LONDON, June 19: Wimbledon’s defending champions swept into the All England Club on Sunday with a regal air befitting their status. Maria Sharapova gushed about her 18 carat gold tennis shoes. Roger Federer smiled the smile of a man who is hot favourite for a third straight Wimbledon crown.

“I am feeling good - I’m really looking forward to my first match,” the Swiss said. “I had a great week in Halle and I’ve got high hopes of doing well again.

“Everything has been going to plan so far.”

Federer, who won the Halle grasscourt tournament last week, faces Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu in the first round.

“There will be relief when that’s over,” the world No 1 said. “There will be tension, but that’s normal.

“Hopefully I’ll get through that one and then I’ll be able to get a feel for the tournament...start to get into it a little.”

Federer has not been beaten on grass since June 2002 and a first round defeat at Wimbledon to Croatia’s Mario Ancic. Since then he has racked up a 29-match winning streak on the surface.

“But I don’t feel invincible on grass,” he said. “For example I should have lost last week in Halle but came through and won.

“Grass is tough because it always comes down to one or two points. I have managed to win those points for the last 29 matches.”

The season’s third Grand Slam will take place from June 20 to July 3. Federer opens centre-court play on Monday.

Last year’s runner-up Andy Roddick was promoted from his ranking of four to be named second seed while world No 2 and 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt was named third seed and is in Federer’s half of the draw.

Sharapova can’t wait to get going.

“I just enjoy it whenever I come back here,” she laughed.

The second seed plays Spain’s Nuria Llagostera-Vives in the opening round while women’s top seed Lindsay Davenport also has a straightforward opening match against Russia’s Alina Jidkova.

—Reuters