LONDON: Andy Roddick advanced to the second round at Wimbledon with a four sets win over France's Jeremy Chardy that suggested the former runner-up could be a threat at this year's tournament.

Roddick, who lost to Roger Federer in both the 2004 and 2005 finals, won 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-3 to set up a second round clash with Russia's Igor Kunitsyn.

With defending champion Rafael Nadal having withdrawn from his quarter of the draw, the American will be confident of reaching the last eight at least in what is his ninth Wimbledon campaign.

There was no sign of the ankle injury that denied Roddick the chance of a fifth triumph in the pre-Wimbledon warm-up tournament at Queen's (he retired hurt in his semi-final).

The only blip in an otherwise impressive display was a sloppy service game that allowed the otherwise out-powered Chardy to break in the ninth game of the third set.

Normal service was soon resumed however as Roddick seized the initiative at the start of the fourth set and he finally brought proceedings to a halt after 2h 18min, extending his career grasscourt record to won 64, lost 14.

Federer is the only current player who has amassed more wins than the American on the surface.