Showing posts with label Wimbledon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wimbledon. Show all posts

Sunday, July 6, 2014

Young Guns Pospisil & Sock Rise to Fame

Playing in just their first outing together, young guns Canadian Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock pulled off the biggest shock of the doubles tournament, going all the way to lifting the biggest title of their young career.
It was a dream fortnight for this exciting duo who stunned eighth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi, second seeds Alexander Peya and Bruno Soares, and fifth seeds Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek en route to the final. In the championships match, Pospisil and Sock took out the all-time greats, Mike and Bob Bryan, after a hard-fought 7-6,6-7,6-4,3-6,7-5 victory. While Sock has won the 2011 US Open mixed doubles trophy with Melanie Oudin, this was Pospisil first title of any kind.
"I think this is the highlight of my career, for sure," said Pospisil. "These last two weeks have been amazing, to be honest, because the whole year was a struggle. Just not feeling good on the court. Then last week was my first pain-free week of the year. That was really nice. Then now to cap it off with a title at Wimbledon is not bad."
"We had a lot of fun," added Sock. "People could see that. I think that's part of why we did well. We really enjoyed being out there, enjoyed the moment. It was both of our first times on Centre Court there. As kids we grew up watching this tournament. This is what we kind of dreamed of doing. To be able to go out there and play the best doubles team of all time and to get a win was pretty incredible."
The pair will continue to play together, so I expect some more great tennis from these jubilant young guns. Best of luck, guys!


In just their first outing together, Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock stunned world No.1, the Bryan brothers, 7-6,6-7,6-4,3-6,7-5 to win the Wimbledon doubles crown.
It was a dream fortnight for the Canadian-American duo who caused a slew of upsets en route to the title.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Nick Kyrgios, The New Teen Superstar

Belief is crucial in beating Rafa Nadal, but there's a long way from believing it to being able to execute it. Nick Kyrgios found a shortcut when he stunned the world No.1 to advance to his first Grand Slam quarterfinal on his Wimbledon main draw debut.
The Aussie young gun has had a stellar juniors career—in 2013 he won the Australian Open singles title and the Wimbledon doubles crown with compatriot Thanasi Kokkinakis—and at 19 years old, he showed he is ready to take on the biggest aces of the game. Although a two-time champion, Rafa has found it difficult to transition from clay to grass-courts lately. You'd think that last year's stunning first-round defeat to Oliver Rochus would require revenge, but the Spaniard failed to impress en route to the fourth round. Kyrgios, who famously saved nine match points against Frenchman Richard Gasquet, took full advantage of his opponent's poor form. He delivered a killer performance and won the match 7-6,5-7,7-6,6-3.
"I think I was in a bit of a zone out there," Kyrgios told BBC television. "It hasn't sunk in what just played out out there. I played extraordinary tennis. I was struggling a bit on return, but I worked my way into it. I served at a really good level and I'm really happy.
"You've got to believe you can win the match from the start and I did. I'm playing unbelievable tennis on the grass. He hit extraordinary shots, but he's always going to bring that."
While the recently crowned French Open champion is left to heal his wounds, the Aussie teenager is enjoying his overnight stardom. He goes on to battle another rising star, Canadian Milos Raonic.
Kyrgios has the game to go very far. Plus, he proved he has the mental strength to battle in the grown-ups league. It remains to be seen how well he will cope with his new-found status as the Aussie golden kid. While Lleyton Hewitt did a brilliant job, winning two Grand Slams and reaching world No.1, bad boy Bernand Tomic has yet to fulfill the promise. Hopefully Nick will fare better! He has great pedigree and huge potential.


Young sensation Nick Kyrgios proved you need strong belief to take down the big guns. The Aussie teenager produced the performance of his career, stunning world No.1 and recently crown French Open champ, Rafael Nadal, 7-6,5-7,7-6,6-3 to reach his maiden Grand Slam quarterfinal.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Oops ... She Did It Again! Alize Stuns Serena

