Thursday, February 9, 2017
Can Federer Continue His Brilliant Start?
Roger Federer's shock Australian Open win not only sent a shockwave through the world of tennis, but netted a few lucky punters a hefty bet win. Indeed, few people thought that the Swiss star would mount such a comeback, but with the wealth of talent that the 35-year-old possesses, maybe we should have all seen it coming.
Following a six-month break, Federer stormed to glory in Melbourne and claimed his 18th Grand Slam singles title. He put in a solid two-week performance very much deserving of the title. And what makes the victory even sweeter for Federer is that it was rival Rafael Nadal who he beat in the final.
But can Federer continue what has been a momentous year thus far by pulling off the unimaginable with glory at Wimbledon? Such a win would surely cement the tennis great as the greatest of all-time along time by beating the likes of Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. According to the latest tennis news, it is highly unlikely, but not out of the question.
His Australian Open win saw Federer move back into the ATP top 10, which will act not only as a huge motivation, but also a solid motivation for upcoming events.
A better ranking will allow him to advance into the higher stages of the bigger tournaments without having to play big names on a daily basis.
The timing of the accolade is also ideal as last year, Djokovic lost his mojo somewhat following his desperation for success at the French Open and that lack of desire allowed Murray to become the world number one.
And if Djokovic repeats such form in 2017, the Serbian's days may well be numbered. The 29-year-old sustained a shoulder injury in the Davis Cup, which will also halt his 2017 schedule.
Similarly, if Andy Murray continues the form we have seen early this year, the Scot risks succumbing to a lackluster year. Murray was sent crashing out of the Australian Open in the fourth round by Mischa Zverev in a tournament he is likely to want to forget.
Despite early signs of faltering in 2017, the likes of Murray, Djokovic, and Nadal will be Federer's toughest opponents. That said, the Swiss is in with a real shot of winning another Grand Slam and Wimbledon may be his best chance of doing so. The grass court is perfectly suited to Federer's style of play, which will make for short points and less time spent on the tennis court.
His tactics in the Open were brilliant to witness, utilizing his fierce backhand to win him the game was a strategy that his opponents struggled to deal with as they tried to play on his left side. Fate is often spoke about in sport and it may well be fate that Nadal will meet his man again in the Wimbledon final and the Spaniard will be out for revenge following their Australian battle.
The pair last met at Wimbledon in 2008 and the final is regarded as one of the best tennis matches in history. The rivalry added to the spice of the game and after some four hours and 48 minutes, Nadal eventually defeated Federer 6–4, 6–4, 6–7, 6–7, 9–7. If that pair do meet again, it's sure to be an epic watch.