Wimbledon remains Wimbledon - still magical
No points and fewer stars: The 135th edition of Wimbledon starts on Monday under a different sign.
by SID
last edit: Jun 23, 2022, 02:08 pm
The Olympic champion is missing. Number one is banned. The record winner is taking a break - and the defending champion has retired. Without a handful of top stars like Alexander Zverev, Roger Federer or industry leader Daniil Medvedev and without points for the world rankings, the most famous tennis tournament in the world is just a better show event. Or not?
Angelique Kerber shakes her head. "For me, Wimbledon is Wimbledon, with or without points," says the 2018 winner in an interview with the FAZ: "Anyone who has any doubts about Wimbledon this year does not have the importance of the tournament and the sport itself correctly understood."
Defending champion Ashleigh Barty no longer there
Doubts about the status of the 135th edition of the classic lawn game were raised after the All England Club decided to exclude all Russians and Belarusians over the war of aggression against Ukraine. Discussions broke out about the sense or nonsense of the measure in the globalized individual sport of tennis. ATP and WTA stripped the tournament of world ranking status. The scene was divided.
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However, the feared cancellations of some backbenchers, who urgently need ranking points to stay in the top 100, largely did not materialize. In addition to tennis pensioner Ashleigh Barty (Australia), only Canadian Eugenie Bouchard, 2014 finalist on the Holy Lawn, voluntarily waives.
Naomi Osaka is also missing
"As much as I love Wimbledon and it saddens me to miss it - using my protected ranking in a tournament where there are no points makes no sense," says Bouchard, who no longer had great expectations after her breakthrough eight years ago could fulfill - often through injuries.
An injury also plagues Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam winner from Japan canceled her start due to problems with her Achilles tendon. The appeal of Wimbledon despite all the debates is shown by "the case" of Rafael Nadal. At the French Open, he dragged himself to his 22nd major title with chronic foot problems, had his fit injected and still didn't take a break.
Nadal can dream of the calendar Grand Slam
Understandable for Angelique Kerber. "In these weeks of the year, everyone is even more motivated than usual," she says. In addition, Nadal has the chance to write tennis history. After the triumphs in Melbourne and Paris, the Spaniard can still dream of the calendar Grand Slam, which the Australian Rod Laver was the last player to achieve in 1969.
A triumph in London's south-west this year would be worth no less for Nadal than his titles in 2008 and 2010 - despite the "very unfair" ban on Russian and Belarusian professionals, which he saw as "very unfair". Despite the injury of the top German player Alexander Zverev and the break of the Swiss Roger Federer. Wimbledon remains Wimbledon - a tournament with magical appeal that even manages to persuade Serena Williams to return after a year's absence.
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