Andy Roddick overcomes Michael Llodra

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Andy Roddick needed all his service firepower to overcome an inspired challenge from French serve and volley merchant Michael Llodra on Centre Court to secure his place in the third round.

The American number five seed made it to the final last year but had enough in his locker to put away Llodra 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 7-6 (7-2 in the tie break) in two hours and 40 minutes of enthralling tennis.

After the game Roddick made a playful kick towards the crowd in recognition of their decision to watch him rather than England's World Cup match against Slovenia.

The American duly paid tribute to his vanquished opponent: "He's a very dangerous opponent and after watching him win a title last week I sat up when he was in my half of the draw.

"He played flawless for the first two sets and I played well in the fourth. I'm probably better this year [compared to 2009] but you start over every two days. It's nice to get out there and play and get it done with, it's the pinnacle of our sport. It's always fun."

It was an intriguing clash of styles for the Centre Centre crowd to savour. Roddick providing the steel with his bristling all action big serve and baseline play in total contrast to the silk of France's Llodra with his classic left-hand serve and volley game.

In the first set Llodra's serve and volley game caused real problems allowing him to break the famously fast Roddick serve sending down two thumping aces to take the first set in style.

His shouts of "allez" suggested the wiry Frenchman was pumped up with his sorties up to the net rattling the American.

In fact Llodra, ranked 37 in the world, won 94 percent of points when his first serve landed in and he was able to rattle through his own service games before exerting pressure on Roddick.

Perhaps we should not have been surprised by the 30-year-old Frenchman's success. He is coached by women's Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and triumphed on the grass of Eastbourne last week.

But it was only a matter of time before Roddick found his game and after surviving a scare of his own serve in the first game on the second set he duly broke Llodra and went on to win the second set 6-4.

At the start of the contest Llodra's swinging serve was causing problems for Roddick but by the third set he was starting to read it sending returns back with pace and venom.

With his own serve now cranked up to the 130mph mark he powered his way to the third set 6-1. Roddick also began to familiarise himself with the net to good effect.

Credit must go to Llodra for refusing to buckle in the fourth set taking it to a tie-break. A couple of glances up to his female coach Mauresmo seemed to help him regain his composure.

Looking on from the royal box was a selection of comedians such as Bruce Forsyth and Jimmy Tarbuck who may or may not appreciate Llodra's unique sense of humour. He reputedly once hid naked in Ivan Ljubicic's locker in an unusual bid to capture some of his good form.

Albert Roux was also watching no doubt cheering on his eccentric compatriot. In the end the French Llodra was outmuscled by American brawn of Roddick.