Roger Federer has given pundit Mats Wilander two reasons to worry at Wimbledon ahead of third round clash with Lucas Pouille
ROGER FEDERER is displaying worrying chinks in his armour that threaten his chances of a ninth Wimbledon title, says Mats Wilander.
Federer has made it through safely to the third round at the All-England Club on the back of victories over Lloyd Harrison and British youngster Jay Clarke.
But ex-world number one Wilander, who won seven Grand Slam titles during his brilliant career, claims the Swiss legend is displaying worrying signs of dropping from his brilliant best.
Harrison blitzed his way to winning the first set in the 37-year-old's opening match before Clarke forced him to a tie-breaker in another during the second round victory on Thursday.
And he says that is giving the Swiss master's future opponents a sniff of causing a major upset as he looks to write another chapter in his stellar career.
Wilander, now working as a pundit for Eurosport, said ahead of Federer's match with Frenchman Lucas Pouille tomorrow: "It pleases me to see him that he’s that keen, that’s he’s able to win comfortably in the first two rounds against promising young players in Lloyd Harrison and Jay Clarke. With experience he gets past them.
CHINKS IN THE ARMOUR
"But does it worry me? Yes, it worries me that he lost the first set against Harrison and almost the second set against Clarke.
"It worries me when he starts missing first serves. It worries me when he starts missing forehands.
"Those are two things that have won him the 20 majors so far.
"I think the younger players will start seeing chinks in the armour.
"The older they get, they’re not really expecting perfection.
"Roger Federer is just literally out there and I’m sorry – it’s for the fans. He’s not out there for us.
"He’s out there for himself and he needs to get through tennis matches by spending as little energy as possible – and as little emotional energy as possible."
But Wilander says Federer's extraordinary abilities and experience will still give the veteran the belief he can out-gun rivals Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
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The Swede added: "I think he still believes he can win there. The conditions at Wimbledon change so drastically these days.
"When it’s hot the serve is a bigger weapon and he can spin his forehand. When it cools down a little bit, he can stay neutral in the rally with his slice backhand.
"I do feel like he feels if the condition is right against Rafa Nadal in the semis and Novak in the final, he has a good chance."