In the Shadow of...
At Wimbledon, one often feels the shadow of history hanging over The Championships in the same way that the ivy clings to the outside walls of Centre Court. For some players, it is the shadow of the success they’ve had in the past, e.g. Martina Hingis, Lleyton Hewitt, Juan-Carlos Ferrero. For others such as Nicole Vaidisova, Ana Ivanovic and Novak Djokovic it is their potential, as well as the hopes of their countrymen. For Serena and
Venus Williams, it is often the shadow of their past success coupled with the potential for future glory if they can play their best tennis. At the same time, Andy Roddick, who has lived in Roger Federer’s shadow at Wimbledon, must wait at least another year for a chance at the title following his heart-breaking loss to Richard Gasquet. Meanwhile, Roger Federer faces the challenge of matching Bjorn Borg’s five consecutive Wimbledon titles, as well as comparisons to former Wimbledon champions such as Pete Sampras, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, etc. For all of these players and so many others, it is really about focusing on the light ahead of them rather than worrying about the shadows that occasionally obscure the clarity of their vision of what they want to achieve.
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