Wimbledon 2014: Federer & Wawrinka win as Gasquet loses
- Published
Roger Federer beat the weather and his opponent Gilles Muller of Luxembourg to reach the third round at Wimbledon.
Federer led the world number 103 6-3 4-4 when rain started to fall on Centre Court, forcing the roof to be closed.
But it did not deter the seven-time champion and fourth seed who went on to wrap up a 6-3 7-5 6-3 victory.
Elsewhere, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka had back-to-back wins at Wimbledon for the first time since 2009 after beating Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan.
The fifth seed defeated the 2010 quarter-finalist 7-6 (8-6) 6-3 3-6 7-5.
Federer, who will play either 30th seed Marcel Granollers of Spain or Santiago Giraldo of Colombia for a place in the last 16, hit 25 aces and just four unforced errors in his win.
"It was a serving contest and I am happy I made it, because it was tough with the rain delay," he told BBC Sport afterwards.
"It's nice to make aces, good for the confidence, but I have got to keep working hard to keep the consistency."
And the Swiss star also appeared to aim a thinly-veiled barb at Spanish rival Rafael Nadal over his slow play on court.
"I don't see any point whatsoever in taking more than 10 seconds between points," Federer added. "I think it's very important for the spectators to keep it moving along."
Eighth seed Milos Raonic and 10th seed Kei Nishikori also advanced.
But 19-year-old Australian wildcard Nick Kyrgios, the youngest man in the draw, caused a shock by beating 13th seed Richard Gasquet in five sets.
Kyrgios, ranked 144 in the world, saved nine match points to triumph 3-6 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 7-5 10-8.
He will next meet 20-year-old Czech Jiri Vesely, who defeated 24th seed Gael Monfils 7-6 (7-3) 6-3 6-7 (1-7) 6-7 (3-7) 6-4.
The Frenchman looked out of sorts when he trailed by two sets to love and faced a double break in the third set.
But somehow he pulled his game together, winning the next two sets to force a decider.
Vesely, the former world number one junior, who is making his debut at Wimbledon, regrouped for the biggest win of his career.
Raonic beat American world number 77 Jack Sock 6-3 6-4 6-4 and was delighted to get past the second round at SW19 for the first time.
"It has to go down to a more solid level of concentration and play," said the Canadian.
"On grass, if you lose your concentration it can hurt you and make you pay."
Japan's Nishikori defeated United States qualifier Denis Kudla 6-3 6-2 6-1 to make it to round three for the third year in a row, and his next opponent will be Italian qualifier Simone Bolelli, who beat 22nd seed Philipp Kohlschreiber from Germany 4-6 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-5.
The 14th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga wrapped up victory over American Sam Querrey, going through 14-12 in the final set after play had been suspended on Wednesday with the players tied at 9-9.
Tsonga eventually triumphed 4-6 7-6 (7-2) 6-7 (4-7) 6-3 14-12 and will play Jimmy Wang from Taipei on Friday.
The 23rd seed Tommy Robredo was another to go through thanks to a 6-4 6-1 7-6 (7-5) success over Frenchman Adrian Mannarino and he is joined in the draw by John Isner.
The American, famous for his marathon match against Nicolas Mahut in 2010,, external reached the third round for the first time by beating Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 7-6 (19-17) 7-6 (7-3) 7-5.
The first-set tie-break was the second longest in Wimbledon history - Bjorn Borg won 20-18 against Premjit Lall of India in 1973.
Former champion Lleyton Hewitt saw his match against 2013 semi-finalist and 15th seed Jerzy Janowicz of Poland suspended because of the weather with the Pole leading 7-5 4-4.
- Published25 June 2014
- Published26 June 2014
- Published26 June 2014
- Published25 June 2014
- Published22 June 2014
- Published9 November 2016
- Published17 June 2019