Comfortable opener for Roger Federer at Wimbledon

Roger Federer began his latest quest to match Pete Sampras' record of seven Wimbledon titles with the easiest of victories.

He barged past Spain's Albert Ramos to reach the second round with a 6-1 6-1 6-1 success and said the match had gone "perfectly".

The draw looks to have been kind to Federer this year, although he refuses to admit as much, and the once-dominant figure in the men's game was clearly satisfied to make an impressive start.

Federer breezed through each set and from beginning to end the contest lasted just one hour and 19 minutes.

It was hardly a surprise that Ramos struggled to compete.

The world number 43 and clay-court specialist's only previous match on grass came in the first round of Wimbledon qualifying two years ago when he lost to Britain's Josh Goodall in straight sets.

"I thought I played a great match," Federer said.

"Maybe Albert Ramos is not the most experienced grass-court player out there, that's for sure, but I was able to take advantage of it and I played a very clean match from start to finish.

"It's always nice to save energy, if you want to look further into the draw.

"It gives you good confidence as well, being able to close out matches easy.

"I fought hard to get as many breaks as I could and try to focus on my own service game and things worked out perfectly today."

Six-time champion Federer's only slip in the first set came on his own serve which he dropped in the fifth game, but otherwise it was a stroll for the third seed.

Federer last won the Wimbledon title in 2009, the year Rafael Nadal was absent through injury, and the latest of his 16 grand slams came at the Australian Open in 2010. Nadal and Novak Djokovic have split the nine majors played since then between them.

It was clear from the early stages there was no hope for Ramos, who could not match Federer in any department and certainly lacked the variation in the 30-year-old Swiss' game.

The second and third sets raced by, Federer exerting total control.

Ramos claimed his standard single game per set. In the third set it came after he had fallen 5-0 behind.

But Federer finished with a love game and an ace down the centre on match point was apt, Ramos having been unable to get anywhere close to his opponent.

PA