Wimbledon 2013: Meet the Federer-slayer - Sergiy Stakhovsky

Sergiy Stakhovsky

When Roger Federer took on an unknown 27-year-old Ukrainian, a journeyman who was ranked outside the world’s top 100 in the second round game at Wimbledon, everyone must have thought there could emerge only one result out of this game. Agreed that Rafael Nadal had a shock exit in the first round, but Nadal has been having injury issues, and the surface wasn’t clay either.

But this was Roger Federer – Wimbledon legend, winner here 7 times and having a run of a record 36 consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final appearances.

However, Sergiy Stakhovsky had other plans. The world number 116 caused one of the biggest upsets in sporting history, by playing a fearless game of serve & volley, winning 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-6. On an eventful day when women’s world number 3 Maria Sharapova was sent packing and French Open semifinalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga retired hurt to bow out and also seeing withdrawals from Victoria Azarenka and Marin Cilic, Stakhovsky’s win was undeniably the highlight. The 7-time Wimbledon champion Federer was defeated by the impressive serving and aggressive play at the net from the Ukrainian.

The name of George Bastl comes to mind, who had defeated Pete Sampras at the same stage in 2002 Wimbledon. However Sampras was at the ending stage of his career back then, while Federer, though now ageing, is still playing at a level not very below his peak; and this fact makes Stakhovsky’s victory more laudable.

Stakhovsky was a contemporary of  Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic in the junior circuit, losing the 2004 US Open boys final to Murray. Growing up, he idolized Pat Rafter and Pete Sampras. He won his first title in Zagreb in 2008, beating Ivan Ljubicic in the final, after qualifying for the event as a lucky loser. It was the first instance of a lucky loser winning the title since Christian Miniussi won in 1991 at Sao Paulo.

He later went on to win the St. Petersburg Open in 2009, UNICEF Open in 2010 and Pilot Pen Tennis in 2010, and reached his career high singles ranking of 31 in September 2010. He has won 3 doubles titles: Kremlin Cup 2008 with Potito Starace of Italy, and the 2010 Garry Webber Open and the 2011 Dubai Tennis Championships with Mikhail Youzhny of Russia.

Until yesterday, his major claim to fame was that he took out his iPhone to take photo of the mark left by ball to challenge a disputed point. His previous best performance at Wimbledon was the 2nd round exit in 2011, and he has never progressed beyond the 3rd round of a Grand Slam. Entering into the match, he had only 12 grass court match victories in his career (Federer has 13 grass court titles). But now Stakhovsky is a name Federer and the sports fans are unlikely to ever forget.