Andy Murray racked up his 50th Wimbledon match win while Roger Federer reached the quarter-finals for the 14th time on Monday as the pair edged closer to a dream title match. 
 
Second seed Murray, the 2013 champion, eased to a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 win over fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios and will face French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a place in the semi-finals. 
 
Murray leads Tsonga 12-2 in previous meetings. 
 
Federer, meanwhile, went equal with Jimmy Connors&#39; mark of 14 quarter-finals at Wimbledon and tied Martina Navratilova&#39;s all-time Slam record of 306 match wins by seeing off Steve Johnson of the United States 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. 
 
Kyrgios, the 15th seed who defeated Rafael Nadal at the tournament in 2014, did not force a break point on Murray&#39;s serve as he slipped to his fifth loss in five meetings against the world number two. 
 
He did manage to save two match points in the ninth game of the third set but was powerless to prevent Murray taking victory with an eighth ace of the contest. 
 
&quot;The first set was very tight. I managed to get the break at 6-5 but it was very tight up to that point,&quot; explained Murray. 
 
&quot;The second set was obviously more comfortable. Nick lost his focus a bit in the middle part of that set.&quot; 
 
Kyrgios condemned his own performance. 
 
&quot;The first set was OK but after that it was pathetic,&quot; said the 21-year-old in a typically surly post-match press conference. 
 
Federer eyes revenge 
 
Seven-time champion Federer, the third seed, will take on Croatia&#39;s Marin Cilic for a place in the semi-finals. 
 
Cilic, the ninth seeded Croat, progressed to his third successive Wimbledon quarter-final when Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori pulled out of their last-16 clash with a rib injury. 
 
Federer has a 5-1 record over Cilic but the big-server stunned the 17-time major champion in the US Open semi-finals in 2014 on his way to his maiden Grand Slam title. 
 
&quot;He blew me off the court in the US Open a few years ago and I hope to get him back,&quot; said Federer. 
 
Johnson, playing in his first fourth round at a Slam, was comprehensively out-played in the first two sets. 
 
He rallied to break the 34-year-old Federer in the fourth and sixth games of the third set but the former US college champion was reeled in on both occasions. 
 
Federer has reached the last eight without dropping a set, easing to four successive wins on centre court. 
 
&quot;I would never have thought I would win the first four rounds in straight sets. I now need to play my best tennis,&quot; he added. 
 
Nishikori pulled out against Cilic suffering from a rib injury at 6-1, 5-1 down. 
 
The 26-year-old confirmed it was the same injury which forced him out of the Halle tournament in the run-up to Wimbledon. 
 
&quot;It got worse after the second round. I couldn&#39;t compete,&quot; said Nishikori. 
 
Cilic had taken the first set in just 16 minutes, allowing Nishikori only seven points. 
 
Querrey on a roll 
 
Sam Querrey followed up his shock defeat of defending champion Novak Djokovic by beating French veteran Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final. 
 
Querrey, the 28th seed, is the first American in the last-eight at Wimbledon since Mardy Fish in 2011, perfect timing on US Independence Day. 
 
Querrey said he still hasn&#39;t come down from his stunning upset of world number one Djokovic. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m not going to lie. After the Novak match, I watched every highlight I could over and over. Enjoyed the hell out of that moment,&quot; he said. 
 
Querrey will next face Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, who came back from two sets down for the first time in his career to beat Belgium&#39;s David Goffin. 
 
Raonic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2014, won 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. 
 
In an all-Czech match-up, world number 64 Jiri Vesely saved five match points against 10th seed and 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych in their clash which was suspended for darkness in the fourth set. 
 
Vesely took first set 6-4 and the fourth, 7-6 (11/9); Berdych claimed the second and third sets, 6-3 and 7-6 (10/8). 
 
The winner will face French 32nd seed Lucas Pouille, who made the last eight of a Slam for the first time by seeing off 2011 quarter-finalist Bernard Tomic, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. 
 
Pouille, 22, had never won a match on grass before this year&#39;s Wimbledon. 
 
