The top seeds in the men's draw may have fared better than the women in the first week of Wimbledon. T
here are five of them -- Roger Federer (1), Rafael Nadal (2), Juan Martin del Potro (5), Kevin Anderson (8) and John Isner (9) - who've sealed spots in the fourth round, as against just one among the ladies. Still, all leads are pointing at a Roger-Rafa final, aged 36 and 32, ten years after that 2008 classic.
Nadal, the world No. 1, who plays Czech Jiri Vesely in the fourth round on Monday, was asked if he'd like to play Federer in the final again. "If I am in the final, I prefer to face an easier opponent. I am not stupid," he said smiling. "But if I am in the final, will be great news. Any opponent will be difficult, of course."
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The 11-time French Open champion, who has enjoyed himself in the middle, basking in the sunshine, paced himself superbly in the first week. The 'good' weather promises to stretch further into the championships and the Spaniard, among a few others, will benefit from the truer bounce it offers.
That's on the sunnier side of affairs as Nadal is in the more-loaded bottom half - he has the big-serving Argentine Del Potro in his quarter. And then, should he make the last four, Nadal could go up against Novak Djokovic.
The Serb, who hasn't gone past the quarterfinals of the last five majors he has started, came through an intense affair against Briton Kyle Edmund late on Saturday. He battled his opponent almost as much as the crowd, showing flickers of an old fire to come out on top.
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The 31-year-old plays Russian Karen Khachanov in the fourth round and could go up against another player who is rapidly finding his grove - Kei Nishikori. The Japanese knocked out a nervous Nick Kyrgios in the third round.
Del Potro, 29, who takes on tricky Frenchman Gilles Simon next, pointed at the top two.
"Roger and Rafa are the favourites," he said. "We also thought that Cilic could be a dangerous guy for them, but he lost. Also, big names like John Isner and Novak Djokovic can be important in the last matches."
Federer, who won the Wimbledon junior crown 20 years ago and is looking for a ninth title here, said he gets nervous when seeded players fall early in a tournament.
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The 36-yearold, father of two sets of twins, who faces Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in the last sixteen, appears to have an untroubled path to the title round thanks to a string if early upsets.
The top seed put down the shock results to the depth in the draw. "We probably have more professional tennis players (overall), they take everything more serious on a daily basis, whereas before not that they didn't take it serious, but probably not like today," he said."
The Swiss superstar said there was heightened awareness, players reacting to not just change but competition too. "The game has changed over the years. It's not much serve and volley going on any more. Players are adapting to what the tournament directors choose, what surface speed is being used," he said. "It's natural, I think. Over time, it's going to get stronger and stronger again."