When she beat Serena Williams in straight sets in Dubai I assumed the victory was a one-hit wonder. However, Alize Cornet proved she is the real deal, stunning the world No.1 in her backyard, on the Center Court at Wimbledon—a place where the American shone brightly so many times. 
The match seemed headed for a quick finish, Serena cruising through the first set 6-1. Not sure how, but the Frenchwoman found the strength and inspiration to turn it around, leveling the dispute in tremendous fashion. With the momentum swinging in her favour, Alize built what seemed like a decisive lead. But at 2-5 down in the decider, Serena caught fire. As she did so many times before, the American mounted a comeback cutting down the deficit to force the Frenchwoman serve out the match for the second time at 5-4. A few unforced mistakes to start the game proved vital for Serena who watched her opponent serve out the biggest win of her career. 
"I'm just calming down now because I was very excited for an hour. I couldn't believe it. I still cannot believe it, actually," Cornet said. "If somebody would have told me a couple years ago that I would be in the second week here at Wimbledon, and beating Serena, I wouldn't have believed it. 
"It feels great. Of course, what a victory. It's the best way to get to the second week."
While Cornet reached just her second Grand Slam fourth round, Williams has now failed to make the quarterfinals at all three majors this year—she lost to Ana Ivanovic in the fourth round in Melbourne and to Garbine Muguruza in the second round at Roland Garros.
Next up for the jubilant Frenchwoman is young sensation, Canadian darling, Eugenie Bouchard whom she beat in their previous meeting.



Alize Cornet won the biggest match of her career, recovering from the loss of the first set to stun world No.1 on the Centre Court at Wimbledon. The Frenchwoman beat Serena Williams 1-6,6-3,6-4 to reach the fourth round.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Monday, July 8, 2013

The Wait Is Over! Murray Fulfils His Prophecy

With the entire nation waiting for him to win Wimbledon, Andy Murray did not always have the easiest of times playing his home Slam. After a couple of runs to the semifinals, the Scottish born Murray finally broke his duck last year when he reached the final. Despite a stunning start, he eventually succumbed to the all time great, Roger Federer. There wasn't much that a worthy Murray did wrong during that match, but the Swiss raised his game to such an extreme that he became untouchable.
Murray sucked in the excruciating pain of another missed finish and he made sure he was better prepared when the two met again, two weeks later in the Olympic final. On the same court, the Brit extracted his revenge, overcoming Federer in straight sets to win the gold medal. The victory proved a turning point in his career. A renowned choker, Andy went on to capitalize on an incredible summer by winning his first Grand Slam crown at the US Open. “Last year after the final [Ivan Lendl] told me he was proud of the way I played, because I went for it when I had chances. It was the first time I played a match in a Grand Slam final like that. I didn't doubt myself so much after last year's final. It was the best I'd recovered from a Grand Slam loss. I didn't always feel it was going to happen. It's incredibly difficult to win these events. I don't think that's that well understood sometimes. It takes so much hard work and mental toughness to win these sorts of tournaments.”
Although he lost his third Australian Open final in January, Murray is not the same player who would let a great chance slip by. After Tsonga's withdrawal and the shocking exits of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, Murray seized an excellent opportunity to fulfil his Wimbledon prophecy. Even though his path to the final seemed extremely easy, the Brit had to endure some tough opposition. After coming back from two sets down to dismiss Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals, he recovered from a difficult start to overcome Polish Jerzy Janowicz, booking thus his seat in the grand finale.
Facing a drained Novak Djokovic for the title, Murray knew his time has finally come. He was too stronger physically for the Serb, who withstood a determined Juan Martin del Potro in an epic semifinal clash. Although Novak showed flashes of brilliance, it was not enough to stop Andy from claiming an emphatic 6-4,7-5,6-4 victory. His triumph ended Britain's 77 year wait, Murray becoming the first home grown player to win the Wimbledon men's crown since Fred Perry in 1936. “Winning Wimbledon, I think, is the pinnacle of tennis,” said the Scot. “I still can't believe it. Can't get my head around that. I can't believe it. This one will take a little while to sink in, I'm sure.”
Talking about his achievement the new grass-court king said: “For the last four or five years, it's been very, very tough, very stressful, a lot of pressure. The few days before the tournament are really difficult, as well. It's just kind of everywhere you go. It's so hard to avoid everything because of how big this event is, but also because of the history and no Brit having won. It's been very, very difficult."
With all that huge pressure lifted of his shoulders, Andy Murray will now look to take over Djokovic as the world's best player.



