Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 7) Men’s

The first match to be played in its entirely under a closed roof at Wimbledon turned out to be a classic as well as a marathon as Andy Murray staged a dramatic recovery to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka in five sets, 2-6 6-3 6-3 5-7 6-3, and gain a place in the quarter-finals for the second successive year.


The 3rd seed, under relentless pressure to become the first British player to win the Wimbledon men's crown for 73 years, had been in serious trouble early on against Wawrinka. These two men are good friends and regular practice partners, but there was nothing friendly about the fashion in which Wawrinka went after Murray in that opening set, serving brilliantly and hammering ground strokes which reduced Murray to frustration.

Roger Federer trod a 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) reassuringly familiar pathway (rematch of this month’s French Open final) into the quarter-finals when he defeated Sweden's Robin Soderling in their Centre Court. It was Roger’s 11th successive victory over Soderling.

Even though the result was never really in doubt, it always felt like a close match, with Soderling riding high on a potent serve, which was broken only once. Unfortunately, he never captured the Federer delivery.

Lleyton Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion, struggled through the first two sets against Radek Stepanek, he came back reinvigorated after a medical timeout, and even a break for rain could not stop him. Hewitt emerged victorious 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 after two hours 54 minutes and his first Grand Slam quarter-final in three years.


Stepanek had injury problems of his own, had endured two draining five-setters in his second and third round matches. Yet it was Stepanek who started the match full of energy. Hewitt showed typical spirit in saving four set points but a fifth proved too much.

Roddick won 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 48 minutes and is now one victory short of his third Wimbledon semi-final. Roddick turned Berdych’s form upside down in his win. Roddick blew all that away with a strong and accurate hitting performance that justifies his optimism before Wimbledon started.


Berdych had come into the last 16 without dropping a set, something he had not achieved in a Grand Slam since 2007. This showed that he was finding his feet again on grass and he might even have fancied his chances of making the quarter-finals.

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic moved comfortably into the quarter-finals with a 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 win over unseeded Israeli Dudi Sela. He is creeping through the draw without fanfare, produced a solid display, firing off 11 aces and 30 winners.


Sela was clearly enjoying the moment in what has been the best year of his career. He also reached the third round, as a qualifier, at this year’s Australian Open.

It was the giant Croatian Ivo Karlovic, pattern of aces(he served up 35 aces today) and very few rallies - in which the tiebreaks became all-important and he prevailed 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (4-6), 6-4, 7-6 (11-9) in three hours and one minute against crowd darling Fernando Verdasco. This tie was also destined to be a close-fought battle of very few chances.


The crowd simply rejoiced when either player grabbed a return point, to break up the love service games that were becoming so common. Both players then had opportunities to win the tiebreak.

Juan Carlos Ferrero became the first wild card since Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 to make the quarter-finals at Wimbledon after clinically dispatching eighth seed Gilles Simon 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 6-2. The Spaniard played solid tennis throughout the contest and stood firm.


Simon, meanwhile, had been on a terrible run coming into the tournament, barely able to string two wins together over the past few months, but he put this behind him to make a run to the fourth round here, dropping only one set on the way.

Tommy Haas needed just three sets to get past Igor Andreev 7-6 (10-8), 6-4, 6-4 and into the quarter-finals. It had started off as a tense, tightly fought match. But using his greater experience, Haas managed to break away by taking the critical points in this their first meeting on grass.


This was a match of big-hitters, with both players regularly sending down serves in excess of 120mph. Both had survived five-setters in previous rounds but any chance of that happening disappeared as Haas grew in confidence and Andreev faded as the match went on.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 6) Men’s

Andy Murray's gathered massive momentum as he cruised into the last 16 by crushing Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-3 6-4 in 96 minutes. Troicki, who had suffered two embarrassing defeats previously at the hands of Murray, made his Centre Court debut clearly with the intention of blasting the Scot off the court where he has so far been so comfortable.


The number six seed Andy Roddick securing his place in Monday’s last 16 with a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2), 4-6, 6-3 win over the Austrian Jurgen Melzer. Eight times before today they have met, and eight times the American has triumphed. American is second only to Federer with the most grasscourt wins among current players.


