Roger Federer Unsure of Wimbledon Future: 'You Never Know What's Around the Corner'
Jul 7, 2021
Switzerland's Roger Federer leaves the court after losing to Poland's Hubert Hurkacz during the men's singles quarterfinals match on day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
We might have seen the last of Roger Federer at Wimbledon after a straight-set loss to Hubert Hurkacz in Wednesday's quarterfinal.
"I'd like to play it again, but at my age you never know what's around the corner," Federer said after the match.
The 39-year-old's full response about his future at this event was filled with even more uncertainty:
Federer became the oldest man to ever reach a quarterfinal at Wimbledon this week, but the eight-time champion was eliminated with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-0 loss to 24-year-old Hurkacz. The bagel in the third set was his first ever suffered at this event.
The only other 6-0 lost set for Federer since 2000 came against Rafael Nadal in the 2008 French Open.
Federer is still an elite player when healthy, currently No. 8 in the world rankings. He has especially thrived on the grass courts in London, reaching at least the Wimbledon quarterfinal in 17 of the last 18 tournaments.
This also includes a win in 2017 and a runner-up finish in 2019, showing he can still compete with the best at an advanced age.
Even this year's run was impressive with four wins over top-60 opponents, including a straight-set victory over 23rd seed Lorenzo Sonego in the fourth round.
The problem has been staying healthy, with multiple knee surgeries holding him out for much of the 2020 season. These issues and the fact that he will be 40 for next year's Wimbledon could make returning a serious challenge.
Federer is tied with Rafael Nadal for the most career Grand Slam singles titles in men's history, but he appears unlikely to add to his total of 20.
Roger Federer Upset by Hubert Hurkacz in 2021 Wimbledon Quarterfinals
Jul 7, 2021
Poland's Hubert Hurkacz celebrates after winning the second set against Switzerland's Roger Federer during the men's singles quarterfinals match on day nine of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Wednesday, July 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Roger Federer saw his quest for a ninth Wimbledon title come short after Hubert Hurkacz earned a 6-3, 7-6(4), 6-0 upset in Wednesday's quarterfinal matchup.
And they say to never meet your heroes…@HubertHurkacz knocks out his idol, eight-time champion Roger Federer, in straight sets to advance to his first Grand Slam semi-final#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/Qri1uriPDF
Hurkacz had 10 aces while winning 69 percent of service points on the way to a surprising victory over the No. 6 seed, continuing what has already been the deepest Grand Slam run of the 24-year-old's career.
Federer, 39, was the oldest quarterfinalist at this event's history, but his quest for a record 21st career major title came three wins short.
The @Wimbledon crowd gave Roger Federer a standing ovation as he left the court 🙏
The first set showed what made Hurkacz such a tough competitor as he jumped out to a 6-3 win. The No. 14 seed went 15-of-16 on first-serve points and 5-of-5 at the net for a surprising opening-set victory:
In the biggest match of his career, the Polish star was there to compete.
"Being out there playing quarter-finals against him, it's really amazing," Hurkacz said before the match. "But obviously I'm out there to play my best and give myself best chance of winning the match."
Federer appeared to steady the ship early in the second set while going up 3-0 and 4-1 with some quality winners:
Hurkacz again showed his talent and resolve, however, fighting back to 4-4 before forcing a tiebreak against the veteran. He eventually pulled out the 7-4 win in a hard-fought tiebreak.
Mistakes were the true story of the match after two sets:
Upset alert:
Eight-time #Wimbledon champion Roger Federer down two sets to none to Miami champion Hubert Hurkacz in this quarterfinal.
While this could create question marks about Federer's future on this stage, Hurkacz deserves the spotlight after a nearly flawless performance.
The young player was broken just once in the three sets, and he finished with 36 winners and only 12 unforced errors.
It led to a shocking win that Hurkacz will likely never forget. He will now advance to the semifinals to face the winner of Matteo Berrettini and Felix Auger-Aliassime.
Wimbledon 2021: Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer's Wins Headline Monday's Results
Jul 5, 2021
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating Chile's Cristian Garin during the men's singles fourth round match on day seven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Manic Monday at Wimbledon was anything but chaotic for Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer.
The two Grand Slam winners left in the men's singles draw cruised to straight-set victories on Centre Court to book their spots in the quarterfinal round.
Djokovic and Federer sit on opposite sides of the bracket, so they would not see each other until the final. That reality became a bit clearer with the exit of Alexander Zverev.