The Brits had to wait 77 years to see a home grown player conquer the Wimbledon men's title. Andy Murray fulfilled his prophecy, outplaying world No.1, Novak Djokovic, in three tight sets to win his second major crown.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Mladenovic Doubles Up for France

A day after Marion Bartoli stunned Sabine Lisicki to win the Wimbledon ladies' crown, another Frenchwoman achieved her Grand Slam dream. Kristina Mladenovic, one of the hottest prospects of the young generation, teamed up with doubles legend, Canadian Daniel Nestor, to win the mixed-doubles trophy, following a nail-biting 5-7,6-2,8-6 final victory over American Lisa Raymond and Brazilian Bruno Soares.
Mladenovic has been in great form in the doubles this year, collecting three titles with three different partners: Memphis with Galina Voskoboeva, Charleston with Lucie Safarova, respectively Oeiras with Hao-Ching Chan. The Frenchwoman also finished runner-up with Daniel Nestor at the French Open, where they lost 10-4 in the super-tiebreak to Czech duo Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak. 
The victory at Wimbledon comes to revenge for their Roland Garros disappointment, but the pair had to overcome some tough challenges en route to clinching the title. They dismissed the second seeded Sania Mirza and Horia Tecau in the quarterfinal, third seeded Katarina Strebotnik and Nenad Zimonjic in the semis, and now the No.1 seeded Raymond and Soares.
I put great faith in Kristina. She has a huge game, powerful groundstrokes, booming serve, but most important, she's proven she is extremely tough mentally. With her team in danger of losing a second consecutive major final, she saved two match points on her serve to level at 6 all in the decider. The French-Canadian tandem then broke decisively in the next game, while the experienced Nestor served out a superb win to the delight of Marion Bartoli and her dad, Walter, who were cheering from the crowd.

photo: GETTY IMAGES

Sunday, July 7, 2013

The Unstoppable Flying Brothers

Doubles legends, Bob and Mike Bryan, were on a mission at this year's Wimbledon. Having won the previous three Slams, as well as the Olympic gold medal in London, the twins were looking to complete the Golden 'Bryan' Slam, thus becoming the first team to hold all four majors, plus the Olympic gold at the same time.
With many of their rivals choosing to part ways at the end of last season, the Bryans found themselves unbothered as they cruised through 2013, winning eight of the eleven tournaments they've entered. While the newly formed teams are still in the process of accommodating with each other, the accomplished twins, aged 35, are completely in sync. This helped them reach some unbelievable heights throughout their career. "I think that's the reason why we've been playing so well, is because we have everything," said Bob. "Everything now feels like a bonus. It just feels like we're adding nuts and whipped cream and cherries to our great career. We said that a few years ago: if we retire today, we feel like we've done it all. Let's go have some fun and add to whatever this is."
Riding on an incredible 18-match winning streak, the Bryan brothers proved unstoppable at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. They've advanced through to the semifinals without dropping a set, withstood a tough challenge from Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Indian Rohan Bopanna, to then end the dream run of Croatian Ivan Dodig and Brazilian Marcelo Melo to clinch an historic title.
"It's hard to even dream that we'd have the slam, all four at one time," said Mike Bryan. "It all started back after we won the gold. It just felt like a huge pressure was released. Went on to win the Open and had a great summer. This year we've been on an amazing tear. Never had a streak like this. Especially at 35, I feel like we're hitting our peak.
"In the context of our career, it is probably up there at the top. I didn't think anything could feel as sweet as the gold medal, but this one just feels like there's a cap, a lid, or a ribbon around our career. It's pretty cool. It's something we never dreamed of, to try to win four in a row. It's too hard to dominate in doubles. Maybe we had a little luck involved along the way. We just took one at a time. It just added up. Now we got to try to suit back up for the calendar slam."
Next goal for the 'flying' brothers: winning all four majors in a season. They can do that by successfully defending their US Open crown. Let's go #BryanBros!


