WIMBLEDON: DAY 7

Federer, Roddick take steps toward showdown
Serena peeks again while teens nip at her heels

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Everyone is gunning for Roger Federer, still the clear favorite to take the men's crown.

FROM WIMBLEDON – The first week of a Grand Slam is always a step-up-and-be-seen period, where the second week is step-up-and-be-counted time.

From the looks of the first week of Wimbledon, the next seven days should be tremendously entertaining because with the very notable exception of Venus Williams, every player who had a serious shot at the crown coming in is still left.

Successful grass court tennis demands at least two of three primary elements ultimate power, superior speed or tantalizing touch. A combination of all three of those components doesn't hurt, either, which is why defending champion Roger Federer of Switzerland still remains the favorite. He hasn't had his serve broken in three matches and has only dropped a remarkable 19 games in nine sets.

Of course, second seed Andy Roddick hasn't dropped a set in three matches and was quite confident after blasting past Taylor Dent that he'll have something to say about who wins title. With the way Tim Henman is battling through matches, the Britain could also take a claim that he's playing well enough to win the crown.

On the women's side, two-time defending Serena Williams looked better in her straight-set victory over Magui Serena than she has at any time all year. She's says that it finally "clicked" that she should be taking time on her serves and she drove through her foe like a smooth Ferrari, cracking 11 aces. But if Serena falls off her stride a bit, there are plenty of women who could pull the red carpet from under her, including her fierce rival Jennifer Capriati, Russian strongwoman Nadia Petrova, the serve-and-volleying Amelie Mauresmo, inspired veteran Lindsay Davenport and anyone of four teenage titans: 16-year-old Tatiana Golovin, shrieking 17-year-old Maria Sharapova and 19-year-olds bangers Karolina Sprem and Vera Zvonareva.

20 matches and counting
The classy Federer is riding a 20-match winning streak on grass and, should he win the title, will surpass seven-time Wimbledon champion Pete Sampras' best streak on turf. But he has a long and treacherous road to get there. He's sure to be tested by Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic in the fourth round, which could soften him for Aussie Lleyton Hewitt, who still won't concede that Federer is a dominant No. 1. To Hewitt, who ended 2001 and 2002 as the top dog, outside of Federer's obvious talent, the only reason that the Swiss is at the top is because Hewitt himself hasn't regained his top form.

Should Hewitt down the Samson-like Carlos Moya of Spain in the fourth round, he'll likely get a chance to put his returns of serves where his mouth is. Hewitt has a 7-4 career record against Federer, but has dropped his last two matches to the Swiss, including at his beloved Australian Open this year. But that doesn't mean that on a Centre Court that was once his that he won't go to the wall to retake the crown at Federer yanked away from him last year. "I feel like I'm capable of beating anyone on any given day," Hewitt said.

Susan Mullane/Camerawork USA

Serena, top, remains the woman to beat but Golovin, bottom, is one of a number of teens contending for glory.

That cliché has always been a massive overstatement. Success and failure often depends on which tournament the specific day occurs and numerous players who have pulled off upsets of elite players away from Grand Slams are simply incapable of doing so at the majors, because the stars usually care more when they arrive for the big dances. As Hewitt more accurately said. "I don't know how many guys there are actually capable of winning the tournament, but there's a lot of guys who are capable of causing upsets."

Sure there are, but if you take a hard stare at the men's draw, only a beer-sodden punter would pick a player other than Federer, Hewitt, Henman, Roddick to win the tournament at this point. Mark Philippoussis, who reached the final here last year, is a lumbering dark horse simply because he is serving well. But, given that he had lost seven straight first round matches coming in here, you know he's due for at least a mediocre performance and that match will come against Henman, who will chop him down. As talented as both Xavier Malisse and Super Mario Ancic are, they will freeze against Tiger Tim on Centre Court in the quarters.

Roddick will burst Alexander Popp, and should blow past Sjeng Schalken or Vince Spadea into the semis. On the other side, take Federer or Hewitt against the likes of Seb Grosjean, Joachim Johansson or Robby Ginepri. This year, there's simply no room on the final Sunday for interlopers. And guess who Federer senses he may face in the final? Not Tim, but Andy. "I always keep watching a little bit of his matches because he's No. 2 in the world," Federer said. "But here I'm checking him out more than other tournaments."

Serena peeks again while teens nip at her heels
Serena can't afford to check anyone else out but herself. If Golovin manages to toppled Emmanuelle Gagliardi in a rain-delayed match, she's precocious enough to try to strut out and play very high-risk tennis. Then it could be Capriati, who's at peace with herself and has beaten her the last two times they've played. If it's Petrova, it will be another Russian who could care less about Serena's reputation. Mauresmo in the semis? Serena will have to face down the tour's most competent serve-and-volleyer.

On the bottom half of the draw, everyone will be trying to figure how to solve a problem like Maria. Sharapova is not only fearless but is improving each passing day both mentally and physically. Barring a disaster, she'll scorch her way into the semifinals and face the survivor of a very tough section.

Davenport and Zvonareva will contest Monday's dicey round of 16 match and the winner will in all likelihood face Sprem, who is cocksure that erratic play is a thing of the past.

But, for the third year in a row, the Wimbledon women's draw will revolve around Serena. Hollywood and her design studio are a long way away from SW19. The rest of the draw has to beware because she's back in her element. "When I'm at Wimbledon, I'm 100 percent focused on Wimbledon," she said. "I'm really, really, really feeling good."