Roger Federer Wins His 8th Wimbledon, Garbiñe Muguruza Her First - Mondays with Bob Greene

Mondays with Bob Greene

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Wimbledon

Men’s singles: Roger Federer beat Marin Cilic 6-3 6-1 6-4

Women’s’ singles: Garbiñe Muguruza beat Venus Williams 7-5 6-0

Men’s doubles: Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo beat Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic 5-7 7-5 7-6 (2) 3-6 13-11

Women’s doubles: Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina beat Chan Hao-Ching and Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-0

Mixed doubles: Jamie Murray and Martina Hingis beat Henri Kontinen and Heather Watson 6-4 6-4

Boys’ singles: Alejandro Davidovich Fokina beat Axel Geller 7-6 (2) 6-3

Girls’ singles: Claire Liu beat Ann Li 6-2 5-7 6-2

Boys’ doubles: Axel Geller and Hsu Yu Hsiou beat Jurij Rodionov and Michael Vrbensky 6-4 6-4

Girls’ doubles: Olga Danilovic and Kaja Juvan beat Catherine McNally and Whitney Osuigwe 6-4 6-3

Men’s Wheelchair singles: Stefan Olsson beat Shingo Kunieda 6-4 6-2

Women’s Wheelchair singles: Diede de Groot beat Sabine Ellerbrock 6-0 6-4

Men’s Wheelchair doubles: Alfie Hewett and Gordon Reid beat Stephane Houdet and Nicolas Peifer 6-7 (5) 7-5 7-6 (3)

Women’s Wheelchair doubles: Yui Kamiji and Jordanne Whiley beat Marjolein Buis and Diede de Groot 2-6 6-3 6-0

OTHER

Nicola Kuhn beat Viktor Galovic 2-6 7-5 4-2 retired to win the Sparkassen Open in Braunschweig, Germany

Jana Cepelova beat Danka Kovinic 6-4 6-3 to win the Hungarian Pro Circuit Ladies Open in Budapest, Hungary

Johanna Larsson beat Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4 to win the Grand Est Open 88 in Contrexeville, France

SAYING

“I was just really a normal guy growing up in Basel, hoping to make a career on the tennis tour. I guess I dreamed, I believed and really hoped that I could actually maybe really do it. So I put in a lot of work and it paid off.” – Roger Federer, after winning a record eighth men’s singles title at Wimbledon.

“I am really proud of myself for everything I did in these two weeks over here. I played, I would say, probably the best tennis of my life. That is what I am going to take home with me.” – Marin Cilic, following his straight-set loss to Roger Federer.

“Two years ago I lost in the final against Serena and she told me I would win one day. Here I am. Finally!” – Garbiñe Muguruza, after beating Venus Williams to win the women’s singles.

“She played really well. I mean, she played top gtennis, so I have to give her credit for just playing a better match.” – Venus Williams, following her loss to Garbiñe Muguruza.

“I don’t see anything that would indicate really Roger is getting older or anything like that.” – Tomas Berdych, who lost to Roger Federer 7-6 (4) 7-6 (4) 6-4 in the semifinals.

“This is definitely the biggest victory since then, since I came back, especially at that stage of a Grand Slam, playing one of the guys who is dominating the tennis this year again. Definitely the biggest win.” – Gilles Muller, after upsetting Rafael Nadal 6-3 6-4 3-6 4-6 15-13.

“It’s not the result that I was expecting.” – Rafael Nadal.

“Most of the time when he was hitting ridiculous shots, I just laughed and said, ‘Good job, let’s see if he does it again.’ He did. For three sets.” – Dustin Brown, after losing in straight sets to Andy Murray.

“It’s been a fun run.” – Sam Querrey, after reaching the semifinals where he lost to Marin Cilic 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-5.

“She dictated the match from the very first ball till the very last one. I think she just showed why she’s a five-time champion here. It was very difficult for me to get a good foothold in the match. The few opportunities that I did get, she did incredibly well to take them away from me.” – Johanna Konta, after losing her semifinal match to Venus Williams.

