Tough road for Federer at Big W
WIMBLEDON MEN’S DRAW Swiss master vs Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray v Rafael Nadal in potential semifinal clashes
LONDON: Tournament favourite Roger Federer will have to do things the hard way if he is to win a record eighth Wimbledon title, after he was handed the toughest draw of the big names at the All England Club on Friday.
But defending champ Andy Murray, struggling to reach full fitness because of a sore hip, will avoid many of the dangerous opponents in the first week. The 35-year-old Federer, who is also trying to become the oldest winner in the open era, is the bookmakers’ favourite, having won the warm-up event in Halle last weekend.
To win his eighth title, though, he may have to beat Alexander Zverev, Grigor Dimitrov, last year’s finalist Milos Raonic and three-times champion Novak Djokovic just to get to the final.
Murray was drawn to potentially face fellow two-time winner Rafael Nadal in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
Top seed Murray will start his campaign on Monday against a qualifier while second seed Djokovic tackles Slovakia’s Martin Klizan before a tricky possible third round clash with old rival Juan Martin del Potro.
Federer, seeded third, starts against Alexander Dolgopolov of Ukraine while fourth-seeded Nadal, fresh from a 10th French Open win, has Australia’s John Millman in the first round.
Murray will enter the tournament desperately trying to shake off a hip injury which played a part in his Queen’s Club title defence coming to an abrupt end in the first round last week.
If the 30-year-old negotiates the first round, he would then possibly face Portugal’s Joao Sousa with Dustin Brown a potential third round rival.
German showman Brown famously defeated Nadal at Wimbledon in 2015 when he was ranked at 102. Murray could face France’s Lucas Pouille in the last 16 while Djokovic, seeded two despite his world ranking having slipped to four after a slump which has seen him lose possession of all four majors, has a fourth round meeting lined-up with Gael Monfils.
Djokovic’s meeting with del Potro could prove the highlight of the first week. The Serb defeated the giant Argentine in a memorable five-setter in the semi-finals in 2013 while Del Potro triumphed over the Serb at the Olympics last year. Federer has a possible last-16 duel with Dimitrov and quarter-final against either 2016 runner-up Raonic or Zverev who was swept aside by the Swiss star in the Halle final last week where the veteran claimed a ninth title.
Nadal has big-serving Gilles Muller as a possible last-16 foe and Japan’s Kei Nishikori or former US Open winner Marin Cilic in the last eight. It is possible that Nadal and Federer could meet in the final for the fourth time after 2006, 2007 and 2008.