London (AFP)

Roger Federer, expeditious Thursday for his second round after a sluggish start, continues his way to Wimbledon, unlike Angelique Kerber, the defending German, stopped by a lucky-loser.

Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios clashed in the evening for the blockbuster of the first week.

- Federer, on the way

After a little shy start, with a set of loose in his first round, the Swiss seems to have decided to change pace. Faced with a promising young Briton, Jay Clarke, 169th in the world and invited by the organizers, the challenge was not so much in the result but rather in the way. And for that, the eight-time winner, looking for a surplus of history in his garden and a 21st Grand Slam, seems to have set the slider quite high, despite a 2nd set extended until tie-break.

"He came back in the second set by serving better and taking the game in hand from the back of the court, but then I managed to break him and he helped me with some unforced errors. happy with my match, "responded Federer, after his 97th victory at the All England Club, folded in 1h37 minutes. A no-frills match, very encouraging for Switzerland.

"The tank is full, he assured." I come here with the confidence of Halle (where he won for the tenth time, Ed). The first week is going very well for the moment. "A message for the other two members of Big 3 and the others ...

- Cilic at half mast, Nishikori without noise

However, this first week will not remain in the annals of Marin Cilic, former finalist here in 2017, and who has decidedly a lot of trouble this year to regain his level of cruising. On a surface supposed to suit him, the Croatian (17th world) was swept unceremoniously by the Portuguese Joao Sousa in three sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. He is not the only big waiter not to get out this year on the London turf, perhaps also because of the slowness of the courts. The American John Isner, semi-finalist in London last year, will not go either, stopped in five sets by the Kazakh Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4, 6-7 (3), 4-6, 6 -1, 6-4.

The Japanese Kei Nishikori (7th in the world) does not make much of himself, and yet ... Impeccable in his match against the British Cameron Norrie 6-4, 6-4, 6-0, he could perhaps embarrass well a little Roger Federer if the two are in the quarterfinals.

- Kerber sinks, Serena is doing well

The German will not have held long, just two matches. Lacking results in recent months, London turf has not worked miracles. The defending champion was surprised by lucky-loser Lauren Davis in three sets 2-6, 6-2, 6-1. Everything had started well for Kerber before the American totally reversed the course of the game, helped by the inexplicable decline of the 5th world player, with only 13 winning strokes in this game. "I looked for my game throughout the match," she said.

The scenario has been totally opposite for Serena Williams, decidedly unreadable on his level of play lately. Faced with a player from qualifying, the Slovenian Kaja Juvan, the American, who seeks to hang a 24th Grand Slam title, totally stammered his tennis in the first set, lost 6-2. She then started again and won the next two sets (6-2, 6-4). A fear coming from nowhere, not necessarily very reassuring for the American.

World No.1, Australian Ashleigh Barty, had no trouble reaching the third round against Belgium's Alison Van Uytvanck 6-1, 6-3. She is still in the hunt for the first French-Roland Garros / Wimbledon double since Serena Williams in 2015.

? 2019 AFP