Face of Nation : It was the perfect start to the grass court season for Roger Federer at the Halle Open last week, defeating David Goffin in the final in straight sets for his 10th title at the German tournament.
But the real test begins this next week when Wimbledon begins.
He enters the tournament as the second seed, with Rafael Nadal dropping down to third.
Last year proved a disappointment for Federer as he exited at the quarter-final stage in a shock defeat to South African Kevin Anderson – his worst performance at SW19 since 2013.
He hasn’t faired much better in the 2019 Grand Slams, exiting in the fourth round at the Australian Open, although reaching the semi-finals on his first return to the French Open since 2015 could be seen as a success.
But it’s at Wimbledon where Federer feels most comfortable and will be gunning for his ninth title.
And the 37-year-old seems in high spirits ahead of the draw on Friday, posting a picture of him in all white on Centre Court accompanied with the caption, “Back”.
Wimbledon has almost acted as a second home to Federer, such is the level of support he receives at the tournament.
And it’s clear fans are as eager as ever to see Federer in action when the tournament begins on July 1.
One person replied: “This is literally the place where you look the greatest.”
Another wrote: “Cannot wait to see you dance across that court.”
A third posted: “Back where you belong.”
Novak Djokovic enters the tournament as favourite, having won three of the last four Grand Slam titles.
But there is also some expectation that some NextGen talents such as Stefanos Tsitsipas will break through and perhaps cause an upset.
Rafael Nadal meanwhile had his best performance at a Wimbledon tournament last year since 2011, reaching the semi-finals before losing against Djokovic in a five-set thriller.
