The Swiss, bidding for a record-equalling seventh title at the All England Club, produced a dazzling array of shot-making to outclass an opponent he had met only once before. Fognini played his part in the second and third sets but the result was never in doubt. Third-seed Federer will play American Michael Russell or Frenchman Julien Benneteau in the next round.
“I’m very happy to have won and to be back on Centre Court,” said the Swiss maestro. “It’s great to have that feeling and to see Charles and Camilla up there is just great for tennis. I’m serving well, my forehand and backhand are working well and it’s great to win so comfortably.”
In other matches, Spaniard David Ferrer beat German Dustin Brown 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4 while 16-seed Juan Monaco overcame Jérémy Chardy 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/3).
Stosur’s Wimbledon nightmare continues
In the ladies’ singles, US Open champion Samantha Stosur suffered another Wimbledon heartbreak as the fifth-seed crashed out in the second round, meaning there are no Australians left in either the men’s or women’s singles.
Stosur, 28, had never been past the third round in nine previous visits to the All England Club and that miserable sequence was extended with a 6-2, 0-6, 6-4 defeat against Arantxa Rus of the Netherlands.
Italy’s 10th-seed Sara Errani, the French Open runner-up, needed just seven seconds to complete her first round win over American qualifier Coco Vandeweghe after the tie had been rained off on Tuesday. Errani had been on match point but on the resumption she did not have to hit a ball as her opponent handed her victory on a double fault as she claimed a 6-1, 6-3 victory.
‘Sharapova inspires me’
Meanwhile, Ana Ivanovic admitted that she wants to emulate fellow glamour girl Maria Sharapova’s return to the top after moving into the second round with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez.
“I’ve been working hard and I’ve been feeling much better,” said Ivanovic. “I know good things are around the corner. Seeing Maria do well and other players getting better and getting their rankings higher up, it definitely inspires me.”
Ivanovic will face Ukraine’s Kateryna Bondarenko in her second round tie.
“It’s going to be a tough match, a lot different than today’s one,” said the Serb. “I just want to try and recover the best I can today and come fresh for the match.”
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2012.
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