Two days after creating a stir at Wimbledon with his new mega-bucks clothing deal, Roger Federer was back making a style statement with his dazzling tennis as he gave Lukas Lacko a 6-4 6-4 6-1 dressing down to reach the third round on Wednesday.
The Swiss champion was at his breathtaking best as he crafted 48 exquisite winners during a 90-minute match that seemed more an exhibition of his shot-making than a charge towards a record ninth Wimbledon title.
When Federer turned up to defend his crown in 2013, he suffered a shock second-round humbling by Sergiy Stakhovsky.
There was no danger of a repeat performance against Slovakia’s Lacko, however, and a forehand swish on match point gave the top seed a 26th consecutive set at the grasscourt Major.
Federer will face either Croatian Ivo Karlovic or Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff for a place in the fourth round.
MEN ’S SINGLES 2ND RD
(1) Roger Federer (Swi) bt Lukas Lacko (Svk) 6-4 6-4 6-1
(11) Sam Querrey (USA) bt Sergiy Stakhovsky (Ukr) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-3
(13) Milos Raonic (Can) bt John Millman (Aus) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-4)
Dennis Novak (Aut) bt (17) Lucas Pouille (Fra) 6-4 6-2 6-7 (8-10) 3-6 6-2
(22) Adrian Mannarino (Fra) bt Ryan Harrison (USA) 7-5 7-5 7-6 (7-4)
Daniil Medvedev (Rus) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (Esp) 6-3 6-4 6-2
Gael Monfils (Fra) bt Paolo Lorenzi (Ita) 3-6 6-3 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3)