Roger Federer returned to his favorite stamping ground at Wimbledon on Monday and banished painful memories to reach the second round. The last time Federer took center stage at a Grand Slam two weeks ago, he was blown away by Rafael Nadal in the French Open final, winning only four games. On Monday, the Swiss was back to his stylish best. The world number one began his pursuit of a modern-era record sixth successive Wimbledon title by dismantling his old doubles partner Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. On a good day for Grand Slam champions, Federer was joined in round two by Novak Djokovic, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin, Serena Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Amelie Mauresmo and Svetlana Kuznetsova. Hewitt, apart from Federer the only other Wimbledon champion in the men's draw, was made to toil for 3-1/2 hours before he tamed Robin Haase 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-7, 6-2. David Nalbandian was the highest seed to perish when he was beaten 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 by Canada's Frank Dancevic. For a while it looked as though Serena's stay at the All England Club might be shorte as she spluttered through the first set against Estonia's Kaia Kanepi. In the second set she rediscovered her touch to ease to a 7-5, 6-3 win. French Open champion Ivanovic lived up to her top billing, dispatching Paraguay's Rossana De Los Rios 6-1, 6-2. Her Serbian countryman Novak Djokovic lost the second set but eventually pulled rank to thwart little-known German Michael Berrer 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. Federer and Serena both appeared to have misread the weather forecast when they turned up on the opening day of the grasscourt championships. On a sunny day in London, the Swiss emerged on Center Court sporting a 1920s-style, gold-trimmed cardigan but it was not long before he discarded his latest fashion statement. After pulling off the heavy sweater, Federer turned the heat on Hrbaty. Federer won the first 11 points and it took him all of 79 minutes to chalk up his 60th consecutive win on grass. He next faces Robin Soderling. Serena stepped on Court One sporting a white raincoat. The American sixth seed might have been hoping for a rain interruption at 5-5 and break point down in the opening set. But the twice former champion went on to quell Kanepi's spirited challenge. Russians Kuznetsova and Anna Chakvetadze, however, had to fight tooth-and-nail to survive. Fourth seed Kuznetsova has often struggled to find her niche on grass and looked to be on her way out when she went down a break in the decider before overcoming the plucky challenge of France's Mathilde Johansson 6-7, 7-5, 6-3. Eighth seed Chakvetadze stormed back from 5-2 down in the third set to beat Canada's Stephanie Dubois 2-6, 6-1, 8-6. Mauresmo, winner here two years ago, beat American Ashley Harkleroad 6-4, 6-3 while last year's runner-up Marion Bartoli overwhelmed Germany's Sabine Lisicki 6-2, 6-4. There were plenty of other seeds who joined the seventh-seeded Argentine at the exit. Lofty Croatian Ivo Karlovic (18), Switzerland's Patty Schnyder (12), Russia's Maria Kirilenko (19), French duo Alize Cornet (17) and Virginie Razzano (27) and Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova (30) were all catching an early flight home. Karlovic was surprisingly beaten 4-6, 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 by German qualifier Simon Stadler. Marcos Baghdatis moved into the second round by beating Steve Darcis of Belgium, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3. – __
