The Perfect Wimbledon Final?

The grass season is upon us and tennis will once again regain some unpredictability. Rafael Nadal once more treated us to a complete masterclass at the French, dropping just one set during his march to victory. Few sportsmen in the world could maintain such good will whilst being so dominant, but now it’s time to see something that’s less of a foregone conclusion. And so, we move on to the pristine lawns of Queens and Wimbledon with great anticipation, ready for the return of another great king of tennis.

Reigning Wimbledon champion, and world number two, Roger Federer has been back on court this week, fresh from his two month break, and should results go the right way this week, he will regain the world number one spot. Federer picked up a good win against Mischa Zverev in his first match back, and will surely enter Wimbledon as the favourite to lift the trophy. This time last year we did not know what to expect from Federer coming back from his break, and an early loss to Tommy Hass had people wondering whether his time at the top was finally up. However, like so many times before, Federer proved us all wrong, winning yet another Wimbledon without dropping a set. Federer will no doubt be seeking a repeat of last year, but don’t expect an easy stroll to the title for the Swiss.

Many people are quick to dismiss Nadal when it comes to the grass these days, but I expect him to make a real run at the final this year. Granted, Nadal’s recent record is terrible for a player of his standard, in his last five attempts he has not made it past the fourth round, but there is no reason why he shouldn’t be a challenger. Of course, he is not as suited to the grass as he is clay, but many of his best traits translate perfectly to grass. First of all, mentally, Nadal is one of the best out there; if they played a tennis tournament on the moon, Nadal would find a way to win it. Secondly, confidence, there can’t be anyone out there with more confidence than Nadal at the moment. He has won the tournament twice before so he he can clearly make his game work on the faster grass courts, and both wins came straight after winning the French Open.

It may just be a nostalgic whim but another Federer vs Nadal Wimbledon final could just be the icing on the cake for one of the greatest rivalries in sport. This year there is a real possibility that we might see the two veterans duke it out.