Roger Federer of Switzerland returns the ball to Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany during their match at the Wimbledon tennis championships, in London June 26, 2009. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
LONDON - ROGER Federer lost his first set of the tournament but still managed to conjure a comfortable 6-3 6-2 6-7 6-1 victory over Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber at Wimbledon on Friday.
The 27th seed was meant to provide a stern test for Federer after disposing of Novak Djokovic at the French Open last month but the gulf in class was immediate as the Swiss maestro opened up a one-set lead in just 37 minutes.
The second was in the bag 30 minutes later but the German rallied from 2-0 down in the third to take it to a tiebreak which he won with a wonderful angled backhand 7-5.
Federer, five times a champion here, snuffed out the rising threat by racing to a 3-0 lead in the fourth and finally booked a fourth-round berth against French Open finalist Robin Soderling of Sweden with a thunderous forehand winner. -- REUTERS
