Federer Opens Wimbledon Campaign
Federer Opens Wimbledon Campaign
Swiss going for record eighth Wimbledon title
Roger Federer brought his best tennis when needed to open his 18th consecutive Wimbledon with a 7-6(5), 7-6(3), 6-3 win over Argentine Guido Pella.
The seven-time Wimbledon champion never faced a break point against Pella, who is now 0-4 in tour-level grass-court matches. But Federer also struggled to break the left-hander, going one for nine on break points. Finally, at 4-3 in the third set, the third seed broke Pella and served out the set at love.
His win sets up a dream second-round matchup for Brit qualifier Marcus Willis, No. 772 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Willis had to go through pre-qualifying at Wimbledon and has had to cancel teaching lessons to continue playing at the Grand Slam.
The World No. 3 will look to continue his march to history. Federer, who has lost to Novak Djokovic in the past two Wimbledon finals, is trying to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon crowns. The 34 year old also now has 303 Grand Slam wins, putting him three wins away from tying Martina Navratilova for the most Grand Slam wins.
Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov prevailed against Russian Evgeny Donskoy 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3) to advance to the second round. Dolgopolov, the 30th seed, nearly doubled his winners to unforced errors, 45 to 24. He next will face Brit Daniel Evans, who outlasted German Jan-Lennard Struff 6-3, 6-7(6), 7-6(7), 7-5.
David Goffin advanced to the second round at The Championships for the second consecutive year. Goffin, the 11th seed, swept British wild card Alexander Ward 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 in one hour and 31 minutes.
The 25-year-old Goffin is fresh off his best showing at a Grand Slam when he reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros earlier this month (l. to Thiem). The Belgian enjoyed his deepest run at Wimbledon last year when he made the fourth round (l. to Wawrinka).
Goffin next will face French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who came back to beat Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Denis Istomin, who lost in the first round in Nottingham last week, upset 20th seed Kevin Anderson 4-6, 6-7(13), 6-4, 7-6(2), 6-3. Istomin broke the South African three times in the three-hour and 35-minute match. The Uzbekistani next will face Spaniard Nicolas Almagro, who outlasted Brazilian Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-3, 7-6(6), 5-7, 3-6, 6-3.