Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal took very different first steps toward what could be the 23rd shoot-out of their famous rivalry on Saturday in the Qatar Open.
Nadal, the youngest player ever to win all four Grand Slams, won comfortably against Karol Beck, his 6-3, 6-0 success over the former top 40 Slovakian containing trademark heavyweight forehands struck from improbable positions, but Federer, the holder of a record 16 Grand Slam titles, had to survive three successive set points against Thomas Schoorel and to save six break points in all in a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 win.
Federer also brought the house down just before the end by striking a sensational winner from between his legs, which he described as one of the best shots of his career, but the legend gave praise to the 21-year-old Dutch qualifier.
“I thought he was a better player in the first set,” Federer said. “I really felt I started getting into the match once I saved those set points, so I just got a bit of a better read on his serve. I was able to stay calm, go after what I wanted to do, you know, to play really tough tennis.”
Nadal never looked like suffering alarms. He bristled muscular aggression in the cool, slowish evening conditions which gave him more time to indulge his preference for running round his backhand and hitting his clubbing forehand from everywhere.
He also served very well. Breaking serve at the first attempt gave him a grip on the first set which he never relinquished, closing it out with two superb first serves in the last game.
Nadal then moved into almost complete control against an opponent who often played some fine rallies, without winning very many of them.
Even when Nadal slipped to 15-40 as he attempted to finish the match, he never looked like dropping the game. He saved the two break points with an ace and a service winner, and then firmly corrected the on-court interviewer who suggested that it had been easy.
“It was not easy,” Nadal said. “It’s important not to underestimate the opponent and it’s difficult to keep my standard high. Every day that’s my challenge — to keep my level high, every day to try my best, every day working hard.”
Nadal next plays Lukas Lacko, the world No. 89 from Slovakia, who survived on the edge of defeat throughout much of a 2 hour, 37 minute contest and prevented an all-Spanish clash by beating Pere Riba 5-7, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-4).
Federer, however, will have an all-Swiss encounter.
His second-round match is against Marco Chiudinelli, a qualifier from Fuellinsdorf, who also came back from the brink during a 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3 win over Reda El Amrani, a wild card entry from Morocco.
Nadal could find himself in a quarter-final with Ernests Gulbis, the fifth-seeded Latvian, who again showed what a dangerous talent he is, beating Victor Hanescu, the former top 30 Romanian, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6).
Last year, Gulbis took Federer to three sets in the quarter-finals. On Tuesday he looked certain to go to a third set when he went 0-5 down in the tiebreak, before turning the match around with an unstoppable hot streak which earned him six brilliantly created points in a row.
CHENNAI OPEN
AFP, CHENNAI, INDIA
Top seed Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic opened his campaign at the ATP Chennai Open with a fluent win over Frederico Gil of Portugal on Tuesday.
The world No. 6 needed just 45 minutes to defeat the 101st-ranked Gil 6-0, 6-1 in a first round match at the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium in the southern Indian city.
Gil was facing a total rout when he trailed 5-0 in the second set, but managed to hold his serve at that stage to win his only game of the match.
“It was important to start well in the new season and I am happy I was able to do that tonight,” 25-year-old Berdych said.
Berdych takes on Ivan Dodig of Croatia in the second round.
Third seed Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, who lost to Cilic in last year’s final, began with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Indian Davis Cup player Rohan Bopanna.
Fourth seed Richard Gasquet of France, ranked 30th in the world, overwhelmed compatriot Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-1, 6-3 to reach the second round.
The Frenchman next plays Bjorn Phau of Germany for a place in the quarter-finals.
Seventh seed Xavier Malisse of Belgium, who won the Chennai event in 2007, disposed off Marsel Ilhan of Turkey 6-3, 6-1 in another match.
Robin Haase, the eighth-seeded Dutchman, fought off a spirited challenge from Frank Dancevic of Canada before eventually winning 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-4.
The lone seeded player to fall on Tuesday was No. 5 Jeremy Chardy of France, who lost to Blaz Kavcic of Slovakia 6-3, 6-2.
India’s No. 1 Somdev Devvarman was beaten by qualifier David Goffin of Belgium 6-2, 6-4 in 1 hour, 26 minutes.
Qualifier Alexandre Kudryavtsev of Russia also moved into the second round with an easy 6-2, 6-1 win over Indian wild-card Yuki Bhambri.
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