“Martina Navratilova told us, ‘Do you know you girls have to finish till 11?’ After the first set, I looked at the clock. OK, we’re still fine.” – Elena Vesnina, after teaming with Ekaterina Makarova to win the women’s doubles final in 54 minutes, crushing Chan Hao-Ching and Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-0.

“I’m just out there competing. I try to produce whatever I need at the time. There’s no plan or anything like that. I don’t plan. I’m just trying to compete.” – Venus Williams.

“We knew before the final a British player was going to win the mixed doubles. I’m just happy it was mine.” – Martina Hingis, who teamed with Britain’s Jamie Murray to win the mixed doubles, beating Britain’s Heather Watson and Finland’s Henri Kontinen.

“I say, ‘Man, you serve so hard, I can’t see the ball.’ Was like (Ivo) Karlovic.” – Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, after beating Alex Geller, who hit a 135 mph serve in the junior boys’ final.

“She went for a lot of shots. She competed really well. She kept herself really in the game with her attitude. I thought she just did a lot of things really well and kept it close.” – Venus Williams, discussing the play of Jelena Ostapenka after beating the French Open champion 6-3 7-5.

“You know you’re old when you are older than your opponent’s mother.” – Martina Navratilova, saying she knows what it’s like for the 37-year-old Venus Williams to be facing young players.

“I’m not thinking about age. I feel quite capable, to be honest, and powerful. So whatever age that is, as long as I feel like that, then I know I can contend for titles every time.” – Venus Williams.

“I will definitely remember today. Although right now I am not celebrating a victory on the court, I have become the world number one.” – Karolina Pliskova, moves to the top of the WTA rankings despite losing her second-round match at Wimbledon.

“I don’t think there’s a woman player – and there really shouldn’t be a female athlete – that is not totally supportive of Andy Murray. He has spoken up for women’s issues and women’s rights, especially in tennis, forever and he does it again. That’s one thing that we love about him.” – Serena Williams, after Andy Murray corrected a reporter who said Sam Querrey was the first American to reach the Wimbledon semifinals since 2009.

“He’s introduced me to a lot of ‘80s rock bands. I keep having to remind him I was born in ’91.” – Coco Vandeweghe, talking about her coach, 1987 Wimbledon winner Pat Cash.

SWISS MASTER

Debatably playing the best tennis of his career, Roger Federer brushed back Marin Cilic to win a record eighth Wimbledon men’s singles title and become the tournament’s oldest champion in the modern era. It was Federer’s 19^th career Grand Slam tournament title and his second of 2017. Even the 35-year-old Swiss master is impressed with his play this year. “It’s disbelief I can achieve such heights,” Federer said after his straight-set victory. “I wasn’t sure I would ever be here in another final after last year.” That was when Federer decided to skip the remainder of the 2016 season to let his body mend. “But I always believed. I kept on believing and dreaming I could get back. Here am I today with the eighth. It’s fantastic. If you keep believing, you can go far in your life.” Federer, who will turn 36 next month, broke the tie for seven Wimbledon titles he shared with Pete Sampras and William Renshaw. The latter won in an era when the defending champion only showed up for the final. Cilic suffered a blister on his left foot and had it treated in the second set. The 2014 US Open champion, Cilic sobbed inconsolably and buried his head in his towel during a changeover. Later, Cilic said the tears were emotional and not because of the physical pain. “It was just that feeling that I wasn’t able to give my best,” he said. Perhaps fittingly, Federer also broke down in tears – after he closed out the victory with a second-serve ace. It was Federer’s fifth title of the year in seven tournaments after he skipped the clay court season. “I’ve got to take more time off,” Federer joked. “I’ll be gone again for the next six months. I don’t know if it will work as well again.”