Hewitt, the world No. 56, is a former Wimbledon and US Open Champion who came into this match with a career Grand Slam record of 122-40. Petzschner, the world No.55, has won just the single title and before this match his Grand Slam record was 5-4, and that was all the difference. Only one place in the world rankings separates Lleyton Hewitt and Philipp Petzschner, and little separated the players for much of their third round match, which Hewitt won 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.


Juan Carlos Ferrero, the former world number one, came through an extraordinary match to beat the number 10 seed Fernando Gonzalez on No.1 Court. Ferrero, playing as a wild card because his ranking was not high enough to justify automatic entry into the draw, emerged victorious from a see-saw encounter 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. It was a bolt from the blue, and Ferrero greeted it with a Nadal-like cry of: “Vamos!”


Simon beat Hanescu 6-2, 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 27 minutes to reach the fourth round for the first time. The French challenge in the men’s singles now rests exclusively with 24-year-old Gilles Simon who is their lone survivor after his straight sets win over Victor Hanescu of Romania.


Czech Tomas Berdych finally broke his hoodoo against Nikolay Davydenko, taking just 107 minutes to crush the Russian No.12 seed for the first time in nine meetings. Berdych, the 20th seed, looked impressive from the outset and secured 6-2, 6-3, 6-2. Berdych added: “I can’t wait till next week. This was by my best match and performance this year. I played very well and believe I’m getting better and better with each match.”


Stanislas Wawrinka played low-risk tennis and outlasted Jesse Levine 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 to move into the fourth round. Wawrinka played the ball at a comfortable height onto the American’s forehand and then watched as it was fired back past him. Levine can take heart from his five-match winning run and then here in the main draw.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 5) Men’s

The golden rules of sport kept Roger Federer on Centre Court for rather longer than he would have liked today. The Swiss slipped into experimental mood rather than applying the killer touch and paid for it when he dropped his first set of the tournament before bouncing back to win 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.


For 28th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, that fateful day came in the third round here at Wimbledon. “When the draw came it I thought it was probably the worst one I could have got,” he said with a philosophical shrug after his 6-3, 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 defeat to the de facto top seed in the absence of Rafael Nadal. “You look to see when you’ve got Federer and then think ‘well that’s the end of the line’.”

A four-hour marathon on No.1 Court was suspended in the gathering darkness at 9.33pm with Marin Cilic and Tommy Haas standing level at 5-7, 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3) and the final set on a knife-edge at 6-6. By the time they were forced to give in to the failing light.


Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed and probably the greatest threat to Roger Federer's peace of mind in the lower half of the men's singles draw, marched into the last 16 with a solid and competent 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory in one hour 58 minutes over Mardy Fish of the US.


Ivo Karlovic served his way to victory with a 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5) win over the eighth seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France on No.1 Court. It was a fine win for the 22nd seed at the age of 30 because he had been beaten in the first round for each of the past four years here and despite having a game suited for grass.

Facing such a big server, Tsonga knew what was coming even though he had not played Karlovic previously. But the Frenchman is no slouch himself when it comes to serve and volley, which is why he was able to sustain his challenge for so long.


Fernando Verdasco came from a set behind to dispose of Albert Montanes 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) victory played in glorious conditions on No.2 Court this afternoon . Verdasco wasn’t playing badly in the first set but that Montanes simply slapped the life out of the ball and hit the lines with incredible accuracy, giving the illusion that his top 10 opponent was a tad slow around the court.


Soderling beat Nicolas Almagro 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 6-4 in just under two hours on Court 3 to set-up a replay of the French Open final against Roger Federer in the fourth round. Soderling was so consistent on his serve that Almagro did not get a break point opportunity all match. Yet it was hard work for him to manufacture break points of his own.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 4) Men’s

Andy Murray accelerated into the third round with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-3 win over talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis in 88 minutes, with plenty of indicators that he could rev up British hopes right until Wimbledon's main contenders reach the end of the road a week on Sunday.


There was one brief glimmer of hope for 20-year-old Gulbis, right at the start when Murray somehow contrived to let slip his only two break points of the entire match. Murray, 22, was having a fine time of it, clearly able to read much of Gulbis’s play and out-thinking him. Gulbis seemed thoroughly thrown off balance.

Lleyton Hewitt, moving and roaring as if the last seven years had never happened, scored perhaps his finest win at The Championships since becoming the champion in 2002 as he crushed Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro 6-3 7-5 7-5 in two hours 32 minutes .


The 20-year-old Del Potro, seeded fifth which meant he was theoretically lined up for a semi-final spot following Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal, never looked like subduing the Australian attack dog - the only male representative from his country at a tournament once dominated by great players from Down Under.

Andy Roddick has stated his intent at The Championships with a 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Igor Kunitsyn to reach the third round.Sure enough, Roddick seemed to be his usual powerful self. The serve was working well as he thumped down 18 aces and 39 unreturnable serves and kept his serving statistics at a healthy 71% accuracy. Kunitsyn was trying his best to compete. He, too, has a vicious serve on him and, for the first few games, was keeping pace on the thunderbolt tally with his opponent.


After the match, Roddick was not concerned about being broken in the third set. "A win is a win. The set I got broken, I had numerous break chances and [he] got the one that [he] had.
Tenth seed Gonzalez has never got beyond the quarter-finals and has struggled on grass throughout his career. He started slowly against Mayer but came back from a set down to beat the Argentine in a match of few service breaks.


Gonzalez was never at his best but took his chances on the important points, winning three out of four break points to claim a solitary break in each set. He eventually triumphed 6-7 (4-7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, taking the match with a backhand volley.

American qualifier Jesse Levine awaits in the third round. Levine has enjoyed a fine Wimbledon, knocking out Marat Safin in the first round, and he beat Pablo Cuevas 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 to further enhance his reputation.

Radek Stepanek is no stranger to long matches at Wimbledon and he featured in his sixth five-set match in the space of three years at the All England Club. The No.23 seed came through 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 against Potito Starace.

Juan Carlos Ferrero had a similar afternoon to Gonzalez. He, too, was beaten in the first set, by Fabrice Santoro in a tiebreak. But the 2003 French Open winner’s experience made the difference in the end and he won 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4, 6-3.

There were no such worries for seeds Nikolay Davydenko, Victor Hanescu, Stanislas Wawrinka, David Ferrer and Tomas Berdych who all steamrolled their opponents in straight sets on a day of few upsets.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily preview (Day 3) Men’s

Roger Federer's Wimbledon stroll continues. Having conceded a mere seven games in the first round, the second seed and five-time champion permitted Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain just eight games as he forced his way into the last 32 of the men's singles.

His display in a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 win in the Centre Court sunshine was another master class of tennis. It is already becoming very clear that the Swiss will take some stopping at the 2009 Championships.

Federer was impregnable on serve, dropping just five points in a 27-minute first set - one of which was that eye-opening rarity, a double fault from the Swiss - and he faced only two break points in the entire match.

There cannot have been many observers on No.1 Court expecting much of Simon Greul in his second-round match against fourth seed Novak Djokovic, entertaining attacking play, before Djokovic emerged the 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 winner.

Loose shots from Djokovic, along with a double fault, handed a break to the German in the first game. Greul was developing a taste for grasscourt play, fooling his opponent with an approach to the net and a great dropshot on the half-volley. But when he tried another dropshot from the baseline, it tipped back on the wrong side of the net to give Djokovic break point.


The battle of the big hitters between California and Croatia went the way of Europe in the late evening on Centre Court when Marin Cilic outlasted Sam Querrey in a five-set marathon 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 in three hours 24 minutes.


For much of this gripping encounter, it was Querrey's ability to produce an ace - he hit 24 of them. The 11th-seeded Cilic needed a touch of good fortune, and found it when he broke the Querrey serve with an outrageously lucky net cord that fell dead into the American's side of the court.

There was more good news for Croatia as the 6ft 10in Ivo Karlovic defeated Belgium's Steve Darcis 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 to join Cilic in the third round.

Fernando Verdasco of Spain was forced to fight for nearly three hours before overcoming Kristof Vliegen of Belgium in a battle of the big servers on Court 3. Verdasco, the seventh seed, eventually won 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, the score reflecting the dominance of both players’ serving on a warm day when the conditions complimented power play.


Both players maintained the intensity of their serving through to the fourth set when Vliegen was the victim of the only service break. With Verdasco ahead 5-4, and on the match point, the Belgian gifted him the match with a forehand error off the service return.


Surprise French Open runner-up Robin Soderling was pushed all the way in his 4-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4, 7-5 victory over Marcel Granollers. Throughout the two hour 46 minute contest.Granollers had begun the season by reaching the semi-finals at Chennai and peaking at No.44 in the world but was then unable to string together two wins in a row. Soderling was on a similar run, even dropping down to the Challenger circuit when he lost in the first round at Indian Wells.

Wimbledon 2009: Daily Preview (Day 2) Men’s

The first hurdle has been cleared and Andy Murray is through to the second round of The Championships. Murray won 7-5, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 6-4 and his 2009 campaign was under way.


It was a tough match for me," said a relieved Murray afterwards. "He was a difficult opponent who made it hard for me. He played very aggressive but it was a good test for me at this stage." “I’ve played him a few times so I knew what to expect,” said the number three seed of the American. “I was disappointed to lose the second set because I had a couple of chances and didn’t take them.

Andy Roddick’s reputation as one of the strongest and fastest servers in the game was underlined yet again as he powered down 21 aces during a 6-3, 7-6 (7-3), 4-6, 6-3 win over France’s Jeremy Chardy.


Roddick’s mission this year is to re-establish himself a little nearer the top of the game while he has the chance. He has a new coach, Larry Stefanki, who has targeted Wimbledon as the most obvious target for Roddick’s abilities. After all, Roddick has twice been a finalist so it may just need a fraction extra all round to make the essential difference.

The biggest upset in this round is undoubtedly the shocking defeat of Russian, Marat Safin. His hopes of emulating the semi-final success he achieved at The Championships last year were dashed as he signed off from his final Wimbledon with a first-round defeat by American qualifier Jesse Levine 6-2, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4. the Russian No.14 seed looked distinctively out of sorts and wild ground strokes were in abundance. At 4-1 down in the opening set he was handed a code violation for racket abuse.


After the match Safin said: "Thanks for the guy who made the call. I want to say hello to him. Too bad that he was a little bit too blind today. But anyway, that's tennis. That's tiebreak."

However, he confessed that he was 'relieved' that this was the end of his Wimbledon road. "It was not really my day. Not the perfect thing. Not the way to finish Wimbledon story. But anyway, it's okay. That's life. There is plenty of years coming towards me, so..."

In the same section of the draw Frenchman, Gilles Simon easily defeated American, Bobby Reynolds 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Juan Martin Del Potro destroyed Frenchmen, Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 while Australian, Lleyton Hewitt’s defeat of American, Robby Ginepri 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.

Wimbledon 2009 – Daily Preview (Day 1) Women’s

In the ladies’, Second seed Serena Williams is safely through to the second round of the 2009 Championships, but she was given a more demanding test than many had expected before overcoming qualifier Neuza Silva 6-1, 7-5 in one hour 14 minutes on Centre Court.


Jie Zheng is safely through to the second round. Another run could be on the cards after the 16th seed disposed of Germany’s Kristina Barrois in twin tie-breaks, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-4). Zheng faces Daniela Hantuchova, conqueror of junior champion Laura Robson in the second round.


Russian Alla Kudryavtseva stunned the tennis world when she knocked out her compatriot Maria Sharapova last year in the third round. But she was unable to repeat the feat against countrywoman Elena Dementieva this time. No.4 seed Dementieva barely had to break sweat as she won 6-4, 6-1.


Russian Nadia Petrova, a quarter-finalist here last year, comfortably saw off the challenge of Anastasiya Yakimova 6-1, 6-1. India's Sania Mirza moved into the second round after beating Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 6-2, 2-6, 6-2.

