Wednesday, June 28 2006 14:40 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Roger Federer extended his grasscourt winning streak to a record 42 matches on Tuesday but insisted that Bjorn Borg, the man whose mark he surpassed, was still the king of Wimbledon.

Federer, bidding for a fourth successive Wimbledon title, ruthlessly brushed aside France's Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to set the record but the world number one believes that Borg's achievement is the more valuable one.

"Mine is not as important. Borg won his 41 matches in a row all at Wimbledon. My streak includes Halle, and Halle isn't Wimbledon," said Federer whose last defeat on grass came at the hands of Mario Ancic in the first round here in 2002.

"Halle is also the best-of-three. Borg won five title here in a row and played in six consecutive finals. He stays a hero," he said.

"I've had lots of tough matches on grass and at Halle this year I could easily have lost so I'm surprised that I have kept the streak for so long. To come through today was my only wish," he said.

The Swiss top seed wrapped up victory in just 72 minutes over Gasquet, one of only four men to have beaten the world number one since the start of 2005.

It also consigned to history Borg's 41-match record set between 1976 and 1981. Federer had opened his title defence on Monday and was 6-3, 1-2 ahead before rain caused a suspension until Tuesday.

He wasted no time in seeing off Gasquet when he returned to Centre Court, breaking in the fifth and seventh games of the second set.

He picked up two more breaks in the third set and took the match with a smart overhead. Gasquet, who beat Federer on clay at Monte Carlo last year, arrived here having proved his grass court credentials with a successful defence of his Nottingham Open title.



But he was simply outclassed by Federer who many thought could be vulnerable to a shock exit having laboured to victory in Halle last week while nursing the psychological wounds of seeing Rafael Nadal end his hopes of a first French Open title in Paris earlier this month.

Federer next plays either Britain's Tim Henman or Sweden's Robin Soderling for a place in the next round.

"I had hoped that Tim would not be in my half of the draw. He beat me here in 2001 and he was my kind of dark horse early in my career," said the Swiss.

"We are also good friends so it's tough when you have to play someone like that. But someone has to win. Hopefully it will be me," he said.