Federer eyes 7th heaven on grass
A fortnight after Rafael Nadal landed a record-breaking seventh French Open crown, his great rival Roger Federer is eyeing seventh heaven at Wimbledon.
Nadal and Federer will both arrive at the All England Club with high hopes of not only dethroning reigning champion Novak Djokovic but also wresting the world No 1 ranking from the Serb.
The three-way rankings battle is an intriguing subplot in one of the most exciting men’s championships in years.
With Federer’s 31st birthday looming in August, a 17th grand slam title – 21⁄ years after his 16th came at the 2010 Australian Open – would surely be the crowning glory of his wonderful career.
A seventh title on beloved London grass would equal Pete Sampras’ modern-day record haul and, if Djokovic fails to make the final, also draw the Swiss maestro level with Sampras as the all-time record holder for most weeks as world No 1.
This is Federer’s final frontier. He topped the rankings for 285 weeks in total between 2004 and 2010, one week less than Sampras’ reign over 10 stints as king from 1993 until September 2000.
But reaching the summit for a third time when Nadal and Djokovic – five and six years Federer’s junior – are at the peak of their powers would underline the Artful Roger’s status as the greatest player in tennis history.
So much easier said than done.
Federer has closed in on the top ranking with four titles in 2012, equal to Nadal’s tally this season but has come off second best in nine of his past 10 grand slam meetings with his two great rivals.
Nadal stopped him in the Australian Open semifinals and Djokovic denied him at the same penultimate stage at Roland Garros.
Nadal and Djokovic clearly hold a mental edge but no place inspires Federer more than the spiritual home of tennis.
Djokovic and Nadal have their own powerful motivations to succeed.
The Serb, who must make the final to be certain of retaining the top ranking, is bidding to join Federer and Sampras as only the third man to successfully defend his Wimbledon crown in a quarter of a century.
Nadal, at just 26, can edge past Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver into equal third place with Australian 1960s great Roy Emerson on the all-time grand slam leaderboard with 12 career majors.
Only Federer and Sampras, with 14, would be left to chase down for the Spaniard.
World No 4 Andy Murray, a three-times semi-finalist, is the only other player at single-figure odds with bookmakers to raise the men’s trophy on July 9.