Federer masterclass decimates Somdev

Roger Federer served an ominous warning to his rivals with a consummate performance over India’s Somdev Devvarman. Roger’s impressive show left his opponent gasping for breath and the packed stadium gasping in awe. In the end, it took the Swiss maestro just 82 minutes to eliminate the Indian 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 and reach the third round of the 112^th French Open.

Playing Federer for only the second time in his career, Somdev seemed flustered at the start of the match. In contrast, Federer got off to a rollicking start. The Swiss cleaned up the first eight points to take a 2-0 lead. The spirited Indian turned the tide in the next game, holding at love to re-assert his presence on the Suzanne Lenglen court.

Riding a wave of confidence, Somdev used his forehand to telling effect to paint the lines and earn a couple of break points in the fourth game. But Federer proved equal to the task, serving with venom to save himself from the embarrassment of being broken by the 188^th ranked Indian.

Not to be undone, Federer was packing a mean punch with his own forehand, bruising his opponent early in the contest. The Swiss is an aesthetic delight and he combined power and finesse in equal measure to leave Somdev gasping for breath.

Fight as the qualifier did, he could not hold back Federer from breaking a second time in the fifth game. Not before long, the Swiss wrapped up the first set with another of those lethal forehand cross-court winners. The entire set lasted 23 minutes and contained 19 winners from Federer.

A powerful backhand down the line winner that zipped through like a bullet was followed by an elegant flick of the wrist to earn its master the first break point of the second set. The fighting Indian managed to hold though, with a service winner to the backhand of the Swiss.

The Swiss did earn the break though in the third game, even as he raced away to a 3-1 lead at the start of the second set. By then, Federer had 31 winners to just 4 from his opponent and there was utter silence on the packed court. They were witnessing Federer at his vintage best.

A deft drop shot and a lacerating inside out forehand left Somdev trailing 15-40 in the fifth game. The Indian saved the first break point, but a forehand cross court winner from inside the court sealed a second break in the set for Federer.

Somdev won a brilliant rally in the sixth game, counter punching with purpose to earn a break point. But Federer won three points in a row to reach within a game from taking a two set lead. With Somdev serving to stay in the set, Federer reeled off three straight points from 0-30, including a scorching backhand up the line winner for his first set point.

The Indian saved the set point with a service winner, but Federer earned another with a crisp forehand volley winner. On the next point, Somdev failed to keep his forehand in play to hand a two set lead to the Swiss. By now Federer was almost playing at will and he toyed with Somdev to take a 2-0 lead in the third set.

Somdev battled in vain for the remaining part of the match, but it was only painfully obvious that the Indian was out of depth against a player of Federer’s class and genius. Serving to stay in the set, Somdev did manage to safeguard his honour, forcing Federer to serve out the match.

A blistering inside out forehand from the flaming racket of Federer set up two match points for the Swiss. He only needed one; taking victory with a sweetly timed backhand up the line winner to take his spot in the third round.

Federer had an impressive 54 winners in the match; almost half of them came off his forehand. He saved all three break points faced and converted 7 of 14 chances to send the Indian packing in quick time. The 2009 champion will play Julien Benneteau in the next round. The Frenchman needed nearly four hours to overcome Tobias Kamke 7-6(9), 7-5, 5-7, 0-6, 6-4 to reach the third round.