World number one Roger Federer broke Bjorn Borg's record grasscourt winning sequence on Tuesday when he completed a dazzling 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 first round victory over Frenchman Richard Gasquet at Wimbledon.
Walking on to Centre Court wearing a dashing cream blazer emblazoned with his name, Federer raced to his 42nd consecutive victory on the surface, allowing Gasquet just two games on the resumption after Monday's rain stoppage.
Federer's domination on the sport's slickest surface began at Halle in 2003, a year after his last grasscourt defeat by Croatia's Mario Ancic at Wimbledon.
While the Swiss has accumulated his 42 victories with four Halle titles and three All England Club crowns, Borg's run of 41 all came at Wimbledon where he won five titles in a row.
Borg's winning sequence was finally snapped in the 1981 final by John McEnroe and the Swede announced his retirement at the age of 26.
Federer's form against Gasquet offered little encouragement for those trying to deny him a fourth Wimbledon title in a row, a feat managed in the professional era only by Borg and American Pete Sampras.
Apart from a couple of loose volleys that allowed Gasquet a break point when the Swiss resumed leading 6-3, 1-2, Federer hardly broke sweat as the winners flowed off his strings.
Gasquet managed to hang on to the champion until 2-2 in the third before a careless error gifted Federer the break and he raced into the second round.
