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In every sport, whether it is cricket, football, hockey, or even tennis, there are times when we see the underdog team or player beat the favourite and come out on top, despite the odds being completely stacked against them. Upsets are a part of the game. It just goes to show that every player playing the sport is human. There are times when a player might have gone a year unbeaten, but gets beaten after that by a very low ranked player. Upsets also make a tournament more exciting. 2014 saw quite a few upsets happen in tennis, both in Grand Slams and other ATP Tour Tournaments. Here is the list of the biggest upsets of the year.
#10 Tommy Robredo vs Novak Djokovic - Cincinnati Masters, 3rd round
Novak Djokovic was not having a great time on court after moving to the hard courts of North America after winning Wimbledon. His poor run continued at The Western and Southern Masters in Cincinnati.Djokovic is the only player to have won 8 out of the 9 ATP Masters 1000 titles, and is only one title away from achieving aCareer Golden Masters. His record at the Masters Series are better than both, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal who have two titles missing from their cabinet.
The current World No.1needed a victory at theWestern and Southern Masters to achieve this feat, but was stopped by Tommy Robredo in the 3rdround. Robredo defeated him in a tough two set match. He was able to keep his nerve even after Djokovic had saved three set points.
The Spaniard claimed just his second victory over a World No. 1 and his first for 10 years, since beatingLleyton Hewittat 2003Roland Garros."When I finish my career, and when I will be sitting at home and talking with friends, I will remember days like this," said Robredo. It's amazing to be here playing and to beat the No. 1. I'm more than happy.
Score : Tommy Robredo def. Novak Djokovic7-6(6), 7-5.
#9 Ernests Gulbis vs Roger Federer - French Open, 4th round
Roger Federer came into 2014 looking to improve on his results after an extremely dissapointing season on court in 2013. He did well for himself at the Australian Open and the Monte- Carlo Masters before coming into the French Open. The Swiss entered theRound of 16 meeting withErnests GulbisatRoland Garroswith asuperb recordon the Grand Slam stage after winning the first set. Federer did manage to take the first set, but Gulbis had other ideas up his sleeve.
Gulbis proved too good for the 17 time Grand Slam Champion as he beat him in a thrilling five set match, which also ended Federers record of reaching nine straight French Open quarter-finals.
Its the biggest win of my career, Gulbis said in an on-court interview. Sorry I had to win. I know how everyone likes Roger. It was a tough match, but this is sport. Ive been playing very well in France. I won tournaments in Marseille and Nice, hopefully Paris is the next one."
Score : Ernest Gulbis def. Roger Federer6-7(5), 7-6(3), 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.
#8 Kristina Mladenovic vs Li Na - French Open, 1st round
Kristina Mladenovic made a mark for herself in 2009 when she won the French Open junior title, but she was unable to convert her junior success at the senior stage.
She was seeded up against the Australian Open Champion Li Na. Everybody expected this to be a routine win for the World no. 3, but it was not to be. Mladenovic was able to exhibit her all court skills in the first setagainst Li Na, who did not have an answer for anything which was thrown at her.
Lidid fight back to win the second set and this is when everybody thought that the tides had turned, but Mladenovic battled hard anda couple of unforced errors and an untimely double fault from Li handed over the break to Kristina. She then held on to her serve for the remaining games in the set to win the set and the match.
After the draw I wasn't very happy, but I made sure I prepared as well as I could and was ready to play my best tennis," Mladenovic said. "When I got on court, I thought, 'I'm at home, be positive.'"
Li, meanwhile, becamethe first reigningAustralian Openchampion to fall in the first round atRoland GarrossinceLindsay Davenport'sdefeat to Dominique Monami in 2000.
Score : Kristina Mladenovic def. Li Na7-5, 3-6, 6-1.
#7 Andrey Kusnetsov vs David Ferrer - Wimbledon, 2nd round
Only six players have reached at least 10 straight Grand Slam quarter-finals in the Open Era:Roger Federer,Novak Djokovic,Ivan Lendl,Rafael Nadal,Pete SamprasandDavid Ferrer.
Ferrer saw his streak come to an end this year in the second round at Wimbledon, after being beaten byAndrey Kuznetsovin five sets. Kusnetsov was ranked a very low 116 in the world at thetime, having wonjust three tour-level matches on grass and having never beaten a Top 10 player.
Kusnetsovovercamea two-sets-to-one deficit to prevail 6-2 in the fifth, hammering 77 winners and converting on nine of 21 break points for the victory in three hours and 12 minutes. However, Kusnetsov went on to lose to Leonardo Mayer in the fourthround, but it was still his best ever Grand Slam result in his career.
Score : Andrey Kusnetsov def. David Ferrer6-7(5), 6-0, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.
#6 Garbine Muguraza vs Serena Williams - French Open, 2nd round
Just like Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams suffered quite a few upsets over the past one year in various tournaments. This time she lost in the second roundat the French Open.Her slayer was 20-year oldGarbineMuguruza.
Muguraza dominated Serena right from the beginning and did not let her guard down during the match.The Spaniard placed her serves with great variation, powered her shots deep and maintained composure to take advantage of both her break points, putting her one set up.
Serena hadlost the ability to serve accurately and failed to find her trademark first serve that usually wins her so many points. Muguraza proved too good for her, as she won the second set with as much ease as she had won the first set.
