Wimbledon, already out one home idol

Johnson eliminates Peniston

Ryan Peniston’s Wimbledon adventure is already over. The Briton, who had easily disposed of Henri Laaksonen in the first round, paid his dues with Steve Johnson in the second. The American, who had already eliminated Grigor Dimitrov, bent him in three sets (6-3, 6-2, 6-4).

Despite the support of the crowd Peniston was unable to hold his own against the California-born Class of ’89 tennis player, who now awaits the winner of the match between fellow British athlete Cameron Norrie and Spaniard Jaume Munar.

Since 2011, Novak Djokovic has won the tournament six times, which was not played in 2020 because of the pandemic. When it was not the Serb who lifted the top trophy it was Roger Federer, in 2012 and 2017, and Andy Murray, in 2013 (beating Djokovic himself in the final, by the way), and 2016. Nadal, who is still in the running for the Grand Slam in 2022, last triumphed on London’s grass in 2010, defeating Berdych in three sets in the last act: 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.