Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    7,523 violators of residency, labor, and border security laws deported in a week    Video contradicts Israeli army account of deadly March 23 strike on Gaza paramedics    Saudi Arabia spends over $241 million to implement de-mining projects in 3 countries    Italy's Meloni government approves controversial security decree expanding police protections and penalties    Egypt submits new Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange proposal: Report    'Everything is possible' — Ronaldo focused on titles, not 1,000-goal milestone after Riyadh Derby win    Saudi, US military leaders discuss enhanced defense cooperation in Riyadh    King Salman Global Academy for Arabic Language launches program with Indiana University    Ronaldo brace powers Al Nassr past Al Hilal in Riyadh derby thriller    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Al-Jadaan: Crown Prince's directives confirm government's ability to bring back balance to real estate market    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Foreign investors are allowed to engage in real estate business outside Makkah and Madinah Commercial speculation should not be the purpose of real estate transaction    Aubameyang fires Al Qadsiah into King's Cup final with stoppage-time winner over Al Raed    Musk's X is suing India, as Tesla and Starlink plan entry    Tesla sales plunge after backlash against Elon Musk    Danilo Pereira fires Al Ittihad into King's Cup final with dramatic stoppage-time double    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Mexico bans junk food in schools to fight childhood obesity epidemic    Sweet sales surge ahead of Eid as Saudi chocolate imports top 123 million kg in 2024    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Nadal aims hammer blow at Federer Wimbledon dream
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 18 - 06 - 2011

Defending champion Rafael Nadal is poised to end Roger Federer's lingering dream of a seventh Wimbledon title and reluctantly nip ahead in the race to be crowned the greatest player of all time.
World No. 1 Nadal took his Grand Slam title tally to 10 with a sixth French Open win two weeks ago — his fourth final win in Paris over Federer — and is now only six majors behind the great Swiss.
The Spaniard will be chasing his third Wimbledon trophy, a feat which could sink for good Federer's hopes of a seventh title to match the record of Pete Sampras.
Crucially time is on Nadal's side. He is almost five years younger than Federer who, at 29, will be acutely aware that Sampras' seventh and last Wimbledon triumph in 2000 came two months before he reached the same age.
But Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 Wimbledon champion and runner-up in 2006 and 2007, is not prepared to write off his great rival, who he has faced 25 times, just yet.
“When you talk about these statistics, when you try and make these comparisons, really it's not very interesting to me,” said Nadal, who will head to Wimbledon with his batteries recharged following an early defeat at Queens.
“I'm very happy with what I have, with who I am. I'm not the best player in the history of tennis. I think I'm amongst the best. That's true. That's enough for me.”
Federer, now without a Grand Slam title since his 16th major at the 2010 Australian Open, was stunned by the Czech Republic's Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon last year.
It was his earliest exit at the All England Club since his first round loss to Mario Ancic in 2002.
But he has been buoyed by his run to the French Open final, ending Novak Djokovic's 43-match winning streak in the semifinals.
Wimbledon is his second home.
“This is where it all started for me back in 2003; or even with beating Pete Sampras earlier in 2001.
So that's why I always really enjoy coming back,” said Federer. “The huge priority is to win Wimbledon. That's always, for me, the No. 1 goal of the season.”
Djokovic, the Australian Open winner who is poised to depose Nadal as world No. 1, has yet to make a Wimbledon final, losing in the 2010 semifinal to Berdych in straight sets and to Nadal, also in the last four, in 2007.
But the world No. 2 Serb, who skipped the traditional Wimbledon warmup at Queen's Club because of tendinitis, has been tipped to finally succeed at the All England Club by Andre Agassi.
“I think he will be even better there and hungrier for success,” said 1992 champion Agassi.
Djokovic goes into Wimbledon insisting that the end of his winning streak will not be a burden.
“It was the best five months of my life, my tennis career,” said the Serb. “I cannot complain. It was definitely an incredible period. It had to end somewhere. I knew it was coming. But it's sport. I will keep on working hard.”
World No. 4 Andy Murray, bidding to become Britain's first Wimbledon men's champion since Fred Perry 75 years ago, made the semifinals in 2009 and 2010.
His 6-3, 6-1 win over three-time All England Club finalist Andy Roddick in the semifinals at Queen's gave every indication that the ankle injury he suffered at the French Open is not as worrying as it was in Paris.
“It was one of those days where I hardly missed a ball,” said Murray.
Roddick added: “Everything he touched turned to gold. He was too good for me. Certainly it does nothing to my confidence level going into Wimbledon.”
Roddick will be a sentimental favorite to do well at Wimbledon having been runner-up to Federer in 2004, 2005 and 2009.
That final two years ago is widely-regarded as one of the finest of all time with Roddick edged out 16-14 in an epic final set.


Clic here to read the story from its source.