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Young people stalk the last bastion of an unforgettable cycle. Perhaps London, a symbolic tournament whichever way you look at it, is the most favorable setting to consolidate a changing of the guard in the making. The circuit’s six-week tour on the green grass has its epicenter in Wimbledon, south of London, where the All England welcomes the best in the world of tennis starting this Monday. The usual magic flies over the halls of the central court and a page in history is blank, waiting for the winners who will emerge in two weeks.
Conquering Wimbledon is a singular privilege, reserved for very few. Since 2003, there are enough fingers on one hand to count: Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak DjokovicAndy Murray y Carlos Alcaraz. For the young man from El Palmar, the memory is fresh: twelve months ago, he embraced glory by unseating Djokovic. A formidable performance by the Spaniard prevented the Serbian from completing the calendar Grand Slam, a feat that no one has achieved in more than half a century: in 1969 Rod Laver was the last to win the four majors in one year. There won’t be a unanimous champion this year either, after Jannik Sinner celebrated in Australia and Alcaraz did so at Roland Garros.
Novak Djokovic during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club GLYN KIRK – AFP
The two major winners in 2024 are from the new generation. Will that trend continue? Or does Novak Djokovic have any aces left to play on the green mat? The Serbian is in London with the weight of his seven crowns at the All England, although still convalescing, after the meniscus tear he suffered in Paris during his five-set victory over Francisco Cerúndolo, and which forced him to leave Paris without presenting battle in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros. The Balkan did not hesitate to immediately undergo reconstructive surgery and his right knee seems to respond in good shape. AND He doesn’t plan to adjust his game to protect that part of his body.“I don’t see myself holding back. I don’t see myself calculating or being a bit more cautious with my moves. I don’t think that will happen. I really go all out. That’s how I’ve played my whole career,” Djokovic said at the press conference before the tournament. It’s a risky gamble: the Olympic Games are just around the corner, a goal that is missing from the crowded display case of the current number 2 in the ranking.
Novak Djokovic looks pensive, wearing the bulky protective bandage on his right kneeKirsty Wigglesworth – AP
So far, the Serbian has been far from repeating what was achieved in a dream 2023At 37, he has yet to reach a final this season. But Wimbledon, as we know, is a special place for Nole, the tournament he has always wanted to win, and which he won for the first time in 2011, 13 years ago. “I have an incredible desire to play, to compete. Thinking about missing Wimbledon didn’t feel good. I didn’t want to deal with it,” he admitted. He picked up the pace and four weeks after the injury he feels optimistic: “Every day I have spent here – training – I get positive signals and they encourage me to think that I can do it. I didn’t come to play a couple of rounds and prove to myself and others that I can compete with one or two matches. I really want to go for the title.” If successful, she will raise her own record of Grand Slam titles to 25.As world number 2, Djokovic leads the lower part of the draw and will make his debut against Czech Vit Kopriva (123rd), who entered through the qualifiers.
All set to kick off The Championships starting this MondayGLYN KIRK – AFP
At the top of the painting, there could be an unmissable semi-final between Alcaraz and Sinner. A few weeks ago, the Spaniard took the lead (5-4) in the head-to-head between the two by winning a five-set match in the run-up to the Roland Garros final. The Italian, who has risen to number 1 in the rankings, showed his progress on grass by winning a few days ago in Halle, one of the most important tournaments on this surface. In the last two years, his rise at Wimbledon has encountered the same obstacle: Djokovic, to whom he lost in the quarter-finals in 2022 and in the semi-finals in 2023.
Now, Sinner is confident that winning his first title on grass has helped him to win Wimbledon. “I’m happy with how I played last week. I’m trying to find some good form here. I feel that, especially on grass, when you have confidence in yourself, it can help you. Last year I reached the semi-finals here, so I know I can play good tennis on this surface. Obviously, every year it’s a little different,” he commented. His debut will be on Monday, against the experienced German Yannick Hanfmann (95th). In the second round he could face a more uncomfortable obstacle: his compatriot Matteo Berrettini, Wimbledon runner-up in 2021.
Jannik Sinner seeks to conquer Wimbledon for the first timeGLYN KIRK – AFP
The group of central candidates is completed with Carlos Alcaraz, the defending champion. Like last year, the draw has meant that Djokovic and Alcaraz can only face each other in the final. Last year he managed to adapt his game very quickly to grass, in two tournaments, and won Queen’s and the All England. This time he arrives with an early goodbye in the second round of the London tournament. “After my defeat at Queen’s, from the next day I started to work on my movements, my strokes, to feel more comfortable on grass. I had very good training with great players, I can say that I am ready,” said the Murcian. His debut will be against Estonian Mark Lajal (269th).
As for the old guard, there is a specific absence: Rafael Nadalaged 38, decided to skip Wimbledon to focus on the Paris Olympics, which start in four weeks. The left-hander from Manacor is not in great shape, and has obviously decided to be very selective with the tournaments in his final season, and that is why he will aim hard for his return to Paris, which will include doubles with Alcaraz.
On snow? No. Carlos Alcaraz and his coaching staff walk on the All England pitch coversJohn Walton – PA
And there is another big one in doubt: Andy MurrayThe man who ended England’s 77-year drought at the All England Club with his title in 2013 (he repeated three seasons later) underwent surgery a week ago for a cyst that affected the mobility of his right leg. If he recovers, he will appear on Tuesday against the Czech Tomas Machac. In addition, he received an invitation, along with his brother Jamie, to also participate in the doubles that begins later in the week. “It has been 10 complicated days,” admitted the Scot, who played a practice set on Sunday. “It went very well, but I still don’t feel like I’m 100 percent in my leg,” he added. This Monday he will once again demand himself, and there he will decide if he is in condition to play in a tournament that awaits him to pay homage.
In the female branch, and unlike the men, everything seems very open. The last seven Wimbledons have seen six different champions, including Marketa Vondrousovawho last year became the first non-seeded winner, from 42nd in the rankings. Iga Swiatekthe world number one, is the natural candidate, but her results on grass are so far below those she achieves on other surfaces. She has played very little on the green carpet and her best performance at Wimbledon was the quarter-finals a year ago. “At any tournament it is difficult to consider me a surprise. But I certainly have to concentrate here to learn to play the best tennis possible, without thinking about my ranking,” explained the Pole.
Coco Gauff and Iga Swiatek, finalist and champion, respectively, in the Roland Garros final; both start again as favorites on the London grassThibault Camus – AP
It would not be surprising at all if the winner is Coco Gauff, the 2nd in the ranking, who reached the round of 16 when she was 15 years old, with a memorable victory over Venus Williams. “I am very calm. Last year I didn’t have a great result – she fell in the first round – so I can’t do worse… I can only do the same or better,” said the champion of the last US Open. That title in New York seemed to be a relief for Gauff, who from then on showed more confidence in her game. “I think I have grown a lot, but I know that I am still nowhere near what I can achieve,” the American, barely 20 years old, is encouraged.
There will be ten players from our country at Wimbledon this year. Here is the programme for each of them:
Monday:Tuesday:Get to know The Trust Project
2024-07-01 00:32:00
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