Gerry Weber Open 2013: Roger Federer Must Win to Gain Momentum for Wimbledon

When Roger Federer squares off against Mikhail Youzhny in the finals of the 2013 Gerry Weber Open, the Swiss tennis star must walk away victorious to build momentum heading toward Wimbledon (major starts Monday, June 24).

Federer knows that this is his time to build momentum heading into next week, telling CTVNews about how he views Sunday’s championship: “It's a big final for me, after that I'll start thinking about Wimbledon.”

The road to the finals of the Gerry Weber Open wasn’t easy for Federer, though, as the legend was put to the test against defending champion Tommy Haas in the semifinals. Federer went on to win the matchup against Haas 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and the fact that he overcame a first-set loss will result in some serious confidence heading into the finals and into next week’s Wimbledon tournament.

As the defending Wimbledon champion, the target is squarely on Federer’s back, and the tennis world will be focused on how the Swiss star bounces back from his loss to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals of the 2013 French Open.

A win on Sunday against Youzhny would erase some of the damage caused by an early exit at the French Open, and the momentum from a tournament win would give the seven-time Wimbledon champion all the confidence he'd need heading into next week.

While a victory would put Federer in the driver's seat heading into Wimbledon, the field that will surround him around him at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club is playing extremely well and will look to stifle his championship defense.

Not only is World No. 1 Novak Djokovic ready to win his second Wimbledon title in three years, but 2013 French Open champion Rafael Nadal is also a two-time Wimbledon champion and he's playing great right now.

Federer needs to build all the momentum he can at the 2013 Gerry Weber Open, because the field at Wimbledon will be the toughest it's been in years. The defending champion will need all the help he can get.

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