Wimbledon winners and losers: Best match, best shot, most welcome sight, strangest behaviour and more
We look back on the fortnight that was with our man at SW19 selecting his highlights
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Your support makes all the difference.Wimbledon is in the books for another year after a historic and action-packed two weeks.
Roger Federer made it a magnificent eight titles with victory in the men's singles while Garbine Muguruza upset the odds to topple Venus Williams and claim the women's crown.
So as we look back on the fortnight that was here is our man at SW19 on his highlights:
Best match: Garbine Muguruza’s fourth-round victory over Angelique Kerber was full of wonderful rallies, with both women playing at the peak of their powers. It demonstrated how a contrast of styles can be such a major factor in a great match, as the aggressive Muguruza tested Kerber’s outstanding defence.
Best shot: There were plenty to choose from, but Andy Murray’s backhand lob from one corner to another against Dustin Brown was a picture of perfection.
Most dramatic match: Gilles Muller’s 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 15-13 victory over Rafael Nadal in the fourth round which brought “Manic Monday” to a sensational climax. Having recovered from two sets down to level the match, Nadal could not get over the line in the deciding set, which ended with Muller clinching victory after four hours and 48 minutes.
Most welcome sight: Petra Kvitova returning to Centre Court, scene of her two Wimbledon victories. After the horrific knife attack on her last December the Czech was told that she might never play again, but she always hoped that she would be back in time for Wimbledon. Even though she went out in the second round, her presence was a triumph in itself.
Best comeback: Hard to choose between 35-year-old Roger Federer, winning his first Wimbledon title for five years, and 37-year-old Venus Williams, appearing in her first Wimbledon final since 2009. Bearing in mind the health issues which she has had to come, Williams edges it.
Most prescient quote: Roger Federer after his quarter-final victory over Milos Raonic: “I'm playing very well. I'm rested. I'm fresh. I'm confident, too...then great things do happen.”
Most newsworthy quote: Bernard Tomic after his first-round loss to Mischa Zverev: “I felt a little bit bored out there to be completely honest with you... I feel holding a trophy or doing well doesn't satisfy me any more. It's not there. I couldn't care less if I make a fourth-round US Open or I lose [in the] first round. To me, everything is the same. I'm going to play another 10 years, and I know after my career I won't have to work again.”
Unhappiest moment: the horrendous knee injury suffered by Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Her screams as she lay in agony on the floor were distressing for all who heard them.
Most unlikely victory: Jay Clarke and Marcus Willis owed their place in the men’s doubles to a wild card, but the Britons repaid the Wimbledon committee’s faith in them with two dramatic victories. Having come back from two sets down to beat Jared Donaldson and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan in the first round, Clarke and Willis then knocked out the defending champions and No 2 seeds, Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut, in another five-set thriller.
Most unlikely breakthrough: Magdalena Rybarikova had lost in the first round on eight of her nine previous appearances at Wimbledon, but the 28-year-old Slovakian reached the semi-finals, with Karolina Pliskova and Coco Vandeweghe among her victims. In her previous 35 Grand Slam tournaments she had never gone beyond the third round.
Best newcomer: Austria’s Sebastian Ofner had never played at Wimbledon until he entered this year’s qualifying tournament, where he won three matches to secure his place in the main draw. Ranked No 217 in the world, he went on to beat Thomaz Bellucci (world No 55) and Jack Sock (No 18) before losing to Alexander Zverev in the third round.
Strangest behaviour: Russia’s Daniil Medvedev threw coins at the foot of the umpire’s chair after disagreeing with a number of decisions during his defeat by Ruben Bemelmans. He was later fined a total of $14,500 (about £11,200).
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