

By Chris Oddo | Monday, July 13, 2015

Can Rafael Nadal regain his mojo in time for the U.S. Open? Where is Novak Djokovic standing in the tennis pantheon? We discuss in 10 our post-Wimbledon round-up.



Photo Source: AFP

Join us for a look back at some of the most notable achievements that occurred down during the two weeks of bliss known simply as the Championships:



1. Serena, 21 and counting.



Don’t talk about it, just admire it. Serena Williams’ fourth consecutive Grand Slam title sets the table for a wild summer in the states. Why? Well, don’t ask Serena. She’s busy playing one magnificent point at a time. It’s up to us to watch the dominoes fall and the legacy grow. She’ll fight to become the first player in 27 years to earn the Calendar-Slam in New York, and we’ll all sit back with our popcorn and watch her deal with the pressure.



Fittingly, the Calendar Slam would also see her pull even with Steffi Graf for major titles won. Look out, Margaret Court. You were great—legendary, in fact—but if Serena wants to take your name from the top of the all-time Grand Slam titles won list (24 is the magic number), we think there’s not much you can do to stop her.



What’s most remarkable to us about Serena’s late-career revival is the following fact: Williams has now won eight major titles since turning 30. No other woman in the Open Era has won more than three. Williams has decided to set her mind on proving that she is the best woman to ever pick up a racquet, before she puts that racquet down. Many believe it already, but clearly Williams wants to leave no doubt.



Things tend to happen so fast at majors that it’s difficult to comprehend. Results zoom by, legacies grow, numbers accumulate, pundits pontificate. Williams keeps winning but it’s something that we’ve come to accept as a given. But when we step back and contemplate what exactly we are witnessing, it’s beyond remarkable. It’s like we’re reading about it in the history books already, but it’s happening right in front of our eyes. It’s almost impossible to relate to or even understand the plane that Williams is on.



It’s the moment to just bow down and get ready for the US Open. It will all become clearer in time…



2. Novak’s place in the tennis pantheon?



Novak Djokovic is now officially in the conversation. John McEnroe says he considers him to be the fifth best player of all-time after his victory over Roger Federer in Sunday’s Wimbledon final. A quick glance over the message boards and comment sections of the interwebs shows that many if not most agree. That’s nine majors for the Serb, and he’s nowhere close to being done.

Another thing Djokovic alone can say: only man to beat both Federer and Nadal at each of the four majors. — Tom Perrotta (@TomPerrotta) July 13, 2015

We say hold the coronation until the man has finished his work. For now, let’s appreciate what we consider the most remarkable aspect of Djokovic’s Wimbledon title: his resilience. How he needed just three weeks to put his loss in the Roland Garros final behind him we cannot comprehend. It was a loss that would have broken lesser men. He could have been devastated, but from the moment that mighty Wawrinka finished him off in Paris, tennis fans got to see the true character of Djokovic.



He displayed the ultimate dignity in defeat, and was rewarded by the fans in Paris. What might have been a soul-crushing loss turned out to be soul-quenching motivator. He arrived at Wimbledon invigorated by the experience, with a passion to keep going.



Djokovic is probably one of the most misunderstood tennis players on tour, for a variety of reasons, but it was easy to understand what kind of man he was after his loss at Roland Garros. Born of the ashes of that difficult loss was a triumph at Wimbledon. It happened because Djokovic, seeker that he is, was open to learning from the loss and moving on. He did it in style, and he tasted the sweetness of Wimbledon’s lawns once again as a reward.



3. Roger Federer, Still Going Strong



After losing the final, Roger Federer told the Wimbledon crowd that he felt good about his performance. He should. He was amazing, putting forth his usual resplendent, regal grass-court tennis, and nearly capturing his 18th major and 8th Wimbledon title. Funny thing: Federer’s loss didn’t feel quite that heartbreaking. Now, we’re sure many Fed die-hards would disagree, but Roger himself echoed the key sentiment whilst chatting with reporters after the final. “I’m right there,” he said. And when you think about it, he is. One false move by Djokovic in that Kevin Anderson match and do you dare believe that it wouldn’t be Roger Federer holding that trophy yesterday afternoon?