• Next up for the Swiss will be in-form British 29th seed Cameron Norrie who thrashed Australian Alex Bolt 6-3, 6-1, 6-2
The sun finally came out at Wimbledon yesterday and eight-time champion Roger Federer got his old sparkle back on Centre Court to eclipse Richard Gasquet and move serenely into round three.
It was not quite vintage Federer, but the 7,500 fans packed around his favourite court did not care as the Swiss gave them plenty to ooh and aah about in a 7-6(1) 6-1 6-4 victory.
The 39-year-old Swiss took a while to find his timing and needed to save three break points in his first service game.
But having been pushed into a tiebreak, the 20-time Grand Slam champion flicked the switch and his game began to flow.
After taking the opener the sixth seed moved smoothly through the gears and Gasquet could not live with him as he suffered an 11th successive defeat against Federer.
Next up for the Swiss will be in-form British 29th seed Cameron Norrie who thrashed Australian Alex Bolt 6-3, 6-1, 6-2.
“It was a wonderful match for me and I’m really happy with my performance,” Federer said on court.
It was a marked contrast to Tuesday evening when persistent rain meant Federer’s first-round clash with another Frenchman, Adrian Mannarino, took place under the Centre Court roof and looked to be slipping away from the Swiss.
He eventually got through after Mannarino suffered a knee injury after slipping on the greasy turf.
Norrie joins fellow Britons Dan Evans and two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray in the third round.
It is the first time three British men have reached the third round since 1999, when Tim Henman, Greg Rusedski and Danny Sapsford reached the last 32.
Norrie was followed onto Court One by men’s second seed Daniil Medvedev and the Russian made short work of 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, the youngest player in the men’s draw.
Medvedev showed the confidence he had gained in winning his first grass court tournament last Saturday in Mallorca.
The 25-year-old has never been beyond the third round and to break that mark he will have to beat the winner of the match between 2017 finalist Marin Cilic of Croatia and French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi.
Alexander Zverev, like Medvedev, has yet to flourish at Wimbledon but the German wasted little time in progressing to the third round dismissing Tennys Sandgren, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3 in a match played in good hearted humour.
“I think I’ve said it before, I’m not in a position right now where I’m satisfied with just a quarter-final or a semi-final,” said Zverev.
“I am here to compete and at least give myself the best chance to do so (of winning Wimbledon).”
The fourth seed could face a closer examination of his skills on grass if big serving American Taylor Fritz beats compatriot Steve Johnson.
Meanwhile, Ashleigh Barty’s bid to win the Wimbledon singles title on the 50th anniversary of fellow indigenous Australian Evonne Goolagong Cawley’s first victory stayed on course yesterday. However, Barty produced a far from perfect performance in her 6-4, 6-3 win over Russia’s Anna Blinkova as she progressed to a third round meeting with Czech Katerina Siniakova.
“She pushed me incredibly hard,” said Barty.
“A few points here and there it could have been a different story.”
Barty is seeded to meet this year’s French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in the last 16.
Krejcikova brushed aside second round opponent German veteran Andrea Petkovic 7-5, 6-4.
Barty is popular on Centre Court but nothing compared to Coco Gauff due to her exploits aged 15 in 2019 reaching the Last 16 as a qualifier.
‘Coco Mania’ has not diminished on Centre Court despite a two-year hiatus and the 17-year-old did not let the crowd down with a 6-4, 6-3 win over former semi-finalist Elena Vesnina.
“It feels like I have changed and grown a lot,” said Gauff.
“Two years ago not many people knew my name at least before I beat Venus and now it (Wimbledon) feels more like home.”
Two fewer seeds will be standing in Barty’s way as she looks to add the senior singles title to her 2011 junior Wimbledon win.
Third seed Elina Svitolina, a Wimbledon semi-finalist two years ago, said she needs a rest after losing 6-3, 6-4 to Poland’s Magda Linette.
“I think mentally today I was not really in a good place,” said Svitolina.
Australia’s Ashleigh Barty celebrates winning a point against Russia’s Anna Blinkova.