Federer will have an advantage over Daniil Medvedev or Hubert Hurkacz. Their fourth-round match was suspended by rain and it was the only round-of-16 clash in the men's or women's draw to be pushed to Tuesday because of weather.
Over in the women's draw, Ashleigh Barty and Aryna Sabalenka defended their status as the top two seeds with victories.
Barty has been a regular at the quarterfinal stage over the last few years, while Sabalenka is in the final eight for the first time in her Grand Slam career.
A total of 13 seeded players will take part in the final eight. The women's quarterfinals are scheduled for Tuesday, while the men will take the court next on Wednesday for the final eight.
No. 25 Karen Khachanov def. Sebastian Korda, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 5-7, 10-8
Djokovic earned a spot in his 50th Grand Slam quarterfinal and 12th in London with a straight-set victory over Cristian Garin, who was outmatched in his second-ever fourth-round match at a Grand Slam. He fell in the same round to Medvedev at the French Open.
Djokovic has won 12 consecutive sets since dropping the opening frame to Jack Draper in the first round.
The next step in the top-seeded Serbian's title defense is a matchup with Marton Fucsovics, who he has beaten twice in a pair of head-to-head meetings.
Fucsovics delivered the upset of the day on the men's side, as he ousted No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev in a five-set thriller.
Tenth-ranked Denis Shapovalov and No. 25 seed Karen Khachanov will face off for the right to likely play Djokovic in the semifinal.
Shapovalov won a three-set match against fellow top-10 seed Roberto Batista Agut. Khachanov needed five sets and a few extra games to eliminate Sebastian Korda, who was the last American man in the draw.
Khachanov survived a wild fifth set in which there were 13 breaks of his serve. The Russian captured the final break of the match to secure passage into the final eight.
Matteo Berrettini and Felix Auger-Aliassime will square off in the other set quarterfinal matchup.
Berrettini carved out the easiest path to the final eight with four wins over unseeded players. He dropped one set on that run.
Auger-Aliassime landed his quarterfinal berth through a five-set win over Alexander Zverev. Auger-Aliassime and Shapovalov are the first two Canadian men to appear in the final eight of a Grand Slam together.
Federer will wait another day to find out who is next foe is. The Swiss legend breezed past Lorenzo Sonego in the Centre Court finale on Monday.
Federer got stronger as the match went on. He lost six games in the second and third sets combined after winning the first set 7-5.
The 39-year-old will play in his 18th Wimbledon singles quarterfinal on Wednesday. He is the oldest man to qualify for the final eight in tournament history.
Medvedev and Hurkacz had their match suspended in the fourth set. Medvedev has a 2-1 sets lead and Hurkacz leads by a game in the current set.
Barty reinforced her status as the favorite to win the women's draw by beating French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in straight sets.
Five of Barty's eight set victories in London have come by three games or more, including the second set on Monday.
The party continues 🎉
No.1 seed @ashbarty navigates through to the quarter-finals after a tricky encounter against Roland-Garros champion Barbora Krejcikova, winning 7-5, 6-3#Wimbledonpic.twitter.com/7QxzUFADWJ
The 2019 French Open winner qualified for her fourth quarterfinal in the last three years, and she has an easy matchup on paper against either Emma Raducanu or Alja Tomljanovic ahead in the final eight.
Karolina Pliskova is the other seeded player that gets the benefit of taking on an unseeded foe in the next round.
The eighth-seeded Pliskova is a perfect 8-0 in sets over four rounds and she is back in a Grand Slam quarterfinal for the first time since the 2019 Australian Open.
Pliskova eliminated Liudmila Samsonova, who entered Monday on a 10-match winning streak that included victories over Jessica Pegula and Sloane Stephens.
Coco Gauff and Madison Keys joined Pegula and Stephens on the list of American women to be eliminated from Wimbledon.
Gauff was knocked out in straight sets by Angelique Kerber, who is one of two major champions left in the women's draw. Barty is the other.
Keys was upset by Viktorija Golubic, who plays Pliskova next, in straight sets. Golubic owns three consecutive wins over American players. She dropped a single set in four rounds.
The best match of the final eight should be between Ons Jabeur and Sabalenka. Jabeur came back from a set down to defeat Iga Swiatek, while Sabalenka battled through three sets to eliminate Elena Rybakina.
Sabalenka's victory was significant for her because of her status in the women's draw. Prior to Monday, she had not made it to the final eight at any Grand Slam and had three fourth-round berths since 2017.
