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Relieved Nadal drawn to meet Federer in Wimbledon semis
LONDON, June 28, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Rafael Nadal breathed a sigh of relief
Friday after he was slated to meet eight-time champion Roger Federer in the
Wimbledon semi-finals.
Nadal’s fears that he would be drawn in top-seeded favourite and defending
champion Novak Djokovic’s half of the draw — and face him in the semis —
proved unfounded despite Wimbledon promoting Federer above him in the
seedings.
The Spaniard, seeded third behind Federer, had complained earlier this
week that Wimbledon’s unique formula for seeding that combines ranking points
with form in grass-court competitions was disrespectful.
World number one Djokovic will in theory face South African fourth seed
and last year’s beaten finalist Kevin Anderson — who was promoted from
eighth in the world — in the last four.
Nadal, who comes in on the back of his 18th Grand Slam singles title after
winning his 12th French Open which included beating Federer in the semi-
finals, will do well to reach the last four as he has a tough looking draw.
He should have little trouble with his first round opponent, Yuichi Sugita
of Japan, but after that things become more perilous.
Moody but talented Australian Nick Kyrgios — who beat Nadal in the last
16 at Wimbledon in 2014 — is a potential second round opponent and highly-
rated Canadian youngster Denis Shapovalov could await in the third round.
If he emerges from those tussles he could face Croatia’s 2017 Wimbledon
singles finalist Marin Cilic in the last 16.
His great rivals Djokovic and Federer begin their campaigns against 35-
year-old German Philipp Kohlschreiber and Lloyd Harris of South Africa
respectively.
Kohlschreiber beat Djokovic earlier this year in the third round at Indian
Wells.
The women’s draw sees Australia’s new world number one and French Open
champion Ashleigh Barty open against China’s Zheng Saisai with a potentially
tricky date with Spain’s 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza in the third round.
The most intriguing match-up could come in the fourth round with a rematch
of last year’s final between defending champion Angelique Kerber of Germany
and American legend Serena Williams.
There is a first round match of the old and the very new as Williams’s 39-
year-old sister Venus will play compatriot Cori Gauff, who on Thursday at
15years of age became the youngest woman to qualify for the tournament in the
Open era.
Adding extra spice to the encounter is that the Williams sisters are the
reason Gauff took up tennis.
“Serena Williams has always been an idol and Venus,” she said.
“I mean they’re the reason why I wanted to pick up a tennis racket.
“I’ve met them both and they are super kind people I’m just thankful they
took up tennis because I am sure they would dominate any sport.”
Japan’s Naomi Osaka — whom Barty replaced as world number one when she
won the Birmingham tournament last Sunday — begins her bid to add Wimbledon
to her US and Australian Open titles against Kazakh Yulia Putintseva.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1945HRS