Six-time champion Roger Federer barely survives opening day at Wimbledon 2010!

WIMBLEDON: My pal Henry is the biggest Roger Federer fan around so what a treat it was to be at Centre Court today on opening day of Wimbledon to watch Federer begin defense of his latest title.

Keep in mind that Federer has only lost at Wimbledon once in the last seven years and that was the 2008 final to Rafael Nadal. So Henry and the rest of the crowd was in utter shock when Federer fell behind by two sets and was in serious danger of being eliminated in the first round of a tournament he has essentially owned since 2003.

In the end, Federer eked out a five-set win over a dude named Alejandro Falla (who?) 5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (1), 6-0 and hardly sounded like a confident champion after barely getting by the world’s 60th ranked player.

“I live another day,” Federer told the press. “This one is one I should have lost. That’s sometimes how grass-court tennis works. … I definitely got very lucky today out there.”

I’m glad Henry was out there today because I’m not so confident that this suddenly vulnerable Federer will be around for many more matches at this Wimbledon!