Wimbledon tennis …
(REUTERS) – It was Roger Federer, but not as we know him, at Wimbledon yesterday as the Swiss escaped from the brink of defeat after being run ragged by a Colombian firebrand playing the match of his life on Centre Court. Alejandro Falla was expected to be cannon fodder, an obliging punch bag, as the top seed oiled his wheels at the start of a challenge for a record-equalling seventh men’s singles title here but he almost scored one of the greatest shocks ever seen on the rectangle of green turf.
Nearly 15 000 ticket holders gathered to see Federer’s opening bow expecting the usual exhibition of his sublime skills, but instead watched in awe and growing disbelief as Falla, ranked 60th in the world, blazed into a two-set lead and served for glory in the fourth.
The records will show that Federer eventually prevailed 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-0 but for long periods of this firecracker of a match you were half-expecting a security guard to walk on court and check his accreditation.
A steady stream of limp backhands, untimely double faults and shanked forehands gave the impression that a Federer impersonator had invaded Centre Court, although that would be to diminish the 26-year-old Falla who played with courage, skill and power before capitulating in the decider.
Federer, the 16-time grand slam champion, was at times barely recognisable as the player who has suffered just one defeat at Wimbledon since 2002.
“My whole game was sort of in disarray,” Federer, whose 100 percent career record against Falla includes a Wimbledon win in 2004 when he dropped just three games, told reporters.
“There was definitely a bit of luck involved. I definitely got lucky. He’s unconventional. He doesn’t look like much, but he definitely plays very solid and plays very uncomfortable.”
Federer’s narrow escape set Wimbledon abuzz as the 124th edition of the championships began on a warm, cloudy day in the leafy corner of south west London.
He was not the only seed in trouble though. Russia’s seventh seed Nikolay Davydenko also found himself two sets down against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson before clawing back to win 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 9-7.
Marin Cilic, the 11th seed, fell to Germany’s Florian Mayer but there were few alarms for 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt and 2009 runner-up Andy Roddick as they reached the second round.
With defending women’s champion Serena Williams starting today,  sister Venus, seeded two, flew the family flag with a 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Paraguay’s Rosanna De Los Rios while Kim Clijsters’ return after a four-year absence was marked by a convincing victory over Italy’s Maria Elena Camerin.

CAGED TIGER
Another former world number one, fellow Belgian Justine Henin, also back after a retirement U-turn, beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova and fourth seed Jelena Jankovic ended the hopes of British teenager Laura Robson.
French Open champion Francesca Schiavone’s challenge was shortlived as she lost 6-7, 7-5, 6-1 to Russian Vera Dushevina.
Up on Henman Hill, which was mercifully free of the droning vuvuzelas that have been the soundtrack to the World Cup in South Africa, fans, some dressed in national football shirts, squinted at the big screen as the Federer drama unfolded.
At one stage chants of “Roger, Roger” rang out on the normally reserved Centre Court as the champion fought like a caged tiger to fend off Falla, whose name was fittingly pronounced as “Fire” by the chair umpire.
The left-handed Falla, who lost to Federer at Halle last week and in the French Open, could have been excused a groan when he saw his draw but played like a man possessed.
He broke serve at 5-5 and then served out the first set with a stunning backhand volley that left Federer on his heels.
At 3-3 in the second set Federer fired a backhand long, then netted a forehand to drop serve. Falla wasted three set points at 5-4 but Federer kept misfiring and when a fourth chance arrived Falla knocked off a volley into an empty court.
Federer looked demoralised when two ugly backhands and a forehand which sailed metres over the baseline gave Falla three break points at 4-4 in the third set but Federer staved off that crisis, winning one sensational point with a backhand smash that produced an almighty roar.
Falla refused to buckle despite losing the third set. He broke in the first game of the fourth and kept Federer at bay to serve for the match at 5-4, only for his nerve to finally fail.
At 5-5 Federer puffed out his cheeks in relief as Falla narrowly missed the sideline on another break point.
That was to prove Falla’s last chance. He fell apart in the tiebreak and the final set slipped away in 27 minutes.