Wimbledon 2014 - Of new champions, new talent and old traditions!

The 128th edition of Wimbledon concluded on a glorious note yesteday with a men’s final that many are calling a sequel to the “Greatest Match Ever Played (2008 Wimbledon Final)”. In a funny twist of fate, Novak Djokovic and Petra Kvitova, this year’s men’s and women’s singles winners respectively, were both crowned champions in 2011 as well! This year also saw some new faces making their mark in the tournament on both the men’s and women’s side.

It was a fortnight of glorious tennis, and here are some of the key takeaways from this year’s championship:

A tale of two finals

Djokovic finally broke his dismal run in Grand Slam finals by beating 7-time Wimbledom champion Roger Federer in five closely fought sets that had everyone gasping and at the edge of their seats. While he could have sealed the deal in the fourth set where he was leading 5-2 and had championship point at 5-4, a sudden burst of strong play from the Swiss maestro pushed the game into a decider. It is to the Serb’s credit that he held his nerve and persisted with his play.

Novak Djokovic at the post-Wimbledon ball

Djokovic is a gifted athlete and has been part of some of the most memorable matches of this era. With this victory, he now has seven Grand Slam titles and is back to the No. 1 ranking in the world. More importantly, he has regained his confidence to win Majors again, considering he had lost five of his previous six finals prior to this match. His serve, return of serve and ability to change direction on court are among the best on tour and it was a thoroughly deserved win.

In contrast to the men, the women’s final ended way before one could say game, set and match. Expectations were high, considering both Kvitova and Bouchard were in good form coming into the final and playing aggressively from the baseline. Though the final scoreline of 6-3, 6-0 in Kvitova’s favour does not do her opponent, 20-year-old Eugenie Bouchard from Canada much justice, it is important to note that the latter did not play badly.

Petra Kvitova

Genie, as the Canadian is fondly called, made just four unforced errors but was unable to hit her stride with the Czech serving well and hitting clear winners. Kvitova is a huge talent and many, including tennis legend Martina Navratilova, believed that she would win more Grand Slams after her breakthrough in 2011. Injuries and inconsistencies have plagued her career but this win should put her back on course for more success; she is way too skilled to not make a bigger splash in women’s tennis.

What next for Roger Federer?

Only Roger Federer can answer this question. At almost 33 and with a growing family in tow, it is only going to get tougher for the Swiss legend considering the athletic demands of the sport. For most fans, the desire to see Roger lift another Grand Slam seems to have become a binding factor. For the player himself, the desire to continue playing the sport that he loves so much and that has in turn loved him back over the past decade supersedes everything else.

Not many thought Federer had it in him to push Djokovic to five sets, and neither player was playing at his best. Yet, the mental fortitude shown during the fightback in the 4th set proves that Federer still wants to play at the highest level. His best chance to add to his tally of 17 Slams is at Wimbledon - his second home. But if he continues making adjustments and stays healthy, a surprise on hardcourts (US Open or Australian Open) is also possible. Federer’s ultimately unsuccessful effort yesterday, however, just goes to show how difficult it is to win a Grand Slam in this era.

Rise of new talent

At every Slam a few players cause upsets, make a mark and then fade into oblivion. This year’s Wimbledon was different in that it propelled into limelight players who have been consistent throughout the season and possess talent that is capable of causing more than just a flash in the pan.

Grigor Dimitrov

From being dubbed ‘Baby Federer’ to Maria Sharapova’s arm candy, Grigor Dimitrov has had a tough time fulfilling the potential everyone believed he had. This year he lived up to the promise by reaching his first Grand Slam semifinal and in the process defeated Brit hope Andy Murray comprehensively in straight sets. From the single-handed backhand to the variety in his groundstrokes, it is obvious why the Bulgarian is compared to Federer, and here’s hoping he becomes a future champion instead of going the Richard Gasquet way.

23-year-old rising star and now World No. 6 Milos Raonic was a success story too. The big-serving Canadian also made it to his maiden Slam semifinal, giving a good account of himself in tough matches against Kei Nishikori and Nick Kyrgios. Speaking of Kyrgios, the 19-year-old wild card from Australia caused the mother of all upsets when he defeated 14-time Slam champion Rafael Nadal in the fourth round. With a booming serve and an attitude that reflects how the younger generation is fearless, he could well be the next big thing in tennis.

The women's side of the draw cemented the status of Simona Halep and Eugenie Bouchard as rising stars of the WTA. Bouchard has the best Slam record among all players this year, having reached the semis at Melbourne and Paris and the finals here at Wimbledon. She now moves into the top 10 for the first time in her career and seems on course for further greatness. A minor concern - with advertisers and brands falling over themselves to sign on the Canadian, it remains to be seen whether 'Brand Eugenie' ends up overshadowing the tennis player.

22-year-old Romanian and World No. 3 Simona Halep has had the best 12 months of her career, having also made it to the French Open final where she lost to Maria Sharapova in a fantastic contest. Many, including Boris Becker, have compared her movement to that of Djokovic, crediting her defensive skills. With Radwanszka, Kerber and the ilk unable to break through the final barriers at Slams, here's hoping that these two bright stars change the trend.

