Roger Federer vs. Sam Groth: Score and Reaction from 2015 Wimbledon

Roger Federer continued to cruise through the 2015 Wimbledon Championships with a four-set victory (6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-2) over Sam Groth on Saturday. The win sends him into the fourth round, where he'll meet No. 20 seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

The second-ranked player in the world is performing at a high level right now. Today's dropped set was his first of the event and he's displayed much of the same movement and shot-making ability that's allowed him to capture this title a record-tying seven times.

He discussed his current form coming into the clash with Groth, via Simon Cambers of the Guardian.

"I'm very happy with the way I'm playing," Federer said. "I've been playing well this season, really since here last year. It's also a bit of a relief to be playing well at Wimbledon."

Although Groth is unheralded, the 27-year-old Australian is always a dangerous foe for top opponents because his monster serve can work as a great equalizer. It was clicking on all cylinders today, often crossing the 140-mph mark.

Jonathan Agnew of the BBC provided some insight on the sheer power:

It took some time for Federer to find his rhythm on the return. Once he did, he was able to get a break in a marathon fifth game of the opening set to take control.

His tremendous play from the service line handled the rest. The Swiss superstar dropped just two points on serve and closed out the set at 6-4.

Paddy Power joked about how easy Federer makes things look when at his best:

He wasted no time jumping out to an early lead in the second set. He broke in the first game and never looked back. Groth didn't win more than a single point in any of his return games in the set, which helps explain why a player with his serve isn't a bigger factor.

At the same time, it's a testament to Federer being able to maximize the efficiency of his serve, even without top-end power. His placement led to a lot of weak returns that he easily put away to sap any potential drama from the match.

Andrew Eccles of The Changeover highlighted the one-sided nature of the match:

"

Despite his clearly very strong legs, Groth can't keep up with Federer in this match. Fed takes the second set 6-4.

— Andrew Eccles (@BackSwings) July 4, 2015"

Jonathan Scott of Tennis.com noted the underdog simply wasn't doing enough to compete with the tournament's No. 2 seed:

Groth forced a tiebreak in the third set, staving off a couple of break points in the process. Then a Federer mistake, a double fault at 3-3, provided the Aussie with an opportunity and he didn't let it slip away, defending his serve to win the breaker at 7-5.

Stealing the set brought some intrigue back into the match, as Richard Newman of Sky News Radio pointed out:

The drama didn't last long. Federer secured a quick break sandwiched between a pair of service holds to surge to a 3-0 lead in the fourth. Groth was never able to get back on serve, finishing the match without generating a single break point.

Wimbledon highlighted the result:

Paul Williams of BBC Radio Wales wrapped up the match:

Although he was forced to play an extra set, it never felt like Federer was in any danger. In fact, the match wasn't as competitive as the scoreline would suggest. Groth's serve just kept him within striking distance and allowed him to avoid the straight-sets sweep.

As mentioned, Federer moves on to face Bautista Agut for a spot in the quarterfinals. It marks the third meeting between the pair, with each of the previous encounters coming last season. The 17-time Grand Slam champion won both in straight sets.

He should move through that match based on his play so far. Bigger challenges are likely on the horizon with Andy Murray in his half of the draw and Novak Djokovic rolling through the opposite half. Barring a massive upset, he'll need to beat both of them to win the title.

The good news for Federer and his fans is that he's playing championship-level tennis right now.