ATPtennis.com 23-06-07

 23 juin 2007
 Sarah Maïder
 Tournois 2007

Main Draw Preview: Federer Looking to Emulate Borg

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Roger Federer The Wimbledon draw was released on Friday and a familiar face is on the top line for the 14th consecutive Grand Slam tournament. Top seed and four-time defending champion Roger Federer is attempting to join Bjorn Borg as the only players since 1900 to win five consecutive Wimbledon titles. Borg accomplished the feat from 1976-80.

Your Essential Wimbledon Preview

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Federer opens on Centre Court Monday against Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, who is playing in his second career grass court match. The first seed Federer could face is No. 26 Marat Safin in the third round and they last met on grass in Halle two years ago with the Swiss winning in three sets. In the fourth round, the seeds are No. 21 Dmitry Tursunov, who reached the semifinals at Queen's and Nottingham, and No. 13 Tommy Haas, who is returning from a shoulder injury and last played in Rome last month. In the quarterfinals, the highest seeds are No. 5 Fernando Gonzalez and No. 9 James Blake along with No. 20 Juan Carlos Ferrero and No. 27 Philipp Kohlschreiber. Although Blake leads first round opponent Igor Andreev 4-0, the Russian is coming off a Grand Slam-best quarterfinal showing at Roland Garros. Gonzalez reached the quarterfinals two years ago losing to Federer. In the semifinals, Federer could meet No. 3 seed and two-time finalist Andy Roddick, who is coming off his fourth Queen's Club title in the last five years. Federer is 3-0 lifetime against Roddick at Wimbledon and 13-1 overall.

In the second quarter of the draw, Roddick takes on countryman Justin Gimelstob and his first seed is No. 31 Dominik Hrbaty in the third round. In the fourth round Roddick could face No. 15 Ivan Ljubicic, who reached his first grass court final in 's-Hertogenbosch or No. 17 David Ferrer, who reached the fourth round last year. In the quarterfinals, the highest seeds are No. 8 Andy Murray, who is returning from a right wrist injury, and No. 12 Richard Gasquet. If Gasquet wins his first round, he will battle countryman Arnaud Clement or Nicolas Mahut, who is coming off a runner-up at Queen's. Other seeds in that section are No. 24 Juan Ignacio Chela and No. 25 Carlos Moya, who opens with Tim Henman. This will be their 10th career meeting (Moya leads 5-4) but first on grass. The 32-year-old British No. 2 is a four-time Wimbledon semifinalist and he could meet Murray in the third round.

In the third section (bottom half), the highest seed is Roland Garros semifinalist Novak Djokovic at No. 4. Djokovic, who reached the fourth round last year (l. to Ancic) in his second appearance, opens against Italian Potito Starace. The 20-year-old Serb could face No. 30 seed Filippo Volandri in the third round but unseeded Ivo Karlovic is also looming. A possible fourth round opponent is No. 16 seed and 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt or No. 22 Guillermo Canas. In the quarterfinals, possible seeded opponents include No. 6 Nikolay Davydenko (plays countryman Evgeny Korolev in the first round), No. 10/last year's semifinalist Marcos Baghdatis, No. 23/2002 finalist David Nalbandian, and No. 32 Juan Monaco. Unseeded Thomas Johansson, who plays Gael Monfils in the first round, is the other player in that section to reach the semifinals or better at Wimbledon.

In the last quarter, No. 2 seed and last year's finalist Rafael Nadal is 3-0 against first round opponent Mardy Fish but the American has proven success on grass. Fish reached the final in Halle three years ago and third round at Wimbledon in 2003 (l. to Federer) and last year (ret. vs. Labadze). Nadal adapted quickly to grass from clay by reaching the quarterfinals at Queen's for the second straight year. The first seed Nadal could face is No. 28 Robin Soderling in the third round and then No. 14 Mikhail Youzhny or No. 18 Jarkko Nieminen in the fourth round. In the quarterfinals, the highest seed is No. 7/Halle champion Tomas Berdych followed by No. 11 Tommy Robredo, No. 19/last year's semifinalist Jonas Bjorkman and No. 29 Agustin Calleri.

Aussie veteran Wayne Arthurs, who qualified and at 36 is the oldest player in the draw, plays Dutch teenager Thiemo de Bakker in the first round. Nadal, Bjorkman and Sebastien Grosjean are the only players in this section to reach the semifinals or better at Wimbledon.

Doubles Preview

Top seeds and defending champions Bob and Mike Bryan begin their quest for a sixth career Grand Slam title at the All England Club as they open with Spaniards Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and Fernando Verdasco.

The Bryans have a 25-7 career record at Wimbledon, reaching the semifinals or better in four of the past six years.

They reached their first final two years ago, losing to Stephen Huss and Wesley Moodie before defeating Fabrice Santoro and Nenad Zimonjic in four sets last year.

The No. 2 seeds are Jonas Bjorkman and Max Mirnyi, who take on Robert Lindstedt and Jarkko Nieminen in the first round. Bjorkman won the title from 2002-04 (w/Woodbridge). Mirnyi reached the final four years ago (w/Bhupathi) and the semifinals in 2005 (w/Bjorkman).

No. 3 seeds and Roland Garros champions Mark Knowles and Daniel Nestor will complete a career Grand Slam if they capture the title. Knowles-Nestor reached the Wimbledon final in 2002 and were semi-finalists four other times, including last year.

Other former Wimbledon champions in the draw with different partners are Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes (1999) and Stephen Huss and Wesley Moodie (2005). Bhupathi is teaming with Radek Stepanek and they are the No. 11 seeds while Paes and Martin Damm are the No. 5 seeds. Huss is pairing with James Auckland and Moodie with Todd Perry.