Roger Federer Will Cruise to Semifinals After 3rd-Round Wake-Up Call
Roger Federer got the memo.
After nearly biting the same dust as Rafael Nadal in his third-round match with Justin Benneteau, Fed is now locked in.
Federer knows this is the best shot he'll have to win another Grand Slam. Things won't be easy, but without his normal foil in the tournament, Federer should be considered a favorite.
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Of course, there is this one guy named Novak Djokovic who's pretty good. But even with a clash with Djoker on the horizon in the semifinals, Federer has to feel confident.
Roger still owns the edge in the all-time series against Djokovic (14-12) and stylistically, he has always matched up better against Djoker, especially on grass. The surface is Federer's best and though Djoker has been consistent on most surfaces, he's his best on hard courts.
Despite the immediacy of the moment for Federer, he appears as loose and calm as he always does. He faces Xavier Malisse in the fourth round, and it's easy to say Federer should win easily, but we've seen big names tumble at Wimbledon this year.
Because of what's at stake, and because I believe Federer had his moment of vulnerability, he will not fall victim to an upset. If Federer falls, it will be at the hands of Djokovic in the semifinals. If he can survive that test, he will be the odds-on-favorite to win it all.
That would be the case, even if Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is his opponent in the final. Tsonga is playing very well and he's traditionally tough on grass, but Federer's true test will be in the semifinals.
If he can't take advantage of this opportunity, his Grand Slam window is likely closed.
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