Wimbledon Championships
The Wimbledon Championships 2024 wrapped up with exciting matches and some remarkable performances. The tournament featured men’s and women’s singles and doubles, mixed doubles, and competitions for boys and girls under 18 and 14. There were also events for men’s and women’s wheelchair tennis players in both singles and doubles.
This 137th edition of the prestigious Grand Slam showcased outstanding talent in all categories. Carlos Alcaraz, the reigning champion, secured the men’s singles title by defeating Novak Djokovic once more, just as he did in last year’s final, marking his fourth Grand Slam victory. In the women’s singles, Barbora Krejčíková emerged victorious against Jasmine Paolini to win the title.
Men’s Singles: Carlos Alcaraz
Men’s Singles Format
The competition follows a knockout format, where players move to the next round by winning their matches until a final champion is determined. Only male players compete, with one player on each side of the court. In Grand Slam events like Wimbledon, men’s singles matches are best-of-five sets, so a player must win three sets to win the match. In most other tournaments, such as the ATP Tour and Davis Cup, matches are best-of-three sets. The scoring follows standard tennis rules: games, sets, and matches. A player wins a set by winning six games, with a minimum lead of two games.
Champion of the game
Carlos Alcaraz achieved a significant victory in the Men’s singles by beating Novak Djokovic. This win earned Alcaraz his fourth Grand Slam title, solidifying his status as a top player in men’s tennis. Djokovic, who recently underwent knee surgery, struggled to keep up with Alcaraz’s energy and skill on the grass courts. Despite his best efforts, Djokovic could not overcome the talented young Spaniard.
Key Highlights
- Alcaraz started strong right from the first game, showcasing powerful groundstrokes and an aggressive style.
- He broke Djokovic’s serve twice in the first set, winning it easily 6–2 in just over 30 minutes.
- Normally strong under pressure, Djokovic had trouble with his consistency.
- He made forced errors and unforced mistakes, which allowed Alcaraz to take advantage of break points early in the second set, which Alcaraz also won 6–2.
- Alcaraz skillfully combined his game with powerful forehands, precise backhands, and well-timed drop shots, throwing Djokovic off his rhythm. His net play was outstanding, winning key points with excellent volleys.
- Djokovic improved in the third set, holding his serve and pushing Alcaraz to a tie-break. Even with Djokovic’s better performance, Alcaraz stayed calm under pressure, showing great maturity.
- In the tie-break, Alcaraz’s fearless approach made the difference. He hit multiple winners and forced Djokovic into mistakes.
- Alcaraz finished the match 7–6(7–4), demonstrating champion-like composure in crucial moments.
Women’s Singles: Barbora Krejčíková
Women’s Singles Format
It is an important event in all major tennis tournaments, including Grand Slams like the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and US Open. In Grand Slam events such as Wimbledon, women’s singles matches are played in a best-of-three-set format. A player needs to win two sets to win the match. This same best-of-three format is used in other tournaments as well. Matches follow standard tennis scoring, where players score points as 0, 15, 30, 40, and then game. Winning two sets secures the match in women’s singles events.
Women’s Singles is seen as one of the most prestigious divisions in professional tennis. Winning a Grand Slam title in this category is a significant accomplishment for female athletes. The Wimbledon Women’s Singles title is especially renowned because of the tournament’s long-standing history and tradition.
Champion of the game
Barbora Krejčíková won her first Wimbledon singles title by defeating Jasmine Paolini 6–2, 2–6, 6–4. This victory marked her second Grand Slam singles title, highlighting her skill and determination. Although Paolini played well during the tournament, she was unable to keep up with Krejčíková’s strength in the final set.
Key Highlights
- Krejčíková played strongly in the first set, showcasing her excellent shot-making and strategy. Her accurate groundstrokes, especially her deep backhands, kept Paolini on the back foot.
- Krejčíková achieved two important breaks of serve, winning the set 6–2 in just over half an hour. In the second set, Jasmine Paolini, in her first Wimbledon final, displayed great composure and determination. Her aggressive play and better first-serve percentage disrupted Krejčíková’s flow.
- Paolini broke Krejčíková twice and tied the match by winning the set 6–2. The final set became a tense and high-quality contest, with both players elevating their games.
- Krejčíková’s experience and ability to stay calm under pressure were crucial as she maintained her focus during key moments.
- A vital break of serve at 4–4 allowed her to serve for the championship. She finished the match with a stunning forehand winner, winning the set 6–4 and taking the title.
Defining Moments
- Her ability to control the pace and hit consistent winners put Paolini under early pressure.
- In the second set, Paolini’s aggressive style allowed her to rally back and even the match, showcasing her fighting spirit.
- The break at 4–4 in the final set was the turning point, with Krejčíková capitalizing on a brief dip in Paolini’s serve.
