With Wimbledon 2016 coming to a close, it seems fitting to reflect on some of the tournament's most intense matches. There were several matches of distinction, but I decided to specifically look back on the matches that were the most entertaining to watch. The score did not necessarily have to be close, but the level of tennis and/or the overall energy on court had to be high in order to be featured. So, without further ado, here are the six matches at this year's Wimbledon that I found the most exciting to watch.
1. Eugenie Bouchard def. Johanna Konta 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.
When simply looking at the score, this match doesn’t look all that intriguing; in fact, the score teeter-tottered in a very unusual manner. What made this match so interesting, however, is watching Eugenie Bouchard play impressive tennis again. After being the first runner-up at Wimbledon in 2014 and being declared one of the best up-and-coming players, she struggled to make it past the first round of each major tournament and had issues with diet, injury and nerves. In this match, however, all these issues seemed at bay through Bouchard’s excellent footwork, intense focus and positive body language. It was absolutely incredible to see Bouchard not only play with confidence, but also play with confidence against an opponent who is currently the No. 1 women’s player from Great Britain. This match cemented something for me: Eugenie Bouchard is back and, hopefully, is here to stay.
2. Roger Federer def. Marcus Willis 6-0, 6-3, 6-4.
This match is one from the earlier rounds that, when looking at the score, seems like it must have been quite dull. On the contrary, I found this match to be one of the most entertaining in the whole tournament. This entertainment stems from Marcus Willis, a male tennis player ranked 772nd in the world who, through sheer determination and will, was able to qualify for this tournament that most people of his ranking could never dream of qualifying for. Marcus Willis made the most of this opportunity, fighting through every point that he played and working off of the crowd’s electric energy. He also brought his own flavor to this tournament, utilizing his effective backhand lob and competing quite well against one of the best players in the world. Normally a Federer fan, I somehow found myself rooting for this guy. There is something so endearing about a Cinderella story come to life and it was so much fun watching Willis live out his dream.
3. Venus Williams def. Daria Kasatkina 7-5, 4-6, 10-8
Considering the entirety of this year's Wimbledon, Venus Williams had quite an impressive run, playing several close matches and somehow being able to close a lot of them out. The one match that I found to be most impressive out of these was her three setter against Russian player Daria Kasatkina. Despite the 17-year age difference between the two athletes, the score couldn't have been any closer. I found Kasatkina quite impressive in this match because, for a 19-year-old, she was very in control and not afraid to remain aggressive against the former No. 1 player. Perhaps the most gut-wrenching part of this match was when Williams had match point at 7-6 and it started pouring. Instead of bringing the match to a close, she was forced to wait out the rain and, after losing match point, had to play four more games. She did, however, pull off the victory and, in my mind, played some of her best tennis in this match-up.
4. Jo Wilfried Tsonga def. John Isner 6-7 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 19-17.
Tight scores are not something new for American player John Isner. Known for his bomb of a serve, he has little trouble holding but generally struggles to break his opponents' serves. Because of this, tiebreakers are something that he can never seem to escape from. In this match against Frenchman Jo Wilfried Tsonga, his experience was no different. Though this match was nowhere near as nerve-wracking as Isner’s 11 hour and five minute match against Nicolas Mahut in 2010, the final set of this match certainly kept me, and I am sure many other viewers, on their toes. After Tsonga finally broke Isner’s serve at 17-17 and ended the match with a gorgeous backhand volley, I was finally put at ease and was able to realize that this was one of this year’s most impressive Wimbledon showings.
5. Roger Federer def. Marin Cilic 6-7 (4), 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9), 6-3.
I can easily say that this was one of the most impressive and adrenaline-pinching matches that I have seen in very a long time. Admittedly a Federer fan, I became immediately concerned about this match-up because Marin Cilic has one of the biggest serves in professional tennis. As this match began, my fears were being realized. Not only was Cilic's serve dominating, but his entire game was extremely aggressive, giving Federer little chance to make any impact. This was most evident in the tiebreaker in the first set where Cilic not only remained offensive but incredibly consistent. At the end of the second set, I figured it was all over for the seven-time Wimbledon champion. And then there was a shift. After breaking Cilic in the third set, Federer became the aggressor, forcing Cilic to make several errors and finishing off several points at the net. To top it all off, Federer finished this match with two incredible aces, clinching a massive victory three sets to two.
6. Sam Querrey def. Novak Djokovic 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (5).
Novak Djokovic, rated the No. 1 tennis player in the world, was expected to breeze through this match against Sam Querrey, ranked a noticeably lower 28th. Because of this, the tennis world was completely blown away by this match's shocking turn of events. Djokovic, looking slightly disoriented and timid, did not dominate as he usually does. Instead, Sam Querrey took control, winning a tight first set and easily securing the second. After the second set was over they began to lose light, forcing the players to delay play until the next day. Once the match resumed, it seemed like Djokovic was back to his normal self as he won the third set quite convincingly. But Querrey, unwilling to give up, pushed through in the fourth set and ended up pulling off an amazing victory. This match was so startling because it seems like it has become commonplace for Djokovic to reign victorious over all Grand Slams. Dark horse Sam Querrey has proven that this champion is not always perfect and gave us tennis fans an unanticipated gift: a Djokovic-less final.
Which of these matches made you the most excited while watching it? Or was there a separate match that I didn't discuss that you feel deserves recognition? Sound off in the comment section below.
