London, June 19: Will Roger Federer reclaim his Wimbledon throne? Will Rafael Nadal’s knees permit him to defend his title? Can Andy Murray finally put the wo Those are the three burning questions as the All England Club’s famous lawns get their final trim before the start of the year’s third grand slam on Monday.
A sun-kissed first week is in store, according to the weather forecasters, but the British climate can be unpredictable, just as the men’s game has been in recent weeks.
Who would have thought Federer — who was ashen-faced 12 months ago when his pursuit of a sixth consecutive Wimbledon title was ended by Nadal in a stupendous final and hysterical after another defeat by the Spaniard in Melbourne — would breeze into London as the French Open champion?
The cards fell favourably for the Swiss master in Paris when first Novak Djokovic, then Nadal and then Murray, were all knocked out allowing him the relatively straightforward task of beating Swede Robin Soderling to equal Pete Sampras’s record haul of 14 grand slam titles.
After finally claiming the French crown and completing his career grand slam, Federer remarked that he could now play without pressure — safe in the knowledge that few would deny he is the greatest player ever to swing a racket.
“Now, going into the grasscourt season, and Wimbledon, and being on top of the world, it’s a fantastic feeling,” said newly-married and soon to be father Federer.
It was all a bit different last year when Nadal, having humiliated Federer in the final at Roland Garros, promptly won the Queen’s Club grasscourt title and then pole-axed the Swiss in the place he calls his own backyard.
A month later Nadal took Federer’s world number one ranking and although the Swiss hit back to win the US Open it seemed that a seismic shift had occurred in the sport.
Nadal’s return to London as defending champion has been overshadowed by injury worries. He withdrew from Queen’s to rest his aching knees but the pain from the tendinitis has thrown his participation into doubt.
“I will give 200 percent to be 100 percent for the most important date in world tennis,” Nadal said last week — the Mallorcan well aware that only at full throttle would he have a real chance of scaling the heights of a year ago.
While weather and sporting fortunes are fickle, one thing is nailed on this year — the loudest dose of Murray-mania yet.
It has taken British fans a while to warm to the 22-year-old Scot but his US Open final appearance last year, his rise to number three in the world and last week’s title at Queen’s Club have raised expectations that he is on the verge of becoming the first home men’s champion at Wimbledon since Perry in 1936.
Apart from a blip at the Australian Open, Murray’s progress has been spectacular. He reached consecutive Masters Series finals, losing to Nadal in Indian Wells and beating Djokovic in Miami, then reached the last eight for the first time in Paris.
Gone are the sulky days when Murray would often suffer mid-match lapses. He has always had an uncanny ability to control a tennis ball as if it is on a piece string but those skills are now backed up with mental resolve, stamina and searing power when required.
“I think I could win against either of them (Federer and Nadal) on grass,” Murray said after his Queen’s Club triumph. “But I’d have to play my best. I don’t think average against them is going to cut it.
“I’ll need to be playing good tennis anyway to reach the semi-finals but I’d like to get the chance to play either of them this year. Normally Queen’s is a good benchmark to see where all the other players are at. For me it was perfect preparation.”
Of the other contenders, Djokovic appears to be suffering a dip in form just at the wrong time, losing early in Paris and then to Tommy Haas in the Halle final.
Slimmed-down American Andy Roddick, twice defeated in Wimbledon finals by Federer, will bring his rocket-powered serve to the party once again and will be dangerous if he has fully recovered from the ankle injury he sustained at Queen’s Club.
There will also be a few bets placed on Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro. The gangly 20-year-old has come of age this year with wins over Murray and Nadal and nobody will relish having him in their quarter.
—Agencies