Five-time winner Roger Federer controlled Carlos Berlocq as he dismissed the Argentine clay-courter 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 on Thursday to glide into the third round of the US Open.
With his matches all going off perfectly on schedule so far amid rain delays for some of his rivals, it’s starting to look like business as usual for the 17-time grand slam winner who is working to regain his magic after a so-so season marred by a lack of multiple titles, an early Wimbledon loss and back pain.
Seventh seed Federer advanced like clockwork in just over 90 minutes, with seven breaks of serve and 37 winners against the South American.
“I know he struggles on hard courts but I still had my work cut out,” said Federer, who moved to eighth in the event’s all-time win list with his 66th victory.
“It’s one of those matches I expect myself to win if possible in straight sets and gain confidence in the process. All those things happened, so I’m pleased about it.”
Second seed Rafael Nadal, a hot title favourite, crushed Brazilian qualifier Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-2, 6-1, 6-0 in 90 minutes.
Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer defeated compatriot Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-2 while French eighth seed Richard Gasquet beat countryman Stephane Robert 6-3, 7-5, 7-5.
Number 10 Milos Raonic mowed down Pablo Andujar 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Women's Singles
In the women’s draw, Serena Williams made up for lost time after her match was rained off 24 hours earlier, racing away to a 6-3, 6-0 rout of Kazakh Galina Voskoboeva to power into the third round.
With sun shining after a rain-interrupted previous day, the world number one and top seed swept home in just over an hour at the event she has won four times, including a year ago.
She was joined by second seed Victoria Azarenka, a winner over Canadian Aleksandra Wozniak 6-3, 6-1.
Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta upset fourth-seeded compatriot Sara Errani, handing down a 6-3, 6-1 defeat to the former French Open finalist.
“She played a really good match, for me it was difficult,” said Errani.
“The worst thing was the fight. Normally that’s the best thing that I do on the court, but today was not good. It may have been the pressure. Everything was very difficult for me.”
Petra Kvitova, the number seven, put out Serb Bojana Jovanovski 6-2, 6-4; German eighth seed Angelique Kerber ended the run of Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 but needed five match points to do it in two and a quarter hours.
There was a straightforward win for one-time number one Jelena Jankovic, with the Serb ninth seed defeating Russian Alisa Kleybanova, back on court after beating cancer, 6-3, 6-2.
Italian 10th seed Roberta Vinci rallied past Czech Lucie Safarova 4-6, 6-1, 6-2, while 16th-seeded Wimbledon finalist Sabine Lisicki put out Argentine 20-year-old Paula Ormaechea 6-2, 6-3.
“I’ve never reached the second week here, so that’s my first goal,” said the winner.
“I obviously didn’t spend as much time on the court training-wise after Wimbledon because I had to take care of a little injury, but I did the best I could.
“But every match is getting better and I’m getting happier with the way I play.” Former number one Ana Ivanovic continued to improve with a defeat of Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania, 6-2, 6-1.