“In spite of the current decline in the number of COVID-19 cases, the Ontario Government has yet to provide large provincial events with the details concerning capacity limits and additional restrictions,” the statement read.
“While the IPM plans have been progressing, these uncertainties make it impossible to proceed with an in-person event.”
Organizers say since its inception in 1913, the event has only been cancelled two other times with the first being in 1918, during a flu pandemic in Ottawa, and it was also put on hold during the Second World War.
The four-day event is a big draw that typically attracts a host of politicians and 80,000 visitors, resulting in an economic spinoff of about $25 million for the community.
At the last event in 2019, Premier Doug Ford and Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath both attended, while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has also been in attendance a couple of times.
The association says next year’s event will be held in Kemptville, followed by Dufferin County in 2023.
Lindsay, which was also supposed to host the cancelled event in 2020, will finally get its chance in 2024.
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Xavier Woods in a non-title match has been announced for Monday’s Raw television show. Lashley defeated Woods in a Hell in a Cell match last week.
Powell’s POV: While it’s nice to see advertise another match a week in advance, it’s hard to see the need for a rematch from a storyline standpoint given that Lashley just beat Woods clean in the HIAC match.
Venus Williams won a match at Wimbledon for the 90th time. She also beat the rain.
The 41-year-old advanced to the second round by defeating Mihaela Buzarnescu 7-5, 4-6, 6-3. The match ended moments before a light shower forced an interruption in play on some courts at the All England Club.
Williams is playing at Wimbledon for the 23rd time. She has won the grass-court tournament five times, most recently in 2008. She is now ranked 111th, and the victory was her first since she won one match at the Australian Open.
Williams put her recent skid in perspective after Tuesday's win.
"I'm good at what I do. You can't win them all," Williams said. "Life is about how you handle challenges. Each point is a challenge on the court. No one gives you anything. I think I handle my challenges well."
Williams saved five break points in the first set as she pulled ahead. When she closed out the victory, she shouted "Come on!" and celebrated with her familiar pirouette.
Williams overcame eight double-faults and erased 13 of the 15 break points she faced.
It wasn't all good news for American women Tuesday, though.
Jabeur will next face Williams, who had nothing but praise for the 26-year-old from Tunisia.
"I would say she is one of my favorite people on tour," Williams said. "Honestly she is just breaking down barriers. You know the first woman from her country to do anything ... she just won her first tournament, which is great.
"You're just going to see a whole generation of women coming from North Africa so I think she is inspiring so many people including me."
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
Murray took a 5-0 lead in the third set but was broken serving for the match three consecutive times, and lost seven games in a row. He regained the upper hand in the seesaw match in the final set.
Ranked 118th, Murray is mounting a comeback after two hip operations. He won Wimbledon in 2013 and 2016.
___
9:25 p.m.
Belarus's Aryna Sabalenka returns the ball to Romania's Monica Niculescu during their first round women's singles match on day one of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday June 28, 2021.
Eleven matches on Wimbledon’s outer courts have been suspended because of darkness. Play continues under the lights and retractable roofs on Centre Court and Court 1.
One suspended match between two qualifiers, Arthur Rinderknech of France and Oscar Otte of Germany, was at 9-all in the fifth set. Gael Monfils of France and Christopher O’Connell of Australia were tied at one set apiece and 6-all in the third.
Some 21 matches were postponed after rain delayed the start of play on outer courts for more than four hours.
___
7:25 p.m.
American qualifier Denis Kudla rallied from a two-set deficit to win his opening match at Wimbledon.
Kudla, a tour veteran ranked 114th, beat No. 30-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain. The score was 5-7, 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-3.
Kudla has had improbable success at Wimbledon before. He reached the fourth round in 2015 as a 105th-ranked wild card.
Jannik Sinner, who was seeded 19th, lost to Marton Fucsovics of Hungary, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.
___
6:50 p.m.
Sofia Kenin advanced to the second round at Wimbledon by beating Xinyu Wang 6-4, 6-2.
Kenin saved the only break point she faced. The 2020 Australian Open champion is seeded fourth.
With one more win, the American will reach the third round at Wimbledon for the first time in her career.
___
5:50 p.m.
Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova has been eliminated in the first round by American Sloane Stephens, 6-3, 6-4.
