Roger Federer vs. Mikhail Youzhny – Fourth Round Preview: Wimbledon Championships 2011
Wimbledon Championships enter its final stages as the race to glory is limited to just 16 men and the world number three Roger Federer of Switzerland takes on the 17th ranked Mikhail Youzhny of Russia in the fourth round
of the tournament on Monday.
The highly anticipated contest will be staged on the Centre Court of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London, England, with the winner of the matchup getting a place in the quarter-finals of the mega event.
The third seed Federer is in his prime form these days and his consistent performances with the racquet had brought him to the fourth round of the Grand Slam tournament. Winner of six Wimbledon titles, the Swiss maestro has not
dropped a single set en route to the fourth round, annihilating every competitor he faced in straight sets.
Federer took down the former world number three, David Nalbandian of Argentina, in the third round on Saturday to book a date with Youzhny in the next round. Nalbandian stood no chance against the mighty Swiss and submitted the
contest in just one hour and forty six minutes of play, dropping three sets in succession.
The 29-year-old Russian came up with a surprise earlier on Saturday, when he defeated the 16th seed, Nicolas Almagro of Spain, in the third round to meet Federer. Youzhny toiled hard to oust Almagro in the four-setter
4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3), 6-3, to reckon his presence in the final 16 at Wimbledon Championships.
Seeded 18 in the tournament, Youzhny has been in a decent form in the running ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) season and has won 11 out of 23 singles matches he played. It is the sixth time that the Russian has reached
this far at Wimbledon but he has never gone past the fourth round on all the five prior occasions. Although has not won a single championship title this year so far, he certainly desires to make a huge upset in the clash against the world’s finest tennis player
on Monday.
Youzhny has a poor record against the world number three, as he has suffered ten defeats against the Swiss without winning a single match. The Swiss maestro has dropped just two sets in the 10 victories against Youzhny, winning
eight matches in straight sets.
Federer has won just one championships title this year and has been battling hard to gain his vintage form back. He got his touch earlier this month when he powered his way to the final of the French Open after defeating the world
number two, Novak Djokovic, breaking his 41 match unbeaten streak this year. Unfortunately Federer lost to the world number one, Rafael Nadal in the final of Roland Garros but his performances clearly hint that the Swiss is back in business and is hungry for
a Grand Slam title on his favourite surface.
No doubt Federer is the hot favourite for the contest against Youzhny but the Russian can be equally dangerous for the world number three.
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