In the midst of tennis’ grandest fortnight, it has been more than apparent that many of the top players in the world – men and women – have struggled to find their championship form on the lawns of the All England Club. Yes, it’s true that I’m a huge Roger Federer fan, and likewise not that big of a Rafa Nadal enthusiast, but to see two of the greatest Grand Slam performers over the past 10 years suffer extremely early exits at this year’s Wimbledon tournament is definitely odd. And strange. Granted, Britain’s Andy Murray and the reigning champion, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic, are still on course for what should be an electric championship finale, but with Federer and Nadal both failing to make it to the second week, is it safe to say that the tennis is world is undergoing a small transformation? Again. And that’s just on the men’s side.

Remaining on the men’s side of the draw, early tournament losses or retirements by other top-flight players, most notably Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Stanislas Wawrinka, were also very surprising. On the bright side of all of these upsets, viewers have had the opportunity to watch other players weasel their way through the draw and into the quarterfinal round. The biggest surprise of any of the men’s quarterfinalists, in my views, is Poland’s Lukasz Kubot. The 31-year-old has only played one seeded player in his first four matches (no. 25 Benoit Paire in Round 3), but he is in a position to reach his first Grand Slam semifinal – two days after reaching his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. In his way is fellow Pole Jerzy Janowicz. They are the first two men’s Polish players to make it to the last eight at Wimbledon since Wojtek Fibak did it in 1980. The winner of the match will be the first Pole ever to reach the semifinals at any of the four Grand Slam events.

However, quarterfinal and semifinal appearances, are no stranger to fellow Pole Agnieszka Radwanska. The 24-year-old from Krakow, also the no. 4 seed at this year’s Wimbledon, is seeking a return trip to the women’s final. She has made it through to her third quarterfinal in as many grand slams this year, but Radwanska is looking to get back to a Grand Slam semifinal for the first time since last year at the All England Club. She probably has the toughest quarterfinal match, as she faces the no.6 seed and 2011 French Open champion, Li Na. Mind you, a win over Na would keep the young Pole in position to claim her first Grand Slam title. And with five-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams having been ousted on “Manic Monday,” this might be Radwanska’s best shot yet to win her first major.

Williams, like a handful of other top players on the women’s side of the tournament, lost earlier than anyone expected. Former champion and third seeded Maria Sharapova lost in Round 2. Victoria Azarenka, seeded second, withdrew before her second round match even started. No. 5 Sara Errani didn’t even make it out of Wimbledon’s opening day. A semifinalist a couple of weeks ago at the French Open, Errani lost in straight sets in her Round 1 match.

Even though only one unseeded woman advanced to the quarterfinals, like the men, there aren’t a host of big names among the final eight. Other than Na and Radwanska, Petra Kvitova, the 2011 Wimbledon champion, is the only other top-10 player who survived the first four rounds of the tournament. Could there be a changing of the guard in women’s tennis too? No Williams. No Sharapova. If I’m picking a winner of the ladies title this year it’s either Radwanska or Kvitova, with a slight nod to the Czech. After all, she is the only women left standing who has a Wimbeldon title to her credit.

Upsets or not, Wimbledon is still the greatest tennis tournament to watch, and I’m sure both singles champions will, over their final few matches, prove why they left the All England Club a grand champion themselves.