Federer swaps living room for centre court
Friday, 6 July 2007
LONDON, Jul 5 (Reuters): Champion Roger Federer will have to dust the cobwebs off his racket on Thursday before returning for the first match of his Wimbledon defense in six days.
While rivals were held up by rain, the top seed received a walkover against the injured Tommy Haas on Sunday and faces a quarter-final tussle with former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, a recent convert to grass.
Federer's potential semi-final opponent Andy Roddick, who takes on Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the day's other quarter-final, does not think the four-times winner will be affected by the delay.
"We've been stuck in a locker room for nine hours a day... Given the choice, I'll take a living room over a locker room," the American number three seed joked.
As the rain-affected tournament attempts to get back on schedule, four outstanding men's fourth round matches require completion.
While rivals were held up by rain, the top seed received a walkover against the injured Tommy Haas on Sunday and faces a quarter-final tussle with former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, a recent convert to grass.
Federer's potential semi-final opponent Andy Roddick, who takes on Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the day's other quarter-final, does not think the four-times winner will be affected by the delay.
"We've been stuck in a locker room for nine hours a day... Given the choice, I'll take a living room over a locker room," the American number three seed joked.
As the rain-affected tournament attempts to get back on schedule, four outstanding men's fourth round matches require completion.