June 24, 2007	Sunday	Jamadi-us-Sani 08, 1428

LONDON, June 23: Former US Open and Australian Open winner Marat Safin will be waiting to ambush him in the third round but Roger Federer is still regarded by his peers as a runaway favourite to claim a fifth straight Wimbledon title on July 8.

Swedish veteran Jonas Bjorkman, who was swept aside by Federer in last year's semi-final, believes the Swiss maestro still has too many weapons in his grass-court armoury for anyone to knock him off his throne this year.

“Roger has been so dominant the last couple of years, at the moment I'm not sure who is the one to do it,” the 35-year-old admitted.

“Obviously we all need a little help in that he does not play at his best because when he is playing his best tennis he is unbeatable on grass.”After the disappointment of his French Open defeat by Rafael Nadal, Federer opted to skip his usual warm-up tournament at Halle in Germany and there have been suggestions that he will not be going into this year's Championships in the best frame of mind.

“He's had a tougher year than normal,” acknowledged Bjorkman. “He's had a few let downs this year, obviously it gives all the players a little extra confidence that he can be beaten.”

But the Swede balances that hope with an acceptance that Federer is probably a greater talent than Pete Sampras, Boris Becker or any of the other legends he has faced in his long career.

“He plays with such variety and speed,” he said. “You know you have to work really hard to win the games. In my semi-final last year it was not about winning, unfortunately it was about fighting for my game because of the way he played.

“I haven't had that feeling against anyone else I have played before. You always felt you could stay with them even though they were fantastic players.

“I think he has the whole package. Pete (Sampras) was an unbelievable player and a great champion but you still felt you could hold a couple of service games because he was not returning unbelievably well all of the time.

“With Roger, it's different because he is so good all the time so if you're a little off he will put pressure on you straightaway in your service games and at the same time is very solid in his own.”

Federer should have no trouble ensuring that Russia's Teimuraz Gabashvili becomes his 29th consecutive victim on the lawns of the All England club when he plays his first round match on Monday.

But he faces a potentially difficult encounter in the third round, where he could come up against the erratic but hugely-talented Safin.

The giant Russian has beaten Federer twice before although he trails 2-7 in career meetings with the Swiss star.

Nadal's bid to go one better than last year, when he was comfortably beaten by Federer in the final, faces a tough early test against experienced American Mardy Fish.

Fish has a good track record on grass having notably reached a final at the Nottingham Open in the past, although he has never taken a set off Nadal in three previous meetings.

Third-seed Andy Roddick, who has been placed in Federer's half of the draw, opens his campaign with an all-American meeting with Justin Gimelstob.

Fresh from winning his fourth title at Queen's, Roddick will be working with new coach Jimmy Connors for the first time at Wimbledon.

Lleyton Hewitt, the last man to win a men's singles title before Federer began his winning streak in 2002, will have been pleased by his draw.

The Australian starts against British wildcard Richard Bloomfield and will be confident of advancing to a possible fourth round meeting with fourth-seed Novak Djokovic.

Hopes of home success were dampened by tough draws for the top two Britons Andy Murray and Tim Henman, who could face each other in the 3rd round.

Murray, who remains doubtful for the tournament because of a wrist injury, faces tricky Ecuadorian Nicolas Lapentti in the first round while Henman, with only two wins under his belt this year, will do extremely well to get past former French Open champion Carlos Moya.—AFP