Few could confidently predict how Roger Federer’s Wimbledon campaign would unfold after an early-round exit in Halle.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion, normally so diligent with his media obligations, took hours to arrive for his press conference after a three-set loss to Felix Auger-Aliassime. Once there, he revealed that he was wary of saying the “wrong things” too soon after a frustrating loss that saw him spiral into an unusually negative headspace.
Federer was nearing his 40th birthday and this was the latest loss in a less-than-auspicious comeback from two knee surgeries in 2020.
But he has looked a player reinvigorated at Wimbledon, despite having so few matches under his belt.
Federer admits he got somewhat lucky in his opening-round win against Adrian Mannarino, who led two sets to one before sustaining a knee injury in a slip on the slick grass.
But since navigating that tricky first assignment, he has dropped just one more set to record his 17th appearance in the second week from his past 18 visits to the All England Club.
And he has been particularly pleased with his mindset, which has improved since his Halle exit.
“I definitely feel like I've gotten my rhythm now at this point,” Federer said after his third-round win over No.29 seed Cameron Norrie.
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“I thought I had a really excellent attitude, from what I can tell how I felt. That has been something that has changed nicely throughout the last weeks and months, to be honest.
“Maybe one of the first times I just felt very much at peace out there, really sort of a tranquillity I guess to everything I was doing, where I wanted to serve, how I wanted to win my service games, then how I took misses, how I took wrong choices.
“I just brushed them off. It was like: We're moving on, things are going well. I know it's the big picture that matters.
“I was sitting on the change of ends, it was just empty thoughts, no bad, no positive, just sitting there and relaxing. This is how I want it to be.
“I think that for me is a very positive sign, to be honest.”
Medvedev’s confidence boost
Federer will hope to take this renewed attitude into his next match against Lorenzo Sonego – a recent finalist on grass at Eastbourne – but hawk-eyed tennis fans will have noticed a potential quarterfinal clash looming with Daniil Medvedev.
The Russian arrived in the fourth round at the All England Club for the first time and has the confidence to go further, after what he achieved against the dangerous Marin Cilic on Saturday.
For the first time in the Open Era, three Russian men have reached the round of 16 at #Wimbledon
— Davis Cup (@DavisCup) July 3, 2021
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For the first time in his career, the No.2 seed recovered to win from two-sets-to-love down; this was especially notable against the resurgent Cilic, a former Wimbledon finalist who won the Stuttgart grass-court title just three weeks ago.
“That's probably the toughest thing you can do in tennis, coming back from two sets down in a Grand Slam. You have three sets to go. Probably if you lost the first two sets, your opponent was playing better so you kind of doubt yourself. 'Okay, how can I do it?'” Medvedev explained.
“I had two times here in Wimbledon where I came back from two sets to love down, had a break in the fifth and didn't make it.
“Definitely for the confidence and just for my career, for me as a tennis player, as a sportsman, these things, they make you better.
“Later when you have, I don't know, (maybe) final of a Grand Slam to play or anything, it can help you just to be a better player.”
Raducanu riding the wave
While Medvedev and Federer’s progression to the second week at a Grand Slam is hardly surprising, Emma Raducanu’s run to the same stage has been one of the stories of the tournament.
The 18-year-old wildcard, ranked outside the top 300, has never before played in the main draw of a major event and had only played four singles matches in 2021 before arriving at Wimbledon.
But competing in an almost dream-like state, she has not dropped a set on her way to becoming the youngest British female player to reach the fourth round at SW19 in Open Era history.
The moment @EmmaRaducanu became the youngest British woman to reach the fourth round at #Wimbledon in the Open era ? ?? pic.twitter.com/SUxODx6VIo
— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) July 3, 2021
Raducanu has been living in the present, disabling all phone notifications and determined to enjoy every moment of what has been an incredible experience at the All England Club so far.
“Yesterday I came out here and I sat courtside for about five minutes. They let me to get a feel for the court, which I think was very valuable because when I went out there today, I sort of knew what to expect a little bit,” she said after her 6-3 7-5 triumph over Sorana Cirstea.
“Playing on Court 1 at Wimbledon is what you dream of. Not many people get the opportunity to. I was like, 'Wow, this is such an experience, such an opportunity.' I thought, if I'm not going to enjoy Court 1 at Wimbledon, home crowd, like what are you going to enjoy?
“I really think I did. Some of the points, I'd never played such good tennis in some of the points (smiling).
“If you ask any of my team, I think they would say: 'She doesn't run for balls.' If ever there was a time to start running, that was today.
“I think playing on Court 1, you're definitely inspired. You do things maybe you don't normally do. I was having fun just chasing those balls. It's probably the first time I enjoyed chasing the balls.
“Maybe that's something that I can take on and continue.”
She’ll get another opportunity to do that on Monday when she faces Ajla Tomljanovic – her shot at a first Grand Slam quarterfinal.