Former champion Serena Williams returns to Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, during their Women's Singles, first round match on the Number One Court at Wimbledon yesterday. - AP

WIMBLEDON, England (AP):

Returning to his favou-rite stage and resuming his dominant ways on grass, Roger Federer started his bid for a sixth straight Wimbledon title yesterday by sweeping Dominik Hrbaty in straight sets on a sunbathed Centre Court.

In keeping with tradition, Federer had the honour of opening play on the main stadium court as defending champion at the 122nd Wimbledon Championships. He seemed right at home as he beat Hrbaty 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 for his 60th straight grasscourt win and 35th consecutive victory at the All England Club.

"I played well. It was a good match against a good friend of mine," Federer said. "I was consistent all the way through. I didn't have to face a break point. It's good, but never easy to open Centre Court, but it's a real honour."

A few minutes before Federer closed out his match, two-time women's champion Serena Williams completed a harder-than-expected 7-5, 6-3 win on Court 1 over Kaia Kanepi of Estonia.

Following Federer on Centre Court was top-seeded woman Ana Ivanovic, who beat Rossana de Los Rios of Paraguay 6-1, 6-2 in less than an hour in her first match since winning the French Open and taking over the no. 1 ranking. The Serbian player never faced a break point and ripped 13 baseline winners.

Poor second set

Among the men, no. 3-ranked Novak Djokovic - the Australian Open champion who could face Federer in the semi-finals - overcame a poor second set on Centre Court and beat Michael Berrer 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. Djokovic dropped the last five games of the second set against the German left-hander, but won the next three games while dropping only one point and cruised the rest of the way.

Federer, who loves the traditions of the game, walked onto Centre Court at 1 p.m. in retro fashion - donning a herringbone-pattern, four-button cardigan with gold trim and a stylised F on a badge on his left chest. The insignia on the buttons represent his five Wimbledon titles. Federer had worn classic white blazers at the last two Wimbledons.

On Court 1, Williams made a fashion statement of her own. She came on wearing a white belted, thigh-length raincoat, or mackintosh. But there was no rain in sight, so she hung the jacket on her chair. Kanepi, meanwhile, wore dark sunglasses throughout the match.

"You know, I absolutely love trench coats," Williams said. "Now I have a wonderful white coat I can wear on the court and also in New York for those rainy days. ... It's ladylike and goes perfect with my personality. It's very light. It's just delectable."

The 30-year-old Hrbaty, playing his 12th Wimbledon, had beaten Federer in their only two previous meetings - in 2000 and 2004. But the Slovakian player, who had elbow surgery last year, has slipped to no. 273 in the rankings and had won only two matches this year on the top-tier tour.