Rawger Federer: Swiss great gets his sparkle back as sun shines at Wimbledon

LONDON, July 2

The sun finally came out at Wimbledon on Thursday and eight-time champion Roger Federer got his old sparkle back on centre court to eclipse Richard Gasquet and move serenely into third round. 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.

46 Roger Federer, 39, has become the oldest man to reach the third round at Wimbledon in 46 years. Ken Rosewall was 40 when he made a run to the fourth round in 1975

The 39-year-old Swiss took a while to find his timing. But 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.

Djokovic roars

Novak Djokovic roared into the fourth round, raising his game, and occasionally the decibel levels, on Court 1 to dispatch plucky American qualifier Denis Kudla 6-4 6-3 7-6(7) on Friday. — Reuters

Day 5: Highlights

PLISKOVA goes on

Eighth seed Karolina Pliskova, one of the four top-10 seeded players left in the women’s draw, struck 30 winners in a dominant 6-3 6-3 victory over fellow Czech Tereza Martincova

Supernova SAMSONOVA

Russian wildcard Liudmila Samsonova earned her 10th straight win on grass as she stunned former US Open winner Sloane Stephens 6-2 2-6 6-4 to reach the last-16 of a Grand Slam for the first time in her career

Sweet win for SWIATEK

Former French Open champion Iga Swiatek beat Irina-Camelia Begu 6-1 6-0 in 55 minutes to move into the fourth round where she will face Jabeur

Merciless SABALENKA

Second seed Aryna Sabalenka broke Colombian teenager Maria Camila Osorio Serrano’s serve six times in an impressive 6-0 6-3 victory, booking a place in the fourth round for the first time

Joy for JABEUR

Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur became the first Arab woman to reach the second week as she rallied from a set down to beat 2017 champion Garbine Muguruza 5-7 6-3 6-2. The artful 26-year-old showed great resilience