Roger Federer at 2019 Wimbledon Championships: Preview and Prediction
20-time Grand Slam singles champion Roger Federer enters the tournament looking for a record-extending ninth Wimbledon crown. The Swiss maestro, seeded second, has been in decent form this year.
The draw has been rather kind to him, especially in the first few rounds. In the first round, he faces South African Lloyd Harris - which will be their first ever meeting - and it is unlikely to be anything other than a walk in the park for the Swiss maestro.
In the second round, he is slated to meet either American qualifier Noah Rubin or British wild card Jay Clarke. This should in all likelihood be another easy match for Roger.
His first major test could come in the third round. If the seeds hold firm, his third-round opponent would be the 27th seed Lucas Pouille, although veteran Richard Gasquet could have a say in that. Either way, Federer should be able to come through that match without too much fuss.
14th seed Borna Coric, who has caused Federer a lot of problems in their last few encounters, might be lurking in the fourth round. The Croat has the game to pose the Swiss a few questions, however, Coric has had a slight dip in form this year and Federer should be able to win this easily. Diego Schwartzman is another possible opponent at this stage if Coric falls early.
The resurgent Asian number one, Kei Nishikori, is a possible quarter-final opponent for Federer. The Japanese is undoubtedly one of the best movers in the game and has one of the best backhands in modern tennis, possibly second only to Novak Djokovic. However, on the fast grass courts, the lack of a penetrating serve could prove to be his undoing against the Swiss.
If Federer manages to reach the semi-finals, and Rafael Nadal reciprocates the feat, a blockbuster semi-final encounter between two of the greatest tennis players ever awaits us. Despite their age, both legends of the game are in top form. In the latter stages of a Slam, Nadal is one of the most difficult players to beat, however, at Wimbledon, Federer does have a slight edge.
If he successfully passes the Nadal test, Federer is likely to face the defending champion and top seed, Novak Djokovic, in the final. The Serb will be hurting from his tough semi-final loss at the French Open and will be highly motivated to add another Slam to his burgeoning tally.
Prediction: A Runner-up finish for Roger Federer.