(AFP)

Murray will play Tsonga in the semi-finals, Federer will play Croatia's Martin Cilic

Andy Murray racked up his 50th Wimbledon match win while Roger Federer reached the quarter-finals for the 14th time on Monday as the pair edged closer to a dream title match. Second seed Murray, the 2013 champion, eased to a 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 win over fiery Australian Nick Kyrgios and will face French 12th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga for a place in the semi-finals. Murray leads Tsonga 12-2 in previous meetings. Federer, meanwhile, went equal with Jimmy Connors' mark of 14 quarter-finals at Wimbledon and tied Martina Navratilova's all-time Slam record of 306 match wins by seeing off Steve Johnson of the United States 6-2, 6-3, 7-5. Kyrgios, the 15th seed who defeated Rafael Nadal at the tournament in 2014, did not force a break point on Murray's serve as he slipped to his fifth loss in five meetings against the world number two. He did manage to save two match points in the ninth game of the third set but was powerless to prevent Murray taking victory with an eighth ace of the contest. "The first set was very tight. I managed to get the break at 6-5 but it was very tight up to that point," explained Murray. "The second set was obviously more comfortable. Nick lost his focus a bit in the middle part of that set." Kyrgios condemned his own performance. "The first set was OK but after that it was pathetic," said the 21-year-old in a typically surly post-match press conference. Federer eyes revenge Seven-time champion Federer, the third seed, will take on Croatia's Marin Cilic for a place in the semi-finals. Cilic, the ninth seeded Croat, progressed to his third successive Wimbledon quarter-final when Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori pulled out of their last-16 clash with a rib injury. Federer has a 5-1 record over Cilic but the big-server stunned the 17-time major champion in the US Open semi-finals in 2014 on his way to his maiden Grand Slam title. "He blew me off the court in the US Open a few years ago and I hope to get him back," said Federer. Johnson, playing in his first fourth round at a Slam, was comprehensively out-played in the first two sets. He rallied to break the 34-year-old Federer in the fourth and sixth games of the third set but the former US college champion was reeled in on both occasions. Federer has reached the last eight without dropping a set, easing to four successive wins on centre court. "I would never have thought I would win the first four rounds in straight sets. I now need to play my best tennis," he added. Nishikori pulled out against Cilic suffering from a rib injury at 6-1, 5-1 down. The 26-year-old confirmed it was the same injury which forced him out of the Halle tournament in the run-up to Wimbledon. "It got worse after the second round. I couldn't compete," said Nishikori. Cilic had taken the first set in just 16 minutes, allowing Nishikori only seven points. Querrey on a roll Sam Querrey followed up his shock defeat of defending champion Novak Djokovic by beating French veteran Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 to reach his first Grand Slam quarter-final. Querrey, the 28th seed, is the first American in the last-eight at Wimbledon since Mardy Fish in 2011, perfect timing on US Independence Day. Querrey said he still hasn't come down from his stunning upset of world number one Djokovic. "I'm not going to lie. After the Novak match, I watched every highlight I could over and over. Enjoyed the hell out of that moment," he said. Querrey will next face Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, who came back from two sets down for the first time in his career to beat Belgium's David Goffin. Raonic, a Wimbledon semi-finalist in 2014, won 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. In an all-Czech match-up, world number 64 Jiri Vesely saved five match points against 10th seed and 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych in their clash which was suspended for darkness in the fourth set. Vesely took first set 6-4 and the fourth, 7-6 (11/9); Berdych claimed the second and third sets, 6-3 and 7-6 (10/8). The winner will face French 32nd seed Lucas Pouille, who made the last eight of a Slam for the first time by seeing off 2011 quarter-finalist Bernard Tomic, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 10-8. Pouille, 22, had never won a match on grass before this year's Wimbledon. (AFP)

Murray wins his 50th match, Federer reachees his 14th Wimbledon quarter-final

Seven-times Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has been warned - take 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis lightly at your peril. 
 
&quot;I don&#39;t think Roger is going to have played anyone like Marcus. I know that for a fact. It will be tricky,&quot; Liam Broady, Willis&#39; fellow Britain, said on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s what Marcus always is. He makes opponents win matches. He serves well, serves big, puts pressure on. 
 
&quot;Obviously, Roger&#39;s the greatest player of all time. But personally, I think it will be a really interesting match-up.&quot; 
 
Willis, who almost quit to take up coaching and had to battle through six rounds of qualifying, stunned Lithuania&#39;s Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him, on Monday. 
 
Some of his play, including rarely seen sliced forehands, bamboozled Berankis. 
 
It set Wimbledon abuzz, but a repeat against 34-year-old 17-times grand slam champion Federer would seem barely credible even for the most far-fetched Hollywood plot. 
 
Or would it? 
 
&quot;Stranger things have happened, I know that,&quot; Broady, beaten 6-2 6-3 6-4 by world number two Andy Murray, said. 
 
