“Novak avoids the curse by actually winning” – Nick Kyrgios’ withdrawal from Wimbledon leads fans to speculate a ‘runners-up curse’ at the Championships
Hours before commencement of Wimbledon, Kyrgios withdrew from the tournament.
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Nick Kyrgios (Credits: Eurosport)
For many years, tennis fans and analysts have been fascinated by a strange phenomenon known as the “Wimbledon Runner-Up Curse.” This purported curse implies that players who finish runner-up in the Wimbledon frequently struggle to recreate their achievement or even maintain their former level of performance in next year’s grass-court tournament. While some dismiss it as a coincidence, others believe there are certain underlying causes that contribute to this strange pattern.
Whatever the reason, the last-minute withdrawal of Nick Kyrgios from the Grand Slam further solidifies this myth. Till a few days ago, the Australian player was boasting about how only he could defeat the defending champion Novak Djokovic, but now Kyrgios has retired from the game because of his wrist injury, which has given tennis fans reason to laugh at his misfortune.
Kyrgios had a bad start of the year because of which he could not play for several months and also withdrew from Mallorca Championship, claiming he wants to be better prepared for Wimbledon.
But this is not the only time the runner-up curse has been solidified. For the past several years, the previous year’s runner-ups keep withdrawing just before the Championship due to some or the other reason.
A tennis account on Twitter mentioned all the players who withdrew from Wimbledon every year. Interestingly, all these players have been the runner-up in the previous year’s Wimbledon. For instance, Matteo Berrettini was the runner-up in 2021 Wimbledon but withdrew from next year’s Wimbledon, that is, 2022 Wimbledon because he got Covid.
Similarly, Roger Federer was the runner-up in 2019, and the next Wimbledon that is Wimbledon 2021 (Wimbledon 2020 was canceled due to the covid 19 pandemic) was his last as he retired in 2022. And now, the previous year’s runner-up, Kyrgios has withdrawn this year due to his injury.
Netizens react in various ways at the ‘runner-up curse’
The idea of a Wimbledon Runner-Up Curse grew in popularity as several renowned players failed to capitalize on their success after losing in the Wimbledon final. David Nalbandian, who reached the Wimbledon final in 2002 but struggled to reach the same heights later, is one famous example. Similarly, Mark Philippoussis, Goran Ivanisevic, and Cedric Pioline faced post-Wimbledon issues, sparking speculation about a curse.
While the concept of a curse may seem far-fetched, some reasons for the phenomena have been proposed. One idea centers on the psychological and emotional toll of losing a Wimbledon final. Whatever it may be, Nick Kyrgios’ withdrawal has made the fans react in several ways.
Sharing a wide spectrum of reactions online, here’s what we have to say:
Finally, the Wimbledon Runner-Up Curse is still a source of debate and speculation in the tennis community. Whether it is a genuine phenomenon or a coincidental occurrence, it adds a fascinating layer of mysticism to Wimbledon’s rich history and the athletes who have competed on its grounds.
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Navya Mishra
(407 Articles Published)