While no 77 year droughts were broken this year, it was still an exciting Wimbledon in its own right. Here are some things we learned from the fortnight, and what we can expect going forward.
Novak Djokovic: Novak Djokovic isn’t just a winner of Masters 1000s tournaments, in case people were beginning to think Djokovic had forgotten how to win majors. This was a particularly important tournament for Djokovic, as he had not won a slam since the 2013 Australian Open. He had won several Masters 1000s and had beaten all his rivals several times, but this made it more puzzling why he was falling short at the slams. Now his previous losses in grand slam finals seem less significant, and his grand slam title count is up to seven. With all the great players he faces at the end of tournaments, it’s impossible to have a flawless record in finals. He is now back on track, and has a great chance to finish the year number one. He failed to play his best tennis for much of the tournament, but found ways to win when his A-game wasn’t working. Any doubts Djokovic had should now be erased, and his confidence should be high as we enter the hard court season.
Roger Federer: Federer may not be a threat to go deep in every grand slam anymore, but he showed he is still capable of challenging for grand slam titles when the draw falls right. He took advantage of Nadal’s early loss, and gave Djokovic all he could handle in the finals. Federer appeared disappointed, but not devastated after falling short against Djokovic. (Djokovic would have been devastated had he let the match slip away). He knew this might have been his best chance to add one more slam, but he also knew he played about as good as he could have played. This tournament should give Federer reason to believe he can still compete against the top guys, and he has to like his chances at the US Open as well as he has been playing. Before the tournament, most objective tennis fans and analysts were confident Federer would never win another major, and now it is hard to be so sure.
Petra Kvitova: Kvitova didn’t get a whole lot of attention heading into the tournament, but she showed her best is better than just about anyone else’s. She made Bouchard look ordinary in the finals, and entered the ever sought after “zone” at just the right time. She simply hit Bouchard off the court in the finals, and dictated play throughout the tournament. Last time she won Wimbledon, Kvitova struggled with her newfound fame. Don’t expect her to have the same problems this time around, as she is now much better suited to deal with her success. She should be a threat to win the US Open, along with nearly every tournament played on a faster surface.
Rafael Nadal: Another Wimbledon, another perplexing loss for Rafael Nadal. Nadal lost the first set in nearly every match this tournament, and never seemed totally comfortable on the grass. He looked good at times, but showed he remains susceptible to big hitters at Wimbledon. His loss to Nick Kyrgios was particularly surprising, given that Nadal nearly never loses to players younger than him. (Although to be fair, he also rarely loses to players his same age or players older than him). Early losses at Wimbledon in previous years have had little effect on Nadal going forward, so don’t expect this loss to have lasting implications for Nadal. While he owns a couple of Wimbledon titles, grass remains his least consistent surface. Nadal will definitely be bothered by letting a grand slam slip away, especially without going down to a highly ranked player. However, he’s been in this position before, and responds as we would expect a 14 time grand slam champion would every time.
Eugenie Bouchard: Bouchard had the best tournament of her short career, and is well on her way to becoming the WTA’s next superstar. She has the game, personality and looks to carry the tour, and her competitive nature will ensure she is not satisfied by merely making finals. She was a bit overwhelmed in the finals, and it got away from her before she could blink. Bouchard probably should have tried changing her tactics (ie standing further back to give herself more time against Kvitova’s power), but it is understandable why she was not thinking as clear as she normally would. Her first grand slam title shouldn’t be too far away, and the massive endorsement deals should just be a step behind.
Andy Murray: Murray’s loss to Grigor Dimitrov confirmed what we have been witnessing from Murray for the past year. He’s simply not the same player he used to be, and has not even reached a tournament final since last year’s Wimbledon. Whether this is a result of his back surgery, a lack of motivation, or both is hard to say. But it’s clear Murray has some work to do until he returns to his championship form. It’s hard to imagine Murray not getting back there at some point in the near future, but he is currently outside of the top ten in the world rankings. Anyone who was surprised by his loss to Dimitrov simply hasn’t been following Murray (and Dimitrov) closely enough this year.
Grigor Dimitrov: Dimitrov showed he is nearly ready to start competing for grand slam titles. He took out Andy Murray, and was right there with Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. It was clear he lacked experience in the big moments, but he’ll learn from this going forward. More importantly, he’s physically ready to start competing with the top guys and has the talent to do so. Unlike Milos Raonic, who looked completely overmatched by Federer in his semifinal, Dimitrov looked like he belonged on the court with Djokovic. Dimitrov’s early exit at the French is now well in the past, and he has good showings in two of the three majors so far this year. If he keeps improving (and his history suggests he will), he should be a contender at nearly every slam within the next year or two.
Nick Kyrgios: If anyone can be thrilled about their performance at Wimbledon (without actually winning the title) it is Kyrgios. He fought off nine match points to defeat Richard Gasquet, and pulled off the upset of the year in taking out Nadal. More importantly, these wins were not “lucky”. Kyrgios really is that talented, and should only continue to improve as he reaches his twenties. He is armed with a massive serve and forehand, and is not afraid of big moments. Not many players would even think to hit a between the legs groundstroke for no apparent reason against Nadal, let alone pull it off for a winner as Kyrgios did. He probably needs another year or two of seasoning before he is ready to consistently beat the top guys and reach the top ten. However, he could be a serious threat to win majors by the time he is 21, and he just gave the rest of the tour a lot to worry about going forward.
Jack Sock/Vasek Pospisil: In one of the most exciting matches of the tournament, young guns Sock and Pospisil defeated the Bryan brothers for the Wimbledon doubles title. While the win was surprising as they had never played together before, both Sock and Pospisil had shown their doubles prowess in the past. This wasn’t some fluke title either, as they had to beat several good teams along the way. Should they continue to play together going forward, Sock and Pospisil could be one of the better doubles teams of the next decade. Both have serious aspirations in singles, and this will be their primary focus. However, there is no reason they can’t win more grand slams in the future. Sock and Pospisil couldn’t stop grinning for about 20 minutes straight after the match, and are probably still pinching themselves. It’s hard to imagine they wouldn’t get the team back together and try to replicate the feeling.
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