Wimbledon title ‘is up for grabs’
THIS YEAR THE TOURNAMENT IS VERY OPEN Spanish veteran quietly fancies his chances.
This year’s men’s singles at Wimbledon promises to be the most open for a decade, according to Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez, who is quietly fancying his own chances of a deep run.
While Roger Federer was winning a ninth Halle title on Sunday afternoon to mark himself out as favourite, fellow 35-year-old Lopez rounded off a magical week on the Queen’s Club lawns by winning the Aegon Championships.
Left-hander Lopez said he is playing the best tennis of his career and few would argue with that after victories against world No 3 Stan Wawrinka, Tomas Berdych, Grigor Dimitrov and finally Marin Cilic in the space of a week.
“Considering the results of the best players in the world, it is true that it is probably the most open Wimbledon in the last 10 years, I will say,” Lopez said, referencing the struggles of Wimbledon champion and world No 1 Andy Murray and three-time winner Novak Djokovic.
“Roger is playing great. He’s not playing much, but when he’s playing, he’s winning. Novak and Andy, it’s true they are not playing their best, I will say, and Rafa (Nadal), he hasn’t played on grass for a long time.
“So it’s probably a little bit more open.”
After a thrilling Queen’s final against Cilic in which he saved a match point before clinching a final set tiebreak 10-8, Lopez clearly believes his best Wimbledon run might still be ahead of him.
“Tennis is a unique sport where anything can happen. From one day to the other, it can be so different,” Lopez, who reached No 25 yesterday and will be seeded at Wimbledon, said.
“It is true that I’m going into Wimbledon with a lot of confidence. Probably this is the Wimbledon that I feel more confident going into.
“But next week, you know, the draw has to be done. And then I hope I can still play in the same way. Tennis is about sensations, feelings.
“Winning here, it’s the best preparation I can have. But in the other way, I think you can have a very tough draw from the very beginning.”
Lopez is the first Spaniard to win Queen’s since Nadal in 2008 after which the Mallorcan won Wimbledon.
The 31-year-old Nadal will arrive this time having just claimed a 10th French Open but with no competitive grasscourt play, having pulled out of the Queen’s Club event. –