Why it’s time to seriously consider Roger Federer for Wimbledon
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Roger Federer is rapidly scripting one of sport’s greatest comeback stories, and after his latest success, we say the Swiss maestro must be given major consideration for a famous Wimbledon triumph this year.
Fededer defeated compatriot Stan Wawrinka in straight sets to land his fifth Indian Wells’ title this weekend, adding to his superb Australian Open victory in January.
And with both Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic struggling with injury and a lack of form, the door is open for the Fed-Express to continue his renaissance in 2017.
After curtailing his 2016 campaign short at the end of July in a bid to recover from injuries, to rest and to recoup, our traders re-priced Federer at an unlikely 20/1 to win at SW19 this year.
Even at the start of the calendar year you could have got those odds, but now the seven-time champ is just 6/1 to win in front of an adoring British crowd for an eighth-time.
And when the 35-year-old defeated old rival Rafael Nadal in five sets to win in Melbourne, the jury was still out over exactly how well Federer would fare on the ATP Tour.
But victory at Indian Wells suggests that his four-month convalescence was a masterstroke.
Federer has consistently spoken in the press of how aware he is of his advancing years, and the need to ensure a schedule and workload which suits him.
R-Fed will be aiming to continue his fine form at the Miami Open this week – a tournament both Murray and Djokovic have pulled out of – but after that it remains to be seen where the 18-time Slam champion’s schedule will lead.
Certainly if he can avoid fatigue and burnout – which he is evidently aware of doing – he has a great shot at Wimbledon this year.
Arthur Ashe is Wimbledon’s oldest Open Era men’s singles champion at 31 years and 11 months, but should Federer do the business this summer he would smash that record by a whopping four years, just three weeks’ shy of his 36th birthday.
All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing
