Roger Federer notched up his 50th consecutive win on grass in typically commanding style to sweep into the third round at Wimbledon on Thursday.
Leading Argentinian teenager Juan Martin Del Potro by two sets to love and 2-0 in the third overnight, the defending champion quickly wrapped up a 6-2 7-5 6-1 win to seal his place in the third round.
Seeking to equal Bjorn Borg's modern-day record with a fifth consecutive title, Federer had yesterday pounced on the first show of weakness from his 18-year-old opponent - by five days the second youngest player in the draw - when two unforced errors in the sixth game of the first set allowed him to break serve with a superb backhand passing shot.
Another break gave top seed Federer the set in just 26 minutes as Del Potro faded after a promising start.
There was one rather optimistic, and somewhat over-familiar, cry of ‘Come on Del Boy’ in the second set - but most of the match was played in an eerie calm.
No-one seriously expected anything other than another routine Federer victory, and it took until Del Potro forced his first break point in the seventh game to generate a brief moment of interest.
Of course, Federer responded in style to fend off the danger, and then forged a break point of his own in the next game.
That chance went begging, but the 25-year-old made no mistake in the 12th game, breaking Del Potro to take the set 7-5.
The match was obviously over as a contest and Federer broke serve in the second game of the third set, and was at 30-30 on his serve when the forecast rain arrived yesterday afternoon.
Resuming today, Federer held serve to extend his lead and immediately broke Del Potro to make it 4-0.
Del Potro finally got on the board at 5-1, but Federer did not need to break sweat to complete another easy win.
