Federer begins ninth Wimbledon title quest

Visits: 4

Eight Brits in action on Tuesday, including 19-year-old wildcard Paul Jubb

Last Updated: 02/07/19 6:08am

Roger Federer is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam title Roger Federer is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam title

Roger Federer is aiming to win his 21st Grand Slam title

Roger Federer begins his bid for a ninth Wimbledon title as fellow former champion Rafael Nadal opens his campaign on a busy day for British tennis.

The Swiss is seeded second at the All England Club despite Nadal being world No 2, with the two-time champion from Spain describing the seedings policy, which – unlike the other three majors – applies a grass-court formula as unfair.

Federer will face South Africa’s world No 86 Lloyd Harris in the second match on Centre Court with Nadal completing the schedule on Court One against Japan’s world No 272 Yuichi Sugita.

Nadal, who won the French Open last month, could face Nick Kyrgios in a repeat of their fourth-round encounter in 2014, with Federer seeded to meet his great rival in the semi-finals.

Rafael Nadal's only grass-court preparations came at the Hurlingham Club, where he lost both matches Rafael Nadal's only grass-court preparations came at the Hurlingham Club, where he lost both matches

Rafael Nadal’s only grass-court preparations came at the Hurlingham Club, where he lost both matches

One to watch

Paul Jubb is not a household name within the British public’s consciousness, but he certainly will be if the 19-year-old wildcard makes a winning start in what is sure to be an atmosphere unlike he has ever faced.

The most talked about teenager in British tennis will face Joao Sousa, world No 69, in the final match on Court 17 on his Grand Slam debut.

Wildcard Paul Jubb is one of eight Brits in action on Tuesday Wildcard Paul Jubb is one of eight Brits in action on Tuesday

Wildcard Paul Jubb is one of eight Brits in action on Tuesday

Jubb won the National Collegiate Athletic Association title – the pinnacle of the prestigious American college system – in May, which would have guaranteed him a wildcard for the US Open, but he will be denied the privilege because he is not American.

He remains in the final year of his degree at the University of South Carolina, meaning he will not be not be able to claim most of the £45,000 in prize money, and victory against Sousa would be the biggest of his fledgling career.

Jubby – Remember the name!

Introducing teenage sensation Paul Jubb. Could the boy from Hull become Britain’s next big tennis star?

“Hopefully it’s a match I can sink my teeth into and make it gritty and compete really hard,” Jubb said.

“Obviously there’s going to be nerves. I’m nervous before every match like everyone is. But more so to try and show what I can do. That’s what I’ve been doing and that’s what I do every time I go on the court no matter who it’s against or where it is.”

Seed(s) to struggle?

Dominic Thiem reached his second consecutive French Open final last month but the Austrian does not hold a strong record at Wimbledon, having only progressed past the second round once in 2017 when he lost in the fourth round.

The world No 4 faces a stern opening examination against big-serving American Sam Querrey, who is back on court following an abdominal injury that kept him out for two months.

Querrey, who reached the semi-final in 2017, arrives on the back of reaching the final at Eastbourne in his first tournament back, while Thiem has not played in a warm-up grass-court tournament.

Lucas Pouille, seeded 27th, will face Richard Gasquet in all-French first round match.

Gasquet played his first tennis of the year in May following groin surgery in January and the 33-year-old served up a reminder of his grass-court ability with run to the semi-finals at s-Hertogenbosch.

Pouille leads the head-to-head 4-1 against two-time Wimbledon semi-finalist Gasquet, who has been handed a tough first-round draw for the third successive year – after defeats to David Ferrer and Gael Monfils in the last two years.

Brit Watch

After a relatively quiet first day for the British contingent, which saw victories for Heather Watson and Kyle Edmund, there are no fewer than eight, including Jubb, playing on Tuesday.

British No 2 Cameron Norrie, world No 55, will target his first main draw victory at Wimbledon when he faces world No 115 Denis Istomin.

Dan Evans has enjoyed an excellent grass-court campaign, winning 12 matches including two Challenger titles, and the British No 3 will aim to continue his good form against world No 75 Federico Delbonis.

Dan Evans won titles at Surbiton and Nottingham Dan Evans won titles at Surbiton and Nottingham

Dan Evans won titles at Surbiton and Nottingham

Wildcard beneficiaries James Ward, who reached the third round four years ago, and Jay Clarke will begin their campaigns against 18th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili and world No 182 Noah Rubin respectively.

In the women’s draw, British No 1 Johanna Konta will aim to build on her run to the French Open semi-finals when she begins her challenge against world No 132 Ana Bogdan.

Excited Konta ready for Wimbledon

Johanna Konta will have to overcome a mixed grass-court record when Wimbledon gets underway, but insists she is prepared as she can be.

Katie Swan will look to match last year’s run beyond the first round when she faces Germany’s Laura Siegemund, ranked world No 82.

Compatriot Harriet Dart, who is one of three British women to be handed a wildcard, will aim to harness some of the memories from her semi-final run in the mixed doubles with Clarke when she begins her singles campaign against American Christina McHale.

What you might have missed on Monday…

Ivo Karlovic became the oldest Wimbledon match winner since 1975 as the 40-year-old defeated Andrea Arnaboldi some 16 years after beating defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in 2003 on what was his Wimbledon debut.

Feliciano Lopez, champion at Queen’s last month in both the singles and in the doubles alongside Andy Murray, continued his resurgence in form by defeating American Marcos Giron in his 70th consecutive Grand Slam appearance.

However, the standout result on the opening day was victory for 15-year-old Cori Gauff, who defeated five-time champion Venus Williams – 24 years her senior.

Asked who were some of her other idols, Gauff said: “Roger Federer definitely inspired me. When I lost first round Australian Open juniors, I talked to him. Gave me kind of a pep talk. The next tournament was French Open juniors, and I ended up winning it, so I guess it helped.

“Off-court heroes of mine, definitely Rihanna, Beyonce, I really look up to them as well.”

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