Federer Feels Right at Home at Wimbledon

Roger Federer always feels a little unusual when not scheduled on Day One of Wimbledon. By force of habit he usually expects to play at 1pm sharp on Centre Court as the hallowed place of defending champion. 

Even two years ago, when Rafael Nadal was prevented by injury from 
filling the Champion’s initial role, Federer opened proceedings. But the 29 
 year-old Swiss, seeded as low as no.3 for the first time since 2003 remains
  second favorite at 5-2 behind defending champion Rafael Nadal at 2-1.

Nevertheless is talking like a potential winner in the build up and claims to have been performing at his top level for the past 12 months. However what really ignited his confidence was the way he terminated Novak Djokovic’s 43-match winning streak in the semi-finals of the French Open earlier this month.

“I know I can beat Novak on any surface,” he said. “I’ve done that  in the past. Just because he was on a great run didn’t mean he was unbeatable.  In Paris I played really well, and here at Wimbledon I’m even more confident.”

Federer has got his sights firmly set on Wimbledon title no.7  and his first major prize since the Australian Open of last year. “Obviously I  come into this tournament very confident,” he said. “The first time I had a hit  on the Wimbledon grass last Monday it felt so natural right away after 10  minutes to play on grass again. I hope that feeling is going to pay  off.”

Federer needs no reminding that a year ago he almost failed to get  his toes wet in the Wimbledon water. He survived a five-set first-round marathon  against the Colombian Alejandro Falla before being blown away by the thunderbolts of Czech Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals in perhaps his poorest  showing in 10 years.

“In that first round I got very lucky,” he admitted. “Last year it wasn’t meant to be. I had a few things I had to battle with during  the tournament. But that hasn’t happened since, and that’s something I’m happy  about.”

Federer pulled out of the recent Halle tournament but says he is  at full fitness. He said: “I feel good about myself, about my body. I’ve  recovered. The past week was vital for me to recover from my groin injury. I  feel like I’m almost back to 100% again, which is a really good sign for  Wimbledon.”

The bookmakers are heeding the clamor about there only being  four serious contenders for the men’s singles this time and Federer backed up  this opinion.“All four guys at the top feel very
comfortable on grass,  whereas maybe in the past Rafa was still looking a little bit short on grass. As  time went by he showed how good he was, won a couple of times  here.

“Djokovic has always been great but nothing extraordinary yet,  though with the run he’s on there are a lot of possibilities for him as well.”