Stephens, a former top 10 player now ranked 73rd, committed only 14 unforced errors. Her best showing at Wimbledon was in 2013, when she reached the quarterfinals.
Kvitova was seeded 10th and won the tournament in 2011 and 2014.
___
5:10 p.m.
French Open runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas has been upset in the first round at Wimbledon by Frances Tiafoe of the United States.
The 57th-ranked Tiafoe applied pressure by charging the net often and won 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. He had been 0-11 previously against players ranked in the top five.
Tiafoe won 24 points at the net and saved all seven break points he faced.
Tsitsipas was seeded third and had won more matches than any other player on the men’s tour this year. He reached his first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros this month before squandering a two-set lead in the final against Novak Djokovic.
Tsitsipas lost in the first round at Wimbledon for the third time in four appearances.
___
4 p.m.
Play is underway on the outer courts at Wimbledon after a rain delay of nearly five hours.
Matches began as scheduled on the two courts with retractable roofs. Novak Djokovic overcame a wobbly start to beat 19-year-old British wild card Jack Draper in four sets.
Because of a backlog in the schedule caused by the rain, 16 singles matches were postponed until Tuesday.
___
3:45 p.m.
Novak Djokovic overcame a wobbly start to win his opening match at Wimbledon.
The two-time defending champion was 0 for 7 converting break points in the first set, which he lost to 19-year-old British wild card Jack Draper. Djokovic slipped several times on the grass but hit 25 aces and rallied to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Draper is ranked 253rd and was making his main-draw Grand Slam debut.
Djokovic is seeking his sixth Wimbledon title and a record-tying 20th major title. He’s halfway to sweeping the Grand Slams in 2021.
The match was played under the retractable roof on Centre Court because of rain that delayed the start of play on outer courts.
Capacity was limited to 50% because of the coronavirus pandemic but the crowd still gave both players enthusiastic support.
___
3:25 p.m.
Sixteen singles matches at Wimbledon were postponed until Tuesday because of rain, which has delayed the start of play on the outer courts.
Six men’s matches and 10 women’s matches were called off. They included five-time champion Venus Williams against Mihaela Buzarnescu, and No. 10-seeded Denis Shapovalov against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Play is underway on Centre Court and Court 1, each of which has a retractable roof.
No. 2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is this year’s first winner at Wimbledon. She swept her opening match against qualifier Monica Niculescu, 6-1, 6-4.
They played under the retractable roof on Court 1 while the start of matches on outside courts was delayed by rain.
Sabalenka has won a tour-leading 30 matches this year and her seeding is her highest at a major tournament. She dominated from the start against Niculescu, who had so much trouble holding she even tried an underhand serve.
___
1:40 p.m.
Novak Djokovic was greeted on his return to Wimbledon by a standing ovation with the Centre Court crowd limited to 50% capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Djokovic won the tournament the last time it was held, in 2019, beating Roger Federer in an epic final. He is halfway to a Grand Slam in 2021, having won the Australian Open and the French Open.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic smiled as he entered the stadium. The retractable roof was closed because of rain that delayed the start of play on outer courts. Djokovic’s opponent is British wild card Jack Draper.
Djokovic has won seven of the past 12 major tournaments.
___
12 p.m.
There are queues again at Wimbledon as fans are allowed on the grounds at the All England Club for the first time in nearly two years.
The dreary weather does not appear to be dampening anyone’s enthusiasm as the grass-court Grand Slam tournament returns — even if rain is delaying the start of play until at least 12:30 p.m.
Stands selling food, drinks and souvenirs are staffed and doing business right from the start. Fans wearing the required masks are waiting in line.
Graduate student Hannah Scott calls the rainy, gray day “perfect spectator weather.“
Says Scott: “You’re not going to burn in the sun.”
Wimbledon was canceled last year for the first time since World War II because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s going ahead this year but with a reduced capacity at the start.
Organizers are planning to have full crowds of 15,000 at Centre Court for the women’s and men’s singles finals on July 10 and 11.
___
11:30 a.m.
Wimbledon already has its first rain delay of 2021.
Play on the first morning of the grass-court tournament has been delayed at least until noon because of rain.
___
11 a.m.
Wimbledon is back and ready to start after being canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams are among those scheduled to play Monday.
