Wimbledon served up a thrilling blend of drama, intrigue, and upsets during the first week as the world’s finest players toiled under a sweltering sun. A number of big names crashed out at the hands of plucky upstarts, while several superstars reminded us all of their talent. Here are the biggest talking points from week one at Wimbledon:
Fed Express rolls on
Top seed Roger Federer barely broke a sweat as he won all three first-week matches without dropping a set. He vanquished Dusan Lajovic, Lukas Lako, and Jan-Lenard Struff in supremely comfortable fashion, suggesting he is the man to beat once again at this tournament. He leads the way in the sports spread betting markets and deservedly so, as he has displayed great poise and grace thus far, while he also looks to be in great physical condition. The Swiss maestro is now 36 years old, but he has benefited from skipping the clay-court season and he seems refreshed and ready for week two. He has adapted his game to play with more aggressive, assertive strokes and that has more than made up for his slightly diminished mobility. Some of his chief rivals (namely Marin Cilic) have faltered, but Federer has arguably never looked better.
Women’s game is thrillingly unpredictable
Nine of the top 10 seeds in the women’s tournament were knocked out before the end of the third round, highlighting just how volatile the women’s game has become. Upsets have occurred with alarming regularity, and any punters backing the underdogs would have enjoyed a handsome overall profit. Unseeded Jelena Ostapenko set the tone at last year’s French Open when she defied the odds to seize the trophy. A first-time winner has claimed each of the past five Grand Slams, and that remarkable record could well be extended at Wimbledon. Belinda Bencic, Donna Vekic, Camila Giorgi, Aliaksandra Sasnovich, Su-Wei Hsieh, and Alison Van Uytvanck are all still going strong, and all six are ranked between 47th and 56th in the world.
Serena could be back to her best
There is one key reason why the women’s game became so open and unpredictable: the absence of the legendary Serena Williams. She won the 2017 Australian Open while pregnant and then took a year out to have her baby. In that time, Ostapenko won at Roland Garros all the new champions were crowned and the sport descended into glorious bedlam. Williams returned in time for this year’s French Open, but she was not quite ready and she had to pull out of her last 16 showdown with Maria Sharapova. She was not given much hope of making a splash at this tournament, as she “almost died” while giving birth and she has not had much match practice since returning to action. But Williams is in ominous form. She has won all three matches without dropping a set, and she has displayed power, flair, and mental strength throughout. The 36-year-old American must be looking at the players left in the draw and starting to believe that she can go on to win a 24th Grand Slam title. If her body does not fail her like it did at Roland Garros, this trophy is hers.
Del Potro looks like a contender
Fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro could be the man to dethrone Federer in the men’s tournament. He is also in imperious form, having swept aside Peter Gojoczyk, Feliciano Lopez, and Benoit Paire in straight sets to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon for the fourth time. It is one of his best performances since missing more than two years after wrist surgeries, and suggests he is returning to his best. He already has a Grand Slam under his belt–the 2009 US Open—and he looks hungry for another. The Argentine reached the semifinals at the French Open last month despite never really having thrived on clay, and he is enjoying the grass at this tournament. He is on the opposite side of the draw from Federer, so he would not have to face him until the final. If he beats Gilles Simon, he might have to meet Rafael Nadal, but the Spaniard is at his best on clay and has not fared well on grass in several years. Del Potro has a pretty clear route to the final, and he should not fear Federer, after beating the Swiss in the Indian Wells Masters final earlier this year.
Heat is a factor
Wimbledon is usually dominated by grey skies and rain delays, but this year has seen London gripped by a prolonged heatwave. Some fans have fainted in the stands and players have looked sluggish as matches have worn on. The ferocious weather is forecast to continue throughout the second week, and it is all but certain to become the hottest tournament in Wimbledon’s 141-year history. But big servers should be pleased as the courts are extremely fast and that gives them an advantage heading into the fourth round.
[polldaddy poll=10050697]
Leave a Reply