Federer, Roddick Lead Favorites Pack at Wimbledon

Federer warmed up for Wimbledon by winning his third consecutive grasscourt title in Halle ("Holla!"), while Roddick's Queen's win was also a three-peat, the first time in the Open Era that two players have been so dominant on grass at the same time.

What of 2002 winner Lleyton Hewitt, you say? Too much on his plate this year between a series of injuries/accidents, and worrying about his impending fatherhood after quickly impregnating Australian soap star Bec Cartwright following his all-too-public break-up with Kim Clijsters.

Marat Safin, who beat Federer this year at the Australian Open? Yeah, he also took a set off Club Fed in the grasscourt final at Halle last week, but that followed 11-1/2 months of the Russian responding to every grasscourt question with 'I hate Wimbledon.' Besides sporting a bum knee, you know he's one bad bounce from smashing all the racquets in his bag and going fishing.

Tim Henman or Greg Rusedski? Please, they've qualified for the ATP pension plan and at this point are logging overtime hours.

And you could legitimately narrow it from two favorites this year to just one.

Roddick played out his proverbial behind in last year's final, ditching his awkward-approach-and-poke-volley game to suddenly channel Stefan Edberg in threatening to go up two sets to one before a rain delay dampened his momentum. Federer, who weathered a very, very-off day, still won.

"If Roger Federer plays well then there is no way he's going to lose, and I could see him not playing his best tennis and still winning," said former Wimbledon champ John McEnroe on handicapping this year's field.

With two Wimbledon titles under his belt, a third is his for the taking with the only player seemingly able to stop Roger Federer being -- Roger Federer.

Here is a look at how the four sections of the men's draw shake down for the 2005 Championships at Wimbledon:

First Quarter
Seeds: (1) Roger Federer, (8) Nikolay Davydenko, (11) Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson, (13) Tommy Robredo, (21) Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, (23) Juan Carlos Ferrero, (25) Nicolas Kiefer, (31) Mikhail Youzhny
Floaters: Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau, "Grinning" Greg Rusesdki, Marcos "Bombs Over" Baghdatis, Scott Draper

You've got to think Roger Federer was all smiles Thursday after seeing himself land in the "claycourt section" of the draw with dirt seeds Daydenko, Robredo, Gonzalez and Ferrero. Especially if the drizzle from last week continues, making it even more difficult for the baseliners. The Swiss opens against Frenchman Paul-Henri-Mathieu, who is 1-2 at Wimbledon, with his first possible resistance coming in the third round against the grass-proficient (25) Kiefer, or Benneteau who last year stretched Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic to five sets. In addition to the Kiefer-Benneteau opener, other first-round oddities effecting later play will be (8) Davydenko vs. Draper, a great opportunity for the Aussie at what is likely his last Wimbledon; (21) Gonzo vs. Brit (WC) Alan MacKin with a huge opportunity for the struggling homecountryman; (31) Youzhny vs. Baghdatis just to see how Cypress' No. 1 is progressing; and (13) Robredo vs. Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco in an all-Spanish meeting. (11) J.Johansson, still struggling to recover from the shoulder injury, will likely have his hands full in the second round against Britain's own Grinning Greg, who has likewise failed to find his footing in the grasscourt lead-up. All in all, things couldn't look better for the Swiss. Federer will likely face J.Johansson, Rusedski, or an even uglier prospect in the quarters (Draper? Bjorkman? Pete Sampras leaping from the stands shouting "This is bull****!"?) to advance into the semis.

Second Quarter
Seeds: (3) Lleyton Hewitt, (5) Marat Safin, (10) Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, (16) Mariano Puerta, (22) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, (24) Taylor "Acci-" Dent, (26) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez, (29) Nicolas Massu
Floaters: Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, (WC) James Blake, Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian, Lars Burgmuller, Cyril Saulnier, (WC) Mark Philippoussis, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan

Besides not being overjoyed at Andy Roddick receiving the No. 2 seed, and as the No. 3 seed lining up to face Roger Federer in the semis instead of the final, Lleyton Hewitt can be satisfied with a fairly easy early road at the All-England Club. Hewitt opens against the underwhelming Christophe (not brother Olivier) "The Roach" Rochus in a first-time meeting, then likely faces the oft-choking American James Blake before his draw really opens up, with a possible meeting with (24) Taylor "Acci-" Dent in the third, if the big-serving overweight American can stay uninjured for three rounds. Some low-powered floaters in the quarter benefit from meetings with grasscourt neophyte seeds, such as (29) Massu vs. the smooth-stroking "Sarge" Sargsian (with a career grasscourt title to his credit), German Lars Burgsmuller with a fine draw vs. Mariano Puerta, and France's Cyril Saulnier against the slow-court-loving (22) Dominator. Per usual, Russian train-wreck Marat Safin will provide much of the early excitement in the second quarter, opening against the grass-loving Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, then if passing his initial test, squaring off against former Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis, who has his own opening-round tester against the grass-proficient Karol Beck in a first-time meeting. A Safin or Flipper vs. Ancic fourth round would be a show stopper, with the winner possibly facing Hewitt to see who emerges into the semis.

Third Quarter
Seeds: (4) Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal, (12) Thomas Johansson, (14) Radek Stepanek, (18) David Nalbandian, (19) Tommy Haas, (27) Richard Gasquet, (28) Jiri Novak, (33) Olivier "The Roach" Rochus
Floaters: Max "The Beast" Mirnyi, Peter "Nuclear" Wessels, "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter, Vince Spadea

A strong underdog could emerge from the deceiving third quarter, which appears clay-challenged at first glance but contains a number of who-would-have-thought potential semifinal contenders in T.Johansson, Stepanek, Nalbandian, Haas and Gasquet. The top part of the section threatens to open up quick, with (33) Rochus facing Max "The Beast" Mirnyi in the second round, and (28) Novak against the grass-loving Dutchman Peter "Nuclear" Wessels. Is there a Dutchman that isn't proficient on grass? The Netherlands' "Everybody Loves" Raemon Sluiter is, and will have an advantage against (18) Nalbandian in their opener knowing he beat the Argentine in their only previous meeting. French Open winner Rafael Nadal, more curiosity than threat to emerge into the semis, faces another baseline scrapper in his opener in American Vince Spadea. Tip (19) Haas or (12) Johansson to face either (14) Stepanek or (27) Gasquet in the quarters to see who emerges into the semis from this motley lot.

Bottom Quarter
Seeds: (2) Andy Roddick, (6) Tim Henman, (9) Sebastien Grosjean, (15) Guillermo "El Mago" Coria, (17) Dave Ferrer, (20) Ivan Ljubicic, (30) Robin Soderling, (32) Filippo Volandri
Floaters: Jarkko Nieminen, Alexander "My Serve Has" Popp, Wayne "The Serving Machine" Arthurs, Guillermo "G-Lo" Garcia-Lopez, Michael Llodra, Xavier "X-Man" Malisse, "Dr." Ivo Karlovic

Not a great draw at all for the defending runner-up Roddick, with "Dr." Ivo in the second round, (30) Soderling (who gave Federer problems on grass earlier this month) in the third, then former Wimbledon semifinalist Xavier "X-Man" Malisse in the fourth round, and (9) Grosjean, (6) Henman, or a floater in the quarterfinals. The American definitely won't have a chance to work his way into the tournament ala Federer's cushy draw. Henman sees no definitive threat in his opener against Fin Jarkko Nieminen, but add up the Brit's sliding results and lack of confidence, and each match could easily be his last. Other openers of interest with upset potential in the bottom quarter are (32) Volandri vs. the Aussie grass-coveter Arthurs, (17) Ferrer vs. G-Lo in an all-Spanish likely upset, and (9) Grosjean vs. Llodra in a tough all-French match-up with the winner to face the upset-minded fastcourter Kenneth Carlsen. If Roddick falls early, something ugly from this way comes.

Federer (2004-03) and Hewitt (2002) are the only returning singles champions in the field, whereas three-time defending doubles champions Jonas Bjorkman and Todd Woodbridge split up last year and compete in 2005 with different partners.

On tap for Monday at the All-England Club are (1) Federer vs. Mathieu, Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan vs. (5) Safin, (3) Hewitt vs. Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, (23) Ferrero vs. Delgado, A.Martin vs. "Grinning" Greg Rusedski, Beck vs. Philippoussis, Mackin vs. (21) Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, Draper vs. (8) Davydenko, Monfils vs. Okun, Goodall vs. Di Mauro, Bjorkman vs. Jeff "The Lizard King" Morrison, Sherwood vs. Ricardo Mello "Yello," Burgsmuller vs. (16) Puerta, Minar vs. Tabara, Florian "Oscar" Mayer vs. Ventura, Acasuso vs. Zib, Udomchoke vs. Koubek, (26) Feliciano "F-Lo" Lopez vs. Phau, Justin "Time" Gimelstob vs. Garcia, (24) Taylor "Acci-" Dent vs. D.Norman, (11) Joachim "The Jackhammer" Johansson vs. Montanes, Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau vs. (25) Kiefer, Sargis "Sarge" Sargsian vs. (29) Nicolas "The Golden Child" Massu, (31) Youzhny vs. Marcos "Bombs Over" Baghdatis, Saulnier vs. (22) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty, Dupuis vs. Berdych, K.Kim vs. Bogdanovic, Hernych vs. Blake, Fernando "Hot Sauce" Verdasco vs. (13) Robredo in an all-Spanish, (10) Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic vs. Summerer, Enqvist vs. H.-T. Lee, and O.Hernandez vs. Lisnard.