Wimbledon 2023: new era, but the same charm?

So here we are. Another season on the grass courts is over. One that seemingly made up for all the lost splendor, glamour and sport of the Covid-induced years.

So what worked this year, considering that there was a glaring absence of fan-favourites Rafael Nadal, the recently retired and eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer, paired with Andy Murray’s early exit. And what it lacked for in star players, did it make up for with celebrity appearances?

All hail Alcaraz as he ends Djokovic’s long Wimbledon reign

Federer dropped by (as a spectator) at the Royal Box, and was seated right next to the Princess of Wales, following a 5-minute standing ovation. Pakistani activist Malala Yousafzai too attended as a guest of British Vogue. Also spotted were footballer David Beckham, actors Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, musician Jon Bon Jovi and more.

According to The New York Times: “There is always a famous face or two in there for the cameras to find — this is a marketing exercise, after all. Pierce Brosnan, Anna Wintour, Russell Wilson, Sam Mendes, Eddie Redmayne, Sienna Miller, Jude Law, Ian McKellen, Maggie Smith, Michael McIntyre: we could be here all day running through the stars that have attended down the years.”

Is that then what makes this particular grand slam so iconic?

What grants it that visceral aura that makes players smile at the mere sight of the perfectly manicured grounds and speak about this tournament as just so set apart from the rest? Well it’s a little bit of everything really.

Is it the seemingly endless supply of strawberries and cream, paired with champagne and Pimm’s? Quite possibly, since no other tournament quite does it like Wimbledon. After all, tennis is considered a quintessentially British product, with ‘lawn tennis’ tracing its origin to Birmingham, England, in the 18th century, with Wimbledon then it’s crowning glory.

But the current brand of tennis, no doubt having evolved over time, shored up by the history of elegant and elevated sportsmen gets its sheen from much else. It is, after all, the favoured stomping grounds of one of the most elegant former players, Federer, as well as a host of those lucky enough to have played on much-revered Centre Court.

It is also, as we know, favoured by royalty with former attendees including Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Diana as well as the rotating door of celebrities.

Not to mention the meticulously manicured grounds, the elusive membership to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club (AELTC), and a notoriously difficult ticketing system.

Tickets to Wimbledon also are only attained by a select few and that too by chance, luck or star-power.

There’s the Ballot that selects members of the general public through a lottery, the Wimbledon Debenture, which ensures prime seats for upwards of £100,000 or more. And then there is the eponymous Queue – which people camp out for hours even days for a chance to purchase a ticket for a day of tennis.

Yes, that definitely adds to the mystique.

Whereas Paris holds court on clay with Rolland Garros, Britain takes the cake with ‘Tennis in an English Garden’. After all, here is where Federer suffered that heartbreaking defeat in his very last grand slam final in 2019, during an epic near 5-hour battle with rival Novak Djokovic – the longest ever in Wimbledon history.

Roger’s ace goodbye

By the numbers…

So what of the actual game. Did it provide those nail-biting moments that make you sit at the edge of your seat yelling out at match point?

Let’s run through the highlights. American Christopher Eubanks, an up-and-coming unseeded player acquired shock success as he sent home World No. 5. Stefanos Tsitsipas in an entertaining 5-setter, making his way to his very first quarter-final. He also delivered a record 321 aces, breaking Andre Agassi’s 1992 mark for most winners.

Ukrainian player Elena Svitolina made a surprise deep run triumphing over World No.1 Iga Swiatek to make her first Wimbledon semi-final. Tunisian crowd-favourite Ons Jabeur made her way to her second consecutive Wimbledon final in a bid for the elusive trophy, sweeping aside World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, while Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz (World No.1) – both hard-hitting next-gen players made the semi-final and final respectively.

For perspective, semi-finalist Sinner and (eventual winner) Alcaraz were 15 and 16 years younger than opponent Novak Djokovic, “36 is the new 26…” cited the veteran player in a post-match interview where he also broke the record for most matches won on Centre court since it opened in 1922. The list goes on.

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On the women’s end, Czech player Marketa Vondrousova became the very first unseeded player to win Wimbledon, her very first grand slam, beating crowd and tournament favourite, Jabeur.

That was followed by a clash of two titans, Alcaraz (No.1) and Djokovic (No.2), – the latter’s record 35th Grand Slam final – in a five-set thriller Sunday night. Alcaraz won his very first Wimbledon title, the third youngest ever to do so, after Boris Becker and Bjorn Borg.

And thus Wimbledon crowned two brand new single’s champions this year — stellar crowning achievements this season. Whether they will endure still remains to be seen.

Next Gen

The most important thing though, is that tennis is definitely back in full force. If the clay season wasn’t testament to it, then the many iconic moments at Wimbledon – the return of veteran players, surprise deep runs and fresh dominance and wins of a new crop of contenders have all helped turn the page for a tournament that had become much stymied with injury and retirement of former greats with not enough memorable moments to fill the void.

For indeed, it’s the resilience and resolve of these select few, those extraordinary moments that defy age and rank to deliver moments of courage, tenacity and magic to those watching. It is these show-stopping moments when the stakes are so high, that add to the history, glamour and stature of a tournament.

For now, it subsists.

I mean, will anyone really forget Alcaraz avenging his French Open 2023 loss to Djokovic here at Wimbledon, dethroning the current reigning champion and denying him his 24th slam? Likely not. This final was one for the books.

So here’s to the powerful #nextgen who have now indeed arrived, in full form, and to Wimbledon 2023, that will live to tell their tale.

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