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By Chris Oddo | Monday, July 13, 2015

 
Rafael Nadal

Can Rafael Nadal regain his mojo in time for the U.S. Open? Where is Novak Djokovic standing in the tennis pantheon? We discuss in 10 our post-Wimbledon round-up.

Photo Source: AFP

Join us for a look back at some of the most notable achievements that occurred down during the two weeks of bliss known simply as the Championships:

1. Serena, 21 and counting.

Don’t talk about it, just admire it. Serena Williams’ fourth consecutive Grand Slam title sets the table for a wild summer in the states. Why? Well, don’t ask Serena. She’s busy playing one magnificent point at a time. It’s up to us to watch the dominoes fall and the legacy grow. She’ll fight to become the first player in 27 years to earn the Calendar-Slam in New York, and we’ll all sit back with our popcorn and watch her deal with the pressure.

Fittingly, the Calendar Slam would also see her pull even with Steffi Graf for major titles won. Look out, Margaret Court. You were great—legendary, in fact—but if Serena wants to take your name from the top of the all-time Grand Slam titles won list (24 is the magic number), we think there’s not much you can do to stop her.


What’s most remarkable to us about Serena’s late-career revival is the following fact: Williams has now won eight major titles since turning 30. No other woman in the Open Era has won more than three. Williams has decided to set her mind on proving that she is the best woman to ever pick up a racquet, before she puts that racquet down. Many believe it already, but clearly Williams wants to leave no doubt.

Things tend to happen so fast at majors that it’s difficult to comprehend. Results zoom by, legacies grow, numbers accumulate, pundits pontificate. Williams keeps winning but it’s something that we’ve come to accept as a given. But when we step back and contemplate what exactly we are witnessing, it’s beyond remarkable. It’s like we’re reading about it in the history books already, but it’s happening right in front of our eyes. It’s almost impossible to relate to or even understand the plane that Williams is on.

It’s the moment to just bow down and get ready for the US Open. It will all become clearer in time…

2. Novak’s place in the tennis pantheon?

Novak Djokovic is now officially in the conversation. John McEnroe says he considers him to be the fifth best player of all-time after his victory over Roger Federer in Sunday’s Wimbledon final. A quick glance over the message boards and comment sections of the interwebs shows that many if not most agree. That’s nine majors for the Serb, and he’s nowhere close to being done.


We say hold the coronation until the man has finished his work. For now, let’s appreciate what we consider the most remarkable aspect of Djokovic’s Wimbledon title: his resilience. How he needed just three weeks to put his loss in the Roland Garros final behind him we cannot comprehend. It was a loss that would have broken lesser men. He could have been devastated, but from the moment that mighty Wawrinka finished him off in Paris, tennis fans got to see the true character of Djokovic.

He displayed the ultimate dignity in defeat, and was rewarded by the fans in Paris. What might have been a soul-crushing loss turned out to be soul-quenching motivator. He arrived at Wimbledon invigorated by the experience, with a passion to keep going.

Djokovic is probably one of the most misunderstood tennis players on tour, for a variety of reasons, but it was easy to understand what kind of man he was after his loss at Roland Garros. Born of the ashes of that difficult loss was a triumph at Wimbledon. It happened because Djokovic, seeker that he is, was open to learning from the loss and moving on. He did it in style, and he tasted the sweetness of Wimbledon’s lawns once again as a reward.

3. Roger Federer, Still Going Strong

After losing the final, Roger Federer told the Wimbledon crowd that he felt good about his performance. He should. He was amazing, putting forth his usual resplendent, regal grass-court tennis, and nearly capturing his 18th major and 8th Wimbledon title. Funny thing: Federer’s loss didn’t feel quite that heartbreaking. Now, we’re sure many Fed die-hards would disagree, but Roger himself echoed the key sentiment whilst chatting with reporters after the final. “I’m right there,” he said. And when you think about it, he is. One false move by Djokovic in that Kevin Anderson match and do you dare believe that it wouldn’t be Roger Federer holding that trophy yesterday afternoon?


The good news is great when it comes to Roger Federer. He’s giving himself opportunities to win majors. He is playing the same gorgeous, dreamy tennis that we’ve all come to admire him for and, yes, he’s got a decent shot to win the U.S. Open.

4. Garbine Muguruza, welcome to the Top 10

Has Garbine Muguruza arrived and is she destined to be tennis’s newest sensation? It’s hard—and probably too early—to tell. What we do know about Muguruza is that she’s got a very good head on her shoulders and she’s well aware of the pitfalls of coming so far so fast at Wimbledon. She’s a talented player who now must embrace the task of trying to back up her recent Wimbledon success. Should she continue to enjoy the process she’ll very likely continue to rise. She has the game, and perhaps more important, the mentality, to be a great player. Did we just witness her first giant step?

