Mischa Zverev failed to make the most of his first-set resistance as he succumbed to Roger Federer in straight sets in the third round at Wimbledon on Sunday (AEST).

A wayward Federer forehand had the two men back on terms three games later, but Zverev would squander his big chance before the set reached the tiebreak, a break point at 5-5 passing him by, denying him the chance to serve for the set.

"I thought it was a good match, a fun match to play against a serve-and-volley player", Federer said.

Zverev, into the Wimbledon third round for just the second time and first since 2008, is unfazed by his 0-4 record against Federer, saying he could accept defeat to one of the all-time greats.

"I think it important to get through first week with good feeling", added Federer, who has only lost before the last-16 twice in his last 50 Grand Slam appearances. Zverev played unconventional serve-and-volley tennis but, as usual, Federer found a way to dispatch the 29-year-old - who was one of two brothers competing in the third-round of a Grand Slam for the first time since 1984. I'm very happy anyway. Federer's net play was particularly impressive and Zverev was doing well to stay in the match, saving a break point before holding serve again to stay in the set.

The 13th-seeded Bulgarian built a 6-1, 6-1 lead over Dudi Sela when the 32-year-old Israeli, drained from winning successive five-set fights over Marcel Granollers and John Isner, pulled the plug.

Zverev had faced Federer four times, failing to win a set in any of those losses.

The Swiss admitted he'd struggled with nerves in the opening set of his second round tie against Dusan Lajovic and there were again uncomfortable moments against the German but the world No. 5 always looked in control as he booked a match-up with Bulgaria's Grigor Dimitrov.

However, even Roger Federer can't give birth. "The first match was obviously cut short and didn't give me that much information about my game, but it did help me to save energy".

Battering a backhand into Zverev's body, Federer closed a set that was more complicated than it initially appeared.

'He had a great run in the Australian Open.

Federer zapped his 13 ace to end a slick win in style raising his 2017 record to 27-2 as the Big 4 move forward. Those are just details that I feel I can, that I think I have learned a lot from outside watching.

"It's a totally different ball game what she's going through than what I did". "Today I feel 50 per cent better than I did two days ago". "I didn't go through it myself even though that would be quite an experience, I guess".