Also Friday, the last remaining American in the men’s draw, Bobby Reynolds, lost to Spain’s Feliciano Lopez, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
After the first rain delay of the tournament, Federer overwhelmed the 53rd-ranked Frenchman 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 on Centre Court for his 62nd consecutive win on grass and 37th straight at the All England Club.
His next opponent will be Lleyton Hewitt, who won Wimbledon in 2002 — the year before the Swiss star began his run of five straight titles.
Federer surprisingly dropped serve in the opening game. But he immediately broke back and was in control the rest of the way as he sailed to victory in 1 hour, 21 minutes. The rain delay before the match lasted longer — 1 hour, 41 minutes — the first rain of the tournament.
“Again, difficult conditions, tricky opponent,” Federer said. “The wind was swirling. I got down a break in the first game and had to rally back. I played really well throughout the match considering the circumstances.”
Federer hasn’t dropped a set so far in the tournament.
“It’s always nice,” he said. “Couple of days off now. Hope I play as well next week. It’s important to try to keep the game where it is.”
Hewitt, who has been troubled by a chronic hip injury and is seeded No. 20, served 14 aces and beat Italy’s Simone Bolelli 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Federer leads Hewitt 13-7 in career meetings and has won 11 straight going back to the Australian Open in 2004. They have played twice before at Wimbledon, with Federer winning in the quarterfinals in 2004 and semifinals in 2005.
“The next round will be much more difficult,” Federer said. “We’ve played maybe over 16 times. He’s a former No. 1 and Grand Slam champion. Should be a great match.”
The 31-year-old Gicquel, who had never gone beyond the first round at Wimbledon, has a big serve and strong forehand but couldn’t trouble Federer. Gicquel saved a set point on his own serve at 3-5, but Federer closed it out in the next game with a 129 mph ace.
On the final point of the second set, Federer whipped a forehand that left Gicquel lunging and doing the splits. Federer cruised through the third set in 20 minutes.
Fifth-seeded David Ferrer was ousted by Croatia’s Mario Ancic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (3) in a match that ended on Centre Court in near darkness around 9:15 p.m. local time. Ancic is the last player to have defeated Federer at Wimbledon — he did it as a qualifier in the first round in 2002.
“I’m so happy I’m back again,” said Ancic, who missed last year’s Wimbledon with glandular fever. “It was an incredible match from first point to last point. The crowd was going crazy. It just was just a couple of points that went to my side.”
Ferrer’s exit means six of the top 10 seeded players in the men’s draw have gone out so far in the first three rounds.
In a match that ended even later on Court 1, Safin pulled out a 7-6 (5), 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 victory over Andreas Seppi.
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