Roger Federer is so far ahead of his competitors he is now in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon while some players have still the third round to negotiate.

The world No.1 moved smoothly into the last 16 last night when Tommy Haas pulled out of the tournament with an abdominal strain yesterday afternoon. The German had an ultrasound that showed he was suffering from internal bleeding.

Haas' departure lent weight to the theory that Federer is destined to win his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. The only obstacle to this royal procession it seems is the weather that has proved unremittingly bleak. But Wimbledon officials were hopeful last night the backlog of matches could be cleared.

Speaking as the sun shone on the deserted courts yesterday, Andrew Jarrett, the Wimbledon referee, insisted he had no regrets about not invoking a middle Sunday.

On the possibility of a third week at SW19, he said: "It is honestly too early to make a decision. Are contingency plans in place? Yes, they are but that would have been the case back in January."

He was keeping sunny despite a less than promising forecast: "From a singles point of view, if we got great weather, by Wednesday night we could be where we want to be."

Federer, of course, is already ahead of schedule. The first week of Wimbledon has done nothing to dent the expectation that he and Justine Henin of Belgium will be the singles champions.

The Swiss has been examined with the care afforded to a new car. Every chip or minor noise has been exaggerated by anxious observers who fear the world No.1 may be vulnerable after missing the Halle tournament. However, his dismissal of Marat Safin on Centre Court on Friday was masterful. The Russian would have troubled most of the world's top 10. Federer was clinical and clever.

His road to the final will be obstructed, probably, by Juan Carlos Ferrero and then Andy Roddick.

A quarter-final against the Spaniard would delight the purist. Federer and Ferrero are both shotmakers who think deeply about how to win a match. That prospect is, of course, mere conjecture.

The most pressing question is who can stop Federer? Ferrero may have a better chance than most though it would be a leap of faith of Bob Beamon proportions to see Roddick stopping the great man in the semi-finals. The American seems severely limited and a simple Federer game-plan would surely be enough to undo him.

The answer must come from the bottom half of the draw. There lurks Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Hewitt is a course and distance winner who has not lost a set.

He has not been extended so it is difficult to gauge his form. Federer, however, would hardly quail at the prospect of stepping on to the Centre Court to face the Australian on Sunday.

Djokovic, the 20-year-old Serb, has done nothing wrong. He could face Hewitt in a quarter-final that could produce fireworks. It would be astounding, though, if he could at this stage of his career pressurise Federer on grass.

That leaves Nadal. The Spaniard has raced through his two matches and now faces Robin Soderling of Sweden in the third round. He is two rounds behind his greatest rival. Nadal's fitness is such that this may not prove a difficulty but the demands of having to play an extra two games in the final week can't be underestimated.

Nadal has looked stunning at Wimbledon 2007. While Tim Henman was grabbing the headlines, Nadal was briskly racking up two straight-set victories.

There is a belief Federer will always beat him on grass. It is a firmly held faith. I am a sceptic. The Spaniard has youth, vitality and a technique that can produce outlandishly powerful shots. He is on the brink of a tiring but perhaps rewarding week.

The women's tournament has not yet started in earnest. The only strong excitement was felt by Snezana Jankovic, mother of Jelna, as her daughter prevailed in a tight three-setter against Lucie Safarova. Mrs Jankovic, who has a heart complaint, left the arena after feeling unwell but has recovered.

For the rest, the competition is awaiting a series of showdowns after a succession of bullying sessions. Henin, has been imperious but untested, and her major rivals have strolled into the second week. Amelie Mauresmo, who looks fully recovered from injury, and Maria Sharapova, who does not, are already in the fourth round. Venus Williams will join them and her sister, Serena, soon. Jankovic's tie with Safarova will have done her no harm. She is the only one of the fancied players to have been tested fully.

Henin, though, is eager to fulfil her destiny as one of the greats. She has won three times at Roland Garros, once at the US Open and once at the Australian Open. At 25, she knows that a missing Wimbledon title is a gap on her CV as ugly as a missing tooth. She is in a rich vein of form and is physically well.

There is a growing belief the tournament really starts today for both the men and women. Let battle commence. Weather permitting.