By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 9, 2018
Roger Federer outclassed Adrian Mannarino, 6-0, 7-5, 6-4, charging into his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal in 20 appearances.
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Family day comes every day Roger Federer takes the court.
These days, the father of two sets of twins says his greatest joy comes from playing in front of his children.
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Even when his kids aren't ion the player box, the reigning Wimbledon champion continues to make matches look like child's play.
Federer flew through the opening set then fended off the first break points he's faced this fortnight outclassing Adrian Mannarino, 6-0, 7-5, 6-4, charging into his 16th Wimbledon quarterfinal in 20 appearances.
"I think it was an interesting beginning; the second set was crucial for him to stay in the match and not give me the lead right away," Federer said. "Nevertheless, he could have also won the second set and the match could have been different. It was important for me to really stay focused.
"I was very happy with the match. It was a bit up and down, but I think it was due to his performance I'm very pleased to be in second week."
Federer fired 12 aces with no double faults and won 90 percent (46 of 51) of first-serve points.
The top seed has ditched the swoosh from his clothes in favor of Uniqlo. He's serving with the precision of a man intent on branding the lines. Federer has stamped 81 consecutive service holds while winning a tournament-best 91 percent of his first-serve points.
Continuing his quest for a ninth Wimbledon title, Federer is rapidly closing ground on a historic surge.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion has now won 32 straight sets at Wimbledon and can match his career-best of 34 consecutive Wimbledon sets, a mark established from 2005-2006, when he faces either US Open finalist Kevin Anderson for a semifinal spot.
The eighth-seeded South African subdued acrobatic Gael Monfils for the first time in six meetings, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 5-7, 7-6 (4), to reach his first Wimbledon quarterfinal in his 10th appearance.
"I feel like these streaks just happen," Federer said. "You can't plan for them anyway because one point can change the outcome of a set. If you break it down, it could be one shot really. That's not something you can always control.
"Of course, if you give yourself maximum chances, you're playing well, you have super focus, then these streaks are kind of possible. Look, I'm equally happy if I would have won all the matches in four sets. That it happened to be in straights, it helps me for the season, to save energy, it helps me to save energy for the rest of the tournament."
Several Centre Court fans stood as Federer walked out on court to start a historic procession day of play.
Today is the first time in tournament history sport's three iconic champions—Federer, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams and 17-time major champion Rafael Nadal—were scheduled back-to-back-to-back in the same session on the most prestigious patch of grass in the game.
Federer won the toss, elected to receive and broke in the opening game.
The 22nd-seeded Mannarino calls Federer "artistic", the first set was pure annihilation as Federer tore through 20 of the first 22 points breaking at love in storming out to a 5-0 lead.
Serving for the set, Federer dodged a break point storming through a shutout set in 16 minutes—his ninth shutout set of his Wimbledon career.
The left-handed Frenchman finally stalled his free-fall holding to start the second set. Coping with an apparent groin issue, Mannarino sometimes walked gingerly between points, but his bigger problem was Federer's ball-control brilliance and skill dragging the flat-hitting baseliner forward into awkward positions on court.
Breaking for a 6-5 second-set lead, Federer served out the second set. That was a temporary reprieve Fed broke 6-5 served out 7-5.
The only true drama came in the third set as Federer's consecutive service game streak teetered when he went down 15-40 in the seventh game.
Slashing an inside-out forehand to save the first, Federer scorched a big second serve to erase the second break point then fired an ace to deny a third break point eventually earning his 80th straight hold of the tournament.
Mannarino redirects pace well, but lacks one major imposing weapon to truly trouble the elite. Net clearance can be an issue too. When Mannarino flagged a forehand into the top of the tape, Federer broke for 5-4 in the third set.
Sliding a twisting serve winner out wide, the 36-year-old Swiss closed in one hour, 45 minutes.
"I really believe it matters on how you play against who you're playing, some days you just feel better," Federer said. "It depends on how you slept, how you felt, if you ate well, maybe nerves as well... Usually, you do play better against better players because it's required."