Roger Federer has won nearly a thousand matches in his storied career, so you’ll have to forgive him if winning matches just isn’t that exciting for him anymore. The last eight times Federer has played the Gerry Weber Open he has advanced to to the final.
This week he extended that streak to nine straight finals when he beat Kei Nishikori 6-3, 7-6 (4) in the semifinals. The funny thing is, Federer had no idea he won.
Locked in a tight second set tiebreaker, Federer had match point at 6-4 and charged the net only to see Nishikori miss the pass into the tape.
Federer fist-pumped, wiped the sweat off his brow, and calmly walked back to the baseline for the next point, not realizing he already won the match until he turned around and saw Nishikori waiting for him at the net.
Wimbledon 2014: Predictions for Andy Murray and Top Contenders
Roland Garros is in the books, which means the top stars in the world of tennis will now shift their focus to tournaments played on grass and the most prestigious Grand Slam of them all, the 2014 Wimbledon Championships.
Andy Murray became the first British winner in 77 years when he won the tournament last year, and the Scot will have his eyes set on a repeat performance following his disappointing defeat against Rafael Nadal in Paris.
He will have plenty of competition at the All England Club, however, with a number of players highlighting the 2014 edition of Wimbledon for a variety of reasons.
Andy Murray Won’t Repeat As Wimbledon Champion
Murray’s run at the title in 2013 was a great story and something British tennis sorely needed. The Scot has always been a force on grass, taking advantage of his great size and his powerful forehand.
But 2014 has not been his year, and the semi-final defeat at Roland Garros was a painful reminder of that. Nadal embarrassed Murray in every facet of the game, but his dominance from the baseline was particularly noteworthy.
Hiring a new coach one year after winning the granddaddy of grass tournaments is not the sign of a player confident about his game, and Mauresmo will have little time to work with Murray before Wimbledon kicks off.
Roger Federer Will Put Everything in Wimbledon, Come Up Short
Rafael Nadal’s Back Will Keep Him from Winning His Third Wimbledon Title
Nadal’s dominance on his way to a record ninth Roland Garros title was impressive, but, as reported by the Daily Mail’s Mike Dickson, the Spaniard told reporters he was still struggling with a back injury that has followed him since the Australian open:
Novak Djokovic Will Win the Championship
Last year’s final loss will still sting, as will the loss to an unleashed Nadal at Roland Garros. Djokovic hasn’t won a Grand Slam in over a year, and the Serb will be as motivated as Federer going into the tournament. Via bleacherreport.com