&quot;He&#39;s so tricky, he&#39;s so talented. He&#39;s very aware of what he&#39;s doing on the court, how to make it awkward for people.&quot; 
 
Murray was also asked about Willis&#39; chances. 
 
&quot;Amazing things do happen in sport sometimes,&quot; Murray, who pointed to England&#39;s defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016, said. 
 
&quot;Obviously, Roger&#39;s a massive, massive favourite going into the match. I would expect him to win fairly comfortably. 
 
&quot;But Marcus&#39; game style, it&#39;s pretty old-school. He serve-and-volleys a lot. Uses a lot of slice. Hits the ball fairly flat. Has great hands. Great feel. 
 
&quot;Very few guys play like that now. It&#39;s just amazing, an amazing opportunity for him.&quot; 
 
Perhaps the best advice came from Broady though after his own Centre Court debut against Murray. 
 
&quot;By the end of the second set, most of the third, it was just kind of a match against another guy,&quot; the 22-year-old said. 
 
&quot;Sometimes you watch on TV. You think that the top players in the world are superhuman. They&#39;re so good at what they do that you forget they&#39;re just men. Obviously they&#39;re spectacular at tennis, but they are just men.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Marcus Willis had to battle through six rounds of qualifying and stunned Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him

Seven-times Wimbledon champion Roger Federer has been warned - take 772nd-ranked British qualifier Marcus Willis lightly at your peril. "I don't think Roger is going to have played anyone like Marcus. I know that for a fact. It will be tricky," Liam Broady, Willis' fellow Britain, said on Tuesday. "That's what Marcus always is. He makes opponents win matches. He serves well, serves big, puts pressure on. "Obviously, Roger's the greatest player of all time. But personally, I think it will be a really interesting match-up." Willis, who almost quit to take up coaching and had to battle through six rounds of qualifying, stunned Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis, ranked 718 places above him, on Monday. Some of his play, including rarely seen sliced forehands, bamboozled Berankis. It set Wimbledon abuzz, but a repeat against 34-year-old 17-times grand slam champion Federer would seem barely credible even for the most far-fetched Hollywood plot. Or would it? "Stranger things have happened, I know that," Broady, beaten 6-2 6-3 6-4 by world number two Andy Murray, said. "He's so tricky, he's so talented. He's very aware of what he's doing on the court, how to make it awkward for people." Murray was also asked about Willis' chances. "Amazing things do happen in sport sometimes," Murray, who pointed to England's defeat by Iceland at Euro 2016, said. "Obviously, Roger's a massive, massive favourite going into the match. I would expect him to win fairly comfortably. "But Marcus' game style, it's pretty old-school. He serve-and-volleys a lot. Uses a lot of slice. Hits the ball fairly flat. Has great hands. Great feel. "Very few guys play like that now. It's just amazing, an amazing opportunity for him." Perhaps the best advice came from Broady though after his own Centre Court debut against Murray. "By the end of the second set, most of the third, it was just kind of a match against another guy," the 22-year-old said. "Sometimes you watch on TV. You think that the top players in the world are superhuman. They're so good at what they do that you forget they're just men. Obviously they're spectacular at tennis, but they are just men." (Reuters)

Roger Federer warned to expect the unexpected from Willis

&nbsp;As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. 
 
The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. 
 
While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. 
 
Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. 
 
There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. 
 
(Reuters)

Donna Vekic produced startling groundstrokes, but eighth seed Williams beat her by 7-6(3) 6-4

As she has done for most of the past 18 summers, Venus Williams on Monday took a large, languid stride into the second round of Wimbledon. The oldest woman in the main singles draw, five-times champion Williams was at times sublime as she beat Croatian Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-4 on a sunny Court One. While the full Williams armoury had been on display, it was her mental strength which stood out -- perhaps no surprise given she is playing her 71st grand slam singles tournament, a record among current female players. Vekic produced startling groundstrokes at times, but eighth seed Williams maintained her composure, increasing the pressure when things got tight as her opponent wilted in the spotlight. There cannot be too many grand slam years left for Williams, who celebrated her 36th birthday this month, but she showed more than enough on Day One to suggest she could again go deep in her favourite major. (Reuters)

Venus vaults Vekic at Wimbledon

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. 
 
Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. 
 
The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. 
 
Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. 
 
Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women&#39;s champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. 
 
&quot;I think he&#39;ll get it easy,&quot; said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. 
 
Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. 
 
Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. 
 
Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. 
 
But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. 
 
&quot;It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult,&quot; Ward told the Press Association. 
 
&quot;He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him.&quot; 
 
Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. 
 
Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. 
 
But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. 
 
He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. 
 
Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000.&quot;Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away,&quot; said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. 
 
&quot;Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites.&quot; 
 
Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. 
 
The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. 
 
Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. 
 
On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. 
 
Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. 
 
Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. 
 
Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. 
 
Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. 
 
Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. 
 
&quot;(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents,&quot; said a police spokesman. 
 
&quot;Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event.&quot; 
 
Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. 
 
(AFP)

Roger Federer has been runner-up to Djokovic for the Past two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion

World number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time major winner Roger Federer get Wimbledon under way today with history beckoning for the two Grand Slam A-listers. Top seed Djokovic is halfway to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969 after ending his agonising wait for a maiden French Open crown earlier this month. The 29-year-old defending champion currently holds all four majors and if he wins a third successive Wimbledon title and fourth in all, he will become just the second man in history to win five successive Slams. Only Don Budge, who won six straight from 1937 Wimbledon to the 1938 US Championships, has achieved the feat. Djokovic is such a hot favourite to triumph on July 10 that women's champion Serena Williams is already tipping the Serb for more greatness. "I think he'll get it easy," said the American who will begin her bid for an Open era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam on Tuesday. Djokovic has won six of the last eight Grand Slams, taking him to a career tally of 12 - within two of Rafael Nadal`s mark and five behind Federer`s record. Djokovic takes on British wild card James Ward in the opening match on Centre Court. Ward, the 29-year-old son of a London taxi driver, is ranked at 177 in the world and made the third round last year with Australian coach Darren Tandy. But Tandy was diagnosed with cancer of the colon later in the year and died on Christmas Eve. "It`s been a tough time. Obviously the end of last year was very difficult," Ward told the Press Association. "He was my tennis coach so every time I play tennis it reminds me of him." Federer, whose last major triumph was at Wimbledon in 2012 when he won his seventh title at the All England Club, against Argentina`s world number 51 Guido Pella. Federer, 34, has been runner-up to Djokovic for the last two years and is attempting to become the oldest ever Wimbledon champion in modern times. But the Swiss has been dogged by knee and back problems this year and his injury-enforced withdrawal from the French Open ended his streak of 65 successive Grand Slam appearances stretching back to 1999. He has since suffered semi-final losses on grass at Stuttgart and Halle, the last of which against Alexander Zverev was his first against a teenager in 10 years. Federer`s failure to win a title in 2016 means he will enter Wimbledon on his longest trophy drought since 2000."Clearly I`m not thinking of the title right away," said the Swiss when asked to assess his chances. "Novak or Andy (Murray) are the big favourites." Pella, 26, was forced to retire from his first round match on his Wimbledon debut in 2013 while he fell in qualifying last year. The Centre Court programme also sees women`s second seed and French Open champion Garbine Muguruza taking on Camila Giorgi, the world number 68 from Italy. Muguruza was runner-up to Williams last year. Giorgi reached the fourth round in 2012. On Court One, 36-year-old Venus Williams, seeded eighth and a five-time champion, takes on Croatia`s Donna Vekic. Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori, who has yet to get beyond the fourth round, takes on big-serving Australian Sam Groth. Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber faces Britain`s Laura Robson in the same arena. Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, with John McEnroe in his corner, meets Spain`s Pablo Carreno Busta as he looks to improve on his 2014 semi-final showing. Meanwhile, armed police will patrol the tournament, both inside and outside the grounds while organisers have also increased the numbers of their private security staff. Armed officers were also used at Wimbledon last year but on a lower scale on the 10th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London. "(There will be) significant numbers of officers patrolling the local area, firearms officers and a highly mobile reserve that can respond to emerging incidents," said a police spokesman. "Officers will be working in uniform and in plain clothes during the event." Rain is also expected in the first week but forecasters are confident showers will pass by the time play gets under way. (AFP)

History on line as Djokovic, Federer get Wimbledon under way

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain&#39;s James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. 
 
The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. 
 
But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. 
 
The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. 
 
(Reuters)

Britain's James Ward, despite his fightback, did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second-round showdown

It was not quite the triple bagel that Novak Djokovic was aiming for during the opening 41 minutes of his first-round match, but the Serbian is unlikely to be too disappointed after he beat Britain's James Ward 6-0 7-6(3) 6-4 at Wimbledon today. The holder of all four grand slam titles appeared to be hurtling towards his 29th successive win at a major when he opened his Wimbledon defence by jumping out to a 6-0 3-0 lead. But Ward, the son of a London black cab driver, did not want to make a quick getaway on his Centre Court debut and held both arms aloft after finally getting a game against his name on the scoreboard. The 177th-ranked wildcard went on a roll as he won three games on the trot but despite his fightback, he simply did not have enough weapons to stop Djokovic from setting up a second- round showdown with Frenchman Adrian Mannarino. (Reuters)

Djokovic beats Ward by 6-0 7-6 6-4, makes solid start to Wimbledon title defence

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. 
 
