by Andrew Eichenholz
There is something about the London fog as it clouds the sight of Big Ben, staring down into the streets of its city for a couple weeks in June and July. It is as if there is a sliver of mystery associated with the most famous tennis tournament in the world— The Championships, Wimbledon. From the weather to the slickness of the fresh grass that awaits the annual arrival of the world’s elite, there are never guarantees.
Forty-seven times in the Open Era, The Championships have been played, with 21 different winners on the men’s side, 18 on the women’s. Righties and lefties have taken the crown, with serve-and-volleyers, aggressive baseliners and defensive magicians lifting the All England Lawn Tennis Club Single Handed Championship of the World or Venus Rosewater Dish, respectively.
If there has been any sense of consistency over the years, it has been the presence of a man who will appear in the draw for the 17th time in a row.
Roger Federer has written and rewritten the book on how to dominate a tournament at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, but he did not build his Rome in one day. In fact, the Switzerland-native lost in the first round on the grass court major three of his first four years there. It was as if he tried climbing a rock wall without grabbing onto the hand pegs first.
“Float like a butterfly,” said Muhammad Ali. “Sting like a bee.”
Roger Federer looked harmless at first. In 1999 and 2002, he lost to the World No. 59 and No. 154 in his opening matches, respectively. The only things that did any stinging were the losses.
Ever since, Federer has swarmed the tennis world like a colony of bees, especially at Wimbledon. With seven titles won on the dreamy Centre Court, the 33-year-old only trails Rafael Nadal in the department of most titles earned at a single major event. Consistent is an understatement.
Since the beginning of the 2003 tournament, Federer has gone 69-5 at the year’s third Grand Slam. Steady enough?
Roger that.
Yet, he has not won a major since 2012 nor made a final since last year in London, the time before that when Federer won his last major, at Wimbledon. So, who is ready to steal his central throne, much like Novak Djokovic did Rafael Nadal’s at Roland Garros?
Djokovic may have had all the confidence in the world after taking out the Mallorcan just a few weeks ago in the quarterfinals at the French Open, but who would not be shell-shocked after seeing their dreams snatched away, when right on the door step of making a dream come true?
Then comes the player who took the Serbian’s French hopes away— Stan Wawrinka. Armed with arguably the most firepower in the game, he won his second major earlier in the month. However, the last time he looked to backup a Grand Slam victory, he crashed out in the first round of the next major.
Reporters and analysts alike have sensed that Andy Murray is back to near his best form, playing the tennis that earned him a chunk of gold at the 2012 Olympics and a couple of major titles, including one at Wimbledon, to boot. The way he has gotten closer and closer to taking out his chief rival, Djokovic, at the slams, there is no denying it. But, it is tough to see the Scot going through a path that could pit him against Nadal, Federer and Djokovic, all in one tournament.
Nadal would be the next logical choice, but is his time on the grass far gone? The Spaniard has not made it past the Round of 16 at Wimbledon in what is seemingly ages, when he reached the final in 2011. With David Ferrer pulling out, Nadal has an open section, but after losing to Steve Darcis and Lukas Rosol in the past, it has been proven that anything can happen on any day.
So, the one constant remains. As two weeks rush by, 127 people will each try to do what one man has done seven times— win Wimbledon. With no clear way to look, it is Federer’s turn to make it eight.