The sky is gray and rain is in the forecast.
Spectators are allowed at 50% capacity around the All England Club. That will go up to 100% for the singles finals on July 10 and 11.
While those are signs of a return to normalcy, a reminder that the coronavirus is still an issue came on the eve of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament. The only seeded woman from Britain, 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist Johanna Konta, had to pull out of the draw Sunday night because a member of her team tested positive for COVID-19.
Konta was in close contact with the person and must self-isolate for 10 days.
All players and their team members are staying at a designated hotel in London in what the All England Club is calling a “minimized risk environment.“
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England manager Gareth Southgate and Harry Kane during a press conference in London, Britain, June 28, 2021.
HANDOUT/Reuters
It was 4 a.m. or thereabouts in Berlin. A bunch of us were waiting for taxis outside the Hauptbahnhof, the central train station. We’d endured a long, slow journey from Gelsenkirchen, where England went out of the World Cup 3-1 on penalties after their quarter-final with Portugal ended 0-0. On the train, there was no beer or liquor for sale; you just didn’t invite England fans to get drunk.
Beside me in the lineup was a twentysomething English guy and his girlfriend, both in distinctive England shirts. Out of nowhere, along came three very drunk young German youths. One went directly to the English chap beside me, arranged his face into a sneer and sang, “England’s going home again, England’s going home!” The English guy calmly took in his tormentor; the swaying gait, the beery breath and, after a pause, quietly said, “All right Otto, have your fun. Nighty-night now.” The German youth left, propped up by his friends. The English guy turned to me and said, “I quite like Germany, actually.”
He could have meant the country or the German team. More likely the country. In the long history of great hatred between England and Germany in soccer, there’s less intensity now, but there’s still an edgy atmosphere. “Two World Wars and one World Cup!” is a chant from England supporters and Brexit has made the chant unlikely to go out of style.
England’s only World Cup trophy came after beating West Germany 4-2 in 1966. Much has changed since then – the Premier League is filled with players from many countries, including Germany. All the countries that England faces at tournaments are less foreign, less easy to demonize. But Germany still has demon status. Germany has won all four knockout matches between the teams since the 1966 World Cup final, including penalty-shootout triumphs at both the 1990 World Cup and Euro ’96, plus a 4-1 last-16 victory at the 2010 World Cup, considered controversial because a Frank Lampard shot should have been given as a goal, England supporters contend.
According to much of the English media, Tuesday’s match against Germany is key, is winnable and sets England on the road to the Euro 2020 final. After Germany, the pundits there say, England will beat Sweden in the quarter-final, beat Denmark in the semi-final and face France in the final match of the tournament. Bob’s your uncle.
First, of course, it has to beat Germany. Not an easy thing to do. To date at this Euro, England has achieved two 1-0 victories and a 0-0 draw. It’s possible that striker Harry Kane has contrived the cunning ruse of hiding his goal-scoring skills until they’re really needed against Germany, but it’s unlikely; he’s not that cunning. Manager Gareth Southgate has been accused of an overcautious approach, and rightly so. His use of England’s creative midfielder Jack Grealish has been cautious – he hasn’t started a match at this Euro.
Grealish epitomizes so much about England. The supporters love him for his dazzling runs and mischief-making. He’s a fan favourite because his mischief-making isn’t restricted to the soccer field. The Aston Villa player is a perambulating controversy Wmachine. He was banned from driving for nine months and fined $140,000 after crashing his Range Rover into two parked cars last March during the COVID-19 lockdown. In 2015, he was photographed passed out in the street while on holiday in Spain. He’s a rascal and for some reason that inspires adoration in England.
As for Germany, it’s an unpredictable team, a blend of veterans and youth. There are familiar names, some you might think of as retired, including Thomas Muller and Toni Kroos, but Robin Gosens provides a constant threat. The unheralded Gosens destroyed Portugal in that group-stage match, creating two goals, scoring another and encapsulating that winning mentality that Germany famously embraces in tournaments.