The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. 
 
While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. 
 
At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray&#39;s brother Jamie, the world&#39;s top doubles player. 
 
It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. 
 
&quot;I&#39;ve been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues,&quot; Djokovic told reporters. 
 
&quot;The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect.&quot; 
 
There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. 
 
Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. 
 
In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. 
 
He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. 
 
His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. 
 
&quot;This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I&#39;ve played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court.&quot; 
 
Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. 
 
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. 
 
Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s going to be the first match on the untouched grass,&quot; he said. &quot; That&#39;s probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court

On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his single-minded obsession with winning. Off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court,12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that however big the gap is between himself and his rivals and it is a yawning chasm that no player is bigger than the sport. At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon today, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12-man ATP Players Council, along with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray's brother Jamie, the world's top doubles player. It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. "I've been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues," Djokovic told reporters. "The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I`ve been familiar with the way the system works. "I'm hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect." There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in August and probably the Davis Cup too. His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. "This year is quite different from previous years because I`m coming in with a Roland Garros title," he said. "That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I've played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I`m really keen on getting on the court." Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarter-final opponent with Federer possible in the semis. Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. "It's going to be the first match on the untouched grass," he said. " That's probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. "I'm looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn`t have much to lose." (Reuters)

Djokovic focused on Wimbledon but sees bigger picture

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and seven-time winner Roger Federer were on Friday drawn to meet in the semi-finals of this year&#39;s Wimbledon which starts on Monday. 
 
World number one Djokovic, who is bidding to take another step closer to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969, has defeated Federer in the last two finals at the All England Club. 
 
The draw means that second seed Andy Murray, the 2013 champion, was lined up for a semi-final against fourth seeded Stan Wawrinka. 
 
Three-time champion Djokovic completed the career Grand Slam with victory at the French Open earlier this month and now holds all four majors. It was his 12th career major and made him the first man since Jim Courier in 1992 to win the Australian and French Opens in the same year. The 29-year-old Serb begins his Wimbledon campaign against British wild card James Ward and could meet big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the last-eight. 
 
Murray takes on compatriot Liam Broady in the first round with a potential clash against Australia&#39;s Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. Frenchman Richard Gasquet is a possible quarter-final rival. 
 
Federer, seeded three but enduring an injury-hit season, starts against Argentina&#39;s Guido Pella, ranked 51 in the world. The 34-year-old Swiss, the holder of a record 17 majors, could face Japan&#39;s Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals. 
 
If seedings play out, Wawrinka would come up against in-form Dominic Thiem of Austria for a place in the last-four. 
 
Defending women&#39;s champion Serena Williams, chasing a seventh Wimbledon title to equal Steffi Graf&#39;s Open era record of 22 majors, was drawn to face Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last-four. Radwanska made the final in 2012. 
 
Reigning French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who beat Williams to claim the trophy, could face Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber in the last-four. Muguruza begins against Italy&#39;s Camila Giorgi. 
 
The women&#39;s draw held out the tantalising prospect of an all-Williams final with Serena&#39;s sister Venus in the opposite half of the draw. 
 
Venus, 36 and a five-time champion, is seeded to face Muguruza in the last-eight while Serena could come up against Italy&#39;s Roberta Vinci who dumped her out of the US Open semi-finals in 2015. 
 
In other potential quarter-finals, Radwanska could meet Belinda Bencic while Kerber was drawn to face Simona Halep. Serena starts against a qualifier and will face either fellow American Christina McHale or Slovak veteran Daniela Hantuchova in the second round. 
 
Two-time champion Petra Kvitova meets Romania&#39;s Sorana Cirstea in her opener. British number one Johanna Konta, the first home seed in the women&#39;s draw since 1984, takes on Monica Puig in the first round. 
 
