Our 2024 Wimbledon Awards – starring Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu
The dust has settled, and a dramatic Wimbledon Championships has come to a close for another year.
The men’s draw went largely as expected, with Carlos Alcaraz downing Novak Djokovic in a repeat of the 2023 final, but few would have predicted Barbora Krejcikova to beat Jasmine Paolini in a surprise women’s final.
Looking back on SW19, we pick our men’s and women’s award winners following an enthralling fortnight.
Best Match
Men’s: Alcaraz may not have been tested in the final versus Djokovic, but he overcame some tests to reach the final – none more so than Frances Tiafoe in round three. The American looked like a man reborn after a poor season and the 29th seed was six points from victory at one stage, only for the third seed to seal an enthralling 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 win.
Women’s: The longest women’s semi-final in SW19 history, we couldn’t pick any match other than Paolini’s epic victory over Donna Vekic. The unseeded Vekic stormed to the opening set and was twice a break up in the decider, but the seventh seed summoned all she could to prevail 2-6, 6-4, 7-6(8) after an extraordinary two hours and 51 minutes of action.
Biggest Upset
Men’s: It has been a mixed year for Andrey Rublev, but no one expected the sixth seed to crash out as early as round one. The Russian was stunned 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(5) by Francisco Comesana – the world No 122, who had never won an ATP match on grass.
Women’s: There were a few shocks in the women’s draw, but no result was bigger than world No 1 Iga Swiatek’s loss to Yulia Putintseva in round three. Expectations were higher than ever for the Pole, but a 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 loss to the Kazakh blew the top half of the draw wide open.
Best Comeback
Men’s: There were plenty of five-set comebacks in the men’s draw but perhaps none more significant than Taylor Fritz’s epic win over fourth seed Alexander Zverev. The American, seeded 13th, battled back to claim a 4-6 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 6-3 victory out on Centre Court.
Women’s: One of the best competitors on the WTA, 18th seed Marta Kostyuk battled from the brink to edge past Daria Saville in round two. Australia’s Saville served for the match three times in set two and had match points, but the Ukrainian fought her way to an incredible 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-4 win.
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Breakout Star
Men’s: Having scraped into the draw as a lucky loser, rising French star Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard highlighted why he is one to watch. The 21-year-old shocked 20th seed Sebastian Korda in round one and made it to the second week, where it took eventual semi-finalist Lorenzo Musetti to stop him.
Women’s: One of the best stories of the Championships was the run of New Zealand qualifier Lulu Sun, who reached the last eight in just her second Slam main draw. Sun knocked out eighth seed Zheng Qinwen and Emma Raducanu and is now inside the world’s top 60.
Resurgent Run
Men’s: It feels odd to put the fifth seed under this category, but Daniil Medvedev’s run to a second Wimbledon semi-final was a huge surprise – and ultimately quite impressive. The former world No 1 beat incumbent Jannik Sinner in the last eight, and reminded everyone why he is such an elite player.
Women’s: After a strong grass-court build-up, Raducanu returned to the second week of a major for the first time since her 2021 US Open win. There is plenty to build on for the Brit, who jumped back into the top 100 of the WTA Rankings on Monday.
