Wimbledon has proved hazardous for many of its star players. On Wednesday, seven competitors pulled out due to injury including Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka and Rafael Nadal’s conqueror Steven Darcis, reports BBC.
A disappointed Azarenka blamed Wimbledon tournament organizers. “The court was not in very good condition that day…It would be great if the club or somebody who takes care of the court would examine or try to find an issue so that wouldn’t happen.” said Azarenka according to CNN.
Richard Lewis, CEO of the All England Tennis and Croquet Club, firmly countered Azarenka’s statement. The court preparation has been to exactly the same meticulous standard as in previous years…as dry and firm as they should be,” insisted Lewis in a statement on the Wimbledon. “Indeed, many players have complimented us on the very good condition of the courts,” he added.
But with so many players injured, his statement is suspect.
As far as the tournament, the first major highlight of the day was Portugal’s Michelle Larcher de Brito’s upset victory against Maria Sharapova. No one expected de Brito to defeat the 2004 Wimbledon champ, but De Brito dominated the match. Sharapova slipped several times, and took a medical time out. She remained in the game, but could not catch up to De Brito who beat her 6-3, 6-4.
Unsurprisingly, the favored Andy Murry defeated Lu Yen-Hsun in a 6-3, 6-3, 7-5 win. Yen-Hsun defeated Murray in the 2008 Olympics but failed to give a repeat performance. Despite a strong start, Yen-Hsun soon lost his confidence. With Nadal and Federer both out, Murray’s route to the final looks promising. He will play Spain’s Tommy Robredo in the next round, reports BBC.
The biggest upset was Roger Federer’s loss against Sergiy Stakhovsky. For the first time in nine years, the seven-time champion will not compete in the quarter finals. Stakhovsky defeated Federer 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6. “I’m still in disbelief that actually happened. Magic. Beating Roger on his court where he is a legend is special. He’s the greatest player, the biggest name, and a decent man everyone admires,” said Stakhovsky according to Wimbledon.
Stay tuned for more Wimbledon updates.
Image via Wimbledon
