Big Rog takes on Dominik Hrbaty from 1pm BST today, bet here

It has been a tough old year for Roger. Apparently Grand Slams don’t come quite so easily anymore and maybe, just maybe, he’s about to surrender his Wimbledon crown. Rafael Nadal tops the list of the young pretenders ready to step into Federer’s flashy gold shoes and cream blazer, and the young Spaniard can’t possibly lose a third successive Wimbledon final. Here’s why…

Why Federer won’t make it six in a row

* Federer is having a disappointing year by his standards, losing in the semi final in Australia and enduring a crushing straight sets defeat in the final at Roland Garros.

* Rafael Nadal will head to Wimbledon in fine form, having won his fourth successive title at Roland Garros prior to his first victory at Queen’s club.

* The Spaniard convincingly beat Federer in the French Open, sealing a 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 victory in just one hour and forty eight minutes.

* Nadal’s victory over Federer at the French was the most one sided men’s Grand Slam final since Jimmy Connors took just four games off McEnroe at Wimbledon in 1984.

* The ATP Race leader is getting closer on grass. In 2006, he lost the Wimbledon final in four sets and in 2007 he lost a thriller in five.

* Not since Fred Stolle in 1963-65 has any player in the men’s draw suffered three consecutive Wimbledon final defeats. So, should Rafael Nadal reach the final this year…

* World No.3 Novak Djokovic beat Federer in straight sets on the way to securing his maiden Grand Slam title in Australia earlier this year.

* Britain’s lone hope Andy Murray has recorded successive wins against the Swiss Champion - the latter of which was as recently as March this year.

* In the Grand Slam era nobody has ever won Wimbledon six times in succession - Bjorn Borg won five in a row from 1976-1980 but lost the final in 1981 to John McEnroe.

* It’s written in the stars that 2008 won’t be his year.