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Rediff.com  » Sports » The top men's contenders at Wimbledon

The top men's contenders at Wimbledon

July 03, 2017 11:04 IST
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Will the fans witness another classic showdown between legends Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the final at the All England Club?

Will Andy Murray or Novak Djokovic return to winning ways in Grand Slams at Wimbledon this year?

Big-serving Milos Raonic's naturally aggressive style of play makes him one of the favourites at this year's Championships, while Stan Wawrinka is another top contender for the title.

Check out the top men's contenders at the 2017 Wimbledon Championships:

Andy Murray (Britain)

Andy Murray

World ranking: 1

Born: May 15, 1987 (Age 30)

Height: 1.91 metres

Plays: Right-handed

Grand Slam titles: 3 (US Open 2012, Wimbledon 2013, 2016)

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 21-9

The defending champion is struggling for form and has not won a title since March.

He showed flashes of his best to reach the French Open semi-finals, but suffered a shock defeat to world number 90 Jordan Thompson in the opening round at Queen's Club, the traditional Wimbledon warm-up that he has won five times.

The Scot was also forced to withdraw from exhibition matches in London this week with a sore hip.

Roger Federer (Switzerland)

Roger Federer

World ranking: 5

Born: August 8, 1981 (Age 35)

Height: 1.85 metres

Plays: Right-handed

Grand Slam titles: 18 (Australian Open 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2017, French Open 2009, Wimbledon 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, US Open 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 24-2

The Swiss is the bookmakers' favourite to seal his eighth Wimbledon this year after winning the Australian Open.

Federer followed up his Australian Open victory with titles in Indian Wells and Miami, then skipped the entire claycourt season to focus on his preparations for SW19.

He was rusty upon his return to the grass in Stuttgart but hit his stride in Halle, where he claimed his ninth title without dropping a set.

Rafael Nadal (Spain)

Rafael Nadal

World ranking: 2

Born: June 3, 1986 (Age 31)

Height: 1.85 metres

Plays: Left-handed

Grand Slam titles: 15 (Australian Open 2009, French Open 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2017, Wimbledon 2008, 2010, US Open 2010, 2013)

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 43-6

Like Federer, Nadal is enjoying an unexpected renaissance after struggling with injuries. The Spaniard finished runner-up to Federer at the Australian Open and rounded off a phenomenal claycourt season by winning his 10th French Open title.

Nadal pulled out of Queen's Club on his doctor's advice, but fans will have their fingers crossed that he is fit enough to force another classic showdown with the Swiss in the final at the All England Club.

Novak Djokovic (Serbia)

Novak Djokovic

World ranking: 4

Born: May 22, 1987 (Age 30)

Height: 1.88 metres

Plays: Right-handed

Grand Slam titles: 12 (Australian Open 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, French Open 2016, Wimbledon 2011, 2014, 2015, US Open 2011, 2015)

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 28-7

Little has gone right for Djokovic in the past few months.

The Serb was knocked out in the Australian Open second round (his worst result at a Slam since 2006), split with his coaching staff, imploded in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros, and dropped out of the top two in the world rankings for the first time since March 2011.

But with eight-times Grand Slam winner Andre Agassi back in his corner for the duration of Wimbledon, it would be foolhardy to write off Djokovic's chances just yet -- especially after he ended a six-month barren run by winning the Eastbourne grasscourt title.

Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland)

Stan Wawrinka

World ranking: 3

Born: March 28, 1985 (Age 32)

Height: 1.83 metres

Plays: Right-handed

Grand Slam titles: 3 (Australian Open 2014, French Open 2015, US Open 2016)

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 26-10

A first title at Wimbledon would propel Wawrinka into the elite band of players to have achieved a career Grand Slam, so there is no doubting the 32-year-old's motivation, but the wily Swiss has never got past the quarter-finals at SW19.

Wawrinka, who lost to Nadal in the French Open final, has teamed up with grasscourt specialist coach Paul Annacone, who has delivered success for Federer and former world number one Pete Sampras in the past.

Milos Raonic (Canada)

Milos Raonic

World ranking: 7

Born: December 27, 1990 (Age 26)

Height: 1.96 metres

Plays: Right-handed

Grand Slam titles: 0

ATP match record in 2017 (won-lost): 22-8

The big-serving Canadian hopes to go a step further after falling to Murray in last year's Wimbledon final. Raonic has had a less than ideal start to his grasscourt campaign, losing to Australian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis in the opening round at the Queen's Club.

Despite that disappointment, Raonic's naturally aggressive style of play makes him one of the favourites at this year's Championships.

Photographs: Getty Images

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