(CNN) -- Roger Federer is hoping to fulfill a longtime dream by winning the only major tennis title that still eludes him -- Olympic singles gold.
The world No. 1 moved into the third round of the London 2012 competition by beating France's Julien Benneteau on Monday in a rematch of their Wimbledon clash last month.
Federer came from 2-0 down to win that match in five sets before going on to equal Pete Sampras' record of seven titles at the grass-court event, but this time had no such troubles as he cruised to a 6-2 6-2 victory at the same venue.
The 17-time grand slam champion, who won gold in the doubles four years ago, next faces world No. 34 Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan.
Federer, whose best singles performance was fourth place at Sydney 2000, said he is inspired to emulate Swiss compatriot Marc Rosset's 1992 gold.
Why Federer's friend flew the flag for Switzerland
Chatchai Butdee of Thailand sits in his corner during his men's fly boxing bout with Selcuk Eker of Turkey on Monday, July 30, on Day 3 of the London 2012 Olympic Games. Check out Day 2 of competition from Sunday, July 29. The Games run through August 12. See all the action as it unfolds here.
Day 3: The best photos of the Olympics
Roger Federer first had the honor of carrying Switzerland's flag at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
Flying the Olympic flag for Switzerland
Nadal reveals heartache at Games
Andy Murray carries the Olympic torch
"(It would be a) dream come true, I would say, because I definitely get inspired by the 1992 victory by Marc Rosset. That was huge news in Switzerland. I definitely felt like I was inspired by that on an Olympic level," he said.
"So when I got the call in 2000 to be part of the Sydney Olympics 12 years ago, I got there, I stayed in the village. I was there for over two weeks. I had the best time following sports, being there with the athletes, playing so well. I almost overachieved in that tournament. Ever since it's been something very important in my life."
Federer and doubles partner Stanislas Wawrinka had a battle in the opening match of their title defense, coming from behind to beat Japan's Kei Nishikori and Go Soeda 6-7(5-7) 6-4 6-4 late in the evening.
The sixth seeds will next play Israel's Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich ahead of a potential quarterfinal against the top-ranked Bryan brothers of the U.S. -- who they beat in the Beijing semis.
Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic crashed out of the doubles competition as he and Serbian partner Viktor Troicki lost 7-6 (10-8) 6-3 to Sweden's Johan Brunstrom and Robert Lindstedt.
However, their third-seeded compatriots Janko Tipsarevic and Nenad Zimonjic won their first-round match, beating Slovakia's Martin Klizan and Lukas Lacko 6-3 6-3.
An Arab springboard for success
Tipsarevic also progressed in the singles, coming from behind to beat Germany's Philipp Petzschner 3-6 6-3 6-4 as he set up a third-round clash with American 10th seed John Isner. Isner ended the hopes of Tunisia's Malek Jaziri, the only player from an Arab country in the men's draw.
Argentine eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro will play France's No. 12 Gilles Simon in the last 16, while Spanish 11th seed Nicolas Almagro takes on 75th ranked Steve Darcis of Belgium -- who upset former Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych in the first round.
Former world No. 1 Andy Roddick set up a second-round clash with Djokovic, while Canada's Milos Raonic earned a meeting with French fifth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and Marcos Baghdatis battled into round two with three-set wins, while Argentine ninth seed Juan Monaco, Croatian No. 13 Marin Cilic, French No. 16 Richard Gasquet, Russia's Nikolay Davydenko and Spaniard Feliciano Lopez also went through.
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U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps' mother, Debbie, cheers as her son competes in the men's 200-meter backstroke final.
A picture taken with an underwater camera of U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps as he competes in the men's 200-meter butterfly semifinal swimming event.
Spectators watch the action on Monday at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon.
British gymnast Kristian Thomas competes at the horizontal bar during the men's team final of the artistic gymnastics event .
Vittoria Panizzon of Italy, riding Borough Pennyz, makes a splash in the water in the eventing cross country equestrian event.
Germany's Britta Heidemann (left) kisses Ukraine's Yana Shemyakina after losing their women's epee gold medal bout as part of the fencing event.
Tamsin Hinchley of Australia dives for a shot during the women's beach volleyball preliminary match between Australia and Austria.
