'With Roger Federer, you can expect anything', says top coach

The Serbian Novak Djokovic and the Swiss Roger Federer will avoid each other until a hypothetical final of the Wimbledon tournament, according to the draw carried out this Friday. The two finalists of the last edition, which crowned Djokovic with his fifth Wimbledon, were framed in opposite parts of the table, and can only be measured in the final of the tournament to be played on July 11. Djokovic, who seeks to equal the record of 20 Grand Slam held by Federer and Spaniard Rafael Nadal - who has not attended Wimbledon - will face local guest Jack Draper, 2018 junior finalist, in the first round, while Federer will begin the search for the ninth title against Frenchman Adrian Mannarino, who he dominates 6-0 in the head-to-head. The Serb could face the South African Kevin Anderson in the second round, in the quarterfinals with the Russian Andrey Rublev and in the semifinals against the Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas: Instead, Federer would face the Russian Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals and the German Alexander Zverev or Italian Matteo Berrettini in the semifinals. Medvedev, second seed of the tournament, will make his debut against German Jan-Lennard Struff, who defeated him a few days ago in Halle, while Zverev will start against Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor; Tsitsipas, against the American Frances Tiafoe; and Rublev against Argentine Federico Delbonis. In addition, Andy Murray, invited by the organization and who has not competed in singles at Wimbledon since 2017, will make his debut against Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili. As for the Spanish, Alejandro Davidovich will play against the American Denis Kudla; Bernabé Zapata, against the Chilean Christian Garín; Pedro Martínez, against the Italian Stefano Travaglia; Albert Ramos, against the Italian Fabio Fognini; Roberto Carballés, against the Canadian Vasek Pospisil; Feliciano López, against the British Dan Evans; and Pablo Andújar, against the French Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

Toni Nadal opens up on Roger Federer

Rafael Nadal’s longtime coach and uncle Toni has shared his take on the expectations that Roger Federer will carry into Wimbledon Championships this year and his prospects at the event. “The normal thing is that it is not easy for him (at his age) to play a series of matches to five sets. Federer has enough quality to beat anyone, what I don’t know is if he is capable of playing high-intensity matches for two weeks,” Toni said. Toni added that if there’s anyone who can defy doubters at 39, it is Federer and he doesn’t think it’s beyond him to do the impossible. “With Roger, you can expect anything,” Toni said. “I saw him play in Halle with Felix and the third set cost him,” the Spaniard said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2U2yqYE