- Krejčíková closed out the match with poise, displaying her champion mentality.
Men’s Doubles: Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten
Men’s Doubles Format
Players take turns serving, and each team switches who serves each game. A doubles match is usually played in a best-of-three-set format. The first team to win six games wins a set, but if the score is tied at 6-6, a tiebreaker is played. Typically, tiebreakers go to 7 points, and a team must win by at least 2 points.
Champion of the game
The unseeded team of Harri Heliövaara and Henry Patten won the men’s doubles final, beating the 15th-seeded duo of Max Purcell and Jordan Thompson in an exciting match: 6–7(7–9), 7–6(10–8), 7–6(11–9). Their impressive run in the tournament, ending with this tough win, showcased their great teamwork and determination.
Key Highlights
- The match concluded with scores of 6–7(7–9), 7–6(10–8), 7–6(11–9), showcasing the closely contested nature of the encounter.
- The final lasted nearly three hours, with both teams displaying exceptional skill and resilience.
- Heliövaara and Patten saved three championship points in the second set, demonstrating remarkable mental toughness under pressure.
- This win marked the first Wimbledon doubles title for both players. Heliövaara became the first Finnish man to lift the doubles trophy at the All England Club, while Patten became only the third British man of the Open era to win the Wimbledon doubles title.
Women’s Doubles: Kateřina Siniaková and Taylor Townsend
Women’s Doubles Format
The Women’s Doubles event at the 2024 Wimbledon Championships followed the usual Grand Slam doubles rules. The main draw included 64 teams, made up of 57 pairs that entered directly and 7 pairs that received wild cards. There were 16 teams seeded in the tournament. Matches were played in a best-of-three set format.
Champion of the game
Kateřina Siniaková and Taylor Townsend won the women’s doubles championship by beating the second-seeded team of Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe in two tie-break sets: 7–6(7–5), 7–6(7–1). This win gave Townsend her first Grand Slam title, a major achievement in her career, while Siniaková added to her collection of major doubles titles. The match was exciting and showcased the high skill level of both pairs.
Key Highlights
Both sets ended in tiebreakers, highlighting the intense competition. Siniaková and Townsend took control in the second-set tiebreak, winning 7–1 and confidently claiming the championship.
- This victory marked Taylor Townsend’s first Grand Slam title, a major achievement in her career.
- Kateřina Siniaková secured her ninth Grand Slam doubles title, reinforcing her position as one of the best doubles players globally.
- Even though Erin Routliffe lost, her strong performance in the tournament propelled her to the World No. 1 doubles ranking, making her the first New Zealander to achieve this.
- Siniaková and Townsend showed excellent teamwork and court coverage, constantly putting pressure on their opponents with aggressive net play and accurate returns.
Mixed Doubles: Hsieh Su-wei and Jan Zieliński
Mixed Doubles Format
Matches are played in a best-of-three set format. The first two sets follow standard rules for winning. If the score reaches 6–6 in any set, a tiebreak is played, where the first team to score 7 points with a 2-point lead wins the set. To speed up early-round matches, a championship tiebreak replaces the third set if needed. Each team consists of one male and one female player, competing against another mixed-gender team. A total of 32 teams entered the mixed doubles event. Teams take turns serving, with players alternating serves each game. The matches are played on a doubles court, which includes the side alleys.
Champion Of the game
Hsieh Su-wei and Jan Zieliński won the mixed doubles title by defeating Santiago González and Giuliana Olmos with a strong score of 6–4, 6–2. This win was their second Grand Slam mixed doubles title of 2024, following their earlier success at the Australian Open. Their impressive play during the tournament highlighted their great teamwork and smart strategies.
Key Highlights
- Hsieh and Zieliński displayed great teamwork and strategy, breaking their opponents’ serve early in both sets, which helped them win in straight sets.
- This victory was their second Grand Slam mixed doubles title of the year, after winning the Australian Open in January. For Hsieh Su-wei, this win increased her remarkable record at Wimbledon, giving her a total of five doubles titles at the All England Club and nine major doubles titles overall.
- The final lasted about 76 minutes, during which Hsieh and Zieliński kept up the pressure, stopping González and Olmos from making a strong comeback.
Final words
The 2024 Wimbledon Championships concluded as a magnificent celebration of tennis excellence, featuring remarkable performances across all categories and formats. From the singles courts to the doubles and mixed doubles, every match showcased the spirit of competition and the tradition of this prestigious Grand Slam.
The tournament also highlighted the successes of junior and wheelchair players, showing Wimbledon’s dedication to inclusivity and nurturing future talent. The 137th edition of this legendary event reaffirmed why Wimbledon is a top tennis destination, combining tradition, innovation, and memorable experiences that connect with fans around the globe.