It was not quite vintage
Federer, but the 7,500 fans packed around his favourite
court did not care as the Swiss gave them plenty to ooh
and aah about in a 7-6(1) 6-1 6-4 victory.
The 39-year-old Swiss took
a while to find his timing and needed to save three
break points in his first service game.
But having been pushed
into a tiebreak, the 20-time Grand Slam champion flicked
the switch and his game began to flow as he claimed the
breaker in scintillating style.
After taking the opener
the sixth seed moved smoothly through the gears and
Gasquet could not live with him as the Frenchman
suffered an 11th successive defeat against Federer, a
run dating back to 2011 in which he has not even won a
set.
It was in marked
contrast to Tuesday evening when persistent rain meant
Federer's first-round clash with another French player,
Adrian Mannarino, took place under the Centre Court roof
and looked to be slipping away from the Swiss.
He eventually got
through when Mannarino suffered a knee injury after
slipping on the greasy turf but it was one of Federer's
most hollow victories of the 103 he now owns at the All
England Club.
MORE RELAXED
Federer arrived at
Wimbledon with doubts over his form after an unusually
early defeat in Halle, but the signs are looking
positive as he prepares to face Britain's Cameron Norrie.
"Felt good physically.
Much more relaxed in many ways, as I was able to play a
really good breaker," he said.
"What I was able to do
today gives you a lot of confidence. You can start to
play so much more freely."
Federer is adored at
Wimbledon, but he may find the Centre Court crowd a
little less reverential when he faces in-form Norrie,
one of three British men in the third round after he
thrashed Australian Alex Bolt.
Norrie reached the last
32 for the first time with a 6-3 6-1 6-2 win against the
Australian wildcard.
"I hope the crowd gets
into it," Federer said on court after dispatching
Gasquet.
"I understand if they
cheer for him and if it is for me it is because of the
last 20 years and all the big wins I've had here. Cam's
had a wonderful year and played great at Queen's
(reaching the final), backing that up here.
"But enough now -- he
needs to go out! I need to go through."
(Reporting by Martyn
Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
