WIMBLEDON, England — The new roof wasn’t tested. Roger Federer was — briefly.
The retractable roof stayed open yesterday at Wimbledon, and Federer fell behind early in the opening match on Centre Court before charging past Yen-hsun Lu of Taiwan, 7-5, 6-3, 6-2.
In his first match since winning the French Open, Federer failed to convert his first four break-point chances, then lost serve to trail 3-2. But he immediately broke back, broke again in the final game of the opening set and dominated from there.
After being broken early, Federer held every service game. He finished with 10 unforced errors and hit 42 winners from all over the court.
“I’m very happy with my first round,” Federer said. “I thought it was a very solid performance.”
Seeking his sixth Wimbledon title, Federer won for the 41st time in his past 42 matches at the All England Club. The lone loss came in last year’s final to Rafael Nadal, a match hailed by some as the sport’s best ever.
The tournament began in cloudy but dry weather. When it rains, the translucent roof on the 87-year-old stadium will be closed so play can continue.
“I guess the moment will come that I’ll play indoors here,” Federer said. “But you don’t really hope for it during the match.”
The No. 2-seeded Federer is a strong favorite to win his 15th major title, which would break the record he shares with Pete Sampras.
Advancing on the women’s side were 2002-03 champion Serena Williams and 2004 winner Maria Sharapova. No. 17 James Blake was the first seeded player eliminated, but fellow Americans Mardy Fish and Vince Spadea advanced. No. 4-seeded Novak Djokovic also won.
Serena Williams lost only nine points on her serve and beat qualifier Neuza Silva 6-1, 7-5. The No. 2-seeded Williams, runner-up to her sister Venus a year ago, improved to 5-5 since starting the year 21-2.
“I could have played a ton better, especially on key points,” Williams said. “That’s a usual feeling for me from first round to the finals. I’m really insatiable. I always want more.”
Sharapova won the final four games of the first set and beat qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova 7-5, 6-4.
“She’s a very aggressive player,” Sharapova said. “She went for many shots very freely and loosely, and I was just trying to hold on.”
Sharapova, making a comeback from shoulder surgery last October, saved a set point in the opening set with a forehand winner and later shook off two awkward spills behind the baseline.
Blake failed to convert a set point in the third set, squandered a 5-love lead in the ensuing tiebreaker and lost to Andreas Seppi 7-5, 6-4, 7-6 (5). Blake also was eliminated in the first round at the French Open last month.
“I still feel like I can play with anyone in the world, but it’s just for some reason lately it has been very inconsistent,” Blake said. “I know I still have the ability. It’s just frustrating, because it’s happening at big tournaments where I’m having my not-so-good performances.”
Surprise French Open runner-up Robin Soderling, seeded 13th, hit 31 aces and beat Gilles Muller 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-1, 6-2. Djokovic needed more than 3½ hours to beat Julien Benneteau 6-7 (8), 7-6 (1), 6-2, 6-4.