On Centre Court, a Sublime Federer and a Faltering Nadal

You never know when it will happen at this late stage in the game. Not at age 33 with a trick back and a little less foot speed and that nagging third-round loss to Andreas Seppi at this year's Australian Open still stuck in the collective memory bank.(Two Paths Diverge on a Court of Green)

But full-flight Roger Federer is always worth the wait, and there it undeniably was on Thursday in a very familiar setting: Centre Court at Wimbledon.(Federer Happy to Play Showman)

For about 25 minutes, Sam Querrey, a powerful and pleasant-mannered Californian, was Federer's opponent. But after Federer broke Querrey at 4-4 in the opening set, Querrey rapidly became Federer's canvas: a bold backhand brush stroke here, a dab of a half-volley winner there and most avant-garde of all, a lob hit between the legs.(Federer Enters 3rd Round)

Small wonder that the canvas is also where Querrey ended up after losing, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, in the second round in 1 hour 26 minutes.

"Today was definitely a good day," Federer said.

His throwback dominance was only thrown into sharper relief by what happened in the next match to his longtime archrival Rafael Nadal, whose downbeat 2015 season got more somber still with a second-round loss to Dustin Brown.

Brown, a dreadlocked German who is ranked just 102 but has a flashy game beautifully suited to the surface, beat Nadal in the round of 16 on grass in Halle last year. He is now 2-0 against the Spaniard after Thursday's 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 upset in a much more historic venue.

Rafael Nadal unleashes a ferocious return vs Dustin Brown.

© AFP

It was the 10th-seeded Nadal's first loss in a Grand Slam tournament to a qualifier, and it came on the same court where he beat Federer in the 2008 final that belongs on the short list of the greatest matches ever played.

But the relentless baseline consistency, clutch serving and big-point confidence that defined that remarkable five-set victory are no longer present in his game at the moment.

Many a hardworking, hard-hitting tennis professional has been Federer-ed through the years. It is different from mere defeat in that it requires that rare higher place where the score is subsumed by the aesthetic experience.

"You want to go over and give him a high-five sometimes, but you can't do that," Querrey said, shaking his head amid the laughter.(Nadal Crashes Out)

Querrey had not played Federer since the 2008 French Open, where he lost, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, in the first round.(Brown Reveals Nadal Win Was Centre Court Debut)

"Back then, I was thinking just go out there and don't get embarrassed, make it competitive," Querrey said. "Those were the years he was losing five times a year. Now, not that his level has dropped that much, he's still 2 in the world by quite a bit, but you feel you have a little more of a chance."(Nadal Crashes to New Wimbledon Low)

On paper (or on screen), that is a reasonable conclusion. Federer does have his down days: See Seppi in Australia, see Nick Kyrgios in Madrid.(Brown Stays True to his Roots)

Nor is Thursday's brilliance any guarantee that he will be brilliant enough in the coming rounds to stave off a letdown or an upset. It is no guarantee that he can summon a way to break his historical tie with Pete Sampras and win his eighth Wimbledon singles title. (Nadal Vows to Carry on)

Best then simply to appreciate the day's performance art and marvel at a champion who has won it all (except an Olympic gold medal in singles) finding the energy and the inspiration to play tennis for an hour or so in a manner that was every bit as convincing as the stuff he brought to Wimbledon in his gold-trimmed blazer days.

Federer looked fresh and quick off the mark, perhaps benefiting from the extra week between the French Open and Wimbledon this year. He struck the ball very cleanly and was particularly crisp with his one-handed backhand, rarely mistiming the ball and getting plenty of bite as he stayed low and made contact with the ball far out in front.

Down the stretch, he rarely looked rushed, which is the ultimate luxury on a tennis court, and it is not as if Querrey does not have the serve and forehand to hurry him.

Asked to rate the match on a scale of 1 to 10, Federer demurred.

"I don't really rate performances like that," he said. "In the end, it comes down to a few shots here and there, your overall feeling.

"Across the board I was really rock solid and really happy. If you want to rate it, you can do that, but I was just pleased. I didn't have any hiccups. I had a good 10 minutes at the end of the first set. That was the key moment, to go from 4-4 to 6-4, 2-0. That was the moment that I took control of the match really."

The rest, unless you were a friend or relation of Querrey's, was Champagne and caviar.

"Even when I was playing well, I've got to bring my level up three more notches to beat a guy like that, which is tough," Querrey said. "Even still, I came with a lot of confidence. I feel like if I had a different draw, I would still be in the tournament."

Instead, Federer moves on to the third round and a match against another veteran with plenty of power, Sam Groth of Australia, who does not seem like the type who will be fighting the urge to cross the net for a congratulatory high-five.

"He said that?" Federer said of Querrey, chuckling at his news conference. "That's cool. Why not? He can do it, and I'm happy to do it, too."