Roger Federer Beats Lorenzo Sonego, Advances to 18th Wimbledon Singles Quarterfinal
Jul 5, 2021
Switzerland's Roger Federer celebrates winning a point against Italy's Lorenzo Sonego during the men's singles fourth round match on day seven of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Monday, July 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
After surviving an early test in the first set, Roger Federer found his rhythm in a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 win over Lorenzo Sonego to reach the quarterfinals in the 2021 Wimbledon gentlemen's tournament.
With the first set tied 5-5, weather intervened to provide both players a brief rain delay and let the retractable roof over the Centre Court close.
Sonego looked like he was on the verge of taking control at the time of the delay. The 26-year-old Italian was up 40-15 at one point in the 11th game before play was suspended.
After the delay, Federer was able to gather himself and take control of the match. Sonego made several mental mistakes down the stretch of the opening set that cost him.
Far from certain throughout thanks to Sonego's level, but won the right points. Off-FH was his saving grace. Rough for Sonego having to come back from the rain break and serve at 5-5 40-AD (double faulted), but his first serve had already deserted him in that game.
Once he closed out the first set in just over an hour of match time, Federer started to look more comfortable. He needed 44 minutes to wrap up the second set.
The stats from Federer's 6-4 second-set win were much more in line with what fans are accustomed to seeing from him. The 39-year-old won 12 of his 15 first-serve points and 11 of 15 net points while committing four unforced errors.
The third set was largely more of the same from Federer. He had as many aces in the third as he did in the first two sets combined (two) and won two of his four break-point chances.
Federer has been careful to monitor his playing time at this stage of his career. The Switzerland native withdrew from the French Open after a third-round win because "it’s important that I listen to my body" coming off two knee surgeries.
The decision came after Federer played a four-set match against Dominik Koepfer that lasted 3.5 hours.
After the first set Monday took 61 minutes to finish, Federer looked like he could be in for a long day that would test his physical resolve. Instead, he only needed 70 minutes total to win his next two sets.
Next up for Federer will be the winner of the Daniil Medvedev-Hubert Hurkacz match.
Wimbledon 2021: Roger Federer, Coco Gauff Wins Headline Saturday's Results
Jul 3, 2021
Switzerland's Roger Federer plays a return during the men's singles third round match against Britain's Cameron Norrie on day six of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Saturday July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)
The winningest man in Wimbledon history earned his seventh consecutive trip into the second week in London on Saturday.
Eight-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer needed four sets to get past Cameron Norrie, who received plenty of support against the fan favorite from his home crowd.
Federer was one of seven seeded men to advance to the fourth round with a win Saturday. All of the round-of-16 matches will be played on "Manic Monday" at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Over in the women's draw, Coco Gauff has risen in stature on the grass courts in her last two appearances at Wimbledon. The American teenager breezed into the fourth round with her third straight-set win in a row.
Gauff broke onto the Grand Slam stage with a fourth-round run at Wimbledon two years ago. She faces Angelique Kerber on Monday with a chance to clinch her second consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal berth.
Gauff will play in one of five seeded matchups in the women's round of 16, but none of those matches may receive as much attention as the unseeded affair involving Emma Raducanu.
Raducanu continued to capture the hearts of the British crowd by winning her third straight match in her first Wimbledon main draw.
No. 14 Hubert Hurkacz def. Alexander Bublik, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2
No. 16 Felix Auger-Aliassime def. Nick Kyrgios, 2-6, 6-1 (retired)
No. 23 Lorenzo Sonego def. James Duckworth, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4
Ilya Ivashka def. Jordan Thompson, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4
Federer navigated his toughest test of the first three rounds Saturday.
Norrie is in the best form of his career, and he had the backing of the Centre Court crowd, which typically aligns with Federer when the Swiss plays.
Norrie put up a massive fight in the first two sets, but he was unable to get a set off Federer until the third frame.
Federer shook off the challenge from the No. 29 seed and captured the fourth set by the same two-game margin he won the opening two sets by.
Federer's next opponent is Lorenzo Sonego, who reached the fourth round at a Grand Slam for the second time in his career.
The round-of-16 opponents have one head-to-head meeting from Roland Garros in 2019. Federer won that match in straight sets.
If Federer defeats Sonego, he will have a difficult path in front of him in each of the following rounds. Matteo Berrettini and Alexander Zverev both played well on their way to the fourth round, while Daniil Medvedev rallied from down two sets to advance.
