PREVIEW: Federer ready to prove the knockers wrong at Wimbledon

Jun 22, 2008, 18:37 GMT

London - Amid the hype and hysteria of an imagined decline, it's business as usual for ice-calm Roger Federer as the Swiss begins his campaign on Monday for a sixth straight title at the Wimbledon Championships.

With notables from Bjorn Borg to cocky young rival Novak Djokovic saying he's looking a bit like a spent force on a surface where he has not lost since 2002, the top seed is prepared to start putting the doubters in back in their boxes.

Another year, another Wimbledon, where the Swiss last lost to Mario Ancic six years ago.

In the interim, he's won 59 straight matches on grass between Wimbledon and Halle, Germany, his preferred tune-up.

'The same players are right up there,' said the top seed on Sunday before opening the grass-court fortnight with a grudge match against Dominik Hrbaty on Monday.

Hrbaty, number 272, is a statistical footnote, one of the few players with a winning record over the Swiss. The pair met in long-ago 2000 and 2004, before Federer became the dominator he is now.

'Novak and Rafa (Nadal) are the biggest challengers. The same guys are also the favorites again for Wimbledon this year - (Marcos) Baghdatis, (Lleyton) Hewitt, (Andy) Murray, (Andy) Roddick, (David) Nalbandian, all these guys.

'There hasn't been that much of a change actually.'

Federer is bidding to become just the second player in Wimbledon history to win the men's singles title for six successive years, after William Renshaw.

But after winning his first title in 1881, Renshaw only had to win one match in the Challenge Round to defend the title.

Federer maintains his majesty on the lawns of his favourite event, even though he owns just two titles this season which was blighted at the start by glandular fever.

'Tomorrow and all the way to the US Open for me, it's where I can really judge my season, if it's going to be a good one or a less good one,' said the world number one.

'I wish I could have done better against Rafa,' he said of a heavy defeat against the Spaniard in the French Open final a fortnight ago. 'But a loss is a loss, no matter whether you lose in three or in five.

'This is now the important time for me to see what I can do: Wimbledon, US Open, and the Olympics. This is what it's going to come down to for me anyway.'

Joining Federer in a showcase match will be women's number one Ana Ivanovic, who starts against Rossana de los Rios of Paraguay. Third seed Djokovic wraps up the first day action on centre court, taking on German Michael Berrer.

'I'm very excited to be back on grass and to start competing again,' said the 20-year-old Djokovic. 'The last few weeks gave me a lot of confidence, so I'm very, very excited about the new challenges.'

Estonian Kaia Kanepi will challenge sixth seed Serena Williams on Monday, while 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt tests a lingering hip injury against young Dutchman Robin Haase.