Pat Cash predicts Roger Federer to win Wimbledon

06/23/2017

Australian Tennis Legend Pat Cash has predicted Roger Federer to lift the Wimbledon title, owing to the brilliant tennis the Swiss has been playing lately. Cash has also suggested that the 18-time Grand Slam champion could be stopped in his ways only by World No. 1 Andy Murray.

Roger Federer made an impeccable return to the tennis court after a career-threatening knee injury to win the Australian Open, his record 18th Grand Slam title, in January beating his arch-rival Rafael Nadal in the finals of the tournament. The World No. 5 followed the Australian Open win with wins at Indian Wells Masters and Miami Open beating Nadal yet again in the latter.

The Swiss then decided to skip the whole clay court season in a bid to prepare for the upcoming Wimbledon and made his return at the Stuttgart Open where he went down in the opening match against Tommy Haas.

However, Federer eased past Yuichi Sugita in the first match at Halle Open to secure his 1100th win in the ATP World Tour tournament. The 18-time Grand Slam champion then overcame Mischa Zevrev 7-6(7-4), 6-4 in the round of 16 to book a spot in the quarterfinals of the grass-court tournament.

Pat Cash, who won the Wimbledon in 1987, believes Roger Federer will most likely to win Wimbledon for the eighth time.

"For me, Roger Federer is the favourite," Cash said at the Costa Smeralda Invitational 2017.

"I think he is playing the best tennis… almost the best tennis of his career.

"He’s resurrected his backhand, found his backhand, or actually invented a new backhand. He’s been incredibly deadly this year and nobody has been able to stop it," Cash added.

Despite Andy Murray's poor form this season and his recent setback at the Queen's Club Championship, Cash suggested that the World No. 1 is the only player who could stop Federer from winning Wimbledon.

"Andy Murray is the only guy who I really believe can stop him legitimately," he added.

"But there are always other guys who are dangerous out there. There’s Wawrinka or there’s Raonic, there’s Cilic, there’s guys like that. There’s Rafa . Rafa is playing unbelievable, if he can translate the clay to the grass.

"But my favourite has got to be Federer. If he gets a few matches under his belt then he’s going to be unstoppable." he concluded.