Wimbledon takeaways: Djokovic, Barty victorious and other stories to watch out for during Olympic tennis

Next stop: Tokyo 2020.

For the first time since 2019, the Championships at Wimbledon were contested over the last fortnight, with the sport’s most famous event returning to the grass courts of the All England Club.

It was a welcome sight for tennis fans from around the world.

For the men, Novak Djokovic captured an astounding sixth title there and 20th major overall, tying Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for the all-time record.

On the women’s side, Ashleigh Barty won her first Wimbledon and second Grand Slam, the Australian paying homage to her mentor Evonne Goolagong Cawley, who had first won the tournament 50 years ago.

Here are seven takeaways from Wimbledon as the stars of tennis turn their attention towards the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 in 2021.

Djokovic dreaming: The ‘Golden Slam’?

There is no disputing the Serbian’s status as world No.1 at the moment – and we’ll leave the ‘GOAT’ discussion for another day. But Wimbledon was Djokovic’s kingdom once again, the 34-year-old winning his third consecutive crown there having captured the title in 2018 and 2019, as well.

In the men’s final, he withstood a barrage of power and gutsy play from first-time major finalist Matteo Berrettini of Italy, prevailing in four sets, 6-7(4), 6-4, 6-4, 6-3.

In his 30th career major final, Djokovic improved to 20-10, pulling him even with Federer (who made the quarter-finals) and Nadal (who skipped the event and will not play Tokyo) at 20 majors won.

But more history could beckon Nole: Not since 1969 has a male player gone three-from-three at the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon. That year marks the last time any man has won the coveted calendar Grand Slam – all four of the sport’s majors in one year – when Australia’s Rod Laver did it.

Djokovic could be the first male to do the ‘golden Slam’ should he play at Tokyo 2020 and capture gold, as well as win at the U.S. Open in September. Only Steffi Graff, the German great, has achieved this feat in the sport, triumphing at Seoul 1988.

Barty’s win: ‘I hope I made her proud’

It was the first time since 2015 (Djokovic and Serena Williams) that both world No.1s won in the men’s and women’s singles events at Wimbledon, and for Barty it marked her second major following a breakthrough at the French Open in 2019.

She fended off the powerful serve of Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic in the final, winning in three sets, 6-3, 6-7, 6-3. It was the first three-set women’s final since 2012, when Serena defeated Agnieszka Radwanska.

“I hope I made Evonne proud,” an emotional Barty, 25, said on Centre Court. Both Barty and Goolagong Cawley are of Indigenous heritage in Australia, and the two have now been further linked by their twin Wimbledon titles – Barty’s skirt pattern was an ode to Evonne’s 1971 Wimbledon win – 50 years ago.

Wimbledon brings out tennis’ best; Tokyo next

After a truncated 2020 tennis season saw Wimbledon missed for the first time since World War II due to the pandemic, the event was back in full – even with Covid restrictions in place for players, personnel and fans.

Aside from the four finallists, Federer’s inspired run to the quarter-finals on the eve of his 40th birthday made headlines, as did the resurgence of 2018 champion Angelique Kerber, the Rio 2016 silver medallist making a run to the semi-finals before losing to Barty.

They’re each on the entry list for the tennis event at Tokyo 2020, which also includes Japanese superstar OSAKA Naomi, who did not play at Wimbledon after taking a mental health break during the French Open.

Aryna Sabalenka, the world No.3, will look to carry her momentum from the Wimbledon semi-finals to Tokyo; as will Hubert Hurkacz, the Pole, who took out Federer in the quarters.

Other names to watch out for on the courts of the Olympics: Bianca Andreescu; Felix Auger-Aliassime; Coco Gauff; Ons Jabeur; Garbiñe Muguruza; Daniil Medvedev; Nishikori Kei; Stefanos Tsitsipas; Alexander Zverev; Victoria Azarenka and more.

Federer, Murray have eyes locked on Tokyo

While it’s not 100 percent certain that Federer will compete at Tokyo 2020 – he said during Wimbledon he’d make a final call about the Olympics after the event – his name remains on the entry list and for team Switzerland.

Though he has a gold in doubles with Stan Wawrinka from Beijing 2008, he’s still after a singles gold.

“We're going to reassess the situation after Wimbledon because obviously if I play really good here or really bad, I think it has an impact on how everything might look in the summer," Federer told reporters at the beginning of Wimbledon. “Still my feeling is I would like to go to the Olympics. I would like to play as many tournaments as possible.”

It’s Great Britain's Andy Murray who has won the last two Olympic golds in singles, at London 2012 and Rio 2016, and has said Tokyo is a priority for him, though he continues a comeback from hip surgery.

He will play in both singles and doubles, the latter alongside countryman Joe Salisbury.

“The Olympics mean a huge amount to me, it's a massive honour to be able to compete at a fourth Games," Murray said.

Tokyo 2020 tennis: No Serena, Nadal, Halep

While Djokovic and Barty will look to continue their Wimbledon momentum, the Games will be without some of the sport’s biggest stars for a variety of reasons, namely Serena Williams and sister Venus, who have combined to win nine Olympic medals between them.

While Venus did not make the team due to rankings, Serena opted out. “There’s a lot of reasons that I made my Olympic decision,” Williams said at her pre-Wimbledon press conference. “I don’t feel like going into them today, but maybe another day.”

Nadal opted out of both Wimbledon and the Olympics after his run to the French Open semi-finals, while Romania’s Simona Halep has a calf injury that has sidelined her since May.

Other names that won’t be in Tokyo: Australian star Nick Kyrgios; Austria’s Dominic Thiem; American Sofia Kenin; and Denis Shapovalov, the Canadian who just made the Wimbledon semis.

Young guns: Gauff, Auger-Aliassime leading the charge

With the unique nature of the Games in 2021, tennis could see a breakout star on the podium, including young guns who are looking to make their mark at the top of the sport.

One of those names to watch is the American Gauff, who at age 17 made a last-dash effort in May and June to assure her Olympic qualification spot. The world No.25 could be a dark horse for a medal.

Much the same could be said for Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, who made his first major quarter-final at Wimbledon. The 20-year-old is ranked a career-high No.15 in the world and is the youngest man in the top 20.

Double(s) the trouble

The men’s and doubles draws always create intrigue at the Games, as do the mixed doubles. The mixed doubles pairings will be announced as players arrive in Tokyo, with Tsitsipas and Greek compatriot Maria Sakkari creating buzz around their partnership.

Croatians Nikola Mektic and Mate Pavic joined forces in 2021 with the Olympics in mind, and have a jaw-dropping eight titles to their name – most importantly Wimbledon just this past weekend.

Aoyama Shuko and Shibahara Ena could make noise in the women’s doubles, having just made the Wimbledon semis; while the Russian Olympic Committee’s Elena Vesnina and Vera Zvonareva are a veteran duo – and two moms! – to watch out for.