Federer cruises into third round

Roger Federer has produced a customarily dominant Centre Court performance to oust Dusan Lajovic in straight sets at Wimbledon on Thursday.

The seven-time champion was pushed early but ran out a 7-6(0) 6-3 6-2 winner to move through to the last 32.

There he will meet 27th seed Mischa Zverev, who survived a five-set battle with Mikhail Kukushkin to advance.

WIMBLEDON DAY 4: Pliskova stunned, Djokovic dominates

In a start that raised eyebrows, Federer went down an immediate break against his unheralded opponent, a Serb ranked 79th who held an unenviable 2-5 career record at Wimbledon.

Yet Federer broke straight back and the set fell into a rhythm on consistent – and quick – service holds, and the set progressed to a tiebreak.

There, Lajovic crumbled, erring three times on his backhand to quickly fall behind 3-0. Then Federer attacked, smacking a pair of forehand winners to arrive at set point – which he converted when Lajovic missed another backhand.

“I think I just struggled early on. I was feeling nerves for some reason. Not sure why. But I was able to come back in the set breaking at 2-0. I think it was big for me,” Federer said.

“I think the courts were playing quite fast today because of the heat. Then I played a great breaker. I think from then on I never looked back. Got early breaks in sets two and three and was able to protect my serve in a good way.

“That obviously relaxes you, and then you can go for more on the return.”

The next two sets were over in the blink of an eye – well, in a collective 54 minutes, to be exact – as Federer’s relentlessly rapid attack overwhelmed the 27-year-old.

Federer sealed victory with a second serve ace and celebrated with an understated fist pump.

The Swiss star has now won seven matches on the trot – without dropping a set – after claiming his ninth Halle trophy the week before last.

He owns a 4-0 record over the German lefty Zverev, whom he beat in the second round in Halle as part of that title run.

WOODBRIDGE: things working out perfectly for Federer

“The rallies are going to be totally different. I have played him on several occasions now, and he’s played me different every time,” Federer said.

“In Australia he played me really close on the second serve and would try to attack me, everything that he saw that was short he would come. Whereas in Halle when I played him he played from way back, which is highly unusual on the grass.

“So I guess I don’t know quite what to expect in the match on Saturday. But because he serves and volleys, points are played differently.

“Tomorrow and the next day I will train and warm up with left-handed players.”