Tired Federer wins after a false start BID STILL ON COURSE

the first set in his opening Wimbledon match against South Africa debutant Lloyd Harris.

He won all five of his US Opens in consecutive years from 2004 and shares the Open-era record for titles won in New York with Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras.

Nagal was making his debut in the main draw of a Grand Slam but did not lack confidence against the 20-time Slam winner.

Federer said: “If I was surprised by anything, it was how well he handled the moment. It’s never easy to come out on the big stage and play your best, even if it’s what you dream about. He’ll have a very solid career.

“I wasn’t serving consistently enough. I was hitting double-faults that usually I don’t do. I was also hitting too many unforced errors. I was in two minds, I guess.

“Trying to forget the first set is never easy in a first round, under the lights. People expect a different result – I expected something else.

“I just wanted to pick up my game really, start to play better. I was able to do that. That was a relief, going three-love up in the second set and realising it is in my racket. I just tried to forget the first set, play tough and stay with him. I was able to clear that a little bit.

“Maybe it’s not a bad thing to go through a match like this. At the end you look at the last three sets and they were good.That’s encouraging.”

Nagal said playing Federer was unique experience.

“He loves putting pressure on the other guy,” said Nagal. “He’s always making you think of what he’s going to do, and that’s how I felt. Players I have played, I never had this feeling.”

Monday was also the first time in more than two decades that India had more than one player in the main draw of a Grand Slam singles, with Prajnesh Gunneswaran losing to world No5 Daniil Medvedev in an earlier match.

a