LONDON, Sunday - Magic moments from the second week of Wimbledon:
MONDAY, JULY 9
Sweet 16 for Federer
l Roger Federer needed just 16 minutes to win the opening set in a 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 defeat of France’s Adrian Mannarino to reach his 16th Wimbledon quarter-final and 53rd at the majors.
“I think it’s a tough matchup for him maybe against me,” said the Swiss.
TUESDAY, JULY 10
Nice ice baby!
l Jelena Ostapenko became the first Latvian woman to reach a Wimbledon semi-final as the former French Open champion beat Dominika Cibulkova 7-5, 6-4 -- but she suffered a bizarre minor injury in the process.
She ice on her leg in between games after slapping herself with her hand in frustration at a missed chance.
“I hit myself when I missed a shot. It was too hard so I had to ice it,” she said.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 11
Double epic as Federer out, Nadal triumphs
l Federer was sensationally knocked out by Kevin Anderson 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 as the 32-year-old became the first South African in the Wimbledon semi-finals since Kevin Curren in 1983. Three-time champion Novak Djokovic reached his first semi-final at the majors in more than two years by seeing off Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. The 12-time Slam champion booked a semi-final clash against old rival and world number one Rafael Nadal who saw off Juan Martin del Potro 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after four hours and 48 minutes on Centre Court.
THURSDAY, JULY 12
Serena’s ‘traumatic thoughts’
l Serena Williams said “it was crazy” to reach a 10th Wimbledon final, 10 months after a series of life-saving surgeries which followed the birth of her daughter and that she still has “traumatic thoughts” over her own mortality.
“It’s no secret I had a super tough delivery. I lost count after, like, four surgeries. I couldn’t even walk to my mailbox.
“I didn’t know I would have such kind of traumatic thoughts, especially now that I have a daughter.”
FRIDAY, JULY 13
Have mercy! Let’s have final set tiebreak
l Anderson and John Isner called for tiebreaks to be introduced in the final sets at Grand Slams after their semi-final entered the record books as the second longest ever singles match at a major, lasting 6 hours and 36 minutes.
Anderson won 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (9/11), 6-4, 26-24 with the final set lasting just five minutes short of three hours.
“I hope this is a sign for Grand Slams to change. I really hope we can look at this, because at the end you don’t feel great,” said Anderson.
Isner previously won the longest ever Grand Slam singles match against Nicolas Mahut, lasting 11 hours and five minutes over three days in the 2010 Wimbledon first round.
SATURDAY, JULY 14
Kerber stuns Serena Slam dream
l Angelique Kerber became the first German woman to win Wimbledon for 22 years as the 11th seed shattered Serena Williams’ bid for Grand Slam history with a shock 6-3, 6-3 victory in the final.
“I knew I had to play my best tennis against a champion like Serena,” Kerber said.
Williams had hoped to equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles by winning her first major prize since becoming a mother in September.
“It’s obviously disappointing but I am just getting started,” said an emotional Williams.
“For all you mums out there I was playing for you. I really tried.”
The final was delayed by Nadal and Djokovic finishing off what turned out to be a 5-hour 15-minute semi-final, the fifth longest singles match at the tournament.
SUNDAY, JULY 15
Djokovic eats his greens!
l Novak Djokovic celebrated his fourth Wimbledon title -- by munching on the Centre Court grass.
Djokovic defeated a battling but exhausted Kevin Anderson 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) to add the 2018 title to his wins in 2011, 2014 and 2015. He also took his Grand Slam total to 13 after a year which had seen him struggle with form and confidence, sending his world ranking to its lowest in over a decade.
“The grass tasted really well. I had a double portion this year to treat myself,” said the 31-year-old. – AFP
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