By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, June 26, 2015

 

Reigning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic has reached the semifinals in 19 of his last 20 Grand Slam events.

Photo credit: Wimbledon

Novak Djokovic faces a first-round stress test followed by an inviting first week at Wimbledon.

The Wimbledon draw was conducted today and reigning champion Djokovic should enjoy his view from the top half.

Seven-time champion Roger Federer, 2013 champion Andy Murray and two-time champion Rafael Nadal — who have all won grass-court titles this year — reside in the bottom half of the draw.

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The world No. 1, who has not played a match since losing to Stan Wawrinka in the Roland Garros final, could face the fourth-seeded Swiss in the Wimbledon semifinals. Ballistic-serving Milos Raonic, talented, temperamental Nick Kyrgios and 2014 Queen's Club champion Grigor Dimitrov, whom Djokovic defeated in the 2014 Wimbledon semifinals, are also potential semifinal opponents for the Serbian, who has reached the semifinals or better in 19 of his last 20 Grand Slams.

Continuing his quest for an eighth Wimbledon crown and 18th Grand Slam championship, Federer faces a potential quarterfinal with sixth-seeded Tomas Berdych.

Four-time Queen's Club champion Murray could meet 10th-seeded Nadal in the third quarter of the draw.

We preview the Wimbledon draw and predict the quarterfinals here.

First Quarterfinal Prediction (1) Novak Djokovic vs. (9) Marin Cilic

Two-time Wimbledon champion Djokovic opens against Philipp Kohlschreiber, who serves bigger than his 5-foot-10 size suggests, possesses a versatile one-handed backhand, reached the 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinals and nearly knocked Federer out of Halle earlier this month. Djokovic has won six of their seven prior meetings and has had success targeting the crafty German's forehand. The winner of the match will play either 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt or veteran lefty Jarkko Nieminen for a spot in round three.

Two of the biggest servers in the game — Wimbledon marathon man John Isner and Queen's Club finalist Kevin Anderson — loom in the top quarter along with former quarterfinalist Bernard Tomic and U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori, who retired from his Halle semifinal with a calf injury.

Second Quarterfinal Prediction (4) Stan Wawrinka vs. (26) Nick Kyrgios

Arguably the most volatile quarter in the draw, predicting the winner of this section is as challenging as forecasting the next Loch Ness Monster sighting. Stan solidified his status as The Man with a superb Roland Garros, however the two-time Grand Slam champion concedes grass is his least favorite surface and results support his belief: Wawrinka has failed to survive the second round in four of the last five years and is defending his career-best quarterfinal points.

Three former semifinalists in this section — No. 7 Raonic, No. 11 Dimitrov and 21st-seeded Richard Gasquet — are all capable grass-court players, but all enter amid questions. Raonic is coming off foot surgery that forced him out of Paris, a slumping Dimitrov has been experimenting with new racquets, uneven confidence and doesn't always appear committed to a game plan and Gasquet can soar or sputter, sometimes in the course of the same set. Kyrgios bombed out in Queen's Club then split with coach Todd Larkham and took refuge in video games. So why pick the unpredictable Aussie? Because Kyrgios can light up the Grand Slam stage, has the weapons to do damage on serve and return and seems to thrive amid chaotic conditions. Besides, what's the fun of predicting draws without riding a long shot?

Third Quarterfinal Prediction (3) Andy Murray vs. (10) Rafael Nadal

Murray buried 77 years of ghosts to restore British rule to The Championships two years ago. If he sustains the all-court assertiveness and sharp serving he showed winning Queen's Club, he could haunt the field this fortnight. Murray opens versus flat-hitting Mikhail Kukushkin and may well have to confront a titanic-server — No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 23 Ivo Karlovic or left-hander Gilles Muller, whom the Scot beat in the Queen's Club quarterfinals.

Players believe Nadal is more vulnerable and slightly slower off the mark these days. “His legs don't look as strong to me. He doesn't seem to have that first-step quickness," John McEnroe said of Nadal. No. 22 seed Viktor Troicki, who lost to Nadal in the Stuttgart final and fell to Murray in the Queen's Club semifinal, could face the Spaniard in round three followed by a Nadal-David Ferrer fourth-rounder. Write off Rafa at your own peril. Yes, his confidence is sagging and shots are sometimes landing short, but he beat quality opposition winning his first grass-court crown in five years in Stuttgart and should be both rested and highly-motivated to surpass the fourth round for the first time in four years.



Fourth Quarterfinal Prediction (2) Roger Federer vs. (6) Tomas Berdych

Players often claim they don't preview their draws, but if Federer permits himself a sneak peek he should see opportunity in his sights. Fresh of his Open Era record-extending 15th grass-court title in Halle, Federer faces Damir Dzumhur in his opener followed by potential successive matches against big-serving Americans: Sam Querry in the second round and a possible clash with Wimbledon doubles champion Jack Sock in round three. Federer is moving fluidly, playing with ambition and is fourth on the ATP in service games won (91 percent) this season.

A Wimbledon finalist five years ago, Berdych is undefeated against first-round opponent Jeremy Chardy. The aggressive Czech burst into the semifinals or better in seven of his first eight tournaments this season, but hasn't surpassed the quarterfinals in his last three events. Still, Berdych's flat strokes should play well on the lawns and he's been opportunistic this season: Berdych is converting 47 percent of his break-point chances, which is second on the ATP Tour. Federer has won 14 of 20 meetings with Berdych, they've split their two Wimbledon encounters with Berdych prevailing in their 2010 Wimbledon quarterfinal clash.