Victoria Azarenka has won three titles already this year, and she benefited from an injury to her opponent Severine Bremond Beltrame who retired hurt. Azarenka had already taken the first set 6-2 when the Frenchwoman Bremond Beltrame was forced to retire after spraining her knee in a fall.

Another tight game followed on Court 3 saw the first female seed to depart. Francesca Schiavone of Italy came back from a set down to knock out Canadian No.23 seed Aleksandra Wozniak 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Wimbledon 2009 – Daily Preview (Day 1) Men’s

Federer's warm welcome to officially open the 2009 Championships was probably a mixture of affection for the five-time champion and approval for his eye-catching and stylish apparel - long trousers, jacket with the collar turned up and, underneath that, a fitted waistcoat, all in white and all discarded prior to the Swiss marching out to hold his first two service games to love.

Roger Federer justified his role as favourite to win the 2009 men's title by swatting aside the challenge of Yen-Hsun Lu from Taipei 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 on a Centre Court where, despite overcast conditions, the new roof remained open throughout.

Blake was not so lucky against Andreas Seppi. Seppi is the chap who once confessed self-depreciatingly to booking his flight home before even taking to the court against Nadal. But the Italian can bash a ball, as Blake discovered, and his 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 victory was relatively straightforward, leaving Blake to consider how his excellent run at Queen's led to this.

Verdasco, an Australian Open semi-finalist this year, spelled out the pattern of the match in the opening game, where his swashbuckling strokeplay plundered an immediate break. That was the case today when the number seven seed Fernando Verdasco saw off James Ward 6-1, 6-3, 6-4.

Fourth seed Novak Djokovic survived an endurance test against Frenchman Julien Benetteau to win through to the second round but he needed three hours and 28 minutes of concerted effort to complete the job.

Benettau, in his sixth Wimbledon, shocked Djokovic by winning a 61-minute first set but was hit by falls in the third game of the third set and the last game of the match, which did not help his cause and it allowed Djokovic to clinch victory 6-7 (10-8), 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 6-4 on his third match point.

The new No. 2 Court witnessed a thriller as ninth seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga battled through his first round match against Kazakhstan’s Andrey Golubev, a man ranked 62 places below him, in four sets, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5).



Robin Soderling was a star. The Swede was the first man to beat Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros and, from that fourth-round victory, he went all the way to the final. And then he lost. Now he has another shot at the fame game in SW19 after beating Gilles Muller in the first round 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The 13th seed almost missed his chance, mind you, dropping the first set, but after he got his nose in front in the second, it was plain sailing.

Now he has another shot at the fame game in SW19 after beating Gilles Muller in the first round 6-7 (7-4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. The 13th seed almost missed his chance, mind you, dropping the first set, but after he got his nose in front in the second, it was plain sailing.

An even longer match occurred on court 18 as Feliciano Lopez became the second seed to go out of the men’s tournament, following James Blake’s earlier exit to Andreas Seppi. The Spanish No.21 seed was beaten in a marathon five- setter 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 by Karol Beck of Slovakia in three hours, 45 minutes.


Spectators on Court 12, meanwhile, were treated to a very un-Wimbledon-like experience: the sight of a chair umpire doubling up as a bouncer when hostilities broke out between Juan Monaco and Nicholas Almagro in their epic match which ended 6-7, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 8-6 in the latter's favour.

Wimbledon 2009: Doubts grow for Nadal after losing to Hewitt

World No 1 and Wimbledon top seed Rafael Nadal suffered defeat and discomfort at the hands of Lleyton Hewitt on Thursday. Rafael Nadal's hopes of being able to defend his Wimbledon title suffered a significant blow on Thursday, when he struggled with knee problems during a surprise 6-4, 6-3 defeat by Australia's Lleyton Hewitt at the Hurlingham Club.



The Spaniard was still visibly discomforted by the injuries that had forced his withdrawal from the Aegon Classic at Queen's Club last week and struggled to cope with Hewitt's fierce sliced returns.

His uncle and coach, Toni Nadal, said: "The problem is that he cannot bend his knees. He was not happy out there. You saw what he was doing."

Toni explained that Nadal's team had brought over an "electro-magnetic machine" from Spain to help treatment. "But at the moment, that is not enough. We will see what happens."