Although they lost the first five games of the final, the Bryan brothers came back strong, winning the final 3-6,6-3,6-4,6-3 to complete the Golden 'Bryan' Slam. The American twins now hold all four Grand Slam trophies, as well as the Olympic gold medal.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Emotional Lisicki Misses out on a Great Finish

After playing an unbelievable tournament, Sabine Lisicki seemed destined to crown herself as the new Wimbledon queen. She did all the hard work already, shocking world No.1 and defending champion, Serena Williams, in the fourth round, before an epic defeat of last year's runner-up, Agnieszka Radwanska, in the semis. She needed just one more win and her dream would come true. Her opponent in the final was Marion Bartoli, a player she beat in three of their four previous meeting. It seemed an easy task, right? However, no Grand Slam final is ever easy.
The German, renowned for being an emotional player, could not really cope with the big occasion. What promised to be a day to remember, quickly turned into a nightmare, Bartoli being one point away from a total blow-out at 6-1,5-1 on Lisicki's serve. After saving three match points to hold serve, an extremely frustrated Sabine finally hit her zone. She won three consecutive games, reducing the deficit to one game. Desperate not to let her opponent get back on equal terms, the Frenchwoman hold to love to win the crown.
Tennis can be crude at times. Lisicki did everything right before this last match, but she just couldn't control her nerves. "I felt fine this morning but it's an occasion that you don't get every day," she told a news conference. "So it's something completely new for me. The walk on court is different. You walk on with the flowers. You walk on together. Everything is a little bit different. The feeling, the atmosphere is different."
Of course, all credit should go to Bartoli for producing a flawless display, but I feel like Lisicki could have won this battle if she was better prepared. Nevertheless, this is no time for regrets. The German possesses such a huge game that she just needs to be given this opportunity again. As she confessed, she will surely learn from the defeat and hopefully be ready next year. "I will learn and take away so much from it," she assured us. "I've done that in the past. Experience has always helped me so much. When I was in the quarters here the first time, when I was in the semis for the first time, and now in the final for the first time. I've always gained my experience here, which is good. I hope that next time it will help me to do that one step further."
Despite the painful loss, Lisicki tried to remain positive and look at what a sensational run she's had these past two weeks. "It's still been a great tournament," she said. "It's been an amazing two weeks. I've played my best tennis here. I had to take out the champion and runner-up from last year, so I think that's pretty big. This tournament definitely made me a better player." Sabine loves grass and she always did great at Wimbledon, so I do expect her to win this title one day. As Marion said "I'm sure you will be there one more time. I have no doubt about it."


Although she was hot favourite to become the new Wimbledon queen, Sabine Lisicki could not cope with the pressure. The German was unable to respond to the inspired display of Marion Bartoli, losing her first Grand Slam final 1-6,4-6.
During the on court interview, the emotional Lisicki declared her love for Wimbledon and vowed to come back next year and try to win the title.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

The Triumph of the Wonder Woman

Probably no one gave her a chance at the beginning of the tournament, but Marion Bartoli has always felt inspired on the grass-courts of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She may have not advanced past the quarterfinals so far this year, but when she saw the draw open nicely for her, she knew she was given the chance of a lifetime. And she went for it.
If all the top names fell in the early rounds, Marion kept her focus and cruised through to the quarterfinals without dropping a set. A tough test followed, but the Frenchwoman showed incredible mental strength to dismiss teen sensation Sloane Stephens 6-4,7-5 to reach her second Wimbledon semifinal. She may not be the ultimate athlete, but Bartoli is one of the smartest women on the tour. Playing a smart mental game, she put an end to Kirsten Flipkens' dream run, stunning the Belgian 6-1,6-2 to book her place in the grand finale against big-hitting German, Sabine Lisicki. 
Although I rooted for Bartoli, I admit I was certain the German would prevail. Sabine showed such great fight the entire tournament, shocking world No.1 and defending champion, Serena Williams, and last year's runner-up, Agnieszka Radwanska, to reach her maiden Grand Slam final. However, Marion has been in this situation before and the experience helped her prepare mentally for the challenge. Although her opponent held a 3-1 head-to-head record against her, the Frenchwoman seized the opportunity and was determined not to let it go. While Lisicki could not handle the emotions, Bartoli was all pumped up and ready to achieve her dream. She played flawless tennis to go 6-1,5-1 up and although she missed three match points to allow the German to close the gap, she cold-bloodedly served out the match to clinch her maiden major title. "Honestly I still can't believe it," she beamed. "I've dreamed about this moment for so long. For me, winning Wimbledon is beyond my wildest dreams, let alone with an ace - but I've been practicing my serve for so long, I guess I saved it for the best moment! I'm so happy to be holding this trophy. This has been my dream since I was six years old."
"I honestly just can't believe it," she added. "I feel like I'm going to wake up and none of this will have happened. I was just really focused on every single point out there. I saw the finish line at 5-1 but then she started playing so well - but to finish it with an ace is just amazing. I'm so happy right now."
The peculiar Frenchwoman may not be everyone's cup of tea, but she's certainly one of my favourite players. I think what she does on the court is so special, that she sometimes is not given the respect she deserves. It is just amazing that Marion is now a Grand Slam winner. Surreal even. It was a shock when she beat the dominant Justine Henin to make the 2007 final, but she needed today's win to prove everyone what a great champion she is. No matter what happens next, no one can take this win from her. She is the new Wimbledon queen and she did it without dropping a set. Wow, what an amazing achievement. Congrats Marion, you fully deserve this!

