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| Roger Federer mixes beauty and brutality to ease past Santiago Giraldo | Roger Federer mixes beauty and brutality to ease past Santiago Giraldo |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Where earlier there had briefly been tumult and excitement, now on Centre Court there was certainty of the Roger Federer variety. The Swiss, as cool as the night, can play his old adversary Rafael Nadal only in the semi-finals (which is where it might all go horribly wrong for him) but, stopping off in the third round for a spot of tennis, he reduced Santiago Giraldo to ineptitude in straight sets. | Where earlier there had briefly been tumult and excitement, now on Centre Court there was certainty of the Roger Federer variety. The Swiss, as cool as the night, can play his old adversary Rafael Nadal only in the semi-finals (which is where it might all go horribly wrong for him) but, stopping off in the third round for a spot of tennis, he reduced Santiago Giraldo to ineptitude in straight sets. |
| It was beautiful and brutal, a cocktail only Federer can mix. He toyed with Giraldo to win 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in an hour and 20 minutes. It was a hugely contrasting victory to that of Rafael Nadal over Mikhail Kukushkin. That was one of dynamic theatre and intensity, while Federer’s a calm and graceful progression to the closing curtain. It was ever thus. | It was beautiful and brutal, a cocktail only Federer can mix. He toyed with Giraldo to win 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 in an hour and 20 minutes. It was a hugely contrasting victory to that of Rafael Nadal over Mikhail Kukushkin. That was one of dynamic theatre and intensity, while Federer’s a calm and graceful progression to the closing curtain. It was ever thus. |
| Giraldo, the first man from Colombia to reach the third round at Wimbledon, has not played too many more ordinary sets than the second here against Federer, which was hugely disappointing to him after some good form on the European clay – most memorably in Madrid last month, where he beat Andy Murray in 70 minutes. | |
| Still, having looked like a sacrificial lamb one minute, Giraldo found a bit of tiger to stretch Federer in the third set until he was broken in the eighth game. | Still, having looked like a sacrificial lamb one minute, Giraldo found a bit of tiger to stretch Federer in the third set until he was broken in the eighth game. |
| Serving for the match, Federer forced a final error from his opponent and celebrated with nothing more theatrical than a smile and a clap of his racket as the assembled British sporting celebrities, including David Beckham, rose to applaud him. Royalty shall speak unto royalty. A feature of Federer’s win, after two equally graceful victories in the first week, was his pinpoint serving: eight aces and just the one double fault, with 42 points from 50 first serves. That is killing efficiency. | Serving for the match, Federer forced a final error from his opponent and celebrated with nothing more theatrical than a smile and a clap of his racket as the assembled British sporting celebrities, including David Beckham, rose to applaud him. Royalty shall speak unto royalty. A feature of Federer’s win, after two equally graceful victories in the first week, was his pinpoint serving: eight aces and just the one double fault, with 42 points from 50 first serves. That is killing efficiency. |
| He also continues to roam the net, as he promised he might earlier in the tournament, profiting in 15 of 23 visits. He moved as of old, though, at the back and remains an elegant threat on the grass. | He also continues to roam the net, as he promised he might earlier in the tournament, profiting in 15 of 23 visits. He moved as of old, though, at the back and remains an elegant threat on the grass. |
| Whether or not he can overcome the power of Nadal – presuming both of them get that far – is less certain. For now, we can still celebrate his genius. | Whether or not he can overcome the power of Nadal – presuming both of them get that far – is less certain. For now, we can still celebrate his genius. |