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Federer through in express style
Roger Federer pulverised Alejandro Falla in just 54 breathtaking minutes on Thursday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
Roger Federer pulverised Alejandro Falla in just 54 breathtaking minutes on Thursday to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
The Swiss top seed and champion allowed his Colombian opponent just 33 points in the entire match as he underlined his status as the man to beat with a 6-1 6-2 6-0 win.
"I had to play well today to beat him because he wasn't a player who was just going to give it to me," Federer said.
"Okay, the score is very easy, but he was playing well and I had to come up with some really good shots in the beginning to make the difference.
"After that, I really had a good start to every set, which was important. I was very consistent today. It was good."
Those considered best equipped to stop him also advanced but were no way near as impressive.
Second seed Andy Roddick reached the second round on Centre Court, beating Taiwan's Yeu-Tzuoo Wang 6-3 7-5 6-4 and seventh seed and 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt beat Georgia's Irakli Labadze 6-4 6-4 6-1 to reach the third.
Hewitt will next play the man whose title he inherited, Goran Ivanisevic after the Croatian pulled off a spectacular 4-6 7-6 1-6 6-3 6-4 comeback victory over Italy's Filippo Volandri.
Third seed Guillermo Coria needed only 97 seconds to reach the second round as the rain which washed out day three mostly stayed away.
The Argentine needed just two points for victory in his match with Wesley Moodie which had been carried over since Monday. He won them both to advance.
SWIRLING WIND
In the women's draw, fourth seed Amelie Mauresmo thrashed Jelena Kostanic of Croatia 6-2 6-3.
Women's seventh seed Jennifer Capriati also advanced. She brushed aside Claudine Schaul of Luxembourg 6-2 6-2.
Coria beat the South African Moodie 6-4 6-7 6-3 6-7 6-3 in a match which Wimbledon officials believe is the first to span four days.
"I've never been in this kind of situation before but it was worth the wait," Coria said with a grin.
The result meant Coria, who had never won a tour-level match on grass before his run to the Ordina Open final last weekend, finally cracked his first-round jinx at Wimbledon on his third visit to the event.
"I said at Roland Garros that I wanted to improve how I play on this surface, and it will be very good for me to improve my game and feel well within myself," added the French Open runner-up.
Roddick was not at his best, but was happy to advance.
"I felt it was tough out there," the American said. "The conditions, you know, the wind was swirling in there.
"I was not feeling comfortable out there. I got through it. You know, I feel like there's a lot of room for improvement from today.
"But I got through. That's the thing I was looking for."
Mauresmo ambled through. A semi-finalist in her last appearance at Wimbledon in 2002, the Frenchwoman sported a strapping on her right thigh but had little trouble disposing of the world number 37, despite a 30 minute rain-break.
The 24-year-old has a favourable draw until the semi-finals when she could meet defending champion Serena Williams, who beat her at the same stage two years ago.