An extremely joyful Marion celebrated her triumph with her camp: new coach, Amelie Mauresmo, father, doctor Walter Bartoli, as well as compatriot, Kristina Mladenovic.


After losing the 2007 final to Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli was determined not to let another chance slip by. The Frenchwoman controlled the match throughout, closing out Sabine Lisicki 6-1,6-4 to win her maiden Grand Slam crown.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Heroic del Potro Shows Big Heart

It takes true grit, fierce determination, and above all, an immense love for the sport to be able to do what Juan Martin del Potro did at this year's Wimbledon. The Argentinean sustained a nasty knee injury in his opening rounds, and while others were quick to throw in the towel, he decided to suck in the pain and carry on. It was a hard decision to take, especially considering his rich history of injuries and medical problems, but del Potro was determined to fight till the very end.
Just when he thought things cannot get worse, the inevitable happened and he re-injured his right knee in the very first game of his quarterfinal clash with recent French Open finalist, David Ferrer. Once again, he had to make an important call. And once again he decided to continue. His bravery paid off as he overcame the Spaniard in straight sets to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal since winning the US Open in 2009.
The semifinal encounter with world No.1, Novak Djokovic, proved a too difficult test to pass. Although the ailing Argentinean gave it his all, the Serbian was just too strong physically. Juan saved two math points in the fourth set to force a decider, but Djokovic still prevailed. In his press conference, del Potro talked about how the crowd has pushed him to don't give up and continue fighting: "When I was down in moments of the match, I saw the crowd. They were clapping [for] me and that helped me a lot for sure,” he said. “They don't care if I'm No. 8 or my opponent is No. 1. They really enjoyed the match. They like tennis. They [made] me a fighter all the time. It was incredible. 
“I think they saw my big effort. It's not easy jump to the Centre Court at Wimbledon and play against the No. 1 in the world in my first semi-final here. [There’s a lot of] pressure on me. But I think they liked to watch us fighting with the best players. And when the match is going really close, the crowd is always 50/50. Or it depends. But I did a big, big effort… Of course I'm sad now, but in couple of days, I will see how big the match was.”
Last season, a fit del Potro shocked Novak to win the bronze medal at the London Olympic Games, but this time, the 2011 Wimbledon champion knew his lesson. He was prepared to stay in the rally, turning defense into attack, thus making his opponent run until his body eventually collapsed. It happened at 4-3 in the decider when Novak made the vital break, then went on to serve out an epic 7-6,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 victory. Del Potro's extraterrestrial performance won hearts, but as he said “I am glad to win hearts but I wanted to win the match.” His huge effort deserved another outcome, but hopefully he will come back stronger than ever at the next majors. This was a truly impressive performance by the Argentinean. This is how to play a match on one foot, but with a big heart. Azarenka, hope you got to see this!

del Potro re-injured his knee in the very first game of this quarterfinal clash with David Ferrer.

The Giant Argentinean sucked in the tremendous pain and pulled off a stunning 6-2,6-4,7-6 victory over recent French Open finalist to reach his first Wimbledon semifinal.



