Wimbledon 2024 concluded on Sunday with Carlos Alcaraz's victory in three sets over Novak Djokovic, solidifying thechange of guard in men's tennis. This marks Alcaraz's second title at Wimbledon following his triumph last year, and his fourth Grand Slam title in his career (U.S. Open 2022, Wimbledon 2023, Roland-Garros 2024).
Many events took place during the two weeks in London, and I want to share my favorite moments.
The Incredible Feat of Jasmine Paolini
I'm surely not the only person, but Jasmine Paolini has become my favorite player over the past month. The short Italian charmed me with her cheerful personality and fighting spirit on the court. At 28 years old, she is what one might call a "late bloomer." After reaching the Roland-Garros final, where she lost to Iga Swiatek, she followed it up with another final at Wimbledon.
Reaching the finals of both Roland-Garros and Wimbledon in the same year is an extremely difficult feat, last accomplished by none other than Serena Williams in 2016. Unfortunately for Paolini, she lost again in three well-fought sets to Barbora Krejcikova.
It will be impossible for me to root for anyone other than Paolini at the U.S. Open in September, and I won’t be alone—Mama Paolini will probably be there too.
Novak Djokovic Achieves the Impossible
The Djoker is an example of longevity in a sport where top players often retire very early. It's rare to see players in their thirties accomplishing great feats outside the Big 4, but Djokovic seems timeless at 37. Although his 2024 season has been below his usual standards, he still reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open and was set to play the semi-finals at Roland-Garros before his meniscus injury.
On June 6, he announced he had undergone surgery on his right knee, casting doubt on his potential participation at Wimbledon.
Well, just over five weeks later, he played in the 10th Wimbledon final of his career. Whether you like Novak Djokovic or not, it’s an extraordinary achievement.
One Last Wimbledon for Andy Murray
Another player performing miracles in his late thirties is Andy Murray. Although his results are no longer at the level of his talent, he continues to challenge players nearly half his age, with a metal hip. We were all eagerly awaiting his last participation at Wimbledon, where he won two titles (2013 and 2016) and an Olympic gold medal (London 2012).
Unfortunately, he also had to undergo surgery a few weeks before the tournament and couldn't recover in time to compete in the singles event. However, he still participated in the doubles tournament with his brother Jamie, where they lost in the first round.
The tribute to Andy after this match will remain etched in my memory for a long time.
Here is the entire farewell ceremony:
Diede de Groot Wins Her 16th Consecutive Grand Slam
There are athletes we don't talk about often enough, and Diede de Groot is one of them. The 27-year-old Dutchwoman was born with one leg shorter than the other and plays wheelchair tennis, and when I say "plays," I actually mean "completely dominates her competition."
She has an impressive total of 42 Grand Slam titles: 23 in singles and 19 in doubles. But that's not even the most impressive fact of her career. By winning her 6th Wimbledon title last week (and 4th consecutive), de Groot is now on a crazy streak of 16 consecutive Grand Slam titles, with her last defeat dating back to Wimbledon in 2019 (!).
She's no stranger to winning streaks; de Groot also won 145 consecutive singles matches between 2021 and 2024. She will be defending her gold medal at the Paris Olympics next month.
La chevelure de Fabio Fognini
Let's wrap up my list of favorite moments at Wimbledon 2024 with Fabio Fognini's "bleached" blonde hair.
He revealed in an interview with TennisTV that he had to dye his hair after losing a bet, but he didn't want to disclose the nature of the bet. Fortunately for him, his wife and former professional tennis player Flavia Pennetta likes his new hairdo!
The 37-year-old Italian had a good run at Wimbledon, losing in the third round to another veteran, Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut, in five sets. Along the way, he also eliminated the world number 9, Casper Ruud.
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