Underdogs
shine but class tells in the end
Serena, upset by Muguruza at Roland Garros, made another
early exit at Wimbledon. She will still start as favourite & no. 1 seed for
the US Open, and needs just one slam to draw level with Navratilova & Evert.
In the final Kvitova was awesome, beating Bouchard in less
than an hour. The challenge for the Czech now is to get the consistency that she’s
lacked in the past with her high-risk game style. Bouchard will contest more
Slam finals.
There were big wins for young pretenders. Krygios had swagger & nerves to take out Nadal,
Dimitrov beat Murray in straights. The old pecking order was still intact for
the final though. The previous dominance of the Big Four is evidenced by it
being the 1st Slam final since the 2009 US Open not to feature either Nadal or
Murray.
Many experts, including this blogger, wanted Federer to
retire last year after early Slam exits to Stakhovsky & Robredo. This year
has been a welcome return to top form. It took Djokovic to stop him in a final
of the highest quality. As long he can continue to perform at a high level he
will keep playing. As the saying goes, you’re a long time retired.
It was the most exciting World Cup since 1986 for my money. Spain
& Italy didn’t make the knockouts,
but unfancied Costa Rica won their group. Holland’s 5-1 spanking of Spain
seemed like it would be the shock result of the tournament, until Brazil’s
astonishing capitulation to Germany in the semi.
Froome & Contador were the pre-race favourites for Le
Tour, but both had to abandon after a series of heavy crashes. Vincenzo Nibali
took full advantage. He won by more than seven minutes, with four stage wins,
& was never put in difficulties.