At the end of his epic 5-hour clash in which he gave it his all, del Potro had to accept defeat. Visibly bothered by his injured knee, Juan managed to push world No.1, Novak Djokovic, to the very end, but his effort was not enough to stop the Serb from reaching his second Wimbledon final. Djokovic won 7-5,4-6,7-6,6-7,6-3 and will play Andy Murray for the title.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Flipkens Gets to Live Her Dream

Last summer when she was diagnosed with blood clots in her legs, Kirsten Flipkens seemed a spent force. Battling a life-threatening injury and with her career in complete bewilderment, the Belgian even considered hanging up the racket amidst this turbulent time. People slapped the door in her face, as they lost faith in her ability to fulfill her once huge potential. Flipkens, a prodigious junior with titles at Wimbledon and US Open in 2003, keep on believing though, knowing that she is destined for greatness. "I had lost the support of the federation and not many people still believed in me," Flipkens told wtatennis.com about the ordeal. "When everything is going well, everyone's your friend. But in hard times you learn who your friends are. But I knew I could fight back and prove them all wrong."
She overcame her health issues, started anew and returned to the spotlight to accompany her good friend, Kim Clijsters, into retirement at the US Open, where the two played doubles together. In late fall, the Belgian's comeback was gaining great momentum, as Kirsten saw a dream come true, winning her first WTA title in Quebec, beating Czech Lucie Hradecka in the final. She continued to turn milestones in 2013, reaching her maiden second week at a major, at the Australian Open, cracking the top 20 in June, and making the final of her "home" tournament in den Bosch, where she lost to Romanian Simona Halep. Nevertheless, nothing was really announcing her fairytale fortnight at Wimbledon.
Taking advantage of Azarenka's withdrawal following a nasty knee injury, the Belgian progressed through to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal. She then produced a major upset, taking out the last Grand Slam winner left in the draw, the 2011 champion, Petra Kvitova. Although Kvitova started strong, the Czech eventually paid the price for her erratic display, allowing her opponent to level the match. Once on equal terms, Kirsten seized the opportunity. She hanged in tough in the decider, breaking Petra's serve before coming up with two aces to close out the biggest win of her career. Appearing in her first major semifinal, the talented Belgian seemed too overwhelmed to stand a chance against Marion Bartoli. She was completely outplayed by the determined Frenchwoman who came through 6-1,6-2 to reach her second Wimbledon final.
What a difference a year makes! If last season her No.262 ranking did not even get her into the Wimbledon qualies, 12 months later she's in the semifinals. "I think I still don't really realize what I've managed to go through today and what I've achieved today," she confessed during her press conference. "Last year, as everybody knows already, I didn't even get into the qualifying of Wimbledon. I was ranked No.262; today I'm a semifinalist in a Grand Slam. 
"It's a dream - more than a dream - coming true. There are no words. I never expected this to happen in my life. It was already a great performance that I managed to get into the fourth round in the Australian Open this year, but being in the semifinals of a Grand Slam, of the biggest tournament of the year, it has no words. I never expected I would come this far."
Although she did not win the trophy, Flipkens has won so much during these two weeks. It could very well be that this will remain the pinnacle of her career, but Kirsten has made a habit of proving everyone wrong, so she will surely seek to break new grounds.


Although she's beaten Kvitova in their last meeting, Kristen Flipkens produced another upset at Wimbledon, stunning the 2011 champion, 4-6,6-3,6-4 to reach her first Grand Slam semifinal.

Visibly bothered by a knee injury, the Belgian was crushed by the determined Marion Bartoli in their semifinal clash. The Frenchwoman won 6-1,6-2 to end Kristen's dream run at this year's Wimbledon.

photos: GETTY IMAGES

Friday, July 5, 2013

The 2013 WHITE Fashion Scoop

This year's Wimbledon quickly became a true nightmare for the hot favourites, as many of the big names exited the tournament on a manic first Wednesday. Azarenka and Tsonga sustained injuries and withdrew, Federer and Sharapova followed on Nadal's footsteps and were shocked by unheralded opponents, while a few days later, the untouchable Serena Williams was brought down to Earth by the aggressive, never-say-die attitude of Sabine Lisicki. All these surprising results made this edition unique. 
Consequently, although the big fashion names were prepared to showcase their latest outfits for the entire fortnight, they saw their time to shine drastically reduced. Nevertheless, it was enough to observe the stunning looking Serena, who once again topped the best dressed list with an adorable cocktail dress, the edgier Federer, as well as the boring Sharapova. Continuing the tradition, the Wimbledon greats, i.e. Roger Federer and Serena Williams, once again wore personalized blazers to reinforced their status.
The rigours of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club don't allow for much innovation, but Nike got away with a pop of colour, continuing to position orange as the star colour of this year's collection. Adidas went for transparency, while Stella McCartney proposed odd looking attire.

