As we enter the second and final week of Wimbledon, we reflect on all the action from week one – the successes, failures and dramas
BRITISH BURN OUT
Naturally during the home tournament at SW19, expectations amongst British fans are high. However support from the home crowds has not been enough to send many of them into the second week.
Kicking off the first week, two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray returned as a wildcard and reigning US Open champion Emma Raducanu would be returning to Centre Court, presenting high hopes for British triumph.
Unfortunately 19-year-old Raducanu was knocked out in the straight sets during the second round 6-3, 6-3 by unseeded Frenchwoman Caroline Garcia. History swiftly repeated itself on Centre Court when Murray, for the first time in his career, failed to reach the third round of Wimbledon, after American John Isner took home the win in four sets, 6-4 7-6 6-7 6-4.
But Murray and Raducanu’s early exists didn’t dampen British hopes too much as come Middle Sunday, Heather Watson and British number one, Cameron Norrie were still fighting fit but by nightfall only Norrie was left following straight set win against American Tommy Paul 6-4 7-5 6-4.
Watson’s personal best of advancing to the fourth round only lasted two sets with German Jule Niemeier knocking out Britain’s last female single player 6-2 6-4. However the 30-year old is kicking off week two at Wimbledon with fellow Brit Harriet Dart in the doubles.
Jamie Murray’s partnership with Venus Williams may have ended his mixed doubles title race but their loss was British pairing Alicia Barnett and Jonny O’Mara’s gain. Murray himself will be hoping for better success in the men’s doubles, with Brazilian Bruno Soares.
Kyle Edmund and Olivia Nicholls didn’t have much luck in the mixed doubles, but Neal Skupski is still in the running with his American partner Desirae Krawczykm, and Joe Salisbury is continuing the British-American alliance with Rajeev Ram who have reached the quarter-finals.
With Britain’s hopes of a singles title now solely resting with Norrie, a doubles title still looks promising for the Brits.
AU REVOIR TO FRENCH OPEN FINALISTS
In a similar view of disappointment, all 2022 French Open singles finalists bar Rafa Nadal have been knocked out with Norwegian Casper Ruud exiting in the second round and American sensation Coco Gauff and Poland’s Iga Swiatek both knocked out of the singles tournament on day six. But it wasn’t all bad news for Swiatek, whose exit left her with a 37 match win streak, beating Venus Williams’ 35 streak set in 2000 – Martina Navratilova holds the longest record of 74.
Nadal however had his strongest match to date in the third round having faced a tricky first two matches. Perhaps a lack of grass court practice can explain the early exits in these players, but given they have already made the final of the last grand slam, it’s unlikely that these results will cause any lost sleep.
KYRGIOS AND TSITSIPAS
On Saturday, in the midst of the Nadal match, a storm was brewing on Court 1 between Nick Kyrgios and Stefanos Tsitsipas. This was the kind of match that needed popcorn and a piping hot cup of tea.
Kyrgios has always been a character on the court that divides opinion but he is undeniably entertaining. Coupled up with the unpredictable nature of Tsitsipas, this match answered the question of what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.
Both received cautions from the umpire for their behaviour on court (and later fines of $4000 for Kyrgios and $10,000 for Tsitsipas) it was ultimately the Aussie who secured victory in four sets 6-7(2) 6-4 6-3 7-6(7).
However the constant complaints from Kyrgios about Tsitsipas purposely hitting him with balls and calls for defaults when the Greek hit balls into the crowd, over spilled into the post-match conference with Tsitsipas’s accusations about bullying, certainly overshadowing the quality of the game.
DJOKOVIC’S RETURN
Finally, while the women’s have enjoyed two different Grand Slam winners this year, the fight for a calendar slam for Nadal lives on, having already secured the Australian Open and his beloved French Open titles. But could Wimbledon’s men’s reigning champion have something to say?
The calendar slam was the same ultimate title Novak Djokovic was chasing last year until Russian youngster Daniil Medvedev ended his dreams at the US Open. Having being banned from this year’s Australian Open and being knocked on by Nadal in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros in May, Djokovic is undoubtably eager to impress.
With the majority of grand slams in the last 20 years being won by the big three; Roger Federer, Nadal and Djokovic – who hold a combine 62 slam titles – this year’s Wimbledon is distinctively missing grass-court favourite Federer.
Perhaps one less participating member of the big three may allow another outside hopeful a chance to win the prestigious Wimbledon title but Djokovic’s strong form displayed in the first week suggests otherwise and he could very much end Nadal’s calendar slam dreams in this own hunt a 2022 grand slam title.