STUNNER

It wasn’t that Garbiñe Muguruza beat Venus Williams to win the Wimbledon women’s singles final. It was how the Spaniard crushed her opponent in the second set. Muguruza won her second Grand Slam tournament title, became just the second Spaniard to win Wimbledon and became only the second player to beat Venus Williams in the Wimbledon final. Muguruza’s coach, Conchita Martinez, was the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon’s women’s crown. And until Muguruza, the only person to beat Venus Williams, a five-time Wimbledon champion, in a singles final on the grass courts was her sister Serena. “I had the hardest match today against Venus,” Muguruza said after the match. “She’s an incredible player. I grew up watching her play.” And now she has beaten the American in Venus’ favorite spot, Centre Court at Wimbledon. She did it with a supreme display of power hitting, and no points were more important than the final three points of the match’s 10^th game. With Muguruza serving, Williams reached set point, 4-5 30-40. But the Spaniard held and Williams failed to win another game. “The first set was tough. We both had a lot of chances,” Muguruza said. “I’m glad I took mine.” From then on it was Muguruza who came out on top of a series of bruising baseline rallies. And it was Muguruza who ended Venus Williams’ bid for a sixth Wimbledon title.

SHE’S NUMBER ONE

There’s a new number one in women’s tennis these days, but not by winning. Karolina Pliskova lost in the second round to Magdalena Rybarikova. Romania’s Simona Halep lost in the quarterfinals to Johanna Konta. And Angelique Kerber lost in eventual champion Garbiñe Muguruza in the fourth round. All that losing shuffled the WTA rankings, with Pliskova taking over the top rung. Kerber could have remained at the apex by reaching the final, which she didn’t. Halep could have become number one by beating Konta, which she didn’t. So Pliskova became the first Czech to be number one since the rankings began in 1975. A native of Czechoslovakia, Martina Navratilova was representing the United States when she became number one in 1978. Pliskova has won three titles this year, including the Wimbledon warm-up event at Eastbourne. She has never won a major singles title, but that was also true of former number ones Dinara Safina, Jelena Jankovic and Carolina Wozniacki.

Odd fact. Angelique Kerber spent a total of 34 weeks as world number one. That’s longer than Venus Williams and Maria Sharapova combined were atop the rankings.

SUCH A LONG DAY

Marcelo Melo came out a double winner in the men’s doubles. The Brazilian teamed with Lukasz Kubot of Poland outlasted Austria’s Oliver Marach and Croatia’s Mate Pavic in the second longest men’s doubles final in Wimbledon history. At 4 hours, 40 minutes, it was 21 minutes short of the record set in 1992 when John McEnroe and Michael Stich beat Jim Grabb and Richey Reneberg 5-7 7-6 (5) 3-6 7-6 (5) 19-17. The victory also returned Melo to the number one ranking in men’s doubles. It was the second Grand Slam doubles title for both Melo and Kubot. Melo won the French Open in 2015 with Ivan Dodig, while Kubot captured the 2014 Australian Open with Robert Lindstedt.

SHORT DAY

Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina have been in the women’s doubles final at Wimbledon before. This time, they won, crushing Taiwan’s Chan Hao-Ching and Romanian Monica Niculescu 6-0 6-0 in just 54 minutes. It was the first “double bagel” in the women’s doubles final since 1953, when Shirley Fry and Doris Hart beat Maureen Connolly and Julia Sampson 6-0 6-0. It also was the third Grand Slam tournament title for the Russians, who captured the French Open in 2013 and the US Open in 2014. Makarova and Vesnina, who were seeded second, lost the 2015 Wimbledon final.

The top-seeded team of American Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Czech Lucie Safarova withdrew before their second-round match after Mattek-Sands suffered a severe injury to her right knee in a singles match. Mattek-Sands and Safarova had won the previous three Grand Slam tournament women’s doubles titles.

SHE COMES CALLING

When Switzerland’s Martina Hingis said she needed a partner, Britain’s Jamie Murray was quick to sign up. Wimbledon ended with the two of them capturing the mixed doubles, defeating defending champions Heather Watson of Britain and Finland’s Henri Kontinen. “(Men’s) doubles is obviously my biggest goal of the year,” said Murray, who has been ranked as high as number one in the world in doubles. “It’s going to take something pretty special to kind of maybe potentially take my eye off the ball with it,” Murray said. Then he got the call from Hingis. “It was a great opportunity,” Murray said. “I mean, she’s won everything, won so many mixed as well. I knew I could do well with her. For me, it was kind of an easy decision.” Twenty years ago, Hingis won her lone Wimbledon singles title. The Swiss miss now has 23 Grand Slam tournament titles: six mixed doubles, 12 women’s doubles and five singles. Murray won the Wimbledon mixed doubles title 10 years ago with Jelena Jankovic of Serbia.

