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.

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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.

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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.

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Laura Made to Wait Another Year

Laura Robson is a player that always raises her level on the big occasions. She proved it at last year's US Open, sending Kim Clijsters into retirement, stunning red-hot Na Li, before eventually succumbing to former champion, Sam Stosur, in the last 16th. She did it again in January, overcoming former Wimbledon champion, Petra Kvitova, in the second round of the Australian Open, before losing to fellow teen sensation, Sloane Stephens, in her next match. Nevertheless, the pressure is never higher for than at Wimbledon, her home major.
With the hope of a nation resting on the shoulder, the former girl's champion once again showed her mental toughness this year. To debut her 2013 Wimbledon campaign, an inspired Robson shocked world No.10, Russian Maria Kirilenko, 6-3,6-4. Following an easy victory over Colombian Mariana Duque-Marino, she showed great fighting spirit to come back from the brink and defeat New Zealand's Marina Erakovic 1-6,7-6,6-3 in the third round. Her dream of reaching her first Grand Slam quarterfinal was eventually crushed by Estonian Kaia Kanepi, who won a two-setter to spoil the British party.

Laura's climb to the top started after last summer's London Olympics where she partnered Andy Murray to win the silver medal in the mixed doubles. The experience proved the turning point in her career so far and the young Brit is making small, but consistent steps towards fulfilling her huge potential. She may lose her focus from time to time, especially in the smaller tournaments, but when given a tough task she is as dangerous as you can get. I believe in Laura. Her greatest strength rests not so much her solid groundstrokes, but more in her ability to deliver on those big moments against the toughest opponents. I predict this quality will take her far. At only 19, she has plenty of time to work on the other aspects of her game. Once that gets done, she will be very hard to stop.

Laura Robson's dream of reaching her first major quarterfinal was crushed by Estonian Kaia Kanepi who won a tight two-setter to spoil the British party at Wimbledon. At only 19, Laura is already showing signs of a great future champion.

At the tender age of 14, Robson announced herself as a name to remember, winning the 2008 Wimbledon girl's singles crown.

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Impossible Is Nothing for Emotional Lisicki

Sabine Lisicki seems to come to life every year at the beginning of the grass-court season. The German has tasted success at Wimbledon in the past, reaching her first major quarterfinal in 2009, before a dream run to the semis in 2011. Last year, the German produced another great outcome, stunning then world No.1 and reigning French Open champion, Maria Sharapova, in the last 16th to reach the quarterfinals. Unfortunately she lost the next match, but just barely, falling to her compatriot, Angelique Kerber.

This year, Sabine got herself into the same situation. After a great win over big-hitting Aussie, Samantha Stosur, the German got herself a date with world No.1 and current French Open champion, Serena Williams. Following Vika's withdrawal and Sharapova's shock exit, the American was the overwhelming favourite to retain her title. Lisicki had another plans though. Unimpressed by her opponent's pedigree, she stormed through a great first set 6-2. The American responded in style though, taking the second act 6-1 to level the match. It was vital for Sabine that she did not lose her nerve at this point. Although her opponent went 3-1 up, she continued to fight hard, twice recovering from a break down to eventually serve out a superb 6-2,1-6,6-4 victory.
It requires tremendous guts to overcome Serena, especially at Wimbledon where she is a five time champion in singles, as well as doubles, but Lisicki showed she has what it takes, ending her opponent impressive 34 match winning-streak. "I went out on the court to win the match," she said afterwards. "That's my goal. That's what I do every time I go out on the court. Of course it gave me a little more energy knowing she won the French Open and I've beaten the French Open champion three times in a row in my last three appearances. It was a good omen. They always happen to be on the side of the draw I'm on."
I think this year Lisicki can definitely crown herself the new Wimbledon queen, but she shouldn't lose her head too early though. She still has three matches ahead and she needs to take a step by step. Next up for the German is a clash with Estonian Kaia Kanepi, who crushed Laura Robsons' dream.

Relying on her grass-court pedigree, Sabine Lisicki produced the shock of the tournament, stunning world No.1 and defending champion, Serena Williams, to reach her fourth Wimbledon quarterfinal in the last five years. The German ended Serena's 34 match winning streak, defeating the American 6-2,1-6,6-4.

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