Ageless Federer ready to glide on his favourite turf
LONDON: Roger Federer is already the most prolific and oldest winner of the Wimbledon men’s singles title but when he saunters into the All England Club on Monday he will do so as favourite to lift the trophy for a ninth time.
The seemingly ageless Swiss, who turn 37 in August, has planned his year around defending the title he claimed last year by beating Croatia’s Marin Cilic.
If anything Federer’s 2017 Wimbledon fortnight was the most impressive of his career as he swept through the draw without losing a set for the first time -- ending a five year wait to nudge ahead of Pete Sampras on the all-time list.
Nothing that has happened in the past 12 months suggests Federer’s hunger is diminished with victory at this year’s Australian Open taking his Grand Slam title haul to 20.
He skipped the claycourt season which was again dominated by his great rival Rafael Nadal who won the French Open for an 11th time to move to within
three of Federer’s record Grand Slam tally.
Federer returned to the grasscourts in Germany, winning the title in Stuttgart before reaching the Halle final this month where he was surprisingly beaten by Croatian Borna Coric.
While Coric’s victory offers some encouragement for the rest of the field, Federer will not have dwelled on it.
Friday’s draw handed Federer a comfortable looking route into the second week but there are enough threats to make this year’s tournament the most intriguing for years.
Second seed Nadal, who won the first of his two Wimbledon titles in an epic final against Federer 10 years ago, has not been beyond the fourth round since 2011 but arrives full of vigour and could thrive in the predicted hot conditions.
Third seed Cilic won the Queen’s club title and is a player who can trouble Federer.
Of the new generation Alexander Zverev is seeded fourth but it is Australian Nick Kyrgios who looks the most likely to make an impression. The maverick 23-year-old almost beat Federer in Stuttgart and at Queen’s club.
ALL EYES ON SERENA
The women’s game still dominated by the story lines, if not yet the form, of Serena Williams. She enters the tournament seeded 25th in the singles draw.
She was solid in three earlyround wins at French Open, but no proof that the 36-year-old would pick up where she left off before her maternity leave.
World No.1 Simona Halep, who is also the top seed, has finally broken a psychological barrier by winning at Roland Garros and would be raring to go at the tournament.