WIMBLEDON 2022

 Novak Djokovic & Elena Rybakina Lifts Wimbledon Title

Novak Djokovic & Elena Rybakina Lifts Wimbledon Title

Serbian Novak Djokovic and Moscow-born Kazakh Elena Rybakina lifted their Wimbledon 2022 title beating their opponents Australian Nick Kyrgios and Tunisian Ons Jabeur respectively. Djokovic won a fourth successive title at the All-England Club to take his overall Grand Slam tally to 21. Rybakina is the youngest woman (turned 23 last month) to win the Wimbledon title since a 21-year-old Petra Kvitova in 2011. 

Novak Djokovic’s win

Djokovic used his steady brilliance to beat the ace-delivering, trick-shot-hitting, constantly chattering Kyrgios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (3) to win his seventh Wimbledon title. That’s level with Pete Sampras & just one short of Roger Federer’s men’s singles record at the All-England Club. But there had been one thing he did overtake the Swiss maestro in. Currently, he’s just one short of Rafael Nadal’s all-time men’s record. All his life he chased the other two members of tennis’ Big Three. For the first time ever, Djokovis has overtaken one of them. He now joins an elite list that includes just Pete Sampras, Bjorn Borg, & Federer as the only men to have won at least four Wimbledon titles on the trot in the Open Era. 

Elena Rybakina’s Win

The Russian-born Kazakh, Elena Rybakina who rallied from a set down, landing her first serves & riding the one-two punch with the gusto of a gunslinger, scored a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 win over the world No.2 Jabeur. Elena Rybakina’s journey has been about lateral movement, until she took the next step. Recognition locally or nationally didn’t come early for the Moscow-born, whose previous coaches included Russian pros Andrei Chesnokov & Evgenia Kulikovskaya. Rybakina represented Kazakhstan after switching allegiances in 2018. Her triumph came at a tournament where her Russian compatriots and Belarusian players were banned following the invasion of Ukraine by the All-England Club. 

Players Who were Unable to Participate

There were a few men who were kept out of the field were No. 1-ranked Daniil Medvedev, the reigning U.S. Open champion, & No. 8 Andrey Rublev. In response, the unprecedented step of revoking all ranking points from Wimbledon has been taken by the WTA & ATP professional tennis tours. There's more: for the first time since the late 1990s, Federer missed the tournament because he is still recuperating from a series of operations on his right knee. Alexander Zverev, the No.2 man in the rankings, sat out after tearing ankle ligaments at the French Open. Three of the top 20 seeded men, including 2021 runner-up Matteo Berrettini, had to pull out of Wimbledon after it began because they were tested positive for COVID-19.

About Wimbledon

Wimbledon started in 1877. This grass court tennis grand slam is the oldest of all four Grand Slam tournaments in Tennis viz. Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open events. They are also called Majors. Wimbledon is relatively older than the rest followed by the US (1881), French (1891) & the Australian (1905). Before 1924–25, only Wimbledon was a major when all the four became designated Grand Slam tournaments. The oldest is looked at by many in the tennis world as the most prestigious & is usually conducted from late June to early July. Generally, it takes place over two weeks in late June & early July, starting on the third Monday in June. Since its year of inception, Wimbledon has been held at the All-England Club located in Wimbledon, London. 

Djokovic & Rybakina - The Winners

Djokovic, renowned as the best returner in the game undefeated at the tournament since 2017. Perhaps, in some ways, it would have been suitable for such an unprecedented player to emerge as the champion at such a unique Wimbledon. On the other hand, the world No.23, famously sangfroid, pushed through this week on the grass, understanding a surface that is quick but rarely true. perhaps unfairly, Elina Rybakina’s nationality has been a dominant theme around her Wimbledon run this year. But she proved herself being decisive in the face of some difficult questions. However, she looks forward more to being a life member of the All-England Club, a perk reserved for all champions. Wimbledon as usual has once again gathered new this year as well.