London - Confident Roger Federer has thrown down a subtle
psychological marker for Monday's Wimbledon fourth-round to opponent
Robin Soderling as the pair re-play their recent French Open final.
'I think it's going to be interesting to see, you know, how he's
going to enter the match after coping with such a long tournament in
Paris and see how fresh he still is,' said the Swiss second seed, who
completed his boxed set of Grand Slam trophies three weeks ago
against the Swede at Roland Garros in three quick sets.
'I've played him here in the past, and I've played him on grass a
few times now,' said the 10-0 Federer. 'I've had success against him,
but I know the danger because he hits extremely hard.
'I've definitely got to be ready for that match.'
Federer is one of five Grand Slam champions remaining in the
field as the round of 16 begins Week 2 of the Championships.
But between Novak Djokovic, Andy Roddick, and Juan Carlos Ferrero,
five-time holder Federer and Australian Lleyton Hewitt (2002) are the
only pair to have won at the All England club.
'It's nice to start off the second week,' said Federer, 47-5 at
Wimbledon. 'This is where it gets really interesting for me as a top
player.
Soderling, seeded 13th, spent the weekend trying to cure the
stomach problem which has plagued him and pondering his huge task
against his rival.
'I've played him ten times, and after the match I never felt like
I played well,' said the Swede. 'It's not because of me, it's because
of him.
'He makes you play. It's tough to play well against him, put it
that way. I'd like to improve everything from Paris.'
The excitement around Andy Murray is expanding exponentially after
the third-seeded Scot staked his claim on the second week and a date
with friend and practise partner Stan Wawrinka, Federer's fellow
Swiss.
'When you go on the court you're there to compete, regardless of
whether you're friends or not,' said the Scot. 'It doesn't change
really the way you go into the match.
'If you go into every match believing you can win and giving it
your best shot, then, you're not going to be totally shocked if you
get to that position where you're serving for the match,' said
Murray, 4-3 over Wawrinka with wins in their last two matches in
2008.
Two-time finalist Roddick, a Federer victim in 2004 and 2005,
plays against Czech Tomas Berdych, while Hewitt bids to break out of
a fourth-round stall and reach his first quarter-final since 2006.
Hewitt plays Czech Radek Stepanek, who was flying in his doctor
from Prague to try and fix a knee problem.
'I won't be focusing too much. Obviously, to last five sets
against David Ferrer you must be feeling not too bad,' Hewitt said of
Stepanek's previous win.
'When I look at the guys in top five, top 10 in the world, I still
feel like I'm good enough to be up there. I think that's probably
the motivation.'
In women's play, top seed Dinara Safina faces 2006 champion Amelie
Mauresmo, while second seed Serena Williams takes on Daniela
Hantuchova and five-times champion Venus Williams plays 2008 Paris
winner Ana Ivanovic.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story