DJOKER IN FOCUS
Novak ready to be first among equals at Wimbledon
London, June 27: Novak Djokovic targets a recordequalling 20th major and sixth Wimbledon title from Monday which will edge him tantalisingly closer to becoming only the third man in history to complete a calendar Grand Slam.
The world number one has already won a ninth Australian Open and second French Open this season.
That has put him halfway to emulating Don Budge (1937) and Rod Laver (1962 and 1969) in sweeping all four majors in the same year.
It is a feat even his closest rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have never managed.
Djokovic memorably captured a fifth Wimbledon in 2019, saving two championship points to defeat Federer in the longest ever final at the All England Club at four hours and 57 minutes.
He was deprived of defending his title in 2020 when Wimbledon was cancelled due to the pandemic.
Djokovic has won seven of the last 11 Slams as he ramps up his assault on the record of 20 majors held jointly by Federer and Nadal.
Nadal, the Wimbledon champion in 2008 and 2010, has already withdrawn from this year’s tournament, still scarred by the bruising loss to Djokovic in the French Open semi-finals.
FEDERER EYES NINTH TITLE
Eight-time winner Federer, meanwhile, will be 40 in August and won just one match on grass at Halle in the build-up to Wimbledon.
Federer, who underwent two knee surgeries in 2020, won the last of his eight Wimbledons in 2017 and the most recent of his 20 majors in Australia in 2018.
The Swiss star has lost three finals to Djokovic at the All England Club — 2014, 2015 and the epic 2019 clash.
The rest of the current top 10 have endured relatively mediocre Wimbledon records.
Only 33-year-old Roberto Bautista Agut, a surprise semi-finalist two years ago, has reached further than the last 16.
EX DOUBLES CHAMP OUT WITH COVID SCARE
Former men’s doubles champion Frederik Nielsen was Saturday forced to withdraw from Wimbledon after being identified as a close contact of a positive coronavirus case, the All England Club announced.
“The referee’s office has advised that Frederik Nielsen has been withdrawn from the gentlemen’s doubles draw, having been classified as a close contact,” said a statement.
The 37-year-old Dane, who won the 2012 men’s doubles title with Britain’s Jonny Marray, had been due to partner Croatia’s Franko Skugor at Wimbledon.