Roger Federer barely had his feathers ruffled in a 6-1 6-4 7-6 win over Marat Safin in the third round of Wimbledon yesterday, dispelling any pre-match notions that it could be a close encounter.
The world number one broke in the fourth game of the first set and a combination of some over-hitting on the groundstrokes by Safin and some tricky changes of speed by Federer allowed the Swiss to steam to a convincing lead.
Safin fought back early in the second and even broke serve. But the top seed seemed unperturbed. He broke back immediately and again in the seventh game, prompting some characteristic racket-throwing from the Russian before Federer nailed the set with an ace.
The third set went with serve and in the tiebreak Safin's forehand volley into the net gave Federer a mini-break and he served out the remainder to take it 7-4.
Federer, aiming for a fifth successive Wimbledon crown, will face 13th seed Tommy Haas in the fourth round.
Haas moved through by beating Dmitry Tursunov while Paul-Henri Mathieu upset 15th seed Ivan Ljubicic.
Double former champion Serena Williams, firing on all cylinders after recovering from a hamstring injury, overpowered Milagros Sequera 6-1 6-0 to reach the fourth round.
"I have always thought I would be number one again," a super-confident Williams said after her 43-minute demolition job on Centre Court.
Williams, whose ranking plummeted after injury problems last year, defied the odds by winning the Australian Open in January as world number 81.
Williams meets Daniela Hantuchova next on her way to a possible quarter-final clash with top seed Justine Henin.
Asked about meeting Henin, Williams said: "I have to win another match still. I have a very tough fourth round match. I have to get over that hump first."
Meanwhile, Jelena Jankovic and Janko Tipsarevic maintained a dream year for Serbian tennis when they fought through to the fourth round.
Jankovic, the third seed, covered every blade of grass on Court One before breaking the resistance of serial dream-wrecker Lucie Safarova 5-7 7-6 6-2.
On Centre Court the rugged Tipsarevic took everything Fernando Gonzalez could throw at him to win 6-3 3-6 6-3 4-6 8-6.
Tipsarevic, ranked 64th in the world, has now surpassed his previous best at a grand slam.
While it was all perspiration and straining sinews on the main show courts, Henin made light work of Elena Vesnina, winning 6-1 6-3 on Court Two.
The Belgian has reached the last 16 without losing a set but will probably be tested more by Swiss 15th seed Patty Schnyder, who scraped through against Ukraine's Alona Bondarenko.
Jankovic found 20-year-old Safarova in inspired form in the best women's match of the championships by far.
A match full of lung-burning rallies, often from way outside the sidelines, numerous Hawkeye challenges, rain showers and injury time-outs was encapsulated in a 20-minute game midway through the second set.
Other results: Roddick bt Verdasco 6-3 6-4 7-6; Ferrero bt Blake 3-6 6-3 6-3 7-6.