Stakhovsky shakes off Federer on center court

Sergiy Stakhovsky put an abrupt and shocking end to defending Champion Roger Federer’s 2013 Wimbledon quest in the second round. It also ended the Swiss’ 36 Quarter-final Major streak, the Ukrainian doing what Simon was so close to doing less than a month back in Paris.

Stakhovsky was not intimidated by history or the Center Court where Federer has lifted seven trophies. Nor was he put off by the seeming death of serve and volley the last decade, resurrecting a style of play once practised by Federer on these courts and which came back to haunt him.

Neither was he deterred when he lost a tight first set on the tiebreaker. The 116th Ranked Stakhovsky took the second set to a tiebreaker, too. A shanked forehand from Federer earned him set point. Fittingly, Stakhovsky sealed the set with a forehand volley, proving that style could still be a success.

How successful though, we had no idea. The third set was close, too, but a gap was growing between the two players as Stakhovsky grew in confidence and broke Federer at 5-5 before serving out for the set.

In the fourth set, Stakhovsky hit new heights, playing the best tennis of his career as he broke Federer at 1-1 as Federer netted a forehand passing shot from the Russian. The defending champion broke back and then held set point at 5-6 but was denied by Stakhovsky’s fearless volleying skills, defying Federer’s attempts to pass him with the stellar sturdiness of a late 80s Stefan Edberg.

In the tiebreaker. Stakhovsky got the mini-break with a winning backhand down the line on the run and then held on to the mini-break to hold match points at 6-4. Federer saved the first to get matters back on serve. But a long rally proved too much for the Swiss who hit a backhand down the long out.

The score read out, 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6, Stakhovsky fell on his back, the first purposeful slip of the day, as the realisation of his being the first man to make Federer fall before the last eight of a Major since Roland Garros 2004 sank in.

It could be for Federer, who at 32 has seen a gradual decline in his performances at the Majors the last few years, the start of the inevitable fall from the top of the game that befalls all the legends. It might also be the win that starts up Stakhovsky’s stalling career.

Whatever it comes before, what it was was a great match that had the crowd on the edge of their seats and put the final curtain on the most dramatic and wretched day the Wimbledon Championships has ever seen.