WIMBLEDON DRAW ANNOUNCED, NADAL AND FEDERER ON SAME SIDE BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 20th June 2014

WIMBLEDON DRAW ANNOUNCED, NADAL AND FEDERER ON SAME SIDE BY RICKY DIMON

epa04258775 Swiss tennis player Roger Federer holds the cup after winning the final match against Colombia's Alejandro Falla at the ATP tournament in Halle (Westphalia), Germany, 15 June 2014. Federer won the final in straight sets. EPA/OLIVER KRATO |

The Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer rivalry could be renewed this upcoming fortnight in the Wimbledon semifinals on a surface that is most likely to produce a riveting match–not unlike the one at the All-England Club in 2008. That possibility was revealed on Friday when the two men with 31 Grand Slam titles between them landed on the same side of the draw for the year’s second major.

Rafael Nadal.

But Nadal, especially, may have a tough time advancing to the final weekend. The top-ranked Spaniard is on course for a second-round rematch with Lukas Rosol, who famously ousted him in five sets at the 2012 installment of this event. Looming large–quite literally–as a potential third-round opponent is 6’11” Croat Ivo Karlovic. Accomplished grass-court player Richard Gasquet could face Nadal in the fourth round and Milos Raonic, who should be accomplished on grass but isn’t, is Nadal’s projected quarterfinal opponent according to seed.

Federer.

Federer, who opens with Paolo Lorenzi while Nadal begins against Martin Klizan, can also be expected to see his tournament get interesting with the onset of round two. That’s where Julien Benneteau likely awaits for a rematch of their 2012 showdown at the All-England Club, which Federer survived 4-6, 6-7(3), 6-2, 7-6(6), 6-1. Despite that near-miss, Benneteau is still a respectable 2-5 lifetime against the 32-year-old Swiss. Federer could run into 2013 semifinalist Jerzy Janowicz in the fourth round before a collision with fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka in the quarterfinals.

Andy Murray’s possible top eight seed in the quarters is good friend and frequent practice partner David Ferrer. Murray finds himself in relatively soft section of the draw as he prepares to begin his title defense on Monday afternoon against David Goffin. Ferrer also has a decent-looking path to the second week and beyond, although the veteran Spaniard may have to deal with Queen’s Club champion Grigor Dimitrov in the last 16.

The top part of the bracket could feature a couple of fourth-round rematches of French Open affairs: Novak Djokovic vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (Djokovic also rolled over Tsonga in the Roland Garros fourth round) and Tomas Berdych vs. Ernests Gulbis (Gulbis crushed Berdych in the quarterfinals in Paris). Djokovic should breeze up to that point and even through that point, but Tsonga has a brutal path that starts with Jurgen Melzer and possibly includes current Eastbourne semifinalist Sam Querrey in round two.

As for other Americans in addition to Querrey, John Isner has a relatively nice draw until a likely third-round clash against Queen’s Club runner-up Feliciano Lopez. Jack Sock could face a familiar foe in Raonic during second-round action, while Ryan Harrison–no stranger to tough draws at majors–has to kick off his campaign against Dimitrov.

Topics: Andy Murray, David Ferrer, Ernests Gulbis, Federer, Grand Slam, GRIGOR DIMITROV, Ivo Karlovic, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, milos raonic, Novak Djokovic, Rafa, Richard Gasquet, Ricky Dimon, Sam Querrey, Stanislas Wawrinka, Tennis, Tennis News, Tomas Berdych, Wimbledon

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10sBalls_com says:

June 20, 2014 at 9:40 am

@Wimbledon DRAW ANNOUNCED, NADAL AND FEDERER ON SAME SIDE BY RICKY DIMON @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/XIEPA1rN5R @rogerfederer @RafaelNadal
Nadalchukwu says:

June 20, 2014 at 9:45 am

RT @10sBalls_com: @Wimbledon DRAW ANNOUNCED, NADAL AND FEDERER ON SAME SIDE BY RICKY DIMON @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/XIEPA1rN5R @rogerfe…