Berrettini cruised in three sets over Aljaz Bedene, and he should be heavily favored to eliminate unseeded Ilya Ivashka in the fourth round.
Zverev owns a 3-0 head-to-head advantage over Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Canadian will be on better rest after he played two sets against Nick Kyrgios, who retired because of an injury.
Zverev worked into a fourth-set tiebreak to dispense of American Taylor Fritz, whose loss left Sebastian Korda as the lone American left in the men's draw.
Medvedev went from the brink of elimination to a fourth-round position against Marin Cilic in the final match of the afternoon.
The second-seeded Russian created momentum for himself in the third set by beating Cilic 6-3. He won four of the final five games of the third set to flip the match on its head.
Medvedev completed his comeback in dominant fashion in the fifth set. He won the first five games of the set and finished off the No. 32 seed on his fourth match point.
With one more win, Medvedev would set up a quarterfinal showdown with Federer. He plays Hubert Hurkacz in the round of 16.
No. 30 Paula Badosa def. Magda Linette, 5-7, 6-2, 6-4
Emma Raducanu def. Sorana Cirstea, 6-3, 7-5
Ajla Tomljanovicdef. Jelena Ostapenko, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2
Gauff set up her first-career showdown with Kerber through her straight-set victory Saturday.
The 17-year-old has not lost a set yet in London. She fell in a single set over her first three rounds in 2019.
Gauff was eliminated by Simona Halep in 2019 and this year faces Kerber, who is one of the most experienced players left in the women's field.
In fact, Kerber is one of four previous Grand Slam winners in the final 16 of the women's draw. She looked like every bit of a champion in the second and third sets against Aliaksandra Sasnovich. She outscored the unseeded player 12-1 in those sets.
If Gauff gets past Kerber, she will have an easier path to the semifinals than she did when the draw was released. No. 3 seed Elina Svitolina and French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova were both knocked out of the section above hers.
In the best-case scenario, Gauff would face top seed Ashleigh Barty in the semifinals. Barty looked strong in her two-set victory over Katerina Siniakova.
Barty faces French Open winner Barbora Krejcikova in the round of 16. That could be the match of the round on the women's side.
The winner of that match will face either Raducanu or Ajla Tomljanovic. Raducanu is the feel-good story of the tournament, as she moved on in straight sets for the third straight round.
The 18-year-old entered the Wimbledon draw as a wild-card and had not played in a Grand Slam singles draw prior to the tournament.
Raducanu and Tomljanovic will play in the only match of unseeded players in the round of 16. There were two unseeded round-of-16 women's matches at the French Open and none at the Australian Open.
Wimbledon 2021: Roger Federer's Straight-Set Wins Headlines Thursday Results
Jul 1, 2021
Switzerland's Roger Federer serves to Richard Gasquet of France during the men's singles second round match on day four of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Thursday July 1, 2021. (AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali)
Roger Federer extended his winning streak of sets over Richard Gasquet to 25 with his straight-set victory at Wimbledon on Thursday.
The No. 6 seed in the men's singles draw moved to 19-2 in head-to-head matches with the Frenchman to set up a third-round clash with Cameron Norrie from Great Britain.
Federer's second-round triumph was a much easier victory than the one he got from the first-round battle with Adrian Mannarino, who retired prior to the fifth set.
The victories by Federer, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev headlined a relatively easy day for the seeded men in London.
More chaos took over the women's singles draw, as No. 3 seed Elina Svitolina was knocked out in straight sets, as was French Open semifinalist Maria Sakkari.
Only two of the top six women's seeds are left in the draw entering the third round, which will begin Friday after the tournament got back on schedule following Monday's rainouts.
Men's Singles
No. 2 Daniil Medvedev def. Carlos Alcaraz, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2
No. 4 Alexander Zverev def. Tennys Sandgren, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3
No. 6 Roger Federer def. Richard Gasquet, 7-6 (1), 6-1, 6-4
No. 7 Matteo Berrettini def. Botic van de Zandschulp, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (2)
Federer continued one of the most one-sided matchups on the men's circuit by downing his French foe in three sets.
Gasquet has not taken a set off the Swiss legend in 11 straight matches, and his last victory over Federer came on Rome clay in 2011.
The unseeded Frenchman tested Federer in the first set by forcing a tiebreak. However, he could not touch the Swiss in the tiebreaker, when he won a single point.
