Brisbane International: Roger Federer knocks out Tobias Kamke

Roger Federer reacts after defeating Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-1 at the Brisbane International tennis tournament in Australia on Thursday. — AP

Top seed Roger Federer barely broke a sweat as he breezed past German qualifier Tobias Kamke 6-2, 6-1 in the second round of the Brisbane International on Thursday.

Federer, who had a first round bye, took just 55 minutes to see off Kamke, playing in the main draw of an ATP tournament for the first time since April.

The Swiss maestro had been suffering from the flu earlier in the week but showed no signs of illness in a commanding performance at the Pat Rafter Arena.

He asked organisers to put his first match back a day, and said he only started to feel better on Wednesday morning.

The defending champion smashed 18 winners past Kamke, who struggled from the outset against the world number three and only had one break point on Federer’s serve throughout the match.

Federer will next meet Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals, a rematch from last year’s semi-final, which Federer won comfortably.

“I played great against him last year here,” Federer said.

Meanwhile, Canadian Milos Raonic opened his 2016 season with a 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 win over Croatia’s Ivan Dodig The fourth-seeded Raonic, who had a first-round bye, appeared agitated at times with Dodig's play and was seen on camera mouthing an obvious obscenity at his opponent when Dodig hit a half-volley drop shot at the net for a winner.

Lucas Pouille beat David Goffin of Belgium 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3 and will play Raonic in the quarter-finals. Grigor Dimitrov also advanced by beating Viktor Troicki of Serbia 5-7, 7-6 (6), 6-2.