Chatchai Butdee of Thailand celebrates his victory over Selcuk Eker of Turkey during their men's fly boxing match.
British and Argentinian team players line up at the start of the preliminary round men's field hockey match.
Brazilian players celebrate their victory over Montenegro at the end of the women's preliminaries handball match.
Suzana Lazovic of Montenegro shoots and scores during the women's handball preliminaries.
Ashley Jackson of Great Britain lays on the floor after missing a shot during the men's field hockey match between Great Britain and Argentina on Monday.
Salomo Ntuve of Sweden (left) in action with Ilyas Suleimenov of Kazakhstan during their men's fly boxing match.
Lithuania's Ruta Meilutyte stands emotional on the podium to receive the the gold medal after winning the women's 100-meter breaststroke swimming event.
No. 4 Krista Phillips and No. 8 Kim Smith of Canada celebrate with teammates after defeating Great Britain in the women's basketball preliminary round match.
Britain's Andrew Simpson and Iain Percy round the mark in the star sailing class.
Yujie Sun (left) of China competes against A Lam Shin (right) of Korea during the bronze medal bout in the women's epee individual fencing.
Austria's Dinko Jukic competes in the men's 200-meter butterfly semifinal swimming event.
Yukiko Ebata of Japan celebrates winning a point in the women's volleyball preliminary match between Italy and Japan.
Britain's goalkeeper Rosie Morris, right, attempts to catch a ball hit by Russia during the water polo preliminary match.
Ryosuke Irie of Japan celebrates after winning the bronze medal in the final of the men's 100-meter backstroke.
Michael Phelps of the United States competes in the second semifinal heat of the men's 200-meter butterfly.
Britain's Andrew Simpson and Iain Percy round the mark in the star sailing class.
Yaroslava Shvedova of Kazakhstan serves next to her partner Galina Voskoboeva of Kazakhstan during the women's doubles tennis match against Maria Kirilenko and Nadia Petrova of Russia.
Ryan Lochte of the United States competes in the men's 20- meter freestyle final.
Algeria's Zohra Bensalem (right) and Sehryne Hennaoui attempt to set during the women's preliminary volleyball match between Britain and Algeria.
A detailed view of hands and the ball in the women's volleyball preliminary match between Great Britain and Algeria.
Gauthier Klauss and Matthieu Peche of France compete in the men's canoe double slalom heats.
Un Guk Kim of North Korea celebrates his world record while competing in the men's 62-kilogram division weightlifting competition.
Jamaica's Samantha Albert, riding Carraig Dubh, competes in the cross country phase of the eventing competition.
Missy Franklin of the United States wipes a tear as she reacts during the medal ceremony for the women's 100-meter backstroke.
Marit Bouwmeester of the Netherlands rounds a mark in the laser radial sailing class
Yujie Sun of China celebrates after defeating A Lam Shin of South Korea to win the bronze medal bout in the women's epee individual fencing competition.
Andy Roddick donned star-spangled shoes for the tennis competition.
U.S. gymnast Jonathan Horton competes on the rings during the men's team final of the artistic gymnastics event.
Gold medalists Zhe Feng, Weiyang Guo, Yibing Chen, Chenglong Zhang and Kai Zou of China celebrate on the podium during the medal ceremony in the artistic gymnastics men's team final.
U.S. gymnast Jonathan Horton competes on the rings during the men's team final of the artistic gymnastics event.
Fabian Hambuchen of Germany competes on the horizontal bar in the artistic gymnastics men's team final
South Korea's A Lam Shin sits on the fencing field at the end of her women's epee semifinal bout against Germany's Britta Heidemann. The distraught South Korean eventually had to be escorted away.
Danell Leyva of the United States reacts in the artistic gymnastics men's team final.
U.S. players line up before their women's water polo preliminary match against Hungary.
U.S. swimmer Matthew Grevers, left, celebrates winning the gold with silver medalist, U.S. swimmer Nick Thoman, at the finish of the men's 100-meter backstroke final.
Atsushi Negishi of Japan, riding Pretty Darling, negotiates an obstacle in the eventing cross country equestrian competition.
American Venus Williams incorporated her team colors into her hairstyle during her women's singles tennis second round match against Sara Errani of Italy.
