Hero Roger Federer received a standing ovation from an appreciative home crowd after a routine 6-1, 6-2 thumping of Czech Tomas Zib to start a sentimental campaign at the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday.
The dominating world No. 1 was playing for the first time in his city since 2003, missing the last two editions through leg and ankle injuries. The one-way victory marked the 83rd against five losses this season for the holder of 10 titles this year.
"I had a nice reception, I'm playing well, the result was fantastic, I couldn't ask for more," Federer said.
Federer will take on Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round after the Spaniard defeated Germany's Julian Reister 7-6 (7/4), 6-2.
The Swiss said that playing the event is a pleasure, with pressure not a factor.
"I don't feel pressure, I'm playing in front of friends and family," said the 25-year-old, who got his start as a ballboy at the tournament. "I know the court well."
"I don't have any pressure at all. It's not like the early years when I really wanted to win it. I have a lot of years left here," said the losing finalist in 2000 and 2001.
Federer claimed his 20th match victory in succession, with three of his 10 titles coming in that run at the US Open, Tokyo and last weekend at the Madrid Masters.
His trophy count since January is twice that of joint-second holders James Blake and Rafael Nadal.
Against the 30-year-old qualifier Zib, Federer finished with an ace. He also drew admiration with a flicking last-chance cross-court winner midway through the second set which left Zib dumbfounded.
Thai Paradorn Srichaphan got through a tough match over Benjamin Becker, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4) to reach the second round.
Andy Murray on Tuesday night withdrew from the tournament after suffering for three days with a throat infection.
The British No. 1 had been due to play Juan del Potro of Argentina yesterday.
Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Fabrice Santoro 6-3, 6-1 on Tuesday to advance to the second round at the St. Petersburg Open.
Davydenko, who beat Santoro in the Kremlin Cup semi-finals two weeks ago on the way to his fourth title this season, closed it out in 62 minutes.
No. 196 Wayne Arthurs upset second-seeded Tommy Robredo 6-3, 2-6, 6-4 to also advance.
The 35-year-old Arthurs broke the Spaniard in the fifth game of the first set. Robredo won five straight games in the second set to level the match, but lost five games in a row to trail 5-3 in the decider.
Vera Zvonareva rallied to beat eighth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday in the first round of the Generali Ladies.
The Russian is now 5-0 against the 14th-ranked Schiavone, who was still hampered by the right calf injury that forced her to pull out of the Zurich Open last week.
Zvonareva will now play Mary Pierce of France, who beat Ai Sugiyama of Japan 7-6 (3), 7-6 (5).
Both players dropped serve six times in the match. Sugiyama, the 2003 champion, was broken twice while serving for the first set.
The 25th-ranked Sugiyama trailed 3-0 in the second set, but 1999 champion Pierce was broken while serving for the match at 5-4.
Nathalie Dechy beat 15-year-old Austrian wild card Tamira Paszek 2-6, 6-3, 6-1. Paszek won the first set in just over 20 minutes, but lost her rhythm after treatment on a pulled muscle in her right leg.
Mara Santangelo of Italy downed Ukrainian qualifier Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 1-6, 6-3; and 17-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland defeated Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany 6-4, 7-5.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just