The prospect of Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic meeting in the Wimbledon final could move a step closer on Wednesday, when both players are in action in the quarterfinals.
The two have met in the final of the Grand Slam's oldest tournament three times, with Djokovic winning in 2014, 2015 and 2019. A fourth match-up could be even more significant than its predecessors.
Winning Wimbledon would keep Djokovic, the world No. 1, on track to complete the calendar Grand Slam in 2021, after his triumphs at the Australian Open and the French Open this year. A sixth Wimbledon crown would also draw the Serb level with Federer and Rafael Nadal's record tally of 20 Grand Slam men's singles titles.
A win for Federer would be just as momentous. A ninth Wimbledon title would allow the Swiss No. 6 seed to pull one clear of Nadal in the all-time Grand Slam ranking. It would also be a remarkable achievement for a man who is one month short of his 40th birthday and missed most of the 2020 season because of two knee surgeries and a lengthy rehabilitation.
Before they can set their sights that far, however, Federer and Djokovic have to take care of their assignments on Wednesday.
After defeating world No. 27 Lorenzo Sonego of Italy in straight sets in the Round of 16, Federer takes on Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, the No. 14 seed, on Centre Court on Wednesday—making his 18th appearance in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
"I'm extremely happy," Federer told The Guardian after his win over Sonego on Monday.
"I felt after the first set I controlled things. I couldn't be more excited to be in the quarters, it's a big moment."
Hurkacz defeated world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev in five sets 2-6 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-3 6-3 in a marathon match that concluded on Tuesday after being stopped the day before with the No.14 seed down two sets to one but leading 4-3 in the fourth set.
Djokovic will precede Federer on Centre Court when he takes on Hungary's Marton Fucsovics, the only unseeded player left in the men's tournament.
Since dropping the first set of his opening match of the tournament against Britain's Jack Draper, Djokovic has been flawless. On Monday he extended his run of straight-sets wins to three when he made light work of Chile's Cristian Garin, the No. 17 seed.
Djokovic, the defending champion, hinted there was more to come following his 6-2 6-4 6-2 win.
"Today was a very solid performance from the first to last point," he told the BBC during an on-court interview.
"I was mentally present. I was serving much better, using the court well.
"When I'm able to serve well, get a lot of free points on my first serve, it just gives me more confidence, allows me to relax a bit more on the return games and from the back of the court."
Fucsovics, meanwhile, will be hoping to continue his fairytale run. The Hungarian dispatched No. 9 seed Diego Schwartzman of Argentina in the third round and then accounted for No. 5 seed Andrey Rublev in five sets, booking his place in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career.
Here's all you need to know ahead of Wednesday.
How to Watch Wimbledon on TV
Coverage on Wednesday begins at 8 a.m. ET on ESPN2 and runs until 4 p.m. ET on ESPN2.
How to Watch Wimbledon Online
Fans can watch the action online via ESPN3, ESPN+ as well as via the WatchESPN app. The tournament will also be available via streaming services such as fuboTV and Sling TV, which carry ESPN channels.
When Do Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic Play?
Djokovic and Federer both play on Centre Court on Wednesday. The Serbian defending champion takes on Marton Fucsovics at 1:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET), with Federer's match against Hubert Hurkacz to follow. The Swiss is expected on Centre Court no earlier than 10:30 a.m. ET.
Wimbledon Quarterfinals Schedule
The other two men's quarterfinals are also scheduled for Wednesday.
Canada's Denis Shapovalov, the No. 10 seed, plays Russia's Karen Khachanov, the No. 25 seed, at 8 a.m. ET on Court No. 1.
Italy's Matteo Berrettini, the No. 7 seed, and Canada's Felix Auger Aliassime, the No. 16 seed, will follow on the same court. Their match is scheduled to begin not earlier than 10 a.m. ET.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
