Marcus Willis loses to Roger Federer in dream Wimbledon date

​Marcus Willis emerged with dignity intact from the match of his life despite a straight-sets defeat to Roger Federer at Wimbledon.

The world's 772nd-ranked player briefly flirted with a nightmare 'triple bagel' before composing himself to keep the seven-time champion honest on the way to a 6-0 6-3 6-4 second-round win.

Not even Willis had predicted a different outcome, and consolation will come in the shape of a £50,000 pay cheque and the memory of several moments which raised the atmosphere under the Centre Court roof to 'people's Sunday' proportions.

When the euphoria has dissipated and the rubberneckers have lost interest, there will also be encouragement that he has the ability to hold his own far above the level he currently inhabits as a coach at Warwick Boat Club.

Willis seemed to treat the occasion as a competition-winner at the start, though, embracing Centre Court's circus-like atmosphere as Federer allowed him to lead the way from the locker room and raising his hands in mock-elation when his serve cleared the net during the warm-up.

A first point in the opening game had his relatives on their feet up in the players' box, and a caressed half-volley in his first service game was a sign of the latent talent that has begun to manifest on a seven-match winning run to the last 64.

A backhand lob in the third, landed moments after he had slipped while miles out of court, brought the house down and ultimately led to a break point on the Federer serve.

The Swiss recovered to hold for 3-0 and saw the set out without much alarm, and with Willis visibly puffing the possibility of a first whitewash since 1987 seemed a real one.

But he was on the board early in the second set, putting away a half-court forehand to draw level at 1-1 and held twice more before Federer closed it out.

Willis' mix-and-match collection of double-handed slices, drop shots and lobs continued to make for entertaining rallies and helped him take the initiative in the third as he held serve in the opener.

By now the left-hander had tempered his crowd-pleasing antics and was trading blows with the most successful Grand Slam player in the history of tennis.

It was Federer whose serve briefly appeared more vulnerable as the set progressed, but Willis failed to take a break point at 3-3 and did not get another sniff.

A hold in the next proved his final hurrah as Federer - steeling himself to end the fairytale on his own terms - levelled at 4-4, broke to love and served out to set up a meeting with Alex Dolgopolov or Willis' compatriot Dan Evans.