(AFP)

Djokovic begins his campaign against British wild card James Ward and could meet big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the last eight

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and seven-time winner Roger Federer were on Friday drawn to meet in the semi-finals of this year's Wimbledon which starts on Monday. World number one Djokovic, who is bidding to take another step closer to the first calendar Grand Slam since 1969, has defeated Federer in the last two finals at the All England Club. The draw means that second seed Andy Murray, the 2013 champion, was lined up for a semi-final against fourth seeded Stan Wawrinka. Three-time champion Djokovic completed the career Grand Slam with victory at the French Open earlier this month and now holds all four majors. It was his 12th career major and made him the first man since Jim Courier in 1992 to win the Australian and French Opens in the same year. The 29-year-old Serb begins his Wimbledon campaign against British wild card James Ward and could meet big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic in the last-eight. Murray takes on compatriot Liam Broady in the first round with a potential clash against Australia's Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. Frenchman Richard Gasquet is a possible quarter-final rival. Federer, seeded three but enduring an injury-hit season, starts against Argentina's Guido Pella, ranked 51 in the world. The 34-year-old Swiss, the holder of a record 17 majors, could face Japan's Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals. If seedings play out, Wawrinka would come up against in-form Dominic Thiem of Austria for a place in the last-four. Defending women's champion Serena Williams, chasing a seventh Wimbledon title to equal Steffi Graf's Open era record of 22 majors, was drawn to face Polish third seed Agnieszka Radwanska in the last-four. Radwanska made the final in 2012. Reigning French Open champion Garbine Muguruza, who beat Williams to claim the trophy, could face Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber in the last-four. Muguruza begins against Italy's Camila Giorgi. The women's draw held out the tantalising prospect of an all-Williams final with Serena's sister Venus in the opposite half of the draw. Venus, 36 and a five-time champion, is seeded to face Muguruza in the last-eight while Serena could come up against Italy's Roberta Vinci who dumped her out of the US Open semi-finals in 2015. In other potential quarter-finals, Radwanska could meet Belinda Bencic while Kerber was drawn to face Simona Halep. Serena starts against a qualifier and will face either fellow American Christina McHale or Slovak veteran Daniela Hantuchova in the second round. Two-time champion Petra Kvitova meets Romania's Sorana Cirstea in her opener. British number one Johanna Konta, the first home seed in the women's draw since 1984, takes on Monica Puig in the first round. (AFP)

World champion Djokovic, Federer drawn for Wimbledon semi-final clash

Roger Federer&#39;s bid to win a ninth Halle Open title was ended in the semi-final on Saturday by German teenager Alexander Zverev. The 19-year-old defeated the 17-time Grand Slam champion 7-6(4) 5-7 6-3. 
 
Reigning champion Federer, on the comeback trail after back problems, was looking to reach the final of his traditional pre-Wimbledon tune-up in Germany for an unprecedented 11th time, but found the big-serving 19-year-old home favourite too formidable. 
 
The Swiss world number three had not lost to a teenager for nearly 10 years since the young Andy Murray beat him in Cincinnati in 2006, which gives an indication of Zverev&#39;s considerable potential. 
 
World number 38 Zverev, who had lost to Federer in their only previous meeting in May, dropped just four points on serve in the 39-minute opening set, blasting 14 winners as he took the tiebreak 7-4. 
 
Federer earned a break of serve at 5-5 with a beautiful dropshot in the second set to restore parity but Zverev, the son of a former Russian player with the same name, responded strongly to dethrone the reigning Halle champion. 
 
Zverev will meet the winner of the other semi between Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Florian Mayer. 
(Reuters)

The Swiss maestro lost to German teenager Alexander Zverev

Roger Federer's bid to win a ninth Halle Open title was ended in the semi-final on Saturday by German teenager Alexander Zverev. The 19-year-old defeated the 17-time Grand Slam champion 7-6(4) 5-7 6-3. Reigning champion Federer, on the comeback trail after back problems, was looking to reach the final of his traditional pre-Wimbledon tune-up in Germany for an unprecedented 11th time, but found the big-serving 19-year-old home favourite too formidable. The Swiss world number three had not lost to a teenager for nearly 10 years since the young Andy Murray beat him in Cincinnati in 2006, which gives an indication of Zverev's considerable potential. World number 38 Zverev, who had lost to Federer in their only previous meeting in May, dropped just four points on serve in the 39-minute opening set, blasting 14 winners as he took the tiebreak 7-4. Federer earned a break of serve at 5-5 with a beautiful dropshot in the second set to restore parity but Zverev, the son of a former Russian player with the same name, responded strongly to dethrone the reigning Halle champion. Zverev will meet the winner of the other semi between Austrian Dominic Thiem and German Florian Mayer. (Reuters)

Federer humbled in Halle

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