A quick glance towards the Centre Court scoreboard at the Olympic Tennis Centre hardly helped Roger Federer’s prickly demeanour on Tuesday.

As the Swiss went through a sweaty two-hour practice with doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka the name of Tomas Berdych was frozen on to the screen alongside that of Federer.

A reminder of the Czech who stunned him at the Olympics four years ago in Athens was either a pure coincidence or the work of some mischievous technician. Whatever, Federer was not laughing as he avoided waiting reporters. He barely smiled and hardly looked in the mood for a party at the world’s greatest sporting festival as he went through his routines in sweltering conditions.

Even his long-term girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec got the silent treatment as she sat on a courtside chair handing out water to the 12-time Grand Slam champion, who is soon to hand over the world number one ranking.

Over on an outside court the mood could hardly have been more different as Nadal, who will become top dog on August 18, enjoyed a relaxed hour-long hit with compatriot Tommy Robredo. Nadal looked worry-free and jovial, chatting to reporters and signing autographs for some of the army of eager volunteers working at the venue.

He even played some football with a tennis ball with Robredo, who he is sharing a room with in the nearby Olympic Village. He is clearly revelling in the atmosphere. “It’s something a little different to what we are used to but it’s good,” he told reporters. “Now that I’m going to be number one my only thoughts are on the Olympics.”

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