Yibing Chen of China reacts after completing the pommel horse in the artistic gymnastics men's team final.
Japan's Yoshiaki Oiwa falls off his horse as he competes in the cross country competition on Monday.
Kristian Thomas of Great Britain competes on the horizontal bar in the artistic gymnastics men's team final on Monday.
A female diver practices at the aquatics center on Monday.
Automne Pavia of France celebrates her bronze medal B over Hedvig Karakas of Hungary during the women's judo on Monday.
Atop Twizzel, William Coleman of the U.S. rides past spectators as he competes in the cross country equestrian event on Monday.
Ding Ning of China serves to Jiang Huajun of Hong Kong during a table tennis women's single round match on Monday.
A Brazilian player celebrates winning a point in the women's volleyball preliminary match between the United States and Brazil on Monday.
Croatia's Petar Cupac and Pavle Kostov sail through the fleet in the 49er sailing class on Monday in Weymouth.
Rosie Morris of Great Britain fails to stop a Russian goal during a women's water polo preliminary match on Monday.
Germany's Ralf Buchheim blows in the barrel of his rifle as he competes in the men's skeet qualification on Monday.
Mikhail Kuznetsov and Dmitry Larionov of Russia compete during the men's canoe double slalom heats on Monday.
The beach volleyball center court is reflected in the sunglasses of a spectator on Monday.
Ning Ding of China eyes the ball during her women's singles table tennis fourth-round match against Huajun Jiang of Hong Kong on Monday.
Tom Daley, center, of Great Britain watches from the pool deck during the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving Monday.
Competitors take off at the start of the race in the 49er sailing class competition in Weymouth on Monday.
Peter Waterfield of Great Britain comes up for air after diving in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving on Monday.
Maialen Chourraut of Spain competes in the women's canoe slalom heats on Monday.
Russia's Mansur Isaev, in white, peers out from under Japan's Riki Nakaya during the men's 73-kilogram judo contest Monday.
Yuan Cao and Yanquan Zhang of China soar in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving on Monday.
Great Britain supporters cheer as they watch diver Tom Daley on large screens erected in the city center of Plymouth, England on Monday.
Spain's head coach Miguel Oca Gaia, center, talks to his players during their women's water polo match against China on Monday.
Ivan Garcia Navarro and German Sanchez Sanchez of Mexico plummet into the water in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving competition Monday.
Catherine, duchess of Cambridge, and Prince William, duke of Cambridge, watch the cross-country equestrian competition Monday. William's cousin Zara Philips, daughter of Princess Anne, rode for Great Britain in the event.
Elise Chabbey of Switzerland takes part in the women's kayak single slalom heat on Monday at the Lee Valley White Water Centre in London.
Victoria Azarenka of Belarus serves during the women's singles tennis match against Irina-Camelia Begu of Romania on Monday.
Rehan Butt of Pakistan celebrates his goal against Spain during the men's field hockey match Monday.
German Sanchez Sanchez and Ivan Garcia Navarro of Mexico compete in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving event Monday.
Yujun Sun of China looks to make a pass during the women's water polo preliminary match between Spain and China on Monday.
Romania's Corina Caprioriu, in blue, celebrates after defeating Marti Malloy of the United States during the women's 57-kilogram judo contest semi-final match Monday.
Britain's leftback Ewa Palies, center, fights for possession during the women's preliminaries Group A handball match against Russia on Monday.
Seiya Kishikawa of Japan celebrates his victory over Panagiotis Gionis of Greece during the men's singles table tennis match Monday.
Britain's James Charles Huckle takes a shot during the men's 10-meter air rifle men final on Monday.
Yuan Cao and Yanquan Zhang of China compete in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving contest Monday.
David Schroeder and Frank Henze of Germany compete in the men's canoe double heats Monday.
Germany's Britta Heidemann, right, takes on China's Li Na during the women's epee bout Monday.
Italy's Rossella Fiamingo, left, faces off against Japan's Nakano Nozomi during the women's epee fencing match Monday.
The South Korea men's field hockey team celebrates after scoring a goal against New Zealand during a preliminary match Monday.
Simon Orchard of Australia fights for the ball against Thorton McDade of South Africa during the men's field hockey match Monday.
