When it was over ESPN had eight of its analysts and announcers all on the screen at once trying to explain what they had just witnessed.
It was a Wednesday that saw Roger Federer shocked two days after Rafael Nadal suffered the same fate, Maria Sharapova beaten by a qualifier and Victoria Azarenka unable to take the court after suffering a knee injury in her opening-round win.
Pam Shriver perhaps put it best after the carnage was over.
“It was the most stunning day of tennis I’ve ever seen,” she said.
It did not look like many thought of disagreeing with that assessment. It also was a day that probably left Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams smiling. The first two now seemed destined for a rematch of last year’s U.S. Open final, captured by Murray in five thrilling sets. The latter saw her two biggest challengers eliminated, meaning Williams went from heavy favorite to virtual lock.
But Murray might have benefitted the most. His road to the finals that included Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who also retired on Wednesday, in the quarters and the winner of Nadal-Federer in the semis is now lined with far less talent.
“I definitely think that he is ready to win it,” ESPN analyst Patrick McEnroe said of Murray. “Obviously, a couple of things have to go right for that to happen, but he was extremely close last year. He played well in the final, but Federer played great. He’s only got to take one more step, which he’s close to doing already.”
Murray will be trying to become the first Brit to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry accomplished the feat 77 years ago. Murray was up a set and a break on Federer in last year’s final before he was overtaken by the best to ever pick up a racket, but his 2012 was not without accomplishment. He went on to win Gold on that same center court in the Olympics and take his first major at Flushing Meadows.
“I definitely think winning the U.S. Open and the Olympics, I think the pressure on him if he gets back to the semis and the finals will not be as great,” McEnroe said. “The fact that he’s won one. [But] there’s still a lot of pressure because no Brit has won one in so many years. But I don’t think he’s going to lose because of that pressure. He may lose because Djokovic plays a great match, but I don’t think he’s going to lose because of the pressure of the moment.”
For Djokovic and Murray it is an opportunity to stamp themselves as the favorite in future grand slam events. Federer’s loss marked the end of his streak of 36 straight quarterfinal appearances in the majors and Nadal’s knees again looked troublesome in his first-round defeat.
“I’d be extremely concerned and I think he was extremely concerned,” McEnroe said of Nadal, who won his eighth French Open on June 9 . “I think he’s going to hope he can recover over the next month then play one tournament and then play the U.S. Open. We certainly hope that he’s not out another seven months.”