By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Roger Federer launched his quest for a ninth Wimbledon crown dropping the first set before breezing into round two. Our top takeaways from Federer's 96th Wimbledon win.
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport
Champions ranging from Bjorn Borg to Rafael Nadal call the sudden surface shift from Roland Garros’ red clay to Wimbledon’s green lawn the toughest tennis test.
Sputtering slightly at the start, Roger Federer showed sharp transition skills bursting past hobbled Wimbledon debutant Lloyd Harris, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, into The Championships second round for the record-extending 17th consecutive year.
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Our Top 5 Takeaways from Federer’s first-round win that raises his Wimbledon record to 96-12.
1. No. 9 Dream
Eight-time Wimbledon champion Federer was born on 8-8, formed Team 8 management firm and cites eight as his favorite number.
The 37-year-old Federer launched his quest to realize a No. 9 dream—joining Martina Navratilova as the second player to claim nine Wimbledon singles championships—battling leg lethargy but improving set-by-set against an inexperienced grass-court foe, who was hobbled by a left leg injury.
"I just felt like it was slow. I couldn't really have any impact," Federer said. "He was doing a good job of returning me. I don't think I had an ace in the first two sets maybe. I had two in the first three sets. It wasn't like I was serving poorly, you know.
"I guess I wasn't hitting my spots, and he was reading my serve, or he was just doing a good job, so... I think in that connection, I just struggled. As my legs weren't moving, it's hard to see the short ball. In defense you're weak. The next thing you know you're struggling. That's what I had going."
Still, Federer turned the match around imposing his forward movement and net skills posting his sixth straight grass-court win following his run to a record-extending 10th Halle title.
2. Forward Finish
Some opponents say competitive aura is a major asset for the Big 4, who have combined to capture 16 consecutive Wimbledon championships.
Contrast Federer’s opening-round adjustment to fellow Top 10 seeds Dominic Thiem, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Alexander Zverev, who all fell at the first hurdle, and you see a glaring reason
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When Federer dropped the first set, he accelerated his all-court attack. Federer won 29 of 31 net trips today. When the Swiss wasn’t streaking forward he was drawing the world No. 86 in with short slices exposing the South African’s front-court deficiency.
Harris won just eight of 21 trips to net.
"I think with my experience I stayed calm," Federer said. "I know I have other things in the bag that I can come up with, other tricks. I just took a bit of time."
3. Early Timing Trouble
A bit sluggish at the start, Federer wasn’t timing the ball nearly as crisply as he did en route to his 10th Halle title last month.
The second seed flattened a backhand into the middle of the net gifting Harris the break and a 4-2 first-set lead. The South African served for the set at 5-3, gained set point when Federer slid a slice into net and closed the 28-minute set when the Swiss sailed a pass.
At the start of the second set, Federer began to find his range and started imposing his net game on the match. Federer broke for a 3-1 second-set lead. Federer won 16 of 19 points played on his serve and six of seven net points tearing through the 22-minute second set.
Though he finished with 42 winners against 14 unforced errors, Federer said a combination of factors—court speed, heavier balls and moderate temperatures—combined to create slower conditions.
"I do believe, and I felt for years, that the ball is not a very lively ball. It's more of a heavy ball," Federer said. "It doesn't really just go 'whew,' unless it's really hot, then the ball goes a bit. We are in England. It's not like we have the super heat over here, unless we get the African super wave coming. I feel like it's a bit of everything. I have to get used to it.
"I definitely think Wimbledon has not been the fastest overall. If you look at rally length, US Open is shorter rallies on average than Wimbledon. That tells you the story a little bit."
4. Reading Comprehension
The lanky South African has a quick-action service motion snapping at his toss rapidly. Federer began reading the serve better as the match progressed and snapped off a smash to break for a 2-1 third-set lead.
In Federer’s recent grass-court losses break-point conversions have been an issue.
Cast on Court No. 1 for the first time since the 2015 quarterfinals, Federer was one point from a straight-sets win and his 13th Wimbledon semifinal at 5-4 in the third set vs. Kevin Anderson last July.
Anderson stood tall saving match point in a 12-point hold sparking a three-game spurt in dethroning the defending champion 2-6, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4, 13-11 in the 2018 quarterfinals.
Today, Federer converted six of 12 break-point chances, though Harris, who had his left calf taped during the match, clearly wasn’t able to push up and out on serve in the latter stages.
Still, break-point conversion will be a key stat for Federer in this fortnight. The second-seeded Swiss leads the ATP Tour in service games won (93%) and is 34th in break-point conversion (37.72%).
5. Who’s Next?
Federer faces British wild card Jay Clarke, who beat American qualifier Noah Rubin, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion is playing for his sixth straight trip to the third round.
World No. 2 Rafael Nadal, who is seeded third behind the third-ranked Federer, is on course for a second-round showdown with Nick Kyrgios.