Federer outclasses Willis to reach Wimbledon open round three
Roger Federer predictably outclassed Marcus Willis to reach round three at Wimbledon, but the British underdog was nevertheless able to enjoy his unexpected day in the spotlight.
Wednesday’s meeting on Centre Court represented one of the greatest mis-matches in grand-slam history, as 17-time grand-slam champion Federer – seeking his eighth crown at the All England Club – faced a player ranked 772nd in the ATP rankings.
And although Federer triumphed with ease, completing a 6-0 6-3 6-4 win in an hour and 24 minutes, there were plenty of highlights for Willis and a partisan crowd to savour, the British number 23 exhibiting flashes of brilliance against his illustrious rival.
Willis had come through six qualifying matches before shocking Ricardas Berankis in the first round on Monday and appeared intent on enjoying his dream meeting with Federer from the outset.
While the home favourite was unable to win a game in the opening set, he did raise cheers with a host of impressive strokes – the arguable highlight a backhand lob in the third game that rounded off a fine rally.
Having initially been restricted to celebrating individual points, the flamboyant Willis proved increasingly competitive as the match wore on, thanks largely to some impressive serving.
Federer had to be content with a solitary break in set two and was forced to recover from 30-40 when trailing 3-2 in the third, either side of consecutive love holds from his opponent.
However, the third seed soon reasserted his control as the stunning run of Willis, who will earn £50,000 for his efforts at Wimbledon, came to an end amid warm applause.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Roger Federer (3) bt Marcus Willis 6-0 6-3 6-4
WINNERS/UNFORCED ERRORS
Federer – 37/14
Willis – 24/21
ACES
Federer – 9
Willis – 9
BREAK POINTS WON
Federer – 5/12
Willis – 0/2
FIRST SERVE PERCENTAGE
Federer – 62
Willis – 60
PERCENTAGE POINTS WON ON FIRST/SECOND SERVE
Federer – 78/68
Willis – 64/42
TOTAL POINTS
Federer – 91
Willis – 65
