Nadal, Federer to meet in Wimbledon final
Sunday, 8 July 2007
LONDON, Jul 7 (AFP): Rafael Nadal, who shattered Roger Federer's dreams of an historic Grand Slam in Paris, will attempt to torpedo the world number one's bid for a fifth successive Wimbledon title Sunday.
Nadal goes into his second All England Club final in a row buoyed by a career 8-4 record over Federer and having been handed an easy passage into the final when Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from their semi-final with an injury in the third set.
Federer, bidding to emulate Bjorn Borg by winning five Wimbledons in a row, brushed past French 12th seed Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in his semi-final.
Victory on Sunday will be his 11th Grand Slam title and leave him just three short of Pete Sampras's record of 14.
"A lot of things have changed in the last year," said Nadal who took a set off Federer in the 2006 final before going down to defeat.
"I am playing much better then last season but he is the favourite. I will come to the match determined to play aggressively and I will believe I can win."
Nadal, bidding to become the first Spaniard to win the men's singles title since Manolo Santana in 1966, praised Federer.
"He has all the shots and controls the speed of the ball," said the world number two.
"There are many things I have to improve on for Sunday, like my slice and volley. But I am just 21 years old."
Djokovic, who had been suffering with a sore back and required on-court treatment for a blister on his toe in Saturday's semi-final, had been on court for nine hours in his previous two matches against Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis.
But after requiring treatment on his back during those matches as well, the 20-year-old Serb was not even sure on Saturday morning if he would be able to start the semi-final.
Nadal goes into his second All England Club final in a row buoyed by a career 8-4 record over Federer and having been handed an easy passage into the final when Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from their semi-final with an injury in the third set.
Federer, bidding to emulate Bjorn Borg by winning five Wimbledons in a row, brushed past French 12th seed Richard Gasquet 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in his semi-final.
Victory on Sunday will be his 11th Grand Slam title and leave him just three short of Pete Sampras's record of 14.
"A lot of things have changed in the last year," said Nadal who took a set off Federer in the 2006 final before going down to defeat.
"I am playing much better then last season but he is the favourite. I will come to the match determined to play aggressively and I will believe I can win."
Nadal, bidding to become the first Spaniard to win the men's singles title since Manolo Santana in 1966, praised Federer.
"He has all the shots and controls the speed of the ball," said the world number two.
"There are many things I have to improve on for Sunday, like my slice and volley. But I am just 21 years old."
Djokovic, who had been suffering with a sore back and required on-court treatment for a blister on his toe in Saturday's semi-final, had been on court for nine hours in his previous two matches against Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis.
But after requiring treatment on his back during those matches as well, the 20-year-old Serb was not even sure on Saturday morning if he would be able to start the semi-final.