(REUTERS) – Roger Federer’s six Wimbledon titles have come with a swagger, panache and a hefty sprinkling of tennis magic. This year he is scratching and misfiring towards what he hopes will be a record-equalling seventh. After avoiding a humiliating first-round loss on Monday, recovering from two sets down to thwart Colombian Alejandro Falla, Federer again found an upstart standing in his way yesterday.
Serbian qualifier Ilija Bozoljac appeared little fazed by the gulf between his world ranking of 152 and the number two position now occupied by the imperious Swiss, who has lost his number one billing to great rival Rafa Nadal.
Federer came through 6-3, 6-7, 6-4, 7-6 but for long periods again looked a shadow of the player who has reigned supreme for so long at the All England Club.
Asked if it was strange to drop three sets in the two opening matches, Federer was quick to point out that the six he had won were all that mattered.
“I think the first two matches have been tough. I think they (Falla and Bozoljac) did play very well,” he said.
“Today was obviously very different. We hardly had any rallies, whereas in the first match it was played out on the baseline points really.
“I’m happy with the way I’m feeling today. I’m coming off a five-setter. I was behind almost the entire match in the first round. So I came out feeling actually good. I’m excited that I’m still in the tournament … looking forward to my third round, regardless how I got there.”
Bozoljac came on to court with the swagger of a rock star, an image to match and with his fair share of the neutrals’ support on Court One.
Sporting a goatee beard, earring, designer sunglasses and shaggy hair pulled back through a baseball cap, the tall 24-year-old, who has competed almost solely on challenger circuit in 2010, packed a punch with serves that regularly peppered Federer with 130 mph-plus thunderbolts.
A routine Federer victory appeared on the cards when the top seed grabbed the first set with a single break, but a confident tiebreak drew the Serb level.
A double-fault on break point in the fifth game put Federer on course to win the third set but far from then running away with the match, the defending champion was again forced to dig deep.
A fifth set briefly became a possibility when Federer found himself 0-30 down on his own serve at 4-5, but the Swiss averted the danger and eased home in another tiebreak.
“It’s a good match for me to come out,” Federer said.
“I thought Bozoljac played great. He served amazingly. It’s hard to get a read on his serve. He served clutch when he needed to.
“He was able to really play very dangerously also on the returns, even though I was never broken, which is a good thing for me. This easily could have gone five sets. Also it could have gone straight sets, so obviously I’ll take the four sets any day.”
Federer now takes on Frenchman Arnaud Clement.