Lee Yong-Dae of South Korea reaches for a shot during the mixed doubles badminton match against Thomas Laybourn and Kamilla Rytter Juhl of Denmark on Monday.
Italy's Giulia Quintavalle, in white, competes with Australia's Carli Renzi during the women's 57-kilogram judo contest Monday.
South Korea's Kim Yeon-Koung spikes the ball as Serbia's Jovana Brakocevic attempts a block during the women's volleyball match Monday.
Australia's Chris Burton, riding HP Leilani, competes in the cross-country phase of the equestrian eventing competition in Greenwich Park, London, on Monday.
Rowers compete at Eton Dorney Rowing Centre in Eton, west of London, on Monday.
Sarra Besbes of Tunisia, left, tries for a point against Xiaojuan Luo of China during their women's epee fencing round Monday.
Chen Xue of China dives for a shot during a women's beach volleyball preliminary match against Switzerland on Monday, July 30.
Manuel Minginfel of the Federated States of Micronesia competes in the Men's 62-kilogram weightlifting competition Monday.
Chi Yip Cheung, left, of Hong Kong faces off with Nicholas Delpopolo of the United States in the 73-kilogram judo contest Monday.
The women's volleyball match between China and Turkey draws cheers on Monday.
Shiwen Ye of China competes in heat 5 of the women's 200-meter individual medley on Monday.
Niluka Karunaratne of Sri Lanka hits a return during his men's singles badminton match on Monday.
China's Zhu Qinan, center, competes in the men's 10-meter air rifle qualifying round at the Royal Artillery Barracks in London on Monday.
Allison Schmitt of the United States competes in the women's 200-meter freestyle heat Monday.
Im Dong-Hyun of South Korea competes during the men's archery individual elimination event on Monday.
Jun Mizutani of Japan returns the ball during the men's singles table tennis third-round match against Elsayed Lashin of Egypt on Monday.
Members of the South Korean women's handball team celebrate after a goal during the preliminary match against Denmark on Monday.
Austin Playfoot lights the cauldron after it was moved into position, ready for the events in Olympic Stadium, on Monday, July 30, in London.
Michael Phelps of the United States competes in heat 5 of the men's 200-meter butterfly on Monday.
Korea's Jan-Di Kim, in white, takes on Mongolia's Sumiya Dorjsuren during the women's 57-kilogram judo contest on Monday. See day four of the competition from Tuesday, July 31.
South Korea's Yung Sung Hoon dribbles past New Zealand defenders during the preliminary round men's field hockey match Monday.
China's No. 1 seed Wang Yihan serves to Michele Li of Canada during the women's singles badminton match against Monday.
Angola's Isabel Fernandes, right, vies with Croatia's rightback Sonja Basic during the women's handball preliminaries match Monday.
Hong Kong's Chi Yip Cheung competes with Nicholas Delpopolo of the United States during the men's 73-kilogram judo contest Monday.
Midori Yajima of Japan competes in the men's 10-meter air rifle qualification on Day 3 of the London 2012 Olympic Games on Monday.
However, this year the duty has been passed to Federer's friend Stanislas Wawrinka, who helped him finally climb onto the Olympic rostrum at Beijing.
Wawrinka and Federer had long been practice partners, but came together to win the men's doubles title. In the semifinals they beat top-ranked Bob and Mike Bryan of the United States, who had to settle for bronze.
Wawrinka collapses after winning the match point in the final against Sweden's Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson.
Federer breaks down as the significance of their achievement gets the better of him.
Wawrinka told CNN that in order to stop themselves from crying, he and Federer cracked jokes up on the podium. When Federer took a look at his medal, he told Wawrinka there was a crack in it.
That 2008 moment remains the peak of Wawrinka's career. He has won two men's singles titles since, but has only reached the quarterfinal stage of a grand slam twice. This year he lost in the fourth round at the French Open, the third round at the Australian Open and the first at Wimbledon.
Wawrinka won the 2003 French Open boys' title, just after turning 18, as he beat American Brian Baker in straight sets. Stepping up to the adult circuit ranked as the world's 14th-ranked junior, his decision to quit school aged 15 to focus on his tennis career seemed justified.
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