Federer’s staggeringly consistent level of performance has been key to his career haul of 16 grand slam titles, but Nadal admits even that statistic pales beside Federer’s run of semi-final appearances.

Asked which of Federer’s records is his most impressive, Nadal replied: “Every one. Every one is amazing. If I have to say something, 23 semi-finals in a row at grand slams.

“Because it is five-six years, playing all four grand slams. You can have no injury, not one bad day, so it is amazing. That’s my feeling. So 23 semi-finals in a row, in my opinion, it is impossible to do it another time.”

Nadal joined Federer in the second round at SW19 yesterday with a straight-sets win over Kei Nishikori of Japan, a match which presented the Spaniard with a much easier workout than that faced by the top seed a day earlier.

Federer admitted to being in “disarray” during Monday’s dramatic victory over Alejandro Falla, which saw the defending champion come perilously close to a first-round exit.

World number 60 Falla took the opening two sets and then secured three break points to put himself in position to serve for the match, before eventually succumbing in five sets.

Asked for his views on Federer’s brush with disaster, Nadal said: “Well, it was close. Always I say the first round is very difficult.

“Normally for him it is easier than for the rest of the other players because he plays his normal tennis here on grass. He needs to adapt his game less than the rest of the players. But Falla is a great player and he had his chance.”

Joining Nadal and Federer in the second round is British hope Andy Murray, who recovered from a shaky start to cruise through his first-round match against Jan Hajek.

The British number one dispatched his Czech opponent 7-5 6-1 6-2 in little over an hour and a half, but things did not look quite so straightforward when Hajek broke in only the third game.

But Murray levelled at 4-4 and from then on it was one-way traffic in favour of the world number four.

Murray said: “The start was tough, I hadn’t seen him play much but I started to play better once I got the break back and the second and third sets were much better.”

Fernando Verdasco became the biggest casualty so far in the men’s draw as he was beaten 7-6 (11/9) 6-2 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 by Italy’s Fabio Fognini.

The eighth seed would have fancied his chances of at least matching his fourth-round appearance of last year but instead he fell at the first hurdle.

Sixth seed Soderling barely broke sweat as he booked his place in the second round with a one-sided 6-2 6-2 6-3 victory over Robby Ginepri.

The Swede enjoyed the upper hand throughout the contest, breaking the hapless world number 72 five times in a Centre Court encounter that lasted just one hour and 18 minutes.

Ninth seed David Ferrer advanced with little drama as he dispatched unseeded German Nicolas Kiefer 6-4 6-2 6-3, while 10th seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga survived a gruelling four-set battle with American Robert Kendrick, 7-6 (7/2) 7-6 (8/6) 3-6 6-4.