Roger Federer is again drawn in the same half as Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon Championships. Last year, he lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals. Novak Djokovic also lost to Berdych in the semi-finals. History may not repeat itself and they are likely to meet each other in the semi-finals. Both have displayed good form coming into the Championships.
Big servers can not easily get past Federer as they do against many others. Tricky serve in the corners is the one that can bother Federer a bit. Somebody like Ilija Bozoljac in the last year's Wimbledon when he fired 31 aces past Federer. David Nalbandian in the third round or John Isner in the fourth round pose no threat to Federer. His most equipped quarterfinal opponent could be Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. As well as Tsonga plays, Federer plays all those shots a bit better except the backhand. But the variety in Federer’s backhand can turn out to be decisive against somebody like Tsonga whose footwork is not that good in spite of good athleticism.
Jeremy Chardy, Kevin Anderson, Baghdatis or Montanes can not trouble Djokovic. Viktor Troicki or Ernests Gulbis can bother. Ernests Gulbis does not have the big match temperament, but Troicki has played some big matches. Robin Soderling looms large in the quareter-finals. Novak Djokovic is a different player from the one that lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals last year. But a player like Berdych playing much above his capabilities can cause an upset. Soderling is one such player who could have troubled Djokovic last year. But Djokovic of 2011 is a different package. He is an updated version with a lot of add ons. He hits as hard as Del Potros, Soderlings, Berdychs; he moves as fast as Nadal, Murray, Federer; his serve, return of serve, ground shots have all improved. His backhand was already the best. It will require an equal only to take him out before semi-finals. Whoever plays better than him on a given day will take him out.
Federer has already drawn the critics’ favour and is likely to draw the crowd favour too during the Championships. But will that be enough to repeat the result of the Roland Garros. Well, not. He will have to play as well as he did in the French Open. Even if he did, nothing is guaranteed. Novak Djokovic is out for revenge.
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