Situation normal on Centre Court
With a dramatic switch of the sponsor logo that’s featured in each of his 19 previous outings, much talk of Roger Federer this Wimbledon has centred on his on-court attire. But while the Swiss star’s fashion choices are inevitably debated, it’s his penchant for winning that remains the most important trend.
A 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 win over Lukas Lacko marked a 26th straight-sets victory for the defending champion, equalling his second-longest streak of streaks won at SW19. Between the third round in 2005 and the 2006 final, Federer won 34 straight sets and an astonishing 12 years later, there’s every possibility of the eight-time champion replicating that run.
It was an afternoon of seemingly effortless style in the Swiss star’s favourite setting, as he took an efficient 90 minutes to complete the match.
While a finalist at Eastbourne last week, world No.73 Lacko has never defeated a top-10 opponent, nor has he competed on Wimbledon's Centre Court. As Federer found his rhythm in their third career meeting, maintaining a perfect winning record quickly appeared on track.
There were all the usual adornments to Federer’s winning style, including his graceful movement and masterful strokes.
It was the serve, though, that would set the eight-time champion apart. He hit 16 aces without a single double fault and claimed the second set without a point surrendered on his own serve. Continuing that pattern until the sixth game of the third set, Federer won an astonishing 35 straight points on serve.
The No.1 seed gradually became more assertive as the match unfolded, breaking Lacko’s serve in the seventh game of the first set, the fifth of the second and in the opening game of the third. Adding another service break four games later, it was only a matter of time before he secured the win with his 48th winner of the match.
"I think I played very well,” said the pleased but understated victor. “I felt good out there. Less nerves than in the first round.”
Listing his ball striking, focus, serve and variety as notable positives, Federer was also happy at his straightforward progress against the Eastbourne runner-up. “I knew he had the rhythm and I knew I had to put him away,” he said.
Noting that he will “definitely have to change his game in the next round” Federer moves on with more unmatched milestones in sight. Contesting his 103rd match in the first round, he overtook Jimmy Connors for the most Wimbledon matches contested in the Open era.
More significant for the most prolific men’s champion in history is that a bid to equal Martina Navratilova’s all-time record with a ninth title remains on track.
Fifteen years since his first victory at Wimbledon, attire trends have come and gone for Federer. Achieving history, though, remains very much in vogue.
