The first week of Wimbledon was many things. Unexpected, slippery, record-breaking, dramatic and at times anti-climactic but above all, it was a week that tested tennis fans across the globe.
It separated the true aficionados from the bandwagon fans and reminded us all why it is a sport like no other.
A few weeks ago we were wondering when we were going to see a new teenager explode onto the scene at a Grand Slam; whether we will ever witness another Michael Chang, Mats Wilander or Rafael Nadal run at a Major.
This fortnight we were reminded that there are many players of this generation who never got their chance as their careers coincided with that of some of the best athletes to ever pick up a racquet.
Steve Darcis, a 29-year-old and Sergiy Stakhovsky, a 27-yearold, competed for 10 years on tour before pulling off the biggest wins of their careers, taking out the two most successful active grass court players – Roger Federer and Nadal – in the first two rounds at Wimbledon.
Tennis nowadays may not feature the excitement that comes with up-and-coming teenagers, but its comeback stories, long overdue breakthroughs and surprise upsets are just as inspiring.
I don’t know about you, but watching a 35-year-old Tommy Haas make back-to-back second weeks at Majors after going through all those injuries and surgeries is incredible. He is personifying the term “second chance” and we all know we could use one or two of those in our lifetime.
Watching 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt, another perpetually injured veteran, take out Stanislas Wawrinka in the first round was maddening. Then seeing the dreadlocked Jamaican-German serve and volleyer, Dustin Brown beat Hewitt in the following round was equally remarkable.
Meanwhile, on the women’s side, we have witnessed some great performances from the younger players. It’s true that the many withdrawals made for some unnecessary drama and the absence of Nadal and Federer is so alien to us that we almost don’t know how to enjoy a Major without the pair.
But the first week for me was more about Darcis and Stakhovsky than about them. It wasn’t about Maria Sharapova losing early. It was about Michelle Larcher de Brito, Monica Puig, Sloane Stephens and Laura Robson.
It’s time we learnt to appreciate the ‘little’ players and admit that they are in fact creating the ‘big’ stories.
Nadal, Federer, Serena Williams and Sharapova won’t last forever but tennis will certainly outlast them all.
BEST MATCH – Third round: Agnieszka Radwanska v Madison Keys
Contrasting styles from the No4 seed, 2012 runner-up and her incredible defence against the all-out attacking style of the 18-year-old Wimbledon debutante.
The young American hit 67 winners including 15 aces to stretch Radwanska to three sets but eventually lost. An incredible match though.
BEST SHOT – Third round: Dustin Brown v Adrian Mannarino
At 0-0 in the second set, Brown served and charged the net, lobbed, was lobbed back, but the German sprinted well beyond the baseline with his back to the net, slid as if he were on clay and flicked the ball for a winning lob. Watch it HERE.
CRAZIEST QUOTE
“Many people said I had a good draw. But (Lukasz) Kubot, on grass, is maybe better than Nadal.” – Benoit Paire of France gets a little carried away after his loss to Kubot.
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