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After a tough first-round loss to Mario Ancic at Wimbledon 2002, former quarter-finalist Roger Federer was ready to shine again in the cathedral of tennis. The Swiss scored two wins in straight sets for a strong start to the 2003 campaign.
Federer won the first set in a quick 24 minutes against Hyung-Taik Lee and struggled a bit in the third, still doing enough to set up the second-round clash against his friend Stefan Koubek on Center Court. The Austrian fought bravely in the opening set against the youngster, forging a 5-2 lead before Federer used a rain delay to win the game back from him.
Once they returned, the Swiss was the only player on the pitch, hitting 17 of the last 19 games to outclass the opponent 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 in 77 minutes. Roger served well, scoring 22 points in 13 service games and putting himself well above Stefan once he found the A game from him to take home the victory in short order in sets two and three.
Koubek got off to a great start, opening a 5-2 lead with a single break before Federer rallied back, fending off a set point and taking five games in a row to win the set. Roger gained enormous momentum and raced towards the finish line with a reliable performance in sets two and three.
Federer fell twice on the slippery surface and explained that he doesn't help when you think about complicated moves on the grass all the time and you have to put it behind you and get on with your game.
Federer was the initiator of the famous ‘Big Three’ domination
Roger Federer recently opened up on how he has dealt with staying home for the last two years while recovering from a serious knee injury.
The Swiss also spoke about his family supporting him during his time away from the tour. "The last few years have definitely shown me how it could be, how to manage a sort of slower life... because I actually feel very, very busy [nowadays]," Roger Federer said.
"I wake up earlier than ever because my body doesn't need as much rest as it used to. I actually have more time on my hands when I wake up at 7 o' clock in the morning. I wanna remain curious and really learn, you know.... just working hard, but still enjoy the process.
The transition will be an interesting one, my life will be different, the carpet will be pulled from under my legs sometimes, you know?" he added. "Maybe I see it easier than it will be, but I'm very confident about it and that's not because I don't want to come back. We'll see how it will be."
