LONDON — Roger Federer and Andy Murray ran into each other Wednesday morning in the champions’ locker room at the All England Club, then walked together over to the practice area to prepare — on adjacent courts — for their respective quarterfinals later in the day.
“We weren’t chatting about anything. It was just, ‘Hey, how you doing?’ Nothing interesting,” Murray recounted. “We get on well. But obviously, on Friday — different story.”
Yes, they’ll meet up again Friday, only the setting will be far different and things might be a tad less cordial, because the past two Wimbledon titlists face each other at Centre Court in the semifinals.
The No. 2-seeded Federer is closing in on his record eighth trophy at the grass-court tournament; No. 3 Murray’s 2013 championship was the first for a British man at Wimbledon in 77 years.
Plus, they have history on this particular patch of grass. In 2012, Federer won his 17th — and, to date, last — Grand Slam title by beating Murray in the Wimbledon final. A few weeks later, also at Centre Court, Murray repaid the favor, beating Federer for the singles gold medal at the London Games.
“We both like to look back at that summer,” said Federer, who is 12-11 against Murray. “Me, not so much at the Olympics; him, probably not so much at Wimbledon.”
Both advanced in quarterfinals slowed only by a pair of rain delays. Federer’s 116-hold streak in service games, dating to his previous tournament, ended, but that was merely a blip during a 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 victory over No. 12 Gilles Simon of France.
Murray was hardly troubled at all by a weary Vasek Pospisil of Canada and won 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 in a match that finished with the retractable roof closed at Center Court, in front of an audience that included Prince William and his wife Kate.
Thumbnail photo via Pierre Lahalle/Presse Sports via USA TODAY Sports Images
