Wimbledon Lookahead: Querrey faces Federer on Centre Court

Jul 1, 2015, 11:36 PM

Sam Querrey of the United States throws a towel to a ball boy during the men's singles first round match against Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

(AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS

LONDON (AP) — Sam Querrey faces a daunting task at Wimbledon on Thursday, when he plays seven-time champion Roger Federer.

The second-round match is scheduled for Centre Court, and Querrey, an American who is ranked 36th, will try to accomplish something only one man has in the past 48 Grand Slam tournaments: defeat Federer before the third round.

That surprising loss, though, happened in the same stadium. Federer was beaten by Sergiy Stakhovsky in the second round at the All England Club in 2013.

Federer and Querrey have played twice before, but not since 2008. Federer won both previous matches in straight sets.

While the No. 2-seeded Federer owns a record 17 major championships, the best Querrey has ever fared was a run to the fourth round at Wimbledon in 2010.

Another trend that does not bode well for Querrey: He is 0-8 against top-10 opponents in Grand Slam matches.

A look at what else is happening Thursday at Wimbledon:

WET WEATHER?

After the hottest day on record in tournament history Wednesday, more traditional Wimbledon weather could be on the way Thursday: The forecast calls for a chance of rain. There was not a drop through the first three days of play.

NADAL VS. BROWN

Two-time champion Rafael Nadal will not have fond memories of the only other time he met his second-round opponent, 102nd-ranked qualifier Dustin Brown of Germany. They played on grass at the tuneup tournament in Halle, Germany, last year, and Brown won 6-4, 6-1. Then again, Nadal is 20-0 against qualifiers at Grand Slam tournaments. In 2013, also as a qualifier, Brown equaled his best showing at a major by getting to the third round at Wimbledon.

MURRAY’S MARCH

Third-seeded Andy Murray, whose 2013 title at Wimbledon ended a 77-year drought for British men at the grass-court tournament, plays his second-round match against 78th-ranked Robin Haase of the Netherlands on Court 1. In nine past appearances at the All England Club, Murray has never failed to get to at least the third round. He’s also lost only once in his career at a Grand Slam tournament against someone ranked as low as Haase, bowing out to No. 91 Arnaud Clement at the 2005 U.S. Open.

MCHALE VS. LISICKI

Sabine Lisicki, the runner-up to Marion Bartoli in 2013, brings her booming serve into a second-round match on Centre Court against Christina McHale, an American ranked 64th. The 18th-seeded Lisicki hit a women’s-record 27 aces in a match during a tuneup tournament last month at Birmingham, England. She also set the record for fastest recorded serve by a woman, smacking one at 131 mph (211 kph) in a 2014 match.

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

Sabine Lisicki of Germany serves to Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia during the women's singles first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Pavel Golovkin)

Andy Murray of Britain celebrates after defeating Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan in their singles first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. Murray won the match 6-4, 7-6, 6-4.(AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Rafael Nadal of Spain celebrates after defeating Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil in the singles first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

Dustin Brown of Germany serves to Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan during the singles first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates after defeating Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia in the singles first round match at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. Federer won the match 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. (AP Photo/Tim Ireland)

Sam Querrey of the United States throws a towel to a ball boy during the men's singles first round match against Igor Sijsling of the Netherlands at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London, Tuesday June 30, 2015. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

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