Wimbledon 2012: Roger Federer's First-Round Win Shows He's Player to Beat

Roger Federer is a six-time Wimbledon champion for a reason. He's the grandmaster of the grass court, and he proved that again in Monday's Day 1 action.

Federer's straight-set victory in the first round confirmed what every tennis fan already knows. He's still one of the world's top three players, despite his aging body.

Some doubt Federer's stamina against younger stars like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. On other courts, that may be true.

But Federer owns Centre Court. If he has a "swan song" in him, it's going to happen now.

He won in dominant fashion in Round 1. He was "on."

Let's take a look at his victory over Ramos and what it means for Federer going forward.

Flawless Victory

Federer was nearly perfect in Round 1: his serve was spot on, his groundstrokes were on point and he seemed fresh. He was able to run Ramos every which way. At times, it looked like a practice session. He was the Federer from 2004 or 2005.

He put 33 winners past Ramos. Using his forehand and backhand in perfect tandem, Federer kept Ramos guessing.

He won over 70 percent of his total service points, and he stole a fair amount from Ramos' services. He was quick in his return game, and he always seemed to know Ramos' next move.

This match should have everyone's attention.

Federer's doubters have increased. He's logged a lot of miles during his 14-year-career. He isn't the player he once was, but Wimbledon is his specialty.

After watching him dismantle Ramos, Federer all of the sudden seems younger in my mind. He will probably seem "old" again in future tournaments, but London's courts work wonders for his game.

People would have been foolish to overlook Federer in the first place, but this match confirms it.