Score : Garbine Muguraza def. Serena Williams 6-2, 6-2.
#5 Borna Coric vs Rafael Nadal, Basel Indoors, quarterfinals
Rafael Nadal has faced a lot ofupsets in the last few years. Borna Coric was at it this time aroundtaking down the 14-time Grand Slam champion in straight sets for his first career top 5 win.
Nadal was trying to make a return to top flight tennis after missing out on a lot of action, but he was never fully fit and it could clearly be seen in the match.Coric, 17, was playing in his second career ATP quarterfinal and his 14th career ATP match. He took advantage of a very sluggishNadal in the early going to race out to a 5-0 lead in the opening set.Nadal managed to avoid the bagel, but still lost the first set.
He looked a lot better in the second set, but Coric proved too good for him as he won the second set in the tie break. The last time Nadal had lost to a 17 year old was in 2003 against Richard Gasquet.
Score : Borna Coric def. Rafael Nadal 6-2, 7-6.
#4 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni vs Simona Halep - US Open, 3rd round
Simona Halep was having the best year of her career. After performing well throughout the year, she entered the U.S Open as one of the favourites to lift the title. She was also seeded no. 2 in the tournament. Lucic Baroni is currently ranked no. 60 in the world.
She enjoyed a promising career on theWTA Tourin the late 1990s, during which she set several "youngest-ever" records, won theGrand Slamwomen's doubles title at theAustralian Openin 1998 when she was only 15 years old, partnering Martina Hingis.After a lot of personal problems, she had to quit tennis in 2002. But shere-emerged as a WTA regular following the 2010 season.
By defeating Halep, she recorded one of her biggest wins of her career. Shealso reached the fourth round of a major for the first time since 1999.
Score Mirjana Lucic-Baroni def. Simona Halep7-6(6), 6-2.
Please note: Video Highlights werenot availabe for this match.
#3 Guillermo Garcia Lopez vs Stan Wawrinka - French Open, 1st round
Stanislas Wawrinka had entered the French Open being in the form of his life. He had defeated Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal to win his first ever Grand Slam at Melbourne and he had also defeated Roger Federer for the first time in his career when he won his first ever Masters Series at Monte-Carlo. He had soared to No. 3 in the world.
He was the clear favourite to win against Guillermo Garcia Lopez of Spain. But Lopez had other ideas for the Swiss sensation.Garcia-Lopez went on to win 75 per cent of first serve points, breaking Wawrinka on eight of 12 chances to complete the four-set stunner in two hours and 23 minutes. By winning, Garcia Lopez reached the fourth round for the first time in his career, but lost to home favourite Gael Monfils.
"This match is very illustrative of the season I just had," Garcia-Lopez said. "I'm very relaxed, and matches go very well. I think I'm not as overwhelmed by emotions as I used to be, and that's the way I would talk about my season so far. I play my game at my level. I fight on every point."
Score : Guilermo Garcia Lopez def. Stanislas Wawrinka6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.
#2 Alize Cornet vs Serena Williams - Wimbledon, 3rd round
Alize Cornet has become used to defeating Serena Williams by now. She had already beaten her twice before, once in 2014 as well at the Dubai Open. She was to face the World no. 1 once again in the third round at Wimbledon, and the result was the same.Going into the contest,Cornet had just 10 wins on grass.
In 13 attempts, Cornet had neverdefeated a Top 20 player at aMajor, and when Serena took the first set with ease, it looked like Cornet would have another failed attempt. But it was not to be, as Cornet went on to win the secondand the thirdset and win the match.
I cannot believe it," she said. "A few years ago I couldn't play on grass, but now I have beaten the World No.1. It's the biggest upset of the tournament. A dream. I cannot believe I did it myself - me!
"In themorning I watched our match in Dubai. It helped me especially when I had to serve at 5-4 because I knew I had done it before. It's amazing to beat Serena two times in a row but she is just a human, like everybody."
Score: Alize Cornet def. Serena Williams 1-6,6-3, 6-4.
#1 Nick Kyrgios vs Rafael Nadal - Wimbledon, 4th round
History has shown that 19-year olds are the biggest upset causers in Grand Slams.A 19-year-oldPete SamprasupsetIvan LendlandAndre Agassiat the 1990US Open, 19-year-oldRoger Federerbeat top seed Sampras atWimbledonin 2001 and a 19-year-oldRafael Nadaltoppled Federer in the 2005Roland Garrossemi-finals. This time around, it was 19 year old Nick Kyrgioss turn to cause the biggest upset of the season. He was up against world no. 1 Rafael Nadal.
Right from the word go, Kyrgios was unstoppable with his agressive play and his big serve and massive forehand. It proved too much for the Spaniard as Kyrgios beat him in four sets.Kyrgios was making hisWimbledonmain draw debut as a wild card a year after lifting the boys doubles trophy. He was only the second person to have reached the quarter-finals after entering the tournament as a wildcard.He was the second player outside the Top 100 to beat a World No. 1 at a Grand Slam.
He lost out in the quarter-finals to Milos Raonic.
Score : Nick Kyrgios def. Rafael Nadal7-6(5), 5-7, 7-6(5), 6-3.
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