Photo Ray Giubilo It seems amazing to think that Roger Federer is the favourite for a slam once more in 2017, even if it is his…
© Ray Giubilo Fourth seed Novak Djokovic comes into the tournament full of confidence after a successful week in Eastbourne.…
Photo Ray Giubilo Once more at Wimbledon, the title will not be defended. Serena Williams‘ pregnancy means that…
| Wimbledon 2017 on the BBC |
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| Venue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 July Starts: 11:30 BST |
| Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and app. Click for full times. |
Seven-time champion Roger Federer will share the spotlight with Britain’s world number 869 Alex Ward at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Third seed Federer, 35, plays Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov in the third match on Centre Court at about 16:00 BST.
Ward, who came through qualifying, will face fellow Briton Kyle Edmund on court three at 11:30.
Women’s top seed Angelique Kerber opens play on Centre Court at 13:00 against American Irina Falconi.
When that match finishes, second seed and three-time champion Novak Djokovic takes on Martin Klizan of Slovakia.
Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, the beaten finalist last year, plays Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff in the opening match on Court One at 13:00.
That match will be followed by Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova facing Russia’s Evgeniya Rodina, and Austrian eighth seed Dominic Thiem taking on Canada’s Vasek Pospisil.
Britain’s James Ward, Brydan Klein and Katie Boulter are also in action on day two.
Ward received a wildcard into the main draw last year but slipped down the rankings from a high of 242 after six months out with a wrist injury, and has had a remarkable journey back to the All England Club.
He had to play in pre-qualifying for this year’s Wimbledon, and actually lost in the final round, but was handed a lucky loser spot into qualifying and took full advantage.
“I do feel on cloud nine,” the 27-year-old told BBC Sport.
“I remember last year, my mum came to watch and that was the first time I’d played in the main draw and she walked through the gates with me and was crying straight away. She was really proud.”
Ward will face a friend, and a tough challenge, when he steps on court against Edmund, the world number 50.
“I know Kyle pretty well,” said Ward.
“We’ve trained together quite a few times, been on a few trips. He’s a great player and is doing really well at establishing himself, a top-50 player now. I just can’t wait to get out there.”
Federer begins his 19th Wimbledon one month sort of his 36th birthday and, remarkably, as the bookmakers’ favourite once again.
The Swiss last won the title in 2012 but has been a rejuvenated figure in 2017, winning his 18th major title at the Australian Open and sweeping all before him with an ultra-attacking attitude.
“I don’t want to be at the mercy of my opponent,” said Federer.
“I want to take charge, play aggressive myself. So for that I need to be fast on my feet and quick in my mind.”
Dolgopolov, 28, will pose a significant test for the opening round as a former world number 13, who plays with an unusual mix of pace and spin.
Kerber, last year’s runner-up, returns to Wimbledon as the top seed and reigning US Open champion, but the German’s form has deserted her in 2017.
She opens play on Centre Court in the absence of defending champion Serena Williams, who is awaiting the birth of her first child, but few see Kerber as a title contender.
Pliskova appears a more likely winner, despite never having been past the second round in five attempts.
Pliskova had a Tour-leading 286 aces to her name coming into Wimbledon and won the warm-up tournament in Eastbourne to establish her grass-court credentials.
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| Wimbledon 2017 on the BBC |
|---|
| Venue: All England Club Dates: 3-16 July Starts: 11:30 BST |
| Live: Coverage across BBC TV, BBC Radio and BBC Sport website with further coverage on Red Button, Connected TVs and app. Click for full times. |
It’s lucky I don’t mind an ice bath because I’ve been having one before bed every night just to make sure I’m fit and ready for Wimbledon.
There have been a few changes to my routine since my hip started feeling sore last week but thankfully they seem to have done the trick.
My team have given me a few different exercises to do during the day when we’re together, and also at home in the evening.
It’s probably about 20 minutes of extra stuff, so 8-10 minutes in the ice bath and 8-10 minutes of exercises just to strengthen the hip.
That means two freezing cold dips a day – one at Wimbledon and one in my ice bath at home before bed.
It might not be everyone’s ideal preparation for a good night’s sleep, but fortunately I’ve got used to plunging myself into ice-cold water over the years and I don’t mind it, I’m OK.
I’ve had a sore hip for a long time off and on, since I was 22 or 23, so it’s nothing new for me, but a couple of days after I played Stan Wawrinka at the French Open it felt pretty sore.
That’s no great surprise after a match like that, but each day I was practising on the grass it wasn’t really feeling better, it was getting worse.
Obviously I then didn’t play particularly well at Queen’s, losing in the first round.
I wasn’t feeling great, went back to practising and I was like, ‘Guys, I can’t keep doing this. I need to take a few days’ break because it’s getting worse and it’s affecting how I’m playing and performing in practice. I can’t compete at Wimbledon if I feel like that.’
We just decided to take a few days to look after it, get it treated and give me the best chance to be fit for Wimbledon.
I feel much better, it was a good decision. It’s lucky we made it when we did on Tuesday morning. If I’d waited and practised again on Wednesday or Thursday, it would have been a big mistake, so the timing actually worked out pretty well.
| Wimbledon day one – things you might have missed | |
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| Watch: ‘Take a bow!’ – Verdasco lobs 6ft 8in Anderson | |
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Alexander Bublik was a new opponent for me in my first-round match, and not an easy guy to play, because he really goes for it. He’s definitely a bit different.
I’ve played well over 600 matches and I don’t remember ever discussing a match with my opponent while it’s still going on, but that’s what happened during the rain delay.
When I beat Jarkko Nieminen in 2010, we met the Queen afterwards as she was visiting Wimbledon, and while Jarkko and I were waiting together we chatted a bit about the match.
And when I beat Jurgen Melzer at the US Open in 2008, we passed each other after showering and he initiated a chat about the match.
But that’s it, as far as I can remember. I’ve never had that happen during a match, and it’s pretty rare for it to happen soon after as well. Maybe sometimes a few weeks later but not mid-match.
I asked Bublik what he thought of Centre Court and whether he liked the grass, and we even discussed how many double faults he’d served.
He’s a fun guy and entertaining, which is good for the game.
I left home at about 7.50am on Monday morning and drove myself to Wimbledon for about 8.30am.
It’s something I’ve done so many times before, both during the Championships and throughout the rest of the year, that it feels completely normal.
Obviously there were a few more nerves heading into the start of Wimbledon but I try not to do anything different on the Sunday night.
I just try to get home nice and early and relax, watch a bit of TV, do my exercises, maybe look at some videos and try to learn a little bit more about my opponent, and think a little bit about the match before bed.
Now I’m into the tournament I can get into the rhythm of matchday, practice day. Next up is Dustin Brown and on Tuesday I’ll work on some of the things I might need to use against him.
That will be a different test because although he is also unpredictable, Dustin serve-volleys pretty much every first and second serve on grass courts, comes in behind returns and gets into the net a lot.
I’ll need to pass well, so will work on that as well as my lobs.
It should be a good match to watch but although I get on well with Dustin, and he’s a great guy, I doubt we’ll be stopping halfway through to discuss how it’s going.
Andy Murray was talking to BBC Sport’s Piers Newbery
Aljaz Bedene plays two stunning returns to seal victory against Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic in a five-set epic at Wimbledon 2017.