Federer lined up for Nadal rematch

TENNIS: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have been teed up to resume their rivalry in the Wimbledon final after being named as top seeds for this year’s men’s singles.

Federer, who will begin his bid for a fifth straight title on Centre Court at the All England club on Monday, beat Nadal quite comfortably in last year’s final.

But the Spaniard is widely tipped to push the Swiss world number one harder this year as he seeks to become the first player since Bjorn Borg to follow up a French Open win with a triumph on the grass courts of southwest London.

American Andy Roddick, fresh from claiming a fourth straight title at Queen’s, was seeded third while Serbian Novak Djokovic’s good record on grass earned him the fourth seeding, one place above his world ranking.

British number one Andy Murray is seeded eighth, despite doubts about whether he will be able to play because of a wrist injury that has kept him sidelined since last month. Murray was due to appear in an exhibition tournament later on Wednesday but will not make a final decision on his participation until the weekend.

LONDON, Wednesday, AFP