echo Wimbledon Championship is known as the oldest and most prestigious tennis tournament. It is one of the four major Grand Slam tennis tournaments alongside the French Open, Australia Open and US Open. Wimbledon, is the only tournament that is played on grass surface and takes place at the All England Club in Wimbledon, London. It is also the only Grand Slam that does not conduct matches at night. The tradition of this championship includes a strict all-white dress code for competitors and royal patronage. Strawberry and cream is also one of the most consumed confectionery during the two week long matches.
The 2022 Wimbledon was held from 27th of June to the 10th of July. This year, the All England Club has banned Russia and Belarusian players from competing due to the Russian-Ukraine conflict. In return, WTA (Women’s Tennis Association), ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) and ITF (International Tennis Federation) have withdrawn ranking points from the tournament.
Let’s now dive into the action and highlights of this year’s Wimbledon!
Novak Djokovic claimed his fourth straight Wimbledon title
The Serbian tennis athlete Novak Djokovic successfully defeated the Australian player Nick Kyrgios in the Gentlemen’s Single finals and was crowned Wimbledon champion.
After a tight four set match, he managed to defend his title and win his 21st Grand Slam title which breaks his tie for second place with Roger Federer and puts him one Grand Slam title behind Rafael Nadal.
Djokovic is also the fourth man in tennis history after Bjorn Borg, Pete Sampras and Federer, to win four consecutive Wimbledon titles.
“He’s a bit of a God,” said Kyrgios after their match, “I’m not going to lie, I thought I played well.”
The champion got to lift the Silver Gilt Cup and take home $2,500,000.
“I have lost words for what this tournament, this trophy, means to me, my team and my family,” Djokovic said in his post-match speech. “I have said many times it always has been and will be the most special tournament in my heart and one that motivated me and inspired me to start playing tennis in a small little mountain resort in Serbia.
“My first image of tennis was grass and Wimbledon,” he continued. “I always dreamed of coming here, just playing on this court and reaching my childhood dream of winning this trophy, and every single time it gets more and more meaningful. I am very blessed and very thankful to be standing here with the trophy.”
“This tournament has the most history, the most recognition around the world. I am happy and grateful to be here,” he added.
Elena Rybakina beats Jabeur to win maiden Grand Slam title
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan defeated Ons Jabeur of Tunisia to win the women’s single title at Wimbledon in three sets and claimed a historic maiden Grand Slam title for herself and her country.
Rybakina fought back calmly after losing the first set to defeat the third seed Jabeur in the finals.
Jabeur is the first female player from the Arab world and first African woman to reach this stage in a Grand Slam competition. Even though the former started her play really well, Ryabakina dominated the match after finding her rhythm.
This was a first Grand Slam final for both players, but Rybakina beat Jabeur in the latter sets and became her country’s first player to win a major singles trophy. Elena also became the youngest player to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish since 2011.
“Elena stole my title but it’s OK,” said Jabeur after the match, “I want to congratulate Elena and her team – great job and she deserved this and hopefully next time it will be mine.”
“I also want to congratulate Ons for a great match. It is a joy to play against you. I ran so much, I don’t think I need to do fitness anymore,” said the Wimbledon champion.
“It’s true I did not expect to be in the second week of the Grand Slam at Wimbledon. To be a winner is just amazing. I don’t have the words to say how happy I am,”the 23-year-old champion added.
Rafael Nadal withdraws from Wimbledon
The 22-time Grand Slam champion, Rafael Nadal withdrew from the tournament due to a torn abdominal muscle, announcing his decision a day before he was supposed to play in the semifinals. He was scheduled to face Nick Kyrgios, but pulled out at the very end. “I believe I can’t win two matches under these circumstances,” he said. “I can’t serve.”
Nadal said the injury had been bothering him for about a week but worsened during his intensive quarter final match against Taylor Fritz. Although he came through, he looked to be struggling and had to call a medical timeout for a treatment.
“We’re sad to see it end this way,” Wimbledon tweeted, tagging Nadal. “Thank you for another year of unforgettable moments at The Championship.”
With Nadal’s withdrawal, Kyrgios received a pass to his first Grand Slam final. Kyrgios wrote a post on Instagram after the announcement. “I hope your recovery goes well and we all hope to see you healthy soon.”
Roger Federer at Wimbledon
Roger Federer took part in a ceremony at Wimbledon to mark the 100th anniversary of centre court at the All England Club.
The 40 year old hasn’t played since undergoing a third knee surgery after Wimbledon last year following his loss in the fourth round. “I’ve been very lucky to play a lot of matches on this court,” Federer said, speaking into a microphone, his voice ringing across the court. He added, “It feels awkward to be here today in a different type of role.”
“This court has given me my biggest wins, my biggest losses,” he said. “I hope I can come back one more time.”
“I miss Roger. Everybody misses him. He is probably my greatest rival ever,” Nadal said. “I told him he’s loved by many people. He needs to come back so we can play at least one more time,” Djokovic also added.
With this, Wimbledon 2022 has come to an end. The stage is now passed over to the US Open, which will be held on 29th of August till the 11th of September.
Written by: Isabel
Edited by: Poorani
