Roger Federer, having endured another French Open heartbreaker, returns to more friendly Grand Slam surroundings next week, bidding to take another step closer to smashing Pete Sampras’ record of seven Wimbledon titles.
The world number one, the double defending champion at the All England Club, will start as overwhelming favourite to make it three-in-a-row with Sampras himself tipping the Swiss superstar.
”Roger is head and shoulders above the rest,” said Sampras, who won 14 Grand Slam titles before he quit three years ago.
The 23-year-old Federer has already claimed two Wimbledon titles, as well as the Australian Open and US Open.
But he was denied a career Grand Slam by a shattering semi-final defeat at the French Open two weeks ago where Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal eased past him on his way to the title.
Federer is a lot more at home on grass and his third successive title at Halle at the weekend, where he defeated Marat Safin, gave him his 29th win-in-a-row on the surface, a run which has only served to boost his confidence even further as he chases a 30th career crown.
”I’m happy about the title in Halle — it’s a kind of relief. Having dealt with the defeat in Paris so well, this was surprising for me,” said Federer.
”I feel confident about Wimbledon, but there can always be a tough draw, there can always be a shock loss in the first round. I don’t really think about it. That’s what I was more concerned about last year, defending my first time Wimbledon title.
”Now it’s easier for me to deal with the situation.”
Twelve months ago, Federer overcame a first set loss to see off Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final but the American also warmed-up for the third Grand Slam of the season in style, clinching a third successive Queen’s Club title.
”I think I’ve learned it’s not every day you play your first Wimbledon final,” said Roddick reflecting on the 2004 final.
”I hope I get back and get the opportunity to get another one. I think once you experience something, it takes away the fear of the unknown which is always there.”
Safin, who inherited Federer’s Australian Open title in January, knocking the Swiss out in the semi-finals, has made no secret of his dislike for grass but he was a quarter-finalist here in 2001.
But the former world number one and US Open winner remains cautious about his chances, especially after a first round loss to compatriot Dmitry Tursunov in 2004.
”I hope I have enough confidence going into Wimbledon in order to be able to continue on a high-level,” said Russian.
”But it’s always tough for a tall guy like me to move on grass. Most of the game now is played from the baseline, and that makes it so hard for tall players, because you have to move faster than on other surfaces.”
Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, the champion in 2002, would normally be considered a threat but the former world number one has only just returned to the tour following a three-month absence ‒ first, due to toe surgery, and then broken ribs after a fall at home.
That ruled him out of the French Open which was won in memorable style by Nadal.
But the 19-year-old Spaniard, who made the third round on his only other Wimbledon visit in 2003, insists he will not be a threat.
”On grass, I can’t challenge for the title but I will try and improve for Wimbledon,” said Nadal.
That lack of confidence was illustrated by a first round exit at Halle.
As always, British nearly-man Tim Henman, four-times a semi-finalist, will find his lone crusade to become the first home winner since Fred Perry in 1936, dominating hearts and minds.
Even approaching his 31st birthday, Henman refuses to accept his best chances are behind him.
”I will never get fed up about Wimbledon because it is the pinnacle of our game,” said the Briton.
”The semis have been my best. I have got to try and improve on that, and that is the aim.”
Agassi pulls out of Wimbledon
One man who will not be worrying Henman is Andre Agassi after the 35-year-old American joined claycourt specialists, and fellow former French Open winners, Carlos Moya, Albert Costa and Gaston Gaudio on the injured list.
Agassi used to skip Wimbledon on purpose, mocking the tournament’s grass courts and its all-white dress code.
Now that he wants to play, he can’t.
The 1992 Wimbledon champion and 1999 runner-up withdrew from Wimbledon because of an injury for the second straight year on Tuesday, leaving fans to wonder whether they’ll ever see him play again at the All England Club.
Agassi sent a fax to the grass-court Grand Slam tournament saying he was out.
An exact injury wasn’t announced by organisers, and Agassi’s agent didn’t immediately return phone messages. But the American was hobbled by an inflamed nerve in his back during his 7-5, 4-6, 6-7 (6), 6-1, 6-0 loss to qualifier Jarkko Nieminen in the first round of the French Open last month.
”It was getting worse by the minute,” said Agassi after that loss in Paris. ”I knew it wasn’t going to be pretty after that. But I didn’t want to walk off. I just didn’t want to do it. And there’s nothing the trainer could do.” He endured discomfort in his back for months and considered quitting against Nieminen even when leading two sets to one.
But the eight-time major champion left Roland Garros hopeful about Wimbledon, believing a cortisone injection would make the pain go away. A year ago, Agassi also lost his first match at Roland Garros and shortly thereafter pulled out of Wimbledon, citing a bad hip. But he also acknowledged he could be close to retiring.
One of the most popular and successful players in his sport’s history, Agassi set an Open-era record by playing in his 58th Grand Slam tournament at the French Open.
He’s one of just five men to have completed a career Grand Slam, and his most recent major title came at the Australian Open in 2003. Shortly after that, he became the oldest man to be No 1 since the ATP Tour began computer rankings in the 1970s.
But, as might be expected even from someone who trains as hard as Agassi, he’s been slipping lately. He has won just one tournament in the past 25 months, and he’s currently No 6 in the rankings.
Grand Slam tournaments and their particular demands of best-of-five-set matches and larger fields long have proved to be more difficult for older players. Since 1968, only two men won Slam titles after turning 34: Andres Gimeno and Ken Rosewall.
Also Tuesday, 14th-ranked Elena Bovina of Russia withdrew from Wimbledon with a shoulder injury. The seedings are scheduled to be released Wednesday, with the draw Thursday.
Years ago, Agassi preferred to play golf back home in Las Vegas while others played tennis in England.
He entered the tournament just once in his first five years as a pro, losing in the first round in 1987. But he returned in 1991, making the quarterfinals, and the next year beat Goran Ivanisevic in the final for his first Slam title.
If Agassi doesn’t return to Wimbledon, his final match there will have been his fourth-round loss in 2003 to Mark Philippoussis, who hit 46 aces in five sets to tie a tournament record.
Asked that day, as he’s been so many times of late, about his plans for the future, Agassi responded: ”Why wouldn’t I be back? I’m still a tennis player. This is the place to be.” – Sapa-AFP