One has lost – and is still allowed to start again. The other replaces Roger Federer as a marathon man at the Grand Slam tournaments.
For many years Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic have worked towards their career grand slam, both superstars were granted the fulfilment of this dream in Paris: Federer 2009, Djokovic 2016.
Peter Polansky, on the other hand, can create something in the current campaign that all the greats of tennis have failed to do since Rod Laver: to create something extraordinary for all four majors. Well, it won’t be enough for the Canadian to win. However, the fact that Polansky was awarded a place as Lucky Loser in the tableau of a Grand Slam event in Wimbledon for the third time in a row is worthy of all honours.
Even if the ITF’s new rules, according to which injured players may not basically collect the entry premium from the majors with impunity, have significantly increased the chances of being placed in the tableau. If Polansky, who is playing against Dennis Novak from Austria in the first round, also succeeds in New York, the tennis history books will finally have to be rewritten.
The performance of Feliciano Lopez, on the other hand, is more relevant in sporting terms: The Spaniard will overtake Roger Federer on Monday. Lopez, who lost most of last year’s points after his early defeat at Queen´s Club, now ranks 70th in the ATP world rankings.
However, the start in Wimbledon will be the 66th in a row for Lopez, replacing the previous record holder Federer. Feli’s early prospects are Argentinian: in round one, he will face Federico Delbonis. Then Juan Martin del Potro would probably wait.