Once Federer grabbed the momentum in the match, he never let it go. He outscored Gasquet 12-5 in the second and third sets to move on to the third round.
Federer faces a potentially tricky opponent in Norrie, who breezed through his second-round match in straight sets.
Although Federer is a fan favorite, Norrie should have the backing of the crowd at his home major. The match seems to be made for Centre Court with the eight-time champion taking on a challenger from the host nation.
If Federer wins two more matches, he could land in a quarterfinal showdown with Medvedev, who turned in one of the most impressive performances on the men's side Thursday.
The second-seeded Russian dominated his matchup with Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz to set up one of three seeded meetings in the third round in the bottom half of the draw. Medvedev faces Marin Cilic next.
Zverev is the third high seed with a ranked foe ahead in the next round. The No. 4 set up a match with American Taylor Fritz by blowing through another American, Tennys Sandgren, in three sets.
Like Federer and Medvedev, Zverev got stronger as the match went on. Sandgren won five games in the first set and five total games in the following two frames.
Matteo Berrettini has the easiest path to the final eight of the four top-10 seeds in the bottom half of the draw. The seventh-seeded Italian is the only ranked player left in his section following the losses of three seeds in the first round.
Berrettini reached the quarterfinals at the French Open and he could be in position to knock to challenge Zverev in the final eight if he extends his dominance into the next two rounds.
The first set of fourth-round matches will be decided Friday when the top half of the draw takes over the grass courts. Novak Djokovic and Andrey Rublev are the top ranked players in that portion of the bracket.
Women's Singles
No. 1 Ashleigh Barty def. Anna Blinkova, 6-4, 6-3
Magda Linette def. No. 3 Elina Svitolina, 6-3, 6-4
No. 30 Paula Badosa def. Yulia Putintseva, 6-4, 6-1
Jelena Ostapenko def. No. 31 Daria Kasatkina, 6-1, 3-6, 8-6
Another day, another stunner in the women's draw.
Svitolina, a two-time major semifinalist in 2019, joined Sofia Kenin, Bianca Andreescu, Serena Williams, Belinda Bencic and Petra Kvitova on the list of top-10 seeds to exit the women's draw.
The No. 3 seed has not made it past the fourth round in any of the season's three majors, which is a similar theme with most of the top players who left Wimbledon in the first two rounds.
Svitolina's loss to Magda Linette opened up the top half of the draw more for top seed Ashleigh Barty, who cruised past Anna Blinkova in straight sets.
Barty is one of seven seeded players left in the top half. Only one of them would be in her path in the next three rounds.
That one is a dangerous opponent in Barbora Krejickova. The French Open champion continued her Grand Slam winning streak with back-to-back straight-set wins on the London grass.
French Open runner-up Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and major winners Jelena Ostapenko and Angelique Kerber are still alive in the top half and could be dangerous foes for Barty if they reach that far.
American teenage sensation Coco Gauff is also on the list of top contenders to Barty in the top part of the draw.
Gauff has not lost a set through two rounds, and her path to the fourth round was made easier by Bencic's first-round loss to Kaja Juvan.
Gauff is one of five American women left in the draw. Shelby Rogers, Madison Brengle, Madison Keys and Sloane Stephens all reside on the bottom half and will be in action Friday.
Serena Williams of the US is greeted by Aliaksandra Sasnovich of Belarus, left, at the net after retiring from the women's singles first round match against on day two of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, Tuesday June 29, 2021. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)
Injury retirements marred two of the matches on Centre Court at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Serena Williams had the more notable exit, as she failed to complete the first set against Aliaksandra Sasnovich after slipping on the grass surface.
In the prior match, Adrian Mannarino was forced to retire after a four-set battle with Roger Federer.
Mannarino got the best of the legendary champion for parts of the match, but he was unable to put the Swiss to the test in a deciding fifth set.
In the first match on Centre Court, women's singles No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty was pushed to three sets by Carla Suarez Navarro.
Barty prevailed in three sets, but it was far from the easy first-round match that most top seeds have at Grand Slams.
Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev lost a combined one set over in the men's singles draw to kick off their respective tournaments. Both players will pay close attention to Federer over the next week-and-a-half since they all reside in the bottom half of the men's draw.
The first round will continue Wednesday after a handful of matches on Tuesday were suspended because of darkness. Some players still have not made it on the court because of the delays caused by Monday's inclement weather.
Federer and Mannarino went back and forth over four sets, but unfortunately the thrilling finale was taken away from them after the Frenchman was forced to retire.
