I can win my dream Federer tie, vows inspirational Clarke

Briton beats Rubin to set up Centre Court clash Swiss eases past Harris after losing opening set

Roger Federer had already won junior Wimbledon and begun his record-breaking sequence of 21 men’s singles appearances at the All England Club before Jay Clarke had reached his first birthday.

Tomorrow they will meet for a place in the third round of Wimbledon, after Clarke continued a fairytale rise from progressing through his local tennis club in Derby to now playing on the greatest tennis stage of all against the sport’s greatest player. “I always looked up to him,” Clarke said. “I tried to copy a lot of the stuff he does, but I actually gave up in the end because it was too tough to do.”

Aged 20, Clarke’s four-set win yesterday against American qualifier Noah Rubin was his first singles victory at any grand slam, and he stressed that his plan tomorrow would be to stick with a style honed while playing with his father Earol, a retired social worker, and three older siblings at the club across the road from their home.

The only British player to beat Federer in this tournament was Tim Henman in 2001, but Andy Murray did defeat him on the same Centre Court at the London Olympics in 2012, and Clarke will speak today with the Scot.

“Andy’s offered me a lot of tips with my game and what he does in certain situations. He’s been a big help for me,” he said.

There is also a wider potential narrative and Clarke, whose progress challenges the stereotype of British tennis being so associated with white, middle-class communities from the home counties, also wants to inspire other players.

“I hope if someone watched that they will want to go and hit some balls; whether it’s adults, kids or parents wanting to get their child playing tennis,” Clarke said.

Federer certainly showed some vulnerability yesterday, and despite finishing his first-round win against Lloyd Harris with some trademark Rolls-royce tennis, a jump-start was definitely required after losing the first set.

Clarke was aware of that blemish and has also taken hope from how Cori Gauff shocked five-time champion Venus Williams on Monday. “Upsets happen all the time. If he has a bad day and I play great, then obviously there is a chance that could happen,” he said.

Federer also made a point of watching the end of Clarke’s match after finally getting past Harris 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. He later complained that he was moving like “a snail” early in the match, but did ultimately ease through the gears.

Britain was in the midst of a debate over the Single European Currency rather than Brexit when Federer first began lighting up Wimbledon.

He still plays with the same extraordinary grace around the court but, against an opponent ranked 87th in the world, he was initially casual yesterday. Having sloppily lost his serve in the sixth game, Federer could not find an immediate reply and so suffered the rare indignity of a lost first set at this stage of the competition.

The start of the second set was actually crucial. Federer looked nervous and made further uncharacteristic errors, but held his serve to 30. It became a turning point. He soon created three break points with an exquisite drop volley and never again looked in serious danger.

The full, extravagant repertoire of shots was also eventually on display. A vicious forehand winner set up the crucial break of serve in the third set and that was followed by a cross-court backhand of pure aesthetic brilliance to break serve in the fourth set.

As Federer relaxed, the way he began moving Harris around the court was also instructive. The 22-year-old South African could handle going from side to side, but his rhythm became fatally dismantled by all the variations in slice and topspin. Federer, who turns 38 next month, was also utterly dominant whenever either player ventured to the front of the court.

Tomorrow, it will be Clarke’s turn, but Federer is so good that he says that any talk of “nothing to lose” does not quite apply.

“Obviously on Centre Court, you could obviously be embarrassed,” Clarke said. “He could obviously kill any player like he did from a set down. That’s never nice.”

It is a realistic assessment, but for Clarke and his family it should still be a day to savour.