I love coming to Wimbledon, says Roger Federer

Roger Federer

Paris: Twenty years after his debut, Roger Federer will take aim at a ninth Wimbledon title and a place in history as the oldest man to capture a Grand Slam singles crown.

Federer, who turns 38 in August, is already the oldest player to win the Wimbledon men's title in the modern era, a feat achieved in 2017 when he was 35.

'Great memories'
Australia's Ken Rosewall was only just past 37 when he won the 1972 Australian Open, an age barrier Federer hopes to smash when Wimbledon starts on Monday. "I love being around here. It's a good vibe. I have great memories. My heroes all won here," said 20-time major winner Federer.

"Every time I come back here, I try to be like them." However, despite his lifetime affection for the All England Club, the tussle to add to his London silverware has become increasingly fraught. His eighth and most recent Wimbledon title came off a straight-sets demolition of an injury-hit and tearful Marin Cilic in the 2017 final.

Federer was a force of nature that year, not dropping a set in the entire fortnight as title rivals fell by the wayside. Federer's seventh Wimbledon title had come five years earlier with a final win over Andy Murray.

Recent disappointments
But 2017 aside, recent trips to London have proved disappointing for the Swiss star whose first experience of Wimbledon was an opening-round loss to Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic in 1999.

In 2013, he was shocked in the second round by Ukraine's Sergei Stakhovsky. The next two seasons saw runners-up finishes to Djokovic while the 2016 campaign ended with a five-set loss in the semi-finals, blown away by Milos Raonic.

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