Roger Federer spent a calm preparatory weekend at his rented home and on the practice courts easing into the fourth round at the Wimbledon Championships.
The third seed in the chase for an eighth title at his favourite tennis venue would have been quietly boosted by the third-round exit of top-seeded nemesis Novak Djokovic, who barely denied the 34-year-old Swiss another Wimbledon a year ago in their tight final.
Federer will take the stage to start the second week at the All England Club in the fourth round as he faces American Steve Johnson in a first-time meeting with the journeyman. For Federer, the presumed Centre Court match-up will be another day at the office - one in which 15,000 spectators are watching his every move. “I prefer playing matches in front of thousands of people and on legendary courts rather than practising in front of nobody. But even that I take pleasure from, as well,” the 17-time grand slam champion said.
“But I don’t feel like I need it necessarily to live, otherwise I feel like I’d be in the wrong place, playing for the wrong reasons. I’ve had a lot of great moments away from the matches and the practices and away from the tennis with the life, with my wife and my family, my friends. The travelling we do there as well, the time we spend together there is equally as nice, if not nicer.
“If I can do it hand in hand, have sort of two lives at once, it’s unbelievable. As long as my wife, my kids enjoy it, I’m the happiest guy out there. So also I can play better tennis.”
Federer had a smooth ride through the weather-interrupted first week, which required staging only the fourth middle Sunday play in tournament history and first in a dozen years. The third seed played his first three matches on Centre Court with its protective roof and emerged without the loss of a set. Murray knew Djokovic run would not last forever
Andy Murray was giving nothing away entering the second week at Wimbledon after one of his main rivals Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the third round in an upset staged by American Sam Querrey. With the second-seeded Scot working to win his second home title at the major, the absence of the man who beat him this season for Australian and French Open titles cannot be overstated.
But Murray was playing it cool on developments: “The run that Novak has (four straight grand slam titles, winner of 30 straight matches at the majors over the past year) had has been incredible. “Everyone expects him to win every match. But history suggests that that’s not going to happen. There’s going to be a match where you don’t play your best, and your opponent plays great tennis.
“But rather than it (the loss) being a surprise, it should really be almost celebrated now, what he’s actually done. I mean, it’s incredible. “I would imagine today he’d be disappointed. But looking back, it’s been probably the best 12 months in tennis for years.” Murray played down any implications of the Djokovic defeat regarding his own repeat title chances. “If I was to reach the final, then it may have some bearing really, but it doesn’t right now,” the 2013 champion said. “My draw’s still exactly the same. The matches are tough. And the bookies don’t always get it right. They made a few mistakes over the last few weeks across a number of different things. Your job is to go out there and try to win the matches that are there in front of you. That’s what I’ll try and do.”