5. Kyrgios Rising, or Kyrgios Falling?

Nick Kyrgios has a lot of talent, and a lot of issues. Which will win out, the talent or the issues? We’re rooting for the talent. He’s the best pure athlete of his generation, possesses devastating shotmaking skills, and brings a safin-esque buzz to the sport. But is he trying too hard to be super-cool, and in the meantime not trying hard enough to be super-successful? This is the dynamic that Kyrgios will have to monitor if he is to fulfill his vast potential.

It will be interesting to see where he goes from here. Bowing out to Richard Gasquet, when all is said and done, is a poor result for a player who was strutting around Wimbledon like he owned the place.

6. Comeback player of Wimbedon? Tommy Haas

At 37, Haas become the oldest player to win a Wimbledon match since Jimmy Connors reached the third round in 1991. We think it’s just the first stop in what will prove to be a final rise to prominence for the German. We are hoping—okay, praying—that Haas will have one more moment in the sun before he calls it quits for good. A title, or a few titles. A deep run at a major. A Top 20 ranking. Or how about all of the above?

7. Vika’s progressing nicely

Will it be enough for Victoria Azarenka to finish the season as the only player that can truly push an in-form Serena Williams, then lose in heartbreaking fashion? We don’t think so. We think we have not seen the best of Victoria Azarenka in 2015. We feel a title coming soon, and we see a run for Singapore coming, too. And if she’s drawn to play Serena at this year’s US Open, we think we could be talking about the best women’s match of the season. Who knows, maybe the century.

Vika’s only 25, and now that her run of injuries finally appears to be behind her, it’s time for her to get her ascension to elite status back on track. She’s looked like the second-best women’s tennis player on the planet on many occasions this year. But it will take more than just looking the part for Azarenka to truly be considered an elite player instead of a wildly talented yet somewhat disappointing needle-mover.

8. Which WTA rising star is most likely to win Wimbledon in the next decade?

Madison Keys or Belinda Bencic? Both players made the second week, and both have really bright futures on the grass, albeit for different reasons. Bencic, a crafty, versatile shaper of the ball, moves brilliantly on the surface and possesses an innate sense of how to construct—and win--points. Keys, a bruising, bomb-serving American who is still getting comfortable adapting to Wimbledon’s lawns, made the quarterfinals despite her lack of experience.

In time, Keys will benefit from more matches on the surface and adapt her game to become more effective. For Bencic, it’s just a matter of getting stronger and having more matches against top players. She probably overplayed heading into Wimbledon as well. The experience will pay off in the long term, but in the short term, she had to be very tired by the time she made the second week at Wimbledon.

9. Where does Rafa go from here?

World No. 10 Rafael Nadal (world No. what????) is in a bit of turmoil after Wimbledon, but that’s nothing new—he has been for quite some time now. Doubters have come from out of the woodwork to perch on the Spaniard’s doorstep, and the tennis world has pretty much lowered its expectations of the once-dominant warrior. It’s strange, but true. Just barely 29, Nadal has his work cut out for him this summer. He’s gone from being feared in the locker room to being considered beatable, even on his beloved red clay.

It’s a good thing that Nadal loves a challenge and, whether the tennis world has noticed it or not, that he’s been working his way out of his funk for quite some time now. His loss on grass to Dustin Brown in Wimbledon’s second round continued a pattern of Wimbledon upsets for Nadal, so maybe it’s not as alarming as, say, a loss to someone outside of the Top 100 at another major.

So, where does Nadal go from here? Maybe another go-round on the hard courts will be good for him? He’s had some great moments in North America and at the U.S. Open, but does he have more in him? All great players go through challenging periods in their careers. Federer has taken his lumps and looked lost at times, and he’s overcome them. Is it Nadal’s turn to rise above his issues and provide us with yet more resounding proof of his greatness? Many have stopped believing, but as long as Nadal himself believes, the possibility of him returning to form and winning more major titles is very good.

10. Early US Open Favorites?

Tennis has been dominated by Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic in 2015, but don’t think that they’ll have a cakewalk this summer, as pressure mounts and the heat ratchets up. Roger Federer is still very much in the mix, as is Andy Murray, and a host of other rising ATP stars. On the women’s side, everybody will be gunning for Serena, relishing a chance to score a headline-garnering upset.

There is a sadness lingering, always, after Wimbledon’s last ball. But there is also a sizzling summer on the hard courts just around the corner.


 

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