Numbers game
An opponent playing above and beyond, injuries, nerves, sleeping through an alarm, or in Petra Kvitova’s case, just wanting the title a little too much. The reasons behind a slew of early-round upsets are endless.
A record 21 seeds tumbled out in the opening round of Wimbledon 2018, but arguably the biggest upset went the way of Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich with her triumph over pre-Wimbledon favourite, two-time champion and No.8 seed Kvitova.
Sasnovich is looking for her maiden fourth-round appearance at a Grand Slam. Last year’s Roland-Garros champion, No.12 seed Jelena Ostapenko, is the clear beneficiary in Kvitova’s eighth of the draw. A run to the quarter-finals at Wimbledon 2017 – which included a win over Sasnovich – cemented the 2014 junior champion’s credentials on the grass. Ostapenko’s projected third-round opponent was also bundled out on Tuesday when qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko stunned Wimbledon 2004 champion and No.24 seed Maria Sharapova.
Keys to the door
When Australian Open champion and No.2 seed Caroline Wozniacki bowed to Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova in the second round on Wednesday, it left Czech No.7 seed Karolina Pliskova as the only remaining top-eight seed in the bottom half. That’s five of the top eight women’s seeds gone and an unseeded quarter-finalist guaranteed in Makarova’s section.
Unheralded German Tatjana Maria carried her net-rushing grass court momentum from a first tour title in Mallorca to an impressive first round upset of No.5 seed Elina Svitolina on Monday, before France’s Kristina Mladenovic ended her run. The Frenchwoman’s reward: a third-round showdown with seven-time champion Serena Williams. The No.25 seed and her big-hitting compatriot, No.10 seed Madison Keys, are favoured to book a fourth round meeting. And the winner of that will emerge a heavy favourite to reach the semi-finals against an unseeded quarter-finalist.
Vekic charge
As a player most at home on the grass, 22-year-old Donna Vekic backed up her hefty upset of No.4 seed Sloane Stephens on Wednesday to book a third-round clash with flashy Belgian Yanina Wickmayer. It was Wickmayer who won the pair’s two prior encounters, but they haven’t met in three years. It is a golden opportunity for both.
German No.13 seed Julia Goerges, a player yet to produce her best results on the Grand Slam stages, is best placed for a quarter-final debut as the highest remaining seed in that section. The in-form Pliskova, who easily nullified the threat of former No.1 Victoria Azarenka on Wednesday, remains a heavy favourite to reach her maiden Wimbledon semi-final, though, after Stephens’ departure.
Ready to capitalise
Switzerland’s former junior champion Belinda Bencic faces a tricky second round against American grass court specialist Alison Riske on Thursday, after a first round upset of No.6 seed Caroline Garcia. The 2016 runner-up, No.11 seed Angelique Kerber, is best poised to capitalise on that opening. The German could end up taking on defending champion and No.3 seed Garbiñe Muguruza in the quarter-finals.
Beware Novak
A back injury halted Roland-Garros finalist and No.7 seed Dominic Thiem during his opening clash against former semi-finalist Marcos Baghdatis. The Cypriot may need to ward off the threat of a pair of rising prospects back to back – Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe – before a potential fourth-round outing against three-time Wimbledon champion and No.12 seed Novak Djokovic.
The Serb showed his most promising form of the season to reach the final at Queen’s and would back his chances against No.4 seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals as the German has never reached the last four at a Grand Slam.
Stan sizzles then stalls
Wimbledon remains the only Grand Slam missing from Stan Wawrinka’s collection so with his comeback from knee surgery having failed to set the world on fire, his Wimbledon 2018 outing was expected to be brief when he drew 2013 semi-finalist and No.6 seed Grigor Dimitrov in the opening round. The Swiss produced his biggest win this season and best of his career on grass to defeat the Bulgarian.
His match with Italian world No.133 Thomas Fabbiano was on the verge of going to a fourth set on Wednesday, when play was suspended overnight. It left No.9 seed John Isner – locked in a five-set tussle with qualifier Rubens Bemelmans – or Greek 19-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas – leading a four-set battle with Jared Donaldson – best ranked to reach a projected quarter-final against No.3 seed Marin Cilic.
Every little helps
Meanwhile, No.1 seed and eight-time champion Roger Federer would have been quietly relieved when Daniil Medvedev won the battle of the 1996 babies to oust Halle champion Borna Coric in the first round. Coric was one of only three men to have beaten Federer this season and on grass, no less.
