Roger Federer winning his seventh Wimbledon title in 2012. Photograph by Robbie Dale.

What’s with The New York Times’ love affair with Roger Federer?

“Against the odds, Federer bids for an eighth Wimbledon title,” the paper noted in a headline on the eve of Wimbledon’s opening. The article was accompanied by a photograph of Feddy winning in 2007. For the Grey Lady, time stopped in 2007. Honestly, it’s as if The Times were Anna Wintour.

Unfortunately, for Fed, The Times and Anna, along came Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, who proved to be Fed’s real rivals, not merely his opponents. In a sense, however, they came along too late. The Fed mystique was already set in aspic, leaving little love for anyone but Rafa as the junior partner in a “rivalry” that saw him quickly eclipse Feddy Bear. Nole and Andy, of course, did themselves no favors with the fans and the press, getting off to a slow start with punkish behavior in a sport that prides itself on etiquette and a world in which first impressions tend to be lasting.

But you know what? Nole and Andy grew up and married their long-time loves. Nole in particular has been a model ambassador for the game on and off the court in terms of his sportsmanship and charity work.

Would it be so hard for The Times to give Nole – who is, after all, the No. 1-ranked player in the world – a little ink, if not love, instead of partying like it’s 2007?