"I don't know [if he will play at Wimbledon], we have to wait for Friday."

Nadal wore no strapping on his knees but he was suffering strain in both, failing to get down for low half-volleys that he would have found routine last year. He conveyed his frustration at several points to Toni Nadal, who was sitting courtside.

Nadal said nothing afterwards before speeding off for treatment but Toni made it clear that today's second exhibition match against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka would be crucial in determining Nadal's readiness for Wimbledon.

Wimbledon 2009: Federer the man to beat says Pat Rafter

Roger Federer remains the man to beat at Wimbledon, despite "not being the player he was", says former SW19 finalist Pat Rafter. World number two Federer, fresh from a maiden triumph at the French Open, will be looking to win back the title he lost to Spain's Rafael Nadal last year.

"Federer is my tip to win but, saying that, he is not the player he was two years ago. "He is hanging in there, trying to win another Slam and he loves Wimbledon."

Coming on the back of his victory over Nadal in the final of the Madrid Open - also on clay - led some commentators to hint the Swiss is on his way back to the top of his game, having been knocked off the number one perch by his Spanish rival last year.

But two-time US Open champion Rafter insists it is only a matter of time before one of the emerging talents in the game, led by British number one Andy Murray, ends the pair's Slams supremacy.

"It's one of those things that someone will be ready sooner or later, and it will be interesting to see when that time comes for Andy”. "Whether it is this year or not, though, I'm sure somewhere in his career he'll win a couple of Grand Slams." said the 36-year-old Australian.
However, the Spaniard has struggled recently, despite winning the Australian Open in January. He lost to Federer in the final of the Madrid Open, crashed out of the French Open at the fourth-round stage to Robin Soderling - his first ever defeat at Roland Garros - before pulling out of last week's Queen's tournament with knee trouble. He has been undergoing intensive rehabilitation in a bid to be fit to defend his Wimbledon title since, but Rafter says the tournament could come around too soon for the world number one.

"We saw Rafael really struggle at the French Open - he never looked good from the get go," he said. "It will be interesting to see what his preparation is going to be like because, obviously, it will be very light; how will his knees hold up?"

"Novak Djokovic is another one who wants some sort of confirmation that he has another Grand Slam in him... but Federer is my favourite to win it at this stage."

Wimbledon 2009: Wimbledon legend John McEnroe believes Andy Murray's fitness intimidates his opponents

Murray has won six of his eight career meetings with Federer, including their last four matches, and McEnroe said that the Swiss does not like it one bit.

"The cat-and-mouse style Murray plays is something I like to see. It's a thinking man's game and he has got into Roger's head right now. He's got into Roger's head pretty good recently," McEnroe said.

"Murray's legs are thicker than I've ever seen them, his bounce around the back of the court is impressive, and he's intimidating people with his fitness, which was an issue at the start of his career. His movement is amazing when you think how tall he is. He has got more pop on his serve and he continues to befuddle guys mentally."

When McEnroe was in his prime, no one was ever left under any illusions as to what he was thinking on a tennis court, and it could be argued that the most emotional player on tour now is Federer. McEnroe raged, and Federer cries.

"It was strange to see Federer in tears after he lost the Australian Open final to Nadal," said McEnroe, a winner of three Wimbledon titles, who will be commentating for the BBC at the All England Club this year. "I had an emotional moment with him at Wimbledon last year. I was really surprised to see that happen again in Australia. That shows a vulnerability on Federer's part. In the old days, you wouldn't see that from almost anybody. I think it will bring him some support and show that he's human. That could help him when times get tough.

Still, at least Federer shed some 'happy tears' in Paris this month after winning the French Open for the first time.

Wimbledon 2009: Andy Murray and Roger Federer will be hard to beat this year at Wimbledon according to Bjorn Borg

The Spanish world number one suffered a shock fourth-round defeat to Robin Soderling at the French Open as he missed the chance for a fifth consecutive triumph on the clay of Roland Garros, and has since been troubled by knee problems.

