By Erik Gudris | Friday, June 20, 2014
After posting some of the biggest shock victories at last year's event, here's an update on what happened to the unexpected stars of Wimbledon 2013.
Photo Credit: Reuters
Call it "Wimbleweird" or "WimbleWow"; many described last year's Wimbledon as one of the most unpredictable Grand Slams in recent memory. That was largely due to some unheralded players who embraced the opportunity to defeat the sport's biggest names.
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So what's happened to those players since then including the unexpected champion who won it all?
Steve Darcis
Upset Rafael Nadal in Round One
30-year-old Belgian Steve Darcis stunned the tennis world with his bravura opening round upset of Rafael Nadal. Yet the biggest win of Darcis' career came a high price.
"Beating Rafa was the biggest win but it was the start of the worst period of my career, it has been very tough," Darcis told the Daily Mail UK.
Darcis suffered a shoulder injury midway through his match with Nadal. That injury not only forced him out of the tournament, but soon became an ongoing problem throughout the season. Darcis had shoulder surgery last October and spent most of this year on the sidelines.
Competing at just one Futures event prior to this year's Wimbledon, Darcis lost in the second round of qualifying to Germany's Daniel Brands.
Sergiy Stakhovsky
Upset Roger Federer in Round Two
Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky used his swashbuckling, serve and volley game to disrupt and ultimately defeat Roger Federer last year. That result ended Federer's remarkable run of reaching 36 consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinals at each major.
"I had never played in such an atmosphere. Never played in front of 15,000 people. I felt that they pulled more for Roger, but they were supportive in both ways. It felt great, but unfortunately I couldn’t build on that win in the next round," Stakhovsky recently told ATP.com.
Since then, Stakhovsky remains a steady presence of the ATP Tour. Currently ranked No. 89 in the world, Stakhovsky's best result this season is a semifinal showing at Sydney. Stakhovsky and his wife just celebrated the birth of their daughter in March.
Michelle Larcher de Brito
Upset Maria Sharapova in Round Two
The 21-year-old Portuguese player was more known for her high volume grunt before last year's Wimbledon. That all changed when she knocked out former champion Maria Sharapova in the second round.
So far this season, Larcher de Brito has struggled on the main tour while also competing on the ITF Circuit. Currently ranked No. 104 in the world, Larcher de Brito successfully qualified for this year's Wimbledon main draw.
Sabine Lisicki
Wimbledon Finalist 2013
Germany's Sabine Lisicki upset defending champion and top seed Serena Williams at last year's Wimbledon. Lisicki soon became the first German woman since Steffi Graf to reach the Wimbledon final.
Now ranked No. 19 in the world, Lisicki has battled with injuries most of the season. Lisicki has yet to advance past the round of 16 at event this year.
Marion Bartoli
Wimbledon Champion 2013
The unlikely but fully deserving Marion Bartoli of France navigated her way through an upset-filled draw to reach her second Wimbledon final. There she defeated Sabine Lisicki 6-1, 6-4 to win her maiden Grand Slam title.
Bartoli surprised the tennis world again soon after by abruptly retiring from the sport a month later in Cincinnati due to being physically spent after a decade long career. Though many hoped the Frenchwoman would mull a comeback, that doesn't seem likely.
Since then, Bartoli has kept very busy with television broadcasting, launching a fashion line and multiple public appearances.
“Seeing my name in gold letters as the 2013 champion. Seeing my picture on a wall next to Andy Murray. It’s hard to beat that. That’s the highest of the highest," Bartoli recently told the Daily Mail UK. "I will just be very proud of what I did last year."