Tennis world erupts over Federer and Djokovic twist at Wimbledon

Tennis fans are in a frenzy over the prospect of seeing Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer play in the Wimbledon final after the tennis greats were placed on opposite sides of the draw.

There were initial fears that Djokovic and Federer would land in the same half of the draw and potentially meet in the quarter-finals.

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But the tennis champions can now only meet in the final - if they both manage to get there.

If they do end up becoming the final two men standing at Wimbledon, it would mark a rematch of the epic 2019 final that Djokovic won in a fifth set tiebreaker at 12-12.

The World No.1 will have a lot at stake when play begins at the All England Club on Monday, a year after the grass-court tournament was canceled because of the pandemic.

It was the first time since World War II that Wimbledon wasn't contested.

The 34-year-old Serb, seeking a 20th major title which would tie the men's record shared by Federer and Rafa Nadal, can also move closer to a calendar-year grand slam after winning the Australian Open in February and the French Open this month.

Two years ago at Wimbledon, Djokovic edged Federer in the final after saving two championship points.

While Djokovic is the heavy favourite at Wimbledon, Federer is anything but.

The Swiss great, who turns 40 on August 8, is coming off a pair of operations to his right knee last year and has played only eight matches in the past 16 months.

Roger Federer says he can win Wimbledon

But Federer says he's rediscovered his positive attitude and is confident he can shock the world and go all the way at Wimbledon.

Wimbledon was always the biggest target for Federer's comeback, and he pulled out of the French Open after winning his third-round match in order to rest his body for the grass.

But his return to his favourite surface did not go as planned, losing to Felix Auger-Aliassime in the second round of the ATP event in Halle, leaving him to berate himself afterwards for his negative approach on court.

"I had a mental moment where I was just not happy with how things were going in the match," said the sixth seed in his annual pre-tournament news conference on Saturday.

"The good thing now looking back is I know it will not happen here because I'm ready, I'm excited, I'm pumped up. I know I can do so much better.

"It reminds me more of the junior times in the beginning of my career where all of a sudden you just don't see the positivity any more. I was maybe having higher expectations. Maybe it's also part of the comeback.

"I think I've got to take the positives out of these last few weeks that I'm actually here at Wimbledon right now and I have a chance.

"I know if I get rolling, I get into the second week, which is the goal here right now, that I get stronger and stronger as every match goes by, I believe it's very much possible. I come here feeling mentally strong."

Federer is looking to become the oldest grand slam singles champion in history.

"The goal was not to play until 40," he said.

"This all mainly came the last years. I never thought also with the last surgeries I've had I would still be going."

with agencies

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