Federer’s comeback, Czech dominance and an unexpected British fairy tale. What else did the first week of Wimbledon bring?

Wimbledon is in its first week. And it’s a good week for the Czech Republic, 5 Czech women made it to the third round! What else has Wimbledon offered so far?

1. TheSwiss legend never ceases to amaze

The 40-year-old is breathing down his neck, yet he can still keep up with the best. His comeback can already be considered a success. Federer has won a total of 7 Grand Slam titles at Wimbledon. This time, however, he didn’t enter his tournament ideally.

In the first round, he lost to Mannarino 2-1 in sets. Eventually, he advanced thanks to his opponent’s scratch. After that, he was on a roll. He outlasted Gasquet, took on the dangerous Norrie. After a year and a half, he’ll be playing in the Grand Slam semifinals. And even there, it may not be the final.

Sonego will stand in his way, and that’s definitely a playable obstacle. It may well be his last Wimbledon. It would be symbolic indeed if he closed his journey at the All England Club with one more big result.

2.The Czech attack for another major title

Czech women’s tennis is having a great season. Barbora Krejcikova became the Rolland Garros champion. Kvitova won the title at the luxury event in Doha. There are 9 Czech women in the top 100. They’re unrivaled in this one.

Czech starlets are also having success and should be the ones to watch in the future. This generation is extremely strong. If Kvitova or Pliskova fails, she can be replaced by Krejcikova, Muchova or Vondrousova, and that’s great news.

The Czechs are also demonstrating their strength at Wimbledon. No less than 5 of them made it to the 3rd round. Only the Americans have matched them. And then there’s the unexpected losses of Kvitova and Vondrousova. The Czech trio of Pliskova, Krejcikova and Muchova will defend the Czech colours in the eighth round. The qualification to the eighth round can be considered a success.

But it doesn’t have to end there. Even their opponents for the eighth round are not insurmountable. The Czechs can try again for another Grand Slam success. Muchova reached the semifinals at the Australian Open. Krejcikova even won Rolland Garros. What will it come down to at Wimbledon?

3. Extremely even WTA

The women’s top tier is extremely balanced. No one player dominates. The days of Serena Williams’ dominance are over. There are now 20-30 players practically on the same level, anyone can win. And that makes it all the more interesting. In recent years, every Grand Slam has had a different winner and this year’s Wimbledon will probably be no exception.

There are already several favorites out of the tournament. Williams, Kenin, Andreecu, Kvitova. Only 3 players from the top 10 (Barty, Sabalenka, Pliskova) are left in the lineup. If one of these favorites doesn’t reach the title, Wimbledon will have another unexpected winner.

4. British phenom Raducanu

This Wimbledon is writing one big story. The main player is this 18-year-old British woman. Before the tournament starts, the 338th toy in the world. Normally, she wouldn’t even qualify for a Grand Slam qualifier. But she was given a wild card by the Wimbledon organizers and she used it to no end.

First, she beat Diatchenko in the opening round. Then she unexpectedly outplayed Vondrousova and scored the biggest scalp of her career. She followed that up in the 3rd round and surprisingly knocked out Cirstea. Murray, Norrie, Evans and Konta should have been the main British draws.

The fact that it was Raducanu who went the furthest of the home players is a shock. Eight finals is a dream result for her. She’ll play Tomljanovic in the eighth round. Let’s see if this fairy tale will write another chapter.

5. The favorites advance without hesitation, will any of them beat Djokovic?

The men’s tournament hasn’t produced any big surprises so far. All the big favourites have advanced to the eighth round. Medvedev, Zverev, Berrettini, Federer are still in the mix. Defending champion Djokovic is also making a smooth transition. The Serb is playing in great form. His serve and return are great, his movement is excellent, his tennis is almost flawless. If he continues these performances, he will be very hard to beat.

Medvedev, Zverev or Berrettini can think about his scalp. If a miracle happens, maybe even Federer. It will be interesting to see how Djokovic can handle the pressure and whether he can go for a record 21st Grand Slam title. That would put him alone at the top of the historical table, so his motivation is definitely taken care of.

Source : Wimbledon