Nevertheless, Borg - the last man before Nadal to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season - feels the Spaniard will be a spent force at SW19. "Nadal is always a dangerous player because he is the best in the world - but what happened in Paris and then the injury, I am picking Murray or Federer,"

"I am sure he was very, very disappointed when he went home after Paris. That defeat took him many, many days to get over.

"Nadal is saying he has got an injury, but he has to be fit at Wimbledon if he wants to go all the way, and I do not think he will go all the way this year."
"I do not think he was ready to win Wimbledon last year, but it is a different story now. He is ready to win it this year.

"He has no weaknesses, he can play on all kinds of surfaces and I was very impressed what he did on the clay court surface. He was hitting the ball extremely well.

"Andy Murray seems to find himself on the court and knows how to behave, focus and play his game.

"He has matured a lot as a person over the last year and as a tennis player. "If you compare him now to a few years ago he is a completely different player on the court. "He is ready to win a Grand Slam tournament and is one of my favourites to win Wimbledon."Andy is physically and mentally strong, but there is going to be huge pressure - however, he can handle it if he focuses on the things he can do."

Borg added: "If not Wimbledon, he can win the US Open, but if he does not win Wimbledon this year, then he has a good chance in the years to come.

"One day, eventually, Andy Murray will win Wimbledon."

Roger Federer, Still What to Achieve?

Roger Federer has now won 14 Grand Slam titles,that 14 wins in the last 24 Grand Slams, tied with Pete Sampras (took 45) for the most in men's tennis history, and he likely won't be stopping there.

We can ask how he stacks up to the other all-time greats, but that's just a guessing game. Here's a better question: What hasn't Federer accomplished yet?

Olympic Singles Champion - Andre Agassi

Roger have dominated big tournaments but haven't won Olympics. He was a semifinalist in 2000, lost in the second round in 2004 and made the quarters in 2008.


Agassi is still the only male to have won all the Slams and a gold medal in singles for his career. Maybe the 2012 Olympics in London will be Federer's lucky charm all matches will be played at the All England Club.

Calendar year Grand Slam - Rod Laver

Laver won the French, Wimbledon, US and Australian crowns in the one calendar year, 1969. Incredibly, it was his second time, having first managed it in 1962.


Roger who has made 20 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals, it's certainly a possibility.

Real Grand Slam - Margaret Court

With 11 Australian singles, and five doubles, titles to her name Margaret Court (nee Smith) is arguably the greatest female player in the tournament’s history.


Federer has a ways to go to reach that mark,averaging over two per year, another five years oughta do it, right?

French-Wimbledon sweep - Bjorn Borg

Borg won both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, thrice. Nadal has done it, too last year.


Now that Federer has step one in the books, he can turn his attention to another test of tennis endurance, two Slams in one month.

All-time ATP wins record - Jimmy Connors

Connors finished his 22-year career with 1,241 wins on the ATP Tour. Federer is now at 650. This isn't exactly an accurate benchmark, though.


The ATP didn't exist until 1972 — after Connors had already hit the scene — so many of the game's greats are out of the running.

11 straight years with a Grand Slam final - Ivan Lendl/Pete Sampras


Lendl and Sampras both made it to at least one Grand Slam final in 11 consecutive years, an open-era record. Federer has done it in seven so far and shows no signs of slowing up.


Sure, that 20 straight Grand Slam semifinals run is pretty impressive, but let's take it one step further, Rog, and do it over a long period of time.

Career doubles Slam - Roy Emerson

Emerson is the only male player to have won singles and doubles titles at all four Grand Slam tournaments. His 28 Grand Slam titles are an all-time record for a male player.


Federer has had doubles success with countryman Stanislas Wawrinka, winning gold at the Beijing Olympics. Maybe it's time for a new challenge?

Grand Slam Diversity - Steffi Graf

Steffi Graf won an incredible 107 career WTA singles titles and 11 career doubles titles. She captured an astounding 22 Grand Slam singles titles in a 13-year span. She won seven times at Wimbledon, six at Roland Garros, five at the U.S. Open and four at the Australian Open.


Roger's halfway there, already owning five Wimbledon and U.S. Open titles each. One more Aussie and three more French will get him there.