The match taking place at Wembley Stadium in London, with 40,000 fans allowed, might be thought to give England an advantage, but in a tournament played hither and thither across European cities, Germany is unlikely to be fazed. Southgate has urged caution, as is his wont. At a weekend press conference, he said, “We’re playing against a very good side. You hear about Germany being this and Germany being that and then you look at the team sheet and see four World Cup winners and about six Champions League winners,”
One thing that’s changed in the great rivalry is the reduced role of the English tabloid press. Until a few years ago, England’s players soaked up a lot of hype and near-hysterical jingoism about the importance of defeating Germany. The jingoism goes all the way back to 1966 when the Daily Mail pronounced, before the World Cup final, “Germany may beat us at our national sport today, but that would be only fair. We beat them twice at theirs.” These days the players tend to read their Instagram feeds, not fevered anti-German propaganda.
Still, an England against Germany match never quite becomes untethered from its origins in ancient loathing. If Germany wins, and it probably will, they’ll be singing with special fervour in Berlin.
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Tuesday is the final slate of Round of 16 match. It’s England vs Germany and Sweden vs Ukraine.
Here’s a look at the odds and match times.
England vs Germany
Wait..is it really coming home?
If England can get past Germany, they will certainly be tournament favorites. This will be an awesome match. Stakes are high. Enjoy.
This match takes place at 12pm ET. In the US, it can be viewed on ESPN.
England +155| Draw +225| Germany +195
Sweden vs Ukraine match line
Sweden should roll here but as we’ve seen the past two days, the knockout rounds are crazy. Still, they’re the better side.
This match takes place at 3pm ET. In the US, it can be viewed on ESPN.
Sweden +135| Draw +215 | Ukraine +235
WHERE TO BET EURO 2020 IN THE US
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High Press 10
High Press 10 covers general global soccer stories and news. He / she finds the quality of soccer in Bend It Like Beckham to be on par with u8 rec.
WIMBLEDON, England — The Latest on Wimbledon (all times local):
___
4 p.m.
Play is underway on the outer courts at Wimbledon after a rain delay of nearly five hours.
Matches began as scheduled on the two courts with retractable roofs. Novak Djokovic overcame a wobbly start to beat 19-year-old British wild card Jack Draper in four sets.
Because of a backlog in the schedule caused by the rain, 16 singles matches were postponed until Tuesday.
___
3:45 p.m.
Novak Djokovic overcame a wobbly start to win his opening match at Wimbledon.
The two-time defending champion was 0 for 7 converting break points in the first set, which he lost to 19-year-old British wild card Jack Draper. Djokovic slipped several times on the grass but hit 25 aces and rallied to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Draper is ranked 253rd and was making his main-draw Grand Slam debut.
Djokovic is seeking his sixth Wimbledon title and a record-tying 20th major title. He’s halfway to sweeping the Grand Slams in 2021.
The match was played under the retractable roof on Centre Court because of rain that delayed the start of play on outer courts.
Capacity was limited to 50% because of the coronavirus pandemic but the crowd still gave both players enthusiastic support.
___
3:25 p.m.
Sixteen singles matches at Wimbledon were postponed until Tuesday because of rain, which has delayed the start of play on the outer courts.
Six men’s matches and 10 women’s matches were called off. They included five-time champion Venus Williams against Mihaela Buzarnescu, and No. 10-seeded Denis Shapovalov against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Play is underway on Centre Court and Court 1, each of which has a retractable roof.
___
2:25 p.m.
No. 2-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus is this year’s first winner at Wimbledon. She swept her opening match against qualifier Monica Niculescu, 6-1, 6-4.
They played under the retractable roof on Court 1 while the start of matches on outside courts was delayed by rain.
Sabalenka has won a tour-leading 30 matches this year and her seeding is her highest at a major tournament. She dominated from the start against Niculescu, who had so much trouble holding she even tried an underhand serve.
___
1:40 p.m.
Novak Djokovic was greeted on his return to Wimbledon by a standing ovation with the Centre Court crowd limited to 50% capacity because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Djokovic won the tournament the last time it was held, in 2019, beating Roger Federer in an epic final. He is halfway to a Grand Slam in 2021, having won the Australian Open and the French Open.
The No. 1-ranked Djokovic smiled as he entered the stadium. The retractable roof was closed because of rain that delayed the start of play on outer courts. Djokovic’s opponent is British wild card Jack Draper.
Djokovic has won seven of the past 12 major tournaments.
___
12 p.m.
There are queues again at Wimbledon as fans are allowed on the grounds at the All England Club for the first time in nearly two years.
