Roger Federer fights back from two sets down to win first-round thriller

But this afternoon the defending champion stared defeat in the face after the unfancied Colombian left-hander Alejandro Falla took him to five sets.

Federer looked irritable and out of sorts from the start and duly lost the first two sets against an opponent ranked 65 in the world who played the game of his life. For the first two hours Falla was inspired and thrived off his opponent's uncertainty.

The world number two lives to fight another day but there was little that was convincing about his three hours and 18 minutes on Centre Court this afternoon. Federer eventually came through 5-7, 4-6 6-4, 7-6 (7-1) and 6-0 but he made more mistakes in one match than he usually makes in one tournament.

"I definitely got a bit lucky today, this is a match I should have lost and he played incredible," a visibly relieved Federer said after the game.

"It came as a bit of a shock and it's not something I was that prepared for, but you have to draw from experience and physical strength. I live to fight another day."

The number one seed is looking to match Pete Sampras's record haul of seven Wimbledon titles this year. Instead he made nearly history of a more ignominious kind coming perilously close to becoming the first defending champion to fall at the first round since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.

It was as if the usually sleek and ultra reliable Federer Rolls Royce engine had been filled with two star petrol so badly did his game misfire and splutter. From the start Federer looked tetchy and out of sorts serving upteen double faults and making a staggering number of unforced errors.

Indeed the Centre Court crowd might have been forgiven for breaking into a chorus of "Are you England in disguise?" but like Fabio Capello's misfiring men, Federer lives to fight another day. Against a tougher opponent Federer would surely now be on a plane back to Switzerland.

But it would be wrong to detract from efforts of Alejando Falla who undoubtedly played the match of his life. The last time this pair met on Centre Court the 26-year-old could only take three games off the defending champion. Today he came agonisingly close to three sets.

Twice Falla required treatment on his groin from his trainer and was reduced to playing some stand and deliver tennis. But stand and deliver he did repelling everything that Federer threw at him.

Every time the Swiss 28-year-old looked to have rediscovered his magic Falla came up with a passing shot to keep the champion at bay. Several times Federer's wild thrashes were enough to send the ball into the crowd off an edge.

The crucial moment came at the business end of the third set when Federer was facing the prospect of going out in straight sets. But not for nothing is Federer a six times winner here and like a true champion he somehow hauled himself back into the contest by his bootstraps.

Having been battered around the court by his own shortcomings and Falla's brilliance for nigh on two hours Federer retrieved a tough drop shot to keep himself alive. More importantly the crowd erupted in adoration and the Federer mojo had been rediscovered.

Credit to Falla who despite needing treatment again after three sets refused to go tamely. He took the fourth set to a tie-break but was unable to finish off his man.

Having allowed Federer to level the match it was only a shame that Falla subsided so meekly in the deciding set losing it 6-0. Falla and the crowd knew his chance had been and gone and it was no disgrace to take two sets off one of the finest players ever to grace Wimbledon.

Federer marches on to the second round but Andy Murray will not be having sleepless nights over the champion's current form.