Newsday (N.Y.): Eugenie Bouchard, 2011 champ Petra Kvitova reach Wimbledon final

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

WIMBLEDON, England — The cliché about Canada is that it is a great place for beer and hockey players. The line needs updating. Add tennis players. The nation has its first Wimbledon finalist.

In what could be called an upset, Eugenie Bouchard of Montreal defeated Simona Halep of Romania, 7-6 (5), 6-2, Friday in the second semifinal. Bouchard will meet a former Wimbledon winner, Petra Kvitova, in Saturday's final. Kvitova beat fellow Czech and close friend Lucie Safarova, 7-6 (6), 6-1, in the first semifinal.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2014 Newsday. All rights reserved.

Bleacher Report: Will the Next Generation of Men's Tennis Stars Take over at Wimbledon 2014?

By Art Spander
Featured Columnist

LONDON — Rafael Nadal issued the warning a couple of weeks back. He said the generations in tennis don't last a generation, that before you know it, there's a new group of stars coming on — the way Nadal and Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer arrived seemingly moments ago.

The people we know, the champions, will take their leave, as champions inevitably do. Djokovic is only 27, Nadal 28, but they're looking over their shoulders. And playing as hard as they can against the guy across the net and that pest Father Time.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2014 Bleacher Report, Inc. 

Newsday (N.Y.): Andy Murray knocked out in Wimbledon quarters

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

WIMBLEDON, England — He was nicknamed "Baby Fed," when his coach at the time said Gregor Dimitrov was more advanced at his age than Roger Federer. It was difficult label with which to live, but suddenly at age 23 Dimitrov has become the tennis player that he was predicted to be.

He put an exclamation point on his potential Wednesday when he stunned defending champion Andy Murray in their Wimbledon quarterfinal, 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-2.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2014 Newsday. All rights reserved. 

Bleacher Report: Andy Murray Gets a Reality Check in Wimbledon 2014 Upset vs. Grigor Dimitrov

By Art Spander
Featured Columnist

LONDON — What did they expect from Andy Murray? That he was another Roger Federer or Pete Sampras?

That he was going to repeat as Wimbledon winner?

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2014 Bleacher Report, Inc.

Newsday (N.Y.): Rafael Nadal, Maria Sharapova upset at Wimbledon

By Art Spander
Special to Newsday

WIMBLEDON, England — A teenager nicknamed "The Wild Thing" stunned Rafael Nadal and in the process all Wimbledon, recording one of the biggest upsets of the last 25 years.

Nick Kyrgios, 19, a 6-4 Australian with a vicious serve and a positive approach, took apart the top-ranked Nadal, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3, on a Tuesday of surprises.

Read the full story here.

Copyright © 2014 Newsday. All rights reserved.