London: Seven-time champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 winner, raced into the Wimbledon second round yesterday as the tournament sweltered in near record-breaking heat.
Second seeded Federer, bidding to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon titles and take his majors tally to 18, enjoyed a 67-minute 6-1, 6-3, 6-3 win over Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia, the world number 88 he beat at the French Open this year.
Federer will face Sam Querrey of the United States for a place in the last 32.
“I was happy I played aggressive. I was always going to miss playing that way a little bit but also he hung around,” said the 33-year-old Swiss.
“He changed up his game a little bit which made it a little bit more difficult so it was interesting for me. But I’m very happy, always, to win like that.”
World number two Federer, beginning his 63rd consecutive grand slam which he firmly believes can deliver a long-awaited 18th title, was given carte blanche to go through his exquisite repertoire against the willing Dzumhur – a player whose first tennis shots were played in bomb-ravaged Sarajevo.
The 23-year-old Dzumhur pushed Federer harder at the French Open this year, but looked like he had turned up uninvited to a Federer garden party on the world’s most famous lawn during a one-sided first set that was over in a flash.
He at least made Federer sweat after that, but not much as the free-swinging Swiss fired off winners and raced through service games in the blink of an eye.
“I’m sure in some crazy way he’s also enjoying himself, he can look back and say I played on Centre,” Federer, who has earned $90 million in prize money compared to the $500,000 banked by his opponent, told reporters after a 74th Wimbledon win.
Nadal, defeated in the second, first and fourth rounds in the last three years, reached the second round with a 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 win over Thomaz Bellucci, his fifth win in five meetings against the 42nd-ranked Brazilian.
Tenth-seeded Nadal, his lowest ranking for a decade, faces Germany’s Dustin Brown for a place in the last 32.
Also making a winning start was Andy Murray who scored a 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 victory over Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin.
As the mercury soared to 30C at the All England Club, Murray avoided being dragged into a draining battle in the Centre Court sunshine, winning in two hours and 12 minutes to book a second round meeting with Robin Haase or Alejandro Falla.
French 13th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was probably wishing for a few clouds after he spent more than four hours to see off Luxemburg’s Gilles Muller 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 3-6, 6-2.
Other men’s winners Tuesday included No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 20 Roberto Bautista Agut, No. 22 Viktor Troicki, No. 23 Ivo Karlovic, No. 25 Andreas Seppi and No. 30 Fabio Fognini.
Jack Sock, the 13th-seeded American, was knocked out by Sam Groth of Australia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.