They had only played once before in the second round of last year's US Open. Roger Federer would defeat the hard-serving Aussie Sam Groth in four sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-2 by breaking serve five times. Earlier today at the All England Club, the two would meet for the first time on grass and it appeared that Federer would replicate his US Open victory with an identical score line. Groth, however, was looking to rewrite history and pull off the upset.

The Aussie hit an unreturnable serve at 147 mph early in the first set but it would be the Swiss maestro's serve that would tell the tale of the tape. Incredibly, Federer had yet to be broken heading into this third round match. The Swiss number one would hold his serve easily, often at love, and earned his first break point of the match in the fifth game with a sweet crosscourt volley winner. He would convert on his third break point and would soon serve for the set at 5-4. Having won the first set without facing a break point, Federer was soon up 2-0 in the second set. The number two player in the world was not only dominating on serve but from the back and forecourt.

He was finding the lines with crisply hit groundstrokes off both wings while hitting sublime volleys and overheads to devastating effect. He would secure the second set 6-4 without facing a break point by hitting three aces and holding at love. It had appeared that he would win this match by the same score line as their last and take the third set 6-4 but Groth was determined to edit the narrative. Federer would continue to hold serve at love throughout his first three service games and with little resistance from the Aussie. Though he was unable to break Groth and did not face a break point on serve in the third, he hit and ace down 5-6 to force the tie-breaker.

The Aussie hit a blistering ace to take a 3-2 lead in the breaker and with Federer's only double fault of the match, Groth clinches the third set, 7-5 in the tiebreaker. The Swiss legend ripped a forehand service return winner to take an early break in the fourth set. It would be all that he needed to close out the match in 2 1/4 hours. Federer would serve 17 aces - just four less than Groth- and won 90% of  first serve points and an astonishing 68% of second serve points. A more telling statistic was Groth's inability to create any break point opportunities while Federer converted 4 of 8. The seven-time Wimbledon champion hit 56 winners, just eight unforced errors and lost a mere seven points on serve to defeat Groth 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2.

This performance clearly illustrates Federer's lethal arsenal of power, touch, elegance and razor-sharp focus. The "King of Grass" is into the fourth round and will play Roberto Batista Agut on Monday. Federer leads their head to head 2-0 though they have never played on grass. This writer predicts more of the same from the 17-time Grand Slam champion, who is striving to achieve what no man in the open era has attained - 8 Wimbledon titles. Having just won his 8th title on the grass at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany, the Swiss number one is most definitely a favorite heading into the second week to claim the crown jewel of tennis.

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About the author
Emmy Caporale
I taught American Government at Hunter College and hope to resume teaching at the college level in the near future. I am also extremely passionate about history, foreign policy and tennis.