Mannarino suffered the injury during the fourth set. Despite his best attempts to continue, he was unable to move on to the fifth set.
The Frenchman had the eight-time Wimbledon winner on the ropes after the third set, but a slip on the damp grass, which took on rain during Monday's play, cost him a run at the No. 6 seed.
Federer, who himself had to withdraw from the French Open on his road back from a knee injury, can use Tuesday's match as a motivator despite the final result.
Federer did not play up to his typical high standard in the second and third sets, and he has a potentially difficult matchup with another French veteran, Richard Gasquet, coming up in the second round.
The sixth-seeded Swiss did catch a break thanks to the weather, as most of the other first-round matches in his section of the draw have not been played yet.
If Federer reaches the second week, he would run into Medvedev in the quarterfinals. The second-seeded Russian fought through his own battle against Jan-Lennard Struff on Tuesday.
Medvedev narrowly avoided a fifth set, as he took down Struff in a fourth-set tiebreak after falling in the third set.
Zverev looked like the best player of the three top seeds in action Tuesday. He blew past Dutch qualifier Tallon Griekspoor in straight sets.
Zverev may end up with the biggest advantage in the bottom half of the draw since six seeds in the two sections of his quarter have not played yet in London.
American Sebastian Korda produced Tuesday's biggest upset. He eliminated No. 15 Alex De Minaur in four sets. He won the first two sets and finished off the Australian in a fourth-set tiebreak.
Korda's win extended an incredible week for his family. His sister, Nelly, won the Women's PGA Championship over the weekend. His other sister, Jessica, took 15th in that tournament.
Shortly after Mannarino suffered his injury on Centre Court, Williams was forced out of the first set of her match because of a similar slip.
Williams left the court to a standing ovation at 3-3 in the first set after the pain increased from a slip on the baseline.
Williams became the second top-10 seed to exit the women's draw in the first two days of the tournament. No. 10 seed Petra Kvitova was upset Monday.
Barty almost joined them, but she rallied back from a second-set tiebreak loss to win the third set 6-1 over Suarez Navarro.
With Williams out and Simona Halep dealing with an injury that forced her out before the tournament started, this could be Barty's best-ever chance to win on the grass.
Barty has not advanced past the fourth round at Wimbledon in her singles career. She has a French Open win and three straight quarterfinal berths at the Australian Open on her resume.
The 2019 French Open champion could be in line for a fourth-round showdown with the recent winner in Paris. No. 14 Barbora Krejcikova continued her fantastic form with a straight-set win over Clara Tauson.
A potential Barty-Krejcikova match was made more likely by Kiki Bertens' first-round exit at the hands of Marta Kostyuk.
Those three seeded women should be at an advantage over other players in the top half of the draw. Elina Svitolina, Belinda Bencic and Bianca Andreescu are among the women still waiting to play their first-round matches.
Roger Federer Says He'll Decide on Tokyo Olympics Participation After Wimbledon
Jun 26, 2021
Switzerland's Roger Federer plays a return to Germany's Dominik Koepfer during their third round match on day 7, of the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, Saturday, June 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
Tennis legend Roger Federer said Saturday that he will decide whether to play at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo after competing at Wimbledon.
According to ESPN's Simon Chambers, Federer said: "With the team we decided we're going to reassess the situation after Wimbledon because ... obviously if I play really good here or really bad, I think it has an impact on how everything might look in the summer."
The 39-year-old has played only four tournaments this year since returning in March from a 13-month absence as a result of two knee surgeries.
After making it to the fourth round of the French Open earlier this month, Federer withdrew in an effort to preserve his health for Wimbledon and the grass-court season.
The Switzerland native then lost to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the Noventi Open in Halle, Germany, in a disappointing end to his Wimbledon tune-up.
At the All England Club in London, Federer will be in search of his ninth career Wimbledon title. He already holds the men's record for most Wimbledon singles titles with eight, which is one more than American Pete Sampras.
In addition to his success at Wimbledon, Federer has accomplished some big things on the Olympic stage, winning gold in men's doubles with Stan Wawrinka in 2008 and then taking silver in men's singles in 2012, losing to Andy Murray in the gold medal match.
Federer did not compete in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro while recovering from knee surgery, but he made it clear Saturday that he would love to make his Olympic return this summer if the stars align:
"Still my feeling is I would like to go to the Olympics. I would like to play as many tournaments as possible. But I think we decided now let's just get through Wimbledon, sit down as a team, and then decide where we go from there.
