Roger Federer, bidding for a fifth successive Wimbledon title, eased into the second round on Monday but Swiss compatriot Martina Hingis was given an almighty fright by a player ranked 233 in the world.
Federer returned to a much-changed and uncovered Centre Court, which had been drenched in traditional, heavy Wimbledon rain causing a 90-minute delay, and saw off Russian debutant Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
”It was difficult. There was a constant breeze from one end,” said Federer in reference to the building work at the Centre Court to pave the way for a long-awaited roof to be constructed.
”I prefer the old Centre Court but it’s a work in progress.”
On Court Two, the so-called Graveyard of the Champions, Hingis almost marked the 10th anniversary of her first and only title triumph by suffering an embarrassing defeat.
The ninth seed had to save two match points against British wildcard Naomi Cavaday, playing in only her second Grand Slam match, before coming through with a 6-7 (1/7), 7-5, 6-0 win.
Hingis, who was the youngest champion of the Open era here when she beat Jana Novotna as a 16-year-old in the 1997 final, will face Japan’s Aiko Nakamura for a third-round place.
But she had to fight hard to stay in the tournament and her lack of match fitness, caused by not having played for six weeks after picking up a hip injury in Berlin six weeks ago, showed in the early stages.
She squandered three set points in the opener before the 19-year-old Cavaday began to tire after failing to convert her two match points in the 10th game of the second set.
Hingis, the ninth seed, then ran away with the tie, sealing the win with a dominant third-set performance which was wrapped up in just 20 minutes.
Federer, playing for the first time since his French Open final loss to Rafael Nadal, showed little sign of rustiness against Gabashvili in a 92-minute win watched by former world motorcycling champion Valentino Rossi.
The match was also notable for witnessing the first use of the Hawkeye video technology.
Hawkeye is being used here for the first time but only on Centre Court and Court One.
Top seed Federer, who is hoping to match Bjorn Borg’s five-in-a-row winning streak from 1976 to 1980, will face either Argentinian teenager Juan Martin del Potro or Davide Sanguinetti of Italy for a place in the third round.
Third seed Andy Roddick, fresh from a fourth Queen’s Club title, saw off fellow American Justin Gimelstob 6-1, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3) and now meets either Thailand’s Danai Udomchoke or Carlos Berlocq of Argentina.
Also going through was Chilean fifth seed Fernando Gonzalez, a quarterfinalist in 2005, who saw off America’s Robby Ginepri 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2, 6-2.
Later on Monday, French Open champion Justine Henin opens her campaign to win a first Wimbledon title while former double champion Serena Williams is also due on court. — AFP
