Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal face challenging paths to set up another Wimbledon final this 2010. Serena and Venus Williams also face potential pitfalls before another all-sister title match.
Six-time champion Federer and Nadal—the only man to beat him at Wimbledon in the last seven finals—were both handed tricky draws Friday for the grass-court Grand Slam tournament which will take place from Monday, June 21, 2010 through to Sunday, July 4, 2010.
Federer, seeded No. 1 although he has dropped to No. 2 in the rankings behind Nadal, is in the same top half of the draw with Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic and former champion Lleyton Hewitt.
Second-seeded Nadal, who beat Federer in an epic five-set final in 2008 but missed last year’s tournament with knee troubles, has Andy Murray and Robin Soderling in the bottom half of the draw.
Federer, winner of a record 16 Grand Slam championships, is trying to match Pete Sampras’ modern era record of seven singles titles at the All England Club.
Federer will open play Monday on Centre Court against Colombia’s 65th-ranked Alejandro Falla—the third matchup between the two players in the last three tournaments.
Federer beat Falla at the French Open and the grass-court event in Halle, Germany, extending his career record over the Colombian to 4-0 without the loss of a set.
Nadal plays Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the first round.
In the women’s draw, the Williams sisters are seeded to meet again in the final for the fifth time. At least one Williams has played in nine of the last 10 finals, with the sisters sharing eight of the last 10 titles.
Top-seeded and three-time champion Serena has former winner Maria Sharapova and French Open runner-up Samantha Stosur in her half. Five-time champion Venus has Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, both returning to Wimbledon after coming out of retirement, in her half.
Serena will play 148th-ranked Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal in the opening round, while Venus opens against Paraguay’s Rossana De Los Rios.
Despite his dip in form, British bookmakers make Federer the favorite to hold up the trophy again. But both men face a potentially tough road to get there.
Nadal could have a second-round matchup with James Blake, a former top 10 player who is on the way back after a knee injury sidelined him for three months. After that, Nadal could face talented Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the third round and John Isner or Mikhail Youzhny in the fourth.
Waiting for Nadal in the quarters could be Soderling, the big-hitting Swede who ended the Spaniard’s run at the French Open last year and lost to him in the 2010 French final just his month.
Venus Williams could face new French Open champion Francesca Schiavone in the quarterfinals and No. 4 Jelena Jankovic in the semis.
Bookmakers have Serena as the title favorite, followed by Venus. (Source)
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2010 Wimbledon Tennis: TV Schedule, Scores, Results and Live Video Stream
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