Defending Wimbledon isn't easy

There is a reason why very few people have been able to defend their Wimbledon titles successfully in this era. In the past decade, only the Wiliams sisters and Roger Federer have been able to win back-to-back titles at SW19, and this year was no different. Serena lost in the third round and Andy Murray lost in the quarterfinals to rising Dimitrov. Perhaps the short transition period from clay to grass and the fewer warm up events leading up to Wimbledon when compared to other Slams could be a reason. Nonetheless, reports suggest that the grass court season is set to be extended from next season, which could perhaps lead to a more compelling and competitive Wimbledon.

Who is Maria Sharapova?

Maria Sharapova sitting courtside during the Dimitrov vs Djokovic semifinal

This was the Twitter hashtag that was trending in India for two consecutive days. Caused by a harmless statement made by Sharapova where she admitted to not knowing who Sachin Tendulkar was, Indian fans, or rather Sachin fans, wreaked havoc on the Russian tennis player’s Twitter and Facebook pages. Personally, I think it is sad how sensitive and easily flammable our emotions as a sporting nation are. The unhealthy obsession with just one sport and constant reference to Sachin as God does not reflect well on us. Isn’t it hypocritical that we get offended when a Russian-born, American-bred player does not know a cricket legend, but we let ourselves off the hook for not knowing great athletes across other sports in India itself?

Depth in women's tennis

There are some people who look at women's tennis and say it lacks the consistency of the men's tour - no 'Big Four', early round exits, new names making it to the second week of Grand Slams – the list of ‘reasons’ is endless. I prefer looking at it from another perspective. There are no Big Four or Five in women's tennis because it is extremely competitive. On a given day, any player in the top 50 is capable of causing an upset, and that makes things more interesting. How will new talent emerge or be encouraged if the same set of players keep making the final rounds?

People argue that the gap between the Big Four of men's tennis and the rest is, or used to be, so wide that it reflected greatly on the talents of those top guys. True. That does not mean that the top female players are not talented enough. It just means that the rest of the women on WTA think they can catch up to the cream and beat them. The likes of Simona Halep, Eugenie Bouchard and Lucie Safarova flourished at Wimbledon because they were gutsy and not intimidated by the player or the situation. With the top two ranked women - Serena Williams and Li Na both aged 32, there is going to be a change of guard sooner than later and this exciting new pool of players is knocking at the door of greatness.

What about the Williams?

Serena and Venus have won 10 Wimbledon singles titles between them, and their domination on grass is a story for generations. Serena was the clear favourite coming into the tournament despite lacklustre performances at the Australian Open and the French Open. Thus, her third round defeat at the hands of Frenchwoman Alize Cornet came as a shock to not only tennis followers but also to Cornet herself. This was in sharp contrast to Venus’ exit at the hands of eventual champion Petra Kvitova in an instant classic match 5-7, 7-6, 7-5 that saw just two breaks of serve.

Venus (L) and Serena Williams

While Serena was evasive in the aftermath of her defeat, her histrionics during the doubles were what set tongues wagging. In an unusual performance, Serena was disoriented while serving and mistimed balls so badly that the chair umpire had to stop play to assess the situation. The situation was later explained to be because of a ‘virus’, but how the 17-time Grand Slam champion bounces back from these not-so-positive incidents will chart the next phase of her career. As for the elder sibling, Venus is universally respected for being a dignified presence both on and off the court. Despite making an early exit; her desire to continue playing is evident from her post match remarks.

"People have been trying to retire me since I was like 25. For some reason in tennis we always do that to our players. It's weird," said Venus, who three years ago was diagnosed with an energy-sapping autoimmune disease. "We don't encourage them to stick around," she added. "It's like, 'Get out of here.' So I'm not getting out of here. I think this year has been a great year for me. I've had some tough losses, but I've learned a lot from them. I'm finding my way back on my feet. I'm proud of myself for what I'm achieving on the court."

Rain, rain go away

The British monsoon has always played a key part in the proceedings at Wimbledon. This year, a significant part of a day’s play was lost due to rains forcing several matches to be carried forward to the second Monday. This of course was a scheduling nightmare for the organizers and a point of contention for the players, some of whom like Swiss Stan Wawrinka ended up playing matches on three consecutive days.

Many experts suggest that the All-England Club should consider finishing off pending matches on Sunday, which is usually a day off at the tournament. A stickler for tradition and the old ways, it remains to be seen whether the club will take this advice on board or not. But given that only Center Court has a retractable roof (with Court No. 1 to follow suit shortly), it is perhaps not a bad idea to work on a Sunday!

From innumerable celebrity sightings to seeing the likes of Becker, Edberg and Mauresmo in players’ boxes; from cheering for a small but happy sight of serve and volley to watching pristine white against lush green grass – Wimbledon always holds a special place in the tennis calendar. It is the oldest tennis tournament in the world but has managed to find a balance between the changing landscape of tennis and time-tested traditions. We now move on to the long and grueling hardcourt season, and here’s wishing it continues to bring more delight to tennis fans around the globe.