A pop of Orange from Nike






Serena Williams - NIKE
Serena Williams has made a habit of topping the best dressed list lately and she did it again at Wimbledon. Following her great appearance at the players' party, the American looked stunning on court too, wearing a little white cocktail dress, the must have of the season. The transparency at the top and the heart-shaped cleavage give it a cute, romantic feel and the pop of orange adds that trademark Serena touch. This is one of the beautiful dresses of the year so far.



Roger Federer - NIKE RF Group
Roger Federer was dressed for another sensational Wimbledon fortnight, but his campaign got to an abrupt end when he was beaten by Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovski in the second round. The Swiss legend has upgraded his style lately and he continued the trend at the All England Lawn and Croquet Club. The Swiss opted for an edgier blazer and a pop of bright orange. His personalized orange shoes actually got banned by the tournament officials for violating the strict colour code.

Victoria Azarenka - NIKE
Victoria Azarenka was really unlucky this year, having to withdraw in the second round following the nasty knee injury she sustained in her opening match. The Belorussian did not get to show us her Wimbledon garment, but we did see the outerwear and I really like the trench. It perfectly reflects Vika's edgy style.


Maria Sharapova - Nike 'Maria Sharapova' Group
Maria Sharapova continued the disappointing trend of boring, unflattering outfits with another dull white dress. She tried to add a bit of spark by using orange underpants, but it was not enough to save the look. I think the bottom of the dress has a nice detail, but that kind of a top just doesn't suit her body. I stick to my idea that the Russian should not go sleeveless, a tank top emphasizing too much her big shoulders.


Sabine Lisicki - NIKE
Sabine Lisicki is not a fashionista, but I really loved her Wimbledon outfit. The top is simple, yet nice, while the skirt is a show-stopper. It has a great movement that I adore. 

Adidas Transparency



Ana Ivanovic - Adidas AdiZero
Kristina Mladenovic - Adidas AdiZero
Flavia Pennetta - Adidas AdiZero
Considering the 'all white' dress code of the Championships, it is really hard to come up with outstanding apparel. While Nike pushed for orange, Adidas stick to the rules and opted for transparency as the distinct element of its collection. The clothes look good, well-made, but unfortunately their are not memorable. I look forward to seeing the coloured version though. I saw a preview and I was intrigued.

Doubtful Stella



Laura Robson - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney



Andrea Petkovic - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney
Maria Kirilenko - Adidas Barricade by Stella McCartney

Caroline Wozniacki - Adidas by Stella McCartney
Stella McCartney's quirky ideas came to life at Wimbledon, as the designer put forward some awkward looking attire. The transparency and the weird cuts make some of the garments seem severely damaged. Take Petkovic's short-sleeved top or Wozniacki's weird apron of a dress. Those pieces should be prohibited from such competitions. No one should walk on the court dressed like that. There are some positives though. I like Robson's look, as well as Kirilenko's. Both players can reply on great taste and that's what makes them look different than their counterparts.

The future looks bright



Sloane Stephens - UnderArmour
Teen sensation, Sloane Stephens is living up to her reputation of the newest tennis fashionista, looking sharp in her UnderArmour dress. As at the French, the American wore those nice pleaded head pieces that I really like.

Open contest


Marion Bartoli - Lotto
Agnieszka Radwanska - Lotto

Heather Watson - K-Swiss
While the big names exited the scene early in the first week, unheralded players got a well-deserved chance to shine. While Heather Watson did not take advantage of it, Marion Bartoli and Aga Radwanksa did, being among the last ladies standing. The threesome looked good though in K-Swiss, respectively Lotto. I like the use of the black stripes on the Lotto dress. It's a nice detail that makes the outfit stand out. I am usually a fan of K-Swiss and this dress resembles some of its vintage best.

Stop the experiments!



Bethanie Mattek-Sands - n/a

Camila Giorgi -  Denise Cronwall
Every Grand Slam has its so-called fashion experimentalists. While Bethanie Mattek-Sands with her crazy dyed hair and high socks is a regular, Camila Giorgi is a newcomer. Wearing a lace skirt and a corset top, the Italian becomes a front-runner for the worst dressed award.

photos: GETTY IMAGES