Maria Sharipova was eliminated from Wimbledon yesterday, only a few weeks removed from her French Open title, which secured for her the notable distinction of a career Grand Slam, as well as catapulting her back to the number one ranking in Women's tennis. But her loss yesterday might prove costly, as she will likely lose the top spot. Still, she surely cannot be too upset, after having had such a remarkable run, and seemingly returning back to top form.
Venus Williams was knocked out in the first round, and her sister struggled in the first round, as well. Since then, she has had a couple of scares, but has found a way to keep surviving to this point. You have to figure that Serena Williams could definitely be a factor later on, and possibly could earn another title. She has more Grand Slam titles than anyone else still active.
Azarenka is now the highest ranked player remaining at Wimbledon, and she has some Grand Slam championship experience to fall back on, to boot. She won the Australian Open title earlier this year, and is the world's number two ranked player, looking to overtake Sharipova to regain the top ranking, and earn a second Grand Slam title in the process. She is my favorite to do it, too.
On the men's side, of course everybody knows that Nadal suffered a shocking second round defeat here, making all sorts of headlines, and raising eyebrows everywhere. Just weeks after winning a record seventh French Open Title, Rafa found himself leaving Wimbledon much earlier than expected. He has played in the Final at Wimbledon in five of the previous six tournaments prior to this one, including last year, when he lost to current number one ranked Djokovic. He won two of those Final appearances, including the legendary 2008 epic battle against Roger Federer, which is often considered the greatest Grand Slam championship final ever. Going into this tournament, Nadal had absolutely been on fire in Grand Slams, seemingly taking over the mantle from rival Federer. He had made it to five consecutive Grand Slam final events in a row, winning both French Opens to begin and end the streak. The three final appearances in between were all losses to Djokovic, but he got a measure of revenge on the terre batu of Rolland Garros, defeating Djokovic and denying him a career Grand Slam, as well as the distinction of holding all four Grand Slam titles at once, while Nadal secured his own immortality in French Open history, and probably earning him the distinction as the greatest clay court specialist ever. But none of that helped Nadal here at Wimbledon, traditionally his second most successful Grand Slam tournament.
With Nadal out, it seemed to open up the doorway for others, including his traditional main nemesis, Roger Federer. The loss by Nadal seems really to also allow you to appreciate just how incredible Roger Federer's current Grand Slam quarterfinals streak is now at 33, although this time, he had to survive a scare against Xavier Malisse in order to do so. During that match, he started to have rare health issues, temporarily leaving the court to get treatment for his back. He returned to the court, and finally put Malisse away in four sets. He had jumped ahead two sets to none, although the first set had been very close, and Malisse had almost won it. But Malisse, who the commentators kept referring to as the "X-man", fought hard to break Federer in the third, and then held service the rest of the way to take the set. Then, he opened the fourth set by breaking Federer, and what had seemed like a quick win for Federer suddenly was looking like a tough and grueling match that he would need to survive. But he pulled through, as he almost always seems to do, and his quarterfinal streak survives to another Grand Slam tournament.
That said, his back problems would suggest that it might be very challenging indeed for him to win this Wimbledon title. He already has won a record sixteen Grand Slam titles, and has earned all of the accolades along the way, probably also earning the distinction of the greatest ever. But he is not getting any younger, and suddenly, with his health being a possible huge concern, nothing looks too certain.
It is hard to imagine anyone defeating Djokovic, in fact, who seems poised to rebound from the disappointment of losing the French Open Final by successfully defending last year's Wimbledon title, and taking home his sixth Grand Slam title overall. Plus, he would secure the number one ranking that much longer, putting some cushion between him and number two Nadal, who's early exit on the grass courts will drop him a bit in points. Djokovic is on quite the tear, having had an incredible, banner year last year, and having qualified for every Grand Slam Final but one since the US Open in 2010, which he lost to Nadal.
It is not impossible that the loss by Nadal, and perhaps even the injury by Federer, opens up the possibility of a first ever Grand Slam title by someone else. Perhaps Andy Murray can break through, and finally give the British fans what they have long been hoping for - a British man hoisting the Wimbledon trophy. But that is enormous pressure, and Murray, like Tim Henman before him. Past history would suggest that it will not likely happen, but you never know. Perhaps Frenchman Tsonga can break through, or someone else that is a little less obvious at the moment. But this Wimbledon looks like it will belong to one man, who is playing his very best tennis at the moment. I am hardly going out on a limb to suggest that Djokovic will win this Wimbledon title. it would come as a bit of a shock if he does not. But you never know what can happen, right? That's why they play the game.
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