Isn't it funny how respect can be fleeting in sports?
Take, for example, Roger Federer. He's still the clear No. 1 player in the world and has reached at least the semifinals of both tennis majors so far this season. And he can break Bjorn Borg's record of five consecutive Wimbledon titles by winning this year's tournament at the All England Club, which begins Monday.
Yet the sharks are out as to Federer's chances at Wimbledon, and first among those is No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic, who beat Federer in the Australian Open semifinals in January. The Serbian player thinks
Federer's blowout loss in the recent French Open finals is a bad omen for the Swiss star.
"Some things are changing. I think he's a little bit shaken with that loss and mentally he has been struggling in the last couple of months," Djokovic said. "It's normal to have ups and downs after four years of absolute dominance on the men's tour.
"New names are coming, fresh talented players who believe more they can win against him and I am one of them. Suddenly he is worried a little bit."Djokovic certainly is a threat to win Wimbledon: He reached last year's semis but was forced to withdraw against Rafael Nadal with a bad toe and a bothersome lower back. And that Aussie Open title early this year has given him confidence, even though he lost to Nadal in the Queen's Club tournament last week in a grass court warm-up.
"Of course Federer and Nadal still dominate, but coming to Wimbledon as a Grand Slam champion gives me much more reason to believe I can challenge the top two players ... It's a matter of mental ability if you can hold on."
Even Borg himself thinks Federer is only the third favorite this year despite being the No. 1 seed.
I pick Rafael Nadal as winner and my second choice is Novak Djokovic, my third is Roger," Borg said.
"For (Roger) to beat those guys at Wimbledon he needs to play much better than he did last summer. He knows he will have to play some unbelievable tennis to win again. This is the most open Wimbledon for years."
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