SINGLE ACHIEVEMENT

It was a battle of Americans for the junior girls’ title at Wimbledon, just like it was at the French Open. Claire Liu, who lost on the clay in Paris, beat Ann Li to become the first American to win the female junior crown at the All England Club since Chanda Rubin in 1992. “All the Americans are doing really well,” said Liu, who lost in the French Open final to yet another American, Whitney Osuigwe. “It’s really good to have a good group of juniors pushing each other.” It was the first Wimbledon final between two American juniors since 1979 when Mary Lou Piatek beat Alycia Moulton.

SPANISH POWER

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain became just the second Spanish Junior Wimbledon champion and the first since Manuel Orantes won in 1967 when he beat Argentina’s Axel Geller. “I’m in shock,” the winner said. “I was thinking, ‘OK, I want to win this. I want to show the people who I am, that I want to play tennis, professional tennis. I want to show them what I want to do with my life.’” Davidovich Fokina raced to a 4-0 lead in the first-set tiebreak before taking it 7-2 over the big-serving Geller. The Argentine did come away with a title, teaming with Hsu Yu Hsiou of Taiwan to capture the junior boys’ doubles over Jurij Rodionov of Austria and Michael Vrbensky of the Czech Republic.

SET FOR WTT

Wimbledon finalist Venus Williams and two other top players will compete in World TeamTennis (WTT) this year. Williams will play her sixth season for the Washington Kastles at the Philadelphia Freedoms on July 24 and at home against the Springfield, Missouri, Lasers on July 25. Maria Sharapova will play for the Orange County Breakers, while John Isner will join Eugenie Bouchard on the New York Empire roster. Besides Williams, the Kastles will have Wimbledon semifinalist Sam Querrey and Australian Nick Kyrgios. The WTT final will be held August 5 in San Diego, California, USA.

SHE’S WHO?

What’s in a name. Apparently French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko’s first name is not Jelena. During Wimbledon, she has been called Alona. The 20-year-old Latvian said her family and friends have always called her Alona, referring to it as her “real” name. Her legal name is Jelena. Because “Alona” doesn’t have a name day – celebrated in many countries like a birthday – her parents named her Jelena, who has a name day and sounds in Latvian similar to Alona. A recent update in Latvia, which Ostapenko said was “like one week ago,” means the name Alona will have its own name day and be celebrated on August 18.

SWISS DECISION

Boris Becker has won his latest court appearance. A former business partner had claimed the three-time Wimbledon champion owed him 40 million Swiss francs (USD $41.4 million) after a British court last month declared Becker bankrupt. But a Swiss court rejected the claim of businessman Hans-Dieter Cleven and ordered Cleven to pay the legal costs plus 90,000 Swiss francs in damages to the 49-year-old Becker. Cleven, who worked with Becker on several projects in the past, said the former star had missed several deadlines to repay him the money. Cleven can appeal the court’s ruling. Becker has denied he is bankrupt and says he can meet all his financial obligations.

SERENA THE BEST

Despite not currently playing because of her pregnancy, Serena Williams is still racking up the trophies. The American won the 2017 ESPY Award as the Best Female Tennis Player for the ninth time in her career. She also was named Best Female Athlete in 2003 and 2013, giving her a total of 11 ESPY Awards.

SHARED PERFORMANCES

Braunschweig: Julian Knowle and Igor Zelenay beat Kevin Krawietz and Gero Kretschmer 6-3 76 (3)

Budapest: Mariana Duque-Marino and Maria Irigoyen beat Aleksandra Krunic and Nina Stojanovic 7-6 (3) 7-5

Contrexeville: Anastasiya Komardina and Elitsa Kostova beat anon Arcangioli and Sara Cakarevic 6-3 6-4

SURFING

Astana: www.ktf.kz

Gstaad: www.ladieschampionshipgstaad.ch/

Newport: www.halloffameopen.com/

Båstad: www.swedishopen.org/

Umag: www.croatiaopen.hr/hr/naslovnica/

Bucharest: www.brdbucharestopen.ro

Hamburg: https://german-open-hamburg.de/en