The dreary weather does not appear to be dampening anyone’s enthusiasm as the grass-court Grand Slam tournament returns — even if rain is delaying the start of play until at least 12:30 p.m.
Stands selling food, drinks and souvenirs are staffed and doing business right from the start. Fans wearing the required masks are waiting in line.
Graduate student Hannah Scott calls the rainy, gray day “perfect spectator weather.”
Says Scott: “You’re not going to burn in the sun.”
Wimbledon was canceled last year for the first time since World War II because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It’s going ahead this year but with a reduced capacity at the start.
Organizers are planning to have full crowds of 15,000 at Centre Court for the women’s and men’s singles finals on July 10 and 11.
___
11:30 a.m.
Wimbledon already has its first rain delay of 2021.
Play on the first morning of the grass-court tournament has been delayed at least until noon because of rain.
___
11 a.m.
Wimbledon is back and ready to start after being canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic.
Novak Djokovic and Venus Williams are among those scheduled to play Monday.
The sky is gray and rain is in the forecast.
Spectators are allowed at 50% capacity around the All England Club. That will go up to 100% for the singles finals on July 10 and 11.
While those are signs of a return to normalcy, a reminder that the coronavirus is still an issue came on the eve of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament. The only seeded woman from Britain, 2017 Wimbledon semifinalist Johanna Konta, had to pull out of the draw Sunday night because a member of her team tested positive for COVID-19.
Konta was in close contact with the person and must self-isolate for 10 days.
All players and their team members are staying at a designated hotel in London in what the All England Club is calling a “minimized risk environment.”
___
More AP tennis coverage: https://ift.tt/39gWJGi and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
WIMBLEDON, England -- Novak Djokovic overcame a wobbly start to win his opening match at Wimbledon.
The two-time defending champion was 0-for-7 converting break points in the first set, which he lost to 19-year-old British wild card Jack Draper. Djokovic slipped several times on the grass but hit 25 aces and rallied to win 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.
Djokovic took two tumbles onto his backside in the first set, losing his footing on the slick grass behind the baseline. This was his first competitive singles match on the surface since edging Roger Federer in the 2019 final after saving two championship points.
"To be honest, I don't recall falling this many times on the court,'' Djokovic said with a laugh. "Well, quite slippery, whether it's because the roof is closed or it was raining quite a lot the last few days, I don't know.''
Draper broke for a 2-1 lead, helped by Djokovic's double fault, missed forehand and flubbed volley, and held on for that set.
Barely.
Djokovic accumulated seven break points in the initial set: one the first time Draper served, two the next time and four the fourth time, a game the left-hander escaped with the help of two aces in a row at 125 mph and 117 mph.
A 125 mph service winner gave Draper that set, and he shook his racket, then pumped his right fist.
The crowd roared.
And two hours later, it was all over. Djokovic broke early in each of the remaining sets. He cleaned up his act considerably, going from just six winners and nine unforced errors in the opening set to a combined 41 winners and 15 unforced errors the rest of the way.
Draper is ranked 253rd and was making his main-draw Grand Slam debut.
"He definitely deserves a round of applause. I mean, he's a youngster,'' Djokovic said about Draper. "Walking onto Wimbledon Centre Court, for him for the first time, I think he has done extremely well. He carried himself very maturely on the court.''
Djokovic is seeking his sixth Wimbledon title and a record-tying 20th major title. He's halfway to sweeping the Grand Slams in 2021.
The match was played under the retractable roof on Centre Court because of rain that delayed the start of play on outer courts.
Capacity was limited to 50% because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the crowd still gave both players enthusiastic support.
"It feels great seeing everyone and being back at probably the most special, most sacred tennis court in the world,'' said the top-seeded Djokovic, who is halfway to a calendar-year Grand Slam, after trophies at the Australian Open in February and the French Open two weeks ago.
"Alongside many other players, I was very sad last year that Wimbledon was canceled,'' he said, referring to the first time it wasn't contested since World War II. "They were very difficult times for everyone, but I'm really glad that the sport is back. Hopefully you guys have enjoyed it and you will enjoy it in the next couple weeks.''
Sixteen singles matches at Wimbledon were postponed until Tuesday because of rain, which has delayed the start of play on the outer courts.
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