Roger Federer cruises into quarter-finals with win over Adrian Mannarino as world No 2 makes it 32 consecutive sets at Wimbledon
- Roger Federer dispatched France’s Adrian Mannarino 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 on Monday
- The world No 2 is yet to drop a set as he prepares for the quarter-finals
- Federer’s flawless Centre Court win saw him take his consecutive sets won to 32
Roger Federer did not lose a set in winning Wimbledon last year and he kept that record up on Monday when Frenchman Adrian Mannarino became the latest opponent to be brushed aside.
The 36 year-old Swiss suffered the indignity of facing four break points – his first of the tournament – but ended up breezing through 6-0, 7-5, 6-4 in an hour and 45 minutes.
He is into the last eight again and was left awaiting the winner of either South African giant Kevin Anderson or another Frenchman, Gael Monfils.
Roger Federer made it 32 consecutive sets at Wimbledon with victory over Adrian Mannarino
The world No 2 raced through the first set before sealing a Wimbledon quarter-final spot
The dangerous Federer, an eight time champion at SW19, remains favourite for the title
Federer seemed to lose a bit of concentration in the third set, but otherwise his performance was unblemished as he continued his route march towards the final.
‘It was an interesting beginning to the second set, it became a tough set,’ said Federer.
‘He could have won it and the match might have been different. I knew he was much better than that first set. In the beginning he didn’t play that well. I’m very pleased to be back in the second week.
‘Usually you play better against better players because that is what is required. I had a quiet weekend because you don’t know how busy this second week is going to be.’
Mannarino is one of a number of interesting French players, employing a languid style that features very little backswing on his groundstrokes.
It was quite a triumph when he forced the first break point that the Swiss has faced all tournament. The problem was that he was already 0-5 down at the time, and when Federer fended it off he closed out the first set in a breakneck 16 minutes.
Mannarino struggled badly in the first but relaxed well in what proved a tight second set
The Frenchman relaxed nicely into the match in the second set, ending the sort of exhibition feel that had settled in. However at 5-5 created a second break point of the set and Mannarino sent one of his flat forehands long.
In the seventh game of the third set lefthander Mannarino forced three break points, two of which were saved with service winners and one with a trademark in-out forehand.
Earlier in that game he failed to challenge an incorrect call against him, almost as if he could not be bothered to trouble Hawkeye.
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