The 4th of July may have come and gone in the United States but in England, the fireworks are imminent. On Friday, July 10th Roger Federer and Andy Murray will battle for a spot in the Wimbledon final. This will be their 24th meeting and though Federer leads their head to head 12-11 and 3-0 in Grand Slam finals, at this point in the season and at this stage of The Championships, all bets are off.

They are tied 1-1 on grass though this writer does not place much emphasis on Murray’s win at the 2012 Olympics. In this writer’s estimation, that match should not count in the official head-to-head record. That being said, their last regular ATP sanctioned match was the 2012 Wimbledon final which Federer won after dropping the first set, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. The world number two was relentless, approaching the net whenever possible and utilizing the drop volley to devastating effect. Astonishingly, given Murray's potent groundstrokes, Federer would win more than a third of his overall points at the net. 

With this victory, the Swiss number one would tie Pete Sampras with seven Wimbledon titles – the most in the Open Era. Though Murray failed to capture his first Wimbledon title in 2012, he would succeed the following year by dominating Novak Djokovic in straight sets. He too would make history in winning that elusive crown for he was the first British man to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936.

Interestingly, neither player has won a Grand Slam tournament since their last Wimbledon title. Federer was two points from victory last year but lost to Djokovic in five exceptionally enthralling sets and this fortnight, is particularly eager to ensure he goes the distance.

Both players have had terrific seasons to date with the British number one winning his first two career clay court titles this past spring in addition to his 4th title on grass at Queen's while Federer claimed four titles this season on three different surfaces including a record-breaking eighth championship on the lush lawns of Halle, Germany.

World number two and three have been equally impressive on the grass at the All England Club. Federer has lost just one set on route to the semifinals while Murray has dropped just two. The Swiss maestro has been overwhelmingly dominant on serve having faced only three break points in five matches. His quarterfinal opponent the Frenchman, Gilles Simon, was the only player to have broken him this fortnight.

Murray also has served well, having only been broken seven times in seventeen sets. Clearly, his numbers aren’t as remarkable as Federer’s and as a result, will strive to be more aggressive on serve when he faces the 17-time Grand Slam champion on Friday. He must tread carefully however, for his second serve has always been his greatest liability.

Undeniably, the world number three is one of the game’s best returners but defeating the king of grass in his backyard will require more than innumerable service return winners. The Scot is an efficient mover for his height when taken out wide but is vulnerable when transitioning from the baseline to the net.

The Swiss legend will utilize his versatile serve to win easy points and when possible, approach the net to finish them off. In addition, he will endeavor to draw Murray into the net by employing his consistently well executed drop shot for he is well aware of the Scot’s relative lack of comfort and agility at the net.

That being said, Murray will urgently strive to employ his explosive ground-game to keep the world number two off balance and when the opportunity arises, drive his two-handed backhand down the line.

Irrefutably, the Swiss number one is a more complete player with an endless array of shots at his disposal including a lethal slice backhand. His exquisite technique and sublime footwork render him extremely dangerous, especially on grass.

Prediction: Roger Federer in four sets.