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The biggest day of Vasek Pospisil's tennis career comes Wednesday, on famed Centre Court at Wimbledon
WIMBLEDON – The notion that Vasek Pospisil has "nothing to lose" on Wednesday in the biggest match of his career is an old cliché, of course.
He has plenty to lose - for one thing, the opportunity to get to the semi-finals of Wimbledon. There's the opportunity to get to a career-best ranking, just barely outside the top 20. And, of course, there's a tennis match to lose.
But the 25-year-old obviously is the prohibitive underdog so in the sense that few expect him to win, he's playing with house money.
Pospisil looked okay as he had a light practice Tuesday at Aorangi, roughly at the same time Wednesday's opponent, Andy Murray, was also going through his paces.
But it's impossible to attach any significance to that, because the speed, stakes, and tension will be ratcheted up about a thousand fold when he enters Centre Court precisely at 1 p.m. (8 a.m. EDT back home, on TSN).
"It's going to be obviously a tough one. You know, he's had a great results here over the years. Obviously, you know, he's the big, one of the big four, as they say," Pospisil said after his marathon day Tuesday, five sets of singles in a win over Viktor Troicki and five sets of doubles in a losing cause with partner Jack Sock. "But I think I'm serving well, I'm playing well, and I will have a good day of rest (Tuesday). I know I will have my hands full and I have to go out there and play to the best of my abilities. And that's what I plan on doing."
Pospisil has played Murray three times in the last nine months – all on hard courts. All were straight-set wins for Murray but the first two, played indoors on faster surfaces than the most recent meeting in March at Indian Wells, were more competitive.
There were moments in those matches where he was right there with Murray. But this is different. It's best of five sets, not two-of-three. It's the quarter-finals of a major. And it's Wimbledon.
"He's had a good run here. Obviously won the doubles here last year. Can play well on the surface. He's also played a lot of tennis here, which, you know, is a positive for him in some ways. But also maybe he's a little bit fatigued. So if that is the case, and I won't bank on that being the case, but if that is the case, I'll try to use that to my advantage," Murray said.
He can certainly get some tips from brother Jamie, who was on the other side of the court for that long doubles match and, in making it a five-setter, took some extra juice out of Pospisil's legs.
That's a nice brother, right there.
Here's a look back at that marathon. Through the last 2 1/2 sets, there was a whole lotta fist-pumping. But there were some disquieting signs as well – a hand shaken out, a few spills, a quick visit from the trainer for a back massage.
Here are a few opinions and previews of the match, which obviously will get huge play in the U.K.
Fellow player Heather Watson, writing a column for the Telegraph.
This piece pegs Pospisil as "one of the most superstitious players on the professional tennis tour," which will probably be big news to anyone who follow's Pospisil's career, as is the news that he's been carrying his motivational blue notebook around and consulting it on changeovers all season.
???. Pretty much.
Murray coach Amélie Mauresmo had some very complimentary things to say about Pospisil in The Guardian.
“Although it’s the first time for him at this level of a tournament, I think he’s going to go out there and have nothing to lose and just go for his shots. He’s a big guy, he can release big shots on the serve and on the forehand. He can come forward as well, good at the net. He’s a pretty consistent overall player. This one needs to be taken very seriously," Mauresmo said.
Murray's Davis Cup teammate, James Ward, told the Daily Mail that Murray needs to beware of Pospisil's serve.
"It’s very accurate and he hits big from the baseline and doesn’t give you a lot of rhythm. He mixes up the serve well and the one he hits straight down the ‘T' works very well. He has also got a good one that goes flat to the advantage court," Ward told the Daily Mail. "It should be an interesting match because he will be trying to keep the rallies short and I imagine that Andy will be happy if they are quite long. I do think Andy is well-equipped to play him because his returns are so good, so I’d make him the favourite to go through."
The Independent has a piece that talks a bit about Pospisil's road to this big day, and the sacrifices his parents made. It also has some advice for Pospisil from legendary tennis guru Nick Bollettieri.
That's to be taken with a grain of salt, though; Bollettieri thinks Pospisil has slipped a bit from his career-best ranking, "perhaps because he's concentrating on doubles." Er, not really.
But his basic advice is sound: if you're tired, ignore it.
"(All the tennis) may take a toll, but he has to bullshit himself, tell himself: 'I’m in the quarter-final, baby. I feel fine, I’ve had a day’s rest and I’m raring to go.' Hell, at 25, he’s in the prime of his life and if a quarter-final on Centre Court doesn’t give him a buzz of adrenalin, nothing will," Bollettieri said.
What is he going to have to do? Serve out of his mind, play as long as he needs to, hope for some help from Murray. And maybe say a couple of prayers.
But stranger things have happened.
Pospisil has said on several occasions that he likes the big occasions. And they don't come much bigger than this for a tennis player – at least when it's not a major final.
"I had one Centre Court experience, and it was a great one. I'm looking forward to going out there again, and, you know, give it my best for sure," he said. "Realize that it's going to be a tough, you know, feat to accomplish, to beat Andy here Wimbledon, his home court. I will try and take the positive memories of last year and my good form, you know, this past week."
