The magic of Wimbledon

Goran Ivanisevic

Perhaps the most inspiring story of them all is that of one Croat – Goran Ivanisevic, who became the first wildcard in the history of Wimbledon to win the tournament. After having lost three Wimbledon finals earlier, he had slipped in the rankings and came into the tournament as an overwhelming underdog in 2001. But such is human spirit that he went through the tournament in his characteristic charming fashion and won over several fans. When he finally won the championship, defeating Pat Rafter in 5 closely fought sets, he fell to his knees in utter disbelief and relief. After all, he had achieved what is every tennis player’s dream!

Wimbledon has seen many glorious rivalries – Borg and Mcenroe, Becker and Lendl, Federer and Nadal, Federer and Roddick, Chris Evert and Navratilova, Steffi Graff and Monical Seles and of course the William sisters. The American sister duo literally dominated the tournament in the late 90s and 2000s. Venus, the older of the two has won 5 singles titles, same as her younger sibling Serena who might go on to add more to that tally. What makes their story so interesting is the fact that not only did they face off against each other at Wimbledon, they also went on to play the doubles and win it comprehensively; a story indeed for the ages! And if you ever wondered who started the tradition of running into the players’ box after a victory, look no further.

Be it stamping your name in the tennis world like a young Roger Federer did when he defeated Pete Sampras in 2001, or redeeming yourself like Jana Novotna, who won the Wimbledon in 1998 after a tearful choke in 1993, Wimbledon has seen it all. From perhaps the greatest match ever played [Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal Wimbledon 2008 final] to literally the longest match ever played [John Isner vs Nicolas Mahut's marathon 3 day slug fest at Wimbledon 2010]; from individual heartbreak experienced by the likes of Andy Roddick and Ivan Lendl, to a nation’s collective grief on seeing Tim Henman lose; Wimbledon reminds us all about the beauty of tennis and the humanness of the people who play it.

This would not be a post about Wimbledon’s greatness however, if I do not mention Sue Barker – the broadcast Queen of Wimbledon. A far cry from the over-the-top and intrusive interviewers of today, her on-court interactions with the players, especially after the finals, make for great viewing. Who can forget Andy Murray‘s emotional breakdown after the 2012 final, something which Sue Barker handled beautifully.

Another iconic moment remains the Duke of Kent walking past the line of ball boys and girls after the finals, occasionally chatting them up and lending the royal aura to the event.

There is just so much history associated with Wimbledon; great matches, great atmosphere, great champions have been witnessed here. As a tennis fan I cannot think of a tournament that embraces the spirit of sportsmanship better than Wimbledon and the very fact that it has endured its allure over a century stands as testimony to its greatness. Here is where magic happens!