Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal stepped up their preparations for the French Open a gear as both advanced without any problems in their opening matches at the Rome Masters on Wednesday.
Federer’s last-minute decision to compete was rewarded immediately as he coasted to a 6-3, 6-4 second-round win over Argentine journeyman Carlos Berlocq.
Nadal slayed a mental dragon as he earned revenge against Florian Mayer 6-1, 7-5 after losing to the German last autumn in Shanghai.
Photo: EPA
Second seed Nadal won the first set on a double break, with a break for 6-5 in the second paving the way to the win.
“The first set was important,” the Spaniard said. “I felt good with my forehand. It’s tough to play Mayer, he gives you on rhythm.”
Federer was back on court just three days after winning the Madrid title on the controversial blue clay surface, an event where rivals Novak Djokovic and Nadal fell by the wayside — both of them fiercely critical of the slick surface.
However, with a ferocious series of tests over the next four months, including the French Open, Wimbledon, the London Olympics and the US Open, Federer was not about to overload his program unnecessarily.
“I only decided today after practice this morning,” said the Swiss, whose win in Madrid took him to 74 ATP titles. “I wanted to see how I felt and that nothing major was bothering me.”
“I’m happy I felt good out there, but I’m going round-by-round,” Federer said. “We are ahead of a long summer, this is the start of many events in a row and potentially a lot of five-setters. I needed to make sure that I took a good decision.”
The world No. 2 with four titles this season — including two of the first three Masters events — will next play Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero, champion in Rome 11 years ago.
Federer is on the hunt for his first Rome title after losing the 2003 and 2006 finals. The Swiss great never allowed Berlocq a look in as he charged out, winning the first dozen points of the contest.
He said that making the quick-change from the speed of a Madrid clay court to the slower one in Rome is always a test.
“You have to make adjustments. Guys can stand way behind the service line here and you have to watch your returns. It changes the whole playing style from the baseline and how points are constructed,” he said. “I had two days off, had there only been one I don’t think I would have played here.”
Federer’s tough opponent in the Madrid final, seventh seed Tomas Berdych, also progressed with a 6-4, 6-1 defeat of Lukas Kubot, although two seeds did not make it.
Federer’s compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, a one-time finalist in Rome, upset Serb eighth seed Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-1, while Italy’s Andreas Seppi gave the home crowd a cheer as he rallied past giant American John Isner 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5.
In the women’s tournament, Czech Petra Cetkovska upset third seed Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, with the Pole losing her eighth match of the year, with six of those defeats coming at the hands of Victoria Azarenka.
Australian fifth seed Samantha Stosur defeated Italian Sara Errani 6-3, 7-5, while Spain’s Anabel Medina Garrigues advanced 6-4, 5-0 as former No. 1 Caroline -Wozniacki had to quit with breathing problems.
Both Williams sisters won against Russians, with ninth seed Serena Williams beating Nadia Petrova 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 and Venus Williams stopping Ekaterina -Makarova 7-6 (9/7), 6-1.
Top seed Victoria Azarenka’s match with talented Israeli Shahar Peer was the last one on court and the world No. 1 wasted no time in getting off it with a 6-1, 6-2 victory.
Bologna on Thursday advanced past Empoli to reach their first Coppa Italia final in more