Ninth Wimbledon title on Roger’s radar
Swiss maestro expects to be pushed by Nadal
LONDON — Having watched longtime rival Rafael Nadal tighten his iron-grip on the French Open, Roger Federer aims to extend his personal dominance of Wimbledon by claiming a ninth title at the All England Club.
Despite his 37th birthday fast approaching and being stunned by Borna Coric in the grasscourt final in Halle, Germany, last weekend, Federer will still start Wimbledon as the overwhelming favorite to clinch his 21st major title.
Federer set new records 12 months ago when he defeated a hobbling Marin Cilic in the final, becoming both the tournament’s oldest champion and first to claim eight titles.
That victory came after he decided to skip the entire claycourt season — a strategy he repeated this year as he sat at home watching Nadal romp to an 11th French Open.
“I’m really going to love going to Wimbledon but being the defending champion always creates pressure,” said Federer, who was quick to shrug off his loss to Coric, which ended a 20-match win streak on grass.
A week earlier, he had been buoyed by capturing the grasscourt title at Stuttgart, Germany.
“Regardless of whether I won or lost in Halle, I will be one of the favorites at Wimbledon,” he said.
Federer won his first Wimthe bledon — and first Slam title — in 2003.
He has since added seven more at the All England Club, with Nadal winning twice, Novak Djokovic three times and Andy Murray taking two titles.
Lleyton Hewitt, in 2002, was the last man outside the modern-day “Big Four” to win the championship.
Hardly surprising then that Federer cannot see any great upheaval anytime soon, even tipping Nadal — and his notoriously unreliable knees on grass — to go deep in the tournament.
“I think Rafa is one of the big favorites,” said Federer, who famously lost the 2008 final to the Spaniard in what is widely regarded as one of the finest Slam showdown of all time.
‘Anything possible’
“When Rafa is healthy, anything is possible for him,” added Australian Hewitt.
Nadal’s Grand Slam count now stands at 17, just three behind Federer. They have split the past six majors.
World No 1 Nadal has endured a bittersweet relationship with Wimbledon despite being champion in 2008 and 2010.
He missed the 2009 tournament with injury and, since finishing runner-up to Djokovic in 2011, has gone out in the second round in 2012, the first round in 2013 and the last 16 in 2014.
In 2015, he was beaten in the second round and missed 2016 altogether. Last year, he lost 15-13 in the fifth set to Luxembourg journeyman Gilles Mueller in the fourth round.
After winning at Roland Garros this month, Nadal hinted he might skip Wimbledon, but the 32-year-old Spaniard has been practicing on grass in Mallorca and is cautiously optimistic.
“I had to spend time adapting physically and adjusting my tennis to the surface,” said Nadal.
“I will certainly arrive at Wimbledon with less preparation, but I’m going with confidence high because I played very well through the whole claycourt season.”
Djokovic, the 2011, 2014 and 2015 champion, retired with an elbow injury in the quarterfinals in 2017 as his form continued to sink after the emotional high of completing the career grand slam at the French Open 12 months earlier.
Like Nadal, Djokovic hinted he might sit out Wimbledon after the indignity of losing to world No 72 Marco Cecchinato in the French Open quarterfinals.
But the rejuvenated 12-time major winner shook off the self-doubt and made the Queen’s final last weekend, losing to Cilic despite having had a match point.
Djokovic has at least returned to the top 20 — unlike 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon champion Murray, who is ranked No 156.
Former world No 1 Murray sustained a hip injury in a fiveset loss to Sam Querrey in the quarterfinals in 2017 and underwent surgery in January.
The 31-year-old returned to action at Queen’s, losing a tough three-setter to Nick Kyrgios in his opener.
On Monday, however, Murray eased past fellow injuryplagued Slam winner Stan Wawrinka in straight sets in Eastbourne.
Elsewhere, a lot will be expected of world No 3 Alexander Zverev of Germany, who made the fourth round last year.
However, the 21-year-old lost his only grasscourt match this summer to Coric in Halle.