"I wish I could tell you more. In previous years it was definitely easier. At the moment things are not as simple as in the past. With age you have to be more selective. You can't play it all. I will know in a few weeks."
If Federer does compete at the Tokyo Olympics, he will look to become the first Swiss man to win gold in men's singles since Marc Rosset in 1992.
Federer's quest for a ninth Wimbledon title and perhaps Olympic gold will begin Monday when he faces Adrian Mannarino in his first-round Wimbledon match.
Wimbledon 2021: Schedule, Dates, Times, Live Stream and Predictions
Jun 26, 2021
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: Novak Djokovic of Serbia practices ahead of The Championships - Wimbledon 2021 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on June 25, 2021 in London, England. (Photo by AELTC/Pool/Getty Images)
Just two weeks after winning the French Open, Novak Djokovic enters Wimbledon as the favorite to win the men's singles draw.
Djokovic does not have to face Rafael Nadal in London, and Roger Federer is still working back to 100 percent after his knee injury. The No. 1 seed has a clear path to the final, and it would be a total shock if he does not contest the title game.
As it has been during the Big Three era on the men's side, the women's singles draw is far less predictable. That was evident at the French Open, where Barbora Krejickova won her first Grand Slam title.
Reigning champion Simona Halep withdrew from Wimbledon with an injury. That leaves Ashleigh Barty, Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina as the favorites heading into the first grass-court major in two years.
Wimbledon Information
Dates: June 28-July 11
TV: ESPN and ESPN2 (play begins at 6 a.m. ET daily)
Live Stream: ESPN app and ESPN.com.
Predictions
Novak Djokovic Inches Closer to Season Sweep
Djokovic has the potential to win all four Grand Slams and an Olympic gold medal in 2021.
With Federer still on the mend and Nadal not playing in England, Djokovic is the clear-cut favorite to win Wimbledon for the third consecutive tournament.
The Serb has an easy draw, with Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev looking like the only threats on his route to the final. A rematch of the French Open final with Tsitsipas in the semifinals could be a fantastic match, and it might be Djokovic's first true challenge in SW19.
Daniil Medvedev, Alexander Zverev and Federer all landed in the bottom half of the bracket, meaning Djokovic would only have to face one of them to hoist the trophy.
Medvedev, Zverev and Tsitsipas have qualified for Grand Slam finals, but none of them have been able to win a major yet. Until that happens, it feels difficult to pick any of them to win a draw that features two members of the Big Three.
Djokovic is in the best form of any men's singles player, and unless he suffers an upset, he should capture his third major of the season.
Elina Svitolina Breaks Through For 1st Major Win
Picking the women's singles champion at any Grand Slam has become an impossible task.
Five first-time Grand Slam winners have been crowned in the past three years, with Krejcikova being the latest one at Roland-Garros.
The recent first-place finishers on the women's side have not been the top seeds, but that could change at Wimbledon.
Elina Svitolina has a favorable draw in front of her, and she was a Wimbledon semifinalist in 2019.
The No. 3 seed does not have another top-15 player in her portion of the draw. The first top-10 seed she could play is either Serena Williams or Belinda Bencic, and that is assuming chalk holds in that portion of the draw.
No. 1 seed Ashleigh Barty faces a tough test in the first round against Carla Suarez Navarro, and she could have to go through Johanna Konta at her home major and the in-form Krejcikova just to reach the final eight.
Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka could put everything together at a major and make a deep run, but her history of upset losses does not inspire much confidence. She has not gotten past the fourth round at any major.
Since 2018, Svitolina reached the final eight at five Grand Slams. She had back-to-back semifinal appearances at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2019.
If she takes advantage of her draw, Svitolina should enter the second week with loads of confidence and could join the growing list of first-time major champions on the women's side.
Wimbledon 2021 Draw: Bracket, Schedule and Preview of Men's and Women's Events
Jun 25, 2021
LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 14: Novak Djokovic of Serbia with the winners trophy after defeating Roger Federer of Switzerland (not pictured) in the Men's Singles Final at The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club at Wimbledon on July 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Simon Bruty/Anychance/Getty Images)
Novak Djokovic and Ashleigh Barty were revealed as the top seeds for the 2021 Wimbledon Championships as part of Friday's tournament draws.
Djokovic is the defending champion on the men's side after beating Roger Federer in a memorable five-set marathon final in 2019. Wimbledon was canceled last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Simona Halep, the 2019 women's champ, announced Friday on Instagram she wouldn't be able to defend her title because of a calf injury.
Let's check out all of the important details for tennis' third Grand Slam event of the year. That's followed by an overview of some storylines to watch from both singles brackets.
Key Wimbledon Information
Location: All England Club in London
Scheduled Dates: Monday, June 28 — Sunday, July 11
Djokovic is halfway to the calendar
Grand Slam after capturing the Australian Open championship in
February and the French Open title in mid-June. He'd become the first
men's singles player to accomplish the feat since Rod Laver in 1969.
Laver also did it in 1962.
The 34-year-old Serbian superstar has a
highly favorable draw in the early rounds. Big-serving Kevin Anderson
could pose a little bit of a challenge as a potential second-round
opponent, but the No. 1 seed will be a heavy favorite to make it
through to the event's second week without much drama.
Given his recent form, Djokovic
probably won't face a serious test until a potential quarterfinal
matchup with fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev.
Here's a look at all the
possible quarterfinals if the seeds hold:
Gentlemen's Singles - Projected Quarter-finals
Djokovic vs Rublev Tsitsipas vs Bautista Agut Zverev vs Berrettini Medvedev vs Federer#Wimbledon
Federer's return to the All England
Club will attract a lot of attention since he dropped out of the
French Open after reaching the fourth round to focus on continued
recovery from his knee injuries.
"After two knee surgeries and over
a year of rehabilitation, it's important that I listen to my body and
make sure I don't push myself too quickly on my road to recovery," Federer said June 6. "I am thrilled to have gotten three matches
under my belt. There is no greater feeling than being back on court."
The eight-time Wimbledon champion
returned to action at the Halle Open in Germany last week, but he
suffered a loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime in his second match of the
warm-up event.
Federer's uncertain form and fitness
make him a longer shot than he'd typically be at Wimbledon, but if
there's one major where he's capable of pulling off the unexpected,
it's this one.
Meanwhile, Andy Murray was granted a
wild card for the event and will look to progress beyond the second round of a
major for the first time since 2017 as he's worked to overcome
injuries of his own.
The 2013 and 2016 Wimbledon winner
opens with a tough matchup against No. 24 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili,
but there's a definite path for a run if he makes it through that
match, especially if 10th-seeded Denis Shapovalov is upset before
their possible third-round encounter.
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Daniil Medvedev
are the other title hopefuls to watch on the men's side.
Women's Draw
Barty was in terrific form heading
toward the French Open having won the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in
Germany and reached the final of the Madrid Open in Spain. She was
forced to withdraw from the Italian Open and at Roland-Garros because
of injuries, however, and she didn't play a grass warm-up event.
It sets the stage for what could be
another unpredictable women's draw after the French Open, which saw
just one top-10 seed reach the quarterfinals.
Ladies' Singles - Projected Quarter-finals
Barty (1) vs Andreescu (5) Svitolina (3) vs S.Williams (6)
Kenin (4) vs Ka. Pliskova (8) Sabalenka (2) vs Swiatek (7)#Wimbledon
Serena Williams was among the notable
players knocked out earlier than expected in Paris, losing in the
fourth round to Elena Rybakina in straight sets.
Williams has captured 23 Grand Slam
singles titles, leaving her one short of tying Margaret Court for the
all-time record, but that next major championship has been elusive.
Her last triumph on one of tennis' biggest stages came at the 2017
Australian Open, though she's reached four finals since that title.
That includes back-to-back trips to the
Wimbledon final in 2018 and 2019. She's won the event seven times. So
this is a golden opportunity for her to break the drought with no
clear favorite in the field.
Beyond Barty and Williams, there's a
large group of second-tier contenders all with a realistic chance of
making a championship charge. Petra Kvitova, Aryna Sabalenka, Garbine
Muguruza, Bianca Andreescu and Iga Swiatek are just a handful of the
players from that group.
Coco Gauff is another player to keep
tabs on throughout the fortnight. The 17-year-old American reached
the quarterfinals of a major for the first time at the French Open,
and her game should be even better suited for the grass courts of the
All England Club.
"I'm excited to go back for sure.
I think my most memorable thing I remember from Wimbledon is just the
crowd experience," Gauff said earlier this month after reaching the fourth round in her first appearance at the tournament in 2019.
A possible fourth-round clash between
Williams and Gauff would have Match of the Year potential if both players are at their best.
