WIMBLEDON ‘17: Roger Federer seeks record 8th championship

Men to watch at Wimbledon, where play begins Monday:

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ANDY MURRAY

Seeded: 1

Ranked: 1

Age: 30

Country: Britain

2017 Match Record: 21-9

2017 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 45

Major Titles: 3 - Wimbledon (’13, ’16), U.S. Open (’12)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-Won Championship, ’15-Lost in Semifinals, ’14-QF, ’13-W, ’12-Runner-Up

Aces: After run to French Open semifinals, lost opener at Queen’s Club grass-court tuneup, then withdrew from exhibition matches in England, citing a sore left hip. … Made at least QFs in each of last nine appearances at All England Club.

Topspin: Murray’s comfort level, and crowd support, at Wimbledon are both so strong that he can’t be ruled out as a serious title contender.

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NOVAK DJOKOVIC

Seeded: 2

Ranked: 4

Age: 30

Country: Serbia

2017 Match Record: 28-7

2017 Singles Titles: 2

Career Singles Titles: 68

Major Titles: 12 - French Open (’16), Australian Open (’08, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’15, ’16), Wimbledon (’11, ’14, ’15), U.S. Open (’11, ’15)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-3rd, ’15-W, ’14-W, ’13-RU, ’12-SF

Aces: After losing in French Open quarterfinals, entered grass-court tuneup for first time since 2010 - and won title at Eastbourne on Saturday. … Since 2016 French Open made him first man since Rod Laver in 1969 with four consecutive major championships, failed to defend any of those titles.

Topspin: Djokovic’s once-impervious aura has disappeared. Will unusual part-time coaching arrangement with Andre Agassi pay more dividends in London than it did in Paris? Djokovic also has added former player Mario Ancic to his team.

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ROGER FEDERER

Seeded: 3

Ranked: 5

Age: 35

Country: Switzerland

2017 Match Record: 24-2

2017 Singles Titles: 4

Career Singles Titles: 92

Major Titles: 18 - Wimbledon (’03, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’09, ’12), U.S. Open (’04, ’05, ’06, ’07, ’08), Australian Open (’04, ’06, ’07, ’10, ’17), French Open (’09)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-SF, ’15-RU, ’14-RU, ’13-2nd, ’12-W

Aces: After skipping clay-court season, then losing first match on grass, looked back at his best in winning title at Halle, Germany. … Seeks record-breaking eighth Wimbledon men’s title.

Topspin: Simply can’t count Federer out, as his Australian Open championship in January proved after missing last half of 2016. Time off does him good, clearly.

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RAFAEL NADAL

Seeded: 4

Ranked: 2

Age: 31

Country: Spain

2017 Match Record: 43-6

2017 Singles Titles: 4

Career Singles Titles: 73

Major Titles: 15 - French Open (’05, ’06, ’07, ’08, ’10, ’11, ’12, ’13, ’14, ’17), Wimbledon (’08, ’10), U.S. Open (’10, ’13), Australian Open (’09)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-Did Not Play, ’15-2nd, ’14-4th, ’13-1st, ’12-2nd

Aces: Enters Wimbledon on a three-week break from competition since winning record 10th French Open title. … Has won a total of five Wimbledon matches over past five years. … One of his coaches, Carlos Moya, is taking a break and is not at Wimbledon.

Topspin: If his knees hold up, could return to the form that carried him to the final in five consecutive appearances, including two trophies, from 2006-11. “My legs are fine,” Nadal said Saturday. “My week of training has been positive.”

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STAN WAWRINKA

Seeded: 5

Ranked: 3

Age: 32

Country: Switzerland

2017 Match Record: 26-10

2017 Singles Titles: 1

Career Singles Titles: 16

Major Titles: 3 - French Open (’15), Australian Open (’14), U.S. Open (’16)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-2nd, ’15-QF, ’14-QF, 13-1st, ’12-1st

Aces: A Wimbledon championship would make him the ninth man with a career Grand Slam, although he insisted Saturday: “For me, it’s not something I think about.”… After run to Roland Garros final, lost opener on grass at Queen’s Club.

Topspin: Never past quarterfinals at Wimbledon in 12 appearances, needs to stick to an attacking style to try to make a breakthrough.

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MILOS RAONIC

Seeded: 6

Ranked: 7

Age: 26

Country: Canada

2017 Match Record: 22-8

2017 Singles Titles: 0

Career Singles Titles: 8

Major Titles: 0 - Best: RU, Wimbledon (’16)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-RU, ’15-3rd, ’14-SF, ’13-2nd, ’12-2nd

Aces: One of four men with 400 aces this season. … First major semifinal and final appearances came at Wimbledon.

Topspin: Big serve carried him to 2016 final and could bring him far again - as long as his body holds up.

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ALEXANDER ZVEREV

Seeded: 10

Ranked: 12

Age: 20

Country: Germany

2017 Match Record: 33-12

2017 Singles Titles: 3

Career Singles Titles: 4

Major Titles: 0 - Best: 3rd, French Open (’16), Australian Open (’17), Wimbledon (’16)

Last 5 Wimbledons: ’16-3rd, ’15-2nd, ’14-DNP, ’13-DNP, ’12-DNP

Aces: Recently made top-10 ranking debut. … Slid out after first-round French Open exit.

Topspin: By reaching final at grass tuneup, showed his game translates to the slick surface. Now needs to get to second week of a major.

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Follow Howard Fendrich on Twitter at https://twitter.com/HowardFendrich

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