In the sweltering heat of London on Thursday, Wimbledon 2018 saw an unexpected end for powerful contenders Garbiñe Muguruza and Marin Cilic. The Spanish No. 2 and the former Wimbledon champion faced disappointing losses, adding to the list of big upsets this year.
Muguruza's game went awry against unseeded Belgian Alison Van Uytvanck, who previously hadn't claimed a victory against a Top 10 player. Trailing 5-7, 6-2, 1-6, Muguruza's struggles were apparent as she cursed her racket, voicing her frustration as mistakes mounted. Despite appearing near death inside, Van Uytvanck powered through, relying on her strong serve and returning two-thirds of her second-serve returns in the final two sets.
Meanwhile, Muguruza's fourth-ranked opponent, Guido Pera, shook off Cilic's early two-set lead, fighting back to claim victory 3-6 1-6 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5, pushing Cilic to the brink of elimination. The Spaniard's sighed, "I thought she played brilliantly today. She took many risks and it worked for her. I didn't feel at my best level today. Therefore, she managed to improve as much as she did."
Cilic, refused to blame the pressure of being among the tournament favorites for his loss, instead acknowledging his faults in his stroke-play and missed easy shots, handing the break advantage to his opponent.
This year's Wimbledon has seen several top contenders, including two-time champion Petra Kvitova, Maria Sharapova, and Carolina Wozniacki, succumb to elimination. Despite some close calls, six of the Women's top ten have already been eliminated.
While Cilic may be questioning his performance, looking back at his past meetings, this loss is a minor blip in what has been a remarkable career. Triumphing over Novak Djokovic in 2018 Wimbledon and standing head and shoulders above his opponents in the previous five years, Cilic's loss to Pera is nevertheless a setback, his weakest stretch in more than five years at the All England Club.
Van Uytvanck too will have to come to terms with her victory, improbable as it was. Clearly within her element, Van Uytvanck outperformed expectations, confidant and focused on the court.
As Muguruza looked to an expanded surface with longing, perhaps her ouster was destined. The solace of knowing that she had given a valiant effort was accompanied by the disappointment of coming up short. In the end, Muguruza's inability to maintain her rhythm and level of play proved costly, leading to a dominant performance from Van Uytvanck.
Meanwhile, Cilic clung to the flicker of hope left by Wednesday's rain delay. Despite leading two sets, Cilic ultimately fell to Pera. Despite Pera's clear shock at this unexpected landmark victory—winning his first main draw match at Wimbledon, shaking hands with Cilic, expressing sheer joy as he admitted he had been searching for this magical encounter for years.
In the thrilling fourth set, Pera went on to save three break points, ultimately tying the score at 2-2, ensuring the match continued to unfold in dramatic fashion. Continuing his comeback, Pera claimed the deciding set, punching the air in jubilation as his victory over the overwhelming favorite became reality.
Was it the pressure, the elements, or simply not being at his best, Peter Cilic ultimately could not claim victory in this nail-biting encounter. Pera, standing in awe of his momentous achievement, basked in the glory, knowing he had accomplished the seemingly impossible.
Sources:
[1] https://alltennis.com/stats/players/alison-van-uytvanck/head2head/6758-garbine-muguruza
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alison_van_Uytvanck#Career_stats
