Federer, 36, is playing in his hometown Basel this week as he bids to hunt down Rafael Nadal and finish as the world no.1.
Standing in his way in round one was talented teenager Frances Tiafoe, who found imperious Federer too hot to handle.
Federer stormed to a 6-1 6-3 win in 61 minutes – and even had time to put Tiafoe on the deck.
With the second set on serve going into the sixth game, Tiafoe found himself under pressure at 30-30.
The crucial fifth point of the game was a long exchange from the back of the court in which Federer was dominating.
So desperate was Tiafoe to make a point and be aggressive, his big forehand crumbled and he ended losing his balance before falling to the ground.
He dusted himself up and staved off the break point before holding – although he didn’t win another game in the match.
Federer was a ballboy at the indoor event for two years and first played in the tournament as a 16-year-old in qualifying.
He’s since made 10 consecutive finals from 2006 to 2015 and at one point won five out of six championships.
His 12 total finals appearances in Basel are the most of any event he has competed in
The Swiss legend will face Frenchman Benoit Paire, who beat American Steve Johnson 6-3 7-6 in round one.
The omens are good for Federer, who has won all four of their previous meetings without dropping a set.