Eight-time champion Roger Federer rolled into the fourth round of Wimbledon with a straight forward 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany on Friday.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion was clinical, efficient and brilliant at the same time as he was able to up the ante whenever Struff raised the bar a little higher. The German, who was quite good on his own serve barring a few service games eventually, was undone by the wizardry of the 36-year-old. Federer, who looked serene while moving on the Centre Court, wrapped up the match in an hour and 34 minutes.
After making a confident start Struff faltered in the fifth game, allowing Federer to pounce on his two weak serves. The Swiss broke courtesy of a forehand up the line and a crosscourt backhand pass. It was simply sublime from the defending champion. The return game of Struff never looked like making any inroads on the Fed serve as the World No. 2 continued to hold on to his serve quite comfortably. In the end, Federer needed just the 24 minutes to claim the opening set 6-3.
Even though Struff played far better tennis in set 2, Federer was still able to make inroads just when he needed. With both players unable to find a way past their respective serves, the turning point of the set came in the 11th game. A sneaky slice return from Federer completely bamboozled his adversary and to finally earn the much needed break of serve, which gave him a two-set lead.
Struff’s shoulders dropped as soon as he lost the closely contested second set. Federer on the other hand, was quick to seize the momentum as he secured an early break in the third game. In the next game, Federer consolidated the break in comfortable fashion. The Basel native then got the double break in the seventh game before serving out the match in some style with an ace in the following game.
