Eugenie Bouchard’s slump the most sensational this year

Speak to any professional sportsman and he will tell you that they treat each day, each championship, each match as a new beginning. However, the first week of Wimbledon proved that it’s not always possible to shut out earlier reversals and tough moments during a match, even for the biggest and best pros.

Rafael Nadal lost to Dustin Brown at Halle last year and the roots for the German’s win last Thursday were struck there. Brown’s story is that of many a journeyman on the tennis circuit. He played the game of his life to get past Nadal in Halle last year, and then played even better last week to get past Nadal once again.

The Halle defeat must have been on Nadal’s mind, because the game that Brown brings with him is the kind that often unsettles the Spanish champion. Brown tries to close out points fast, enjoys the serve and volley, and uses the whole court rather than just the baseline. Nadal gets his rhythm through long rallies but Brown simply did not offer him that luxury. And of course his flamboyance and aggression — old German school style, if I may add — completely upended Nadal’s game plan.

I know that Nadal’s future will once again be discussed. As far as I can see, he is completely fit at the moment. All he needs is that one ATP Masters title, one classic triumph against a top player, and the winning habit might be back. He has had two long breaks in his career. The way he bounced back to win three Slams after the first break was superhuman. It’s not that easy to return after a prolonged break, and this time Nadal is showing that he is, after all, human. He needs time, and that one elusive win.

The other player who seems to have been a casualty of a recent setback was Simona Halep. It was clearly a blow for the Romanian to be ousted in the second round of the French Open after having been finalist there last year. It dented her confidence and she entered the grass court season with a low level of self-belief. Her first round defeat against Jana Cepelova was a result of this dip in confidence, but Halep is a great prospect and I hope her support team helps her get past this slump.

The most sensational slump of the year so far has been that of Eugenie Bouchard. If too much was happening too soon for the Canadian last year, nothing has been going right for her in 2015. She parted ways with longtime coach Nick Saviano in November and has a new team with her. Young and exceptionally talented, I still think she has it in her to make a mark in women’s tennis. It’s hard for a young player to be ousted in the first round after having been finalist the preceding year.

Apart from these tremors, it has been a calm, albeit exceptionally hot week at Wimbledon. I am particularly happy with Novak Djokovic’s win against Tomic. They speak the same language, are often practice partners and know each other’s game well. But on Friday, Djokovic was quite majestic in his display against the Canadian. Roger Federer, Andy Murray and Stanislas Wawrinka all have had easier matches in the first week — the best way to beat the sun.

A great second week is in prospect, starting with a Williams game, possibly one of the last we will have the privilege to witness in a Grand Slam. I am looking forward to seeing these two great siblings one more time.

— Gameplan