Who does Andy Murray have to beat to win Wimbledon 2015?
The 2013 champion is in the same half of the draw as Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and could potentially meet Novak Djokovic in the final
Could 2015 be the year Andy Murray reclaims his Wimbledon title? The British number one has found the sort of form that propelled him to a straight sets victory against Novak Djokovic in the historic 2013 final. With an impressive run to this year's French Open semis already under his belt, plus a win last Sunday at Queen's, the Scot has got plenty of British tennis fans awfully excited.
But who's he got to beat to lift the trophy? This morning saw the Wimbledon draw take place and Murray finds himself in the same half as former winners Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, but – crucially – he's in the opposite side from defending champion Djokovic whom he could meet in the final. Although the number three seed has plenty of work to do before then.
Beginning his campaign on Tuesday (30th June), Murray will meet Kazakhstan's Mikhail Kukushkin. He's played the world number 58 on two previous occasions, winning both, the most recent coming in the 2012 Australian Open fourth round when Murray was up two sets before his opponent withdrew with injury.
If Murray makes it three wins out of three, he could face Robin Haase. The pair have played four times with the Brit winning three, although the Dutchman forced four tough sets in the opening round of last year's US Open.
Round three holds a test from potential opponent Andreas Seppi from Italy. The world number 27 has lost to Murray in their last six meetings, including a straight sets match on grass at Queen's in 2009.
French showman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga could await him in the fourth round in what would no doubt be an entertaining match. The two have met twice at Wimbledon with Murray winning both, leading their head-to-head by 10 matches to Tsonga's three.
Then a quarter final could see the 2013 champ face Nadal although, based on the Spaniard's recent form, his compatriot David Ferrer could also square off against Murray in the final eight. Both players would pose a significant test. Nadal – on the comeback after a lengthy injury – has been wobbly this year, crashing out to Djokovic in the quarter finals at Roland Garros, but if he finds his form, he's a force to be reckoned with. Meanwhile, Ferrer forced Murray to four tight sets in their 2012 quarter-final, although the Brit eventually prevailed en route to the final.
Murray's semi-final could see a clash with seven-time winner Roger Federer. At 33, Federer no longer reigns supreme on the tennis court, but never underestimate him on grass. The Swiss champ's favourite surface often inspires his finest tennis and he's still as hungry as ever to add another Wimbledon trophy to his collection.
And – if Murray makes it through all the above – he's likely to meet the world number one and top seed Djokovic in the final. The Brit would no doubt have lifted far more than his two Grand Slam titles had the Serb not stood in his way these past few years. But since their 2013 match at Wimbledon, Murray has lost eight straight matches to his rival, including the Australian Open final earlier this year and the French Open semis last month which saw him eventually succumb 6-1 in the fifth set.
Can Murray maintain his form to overcome Djokovic's challenge and lift the trophy in front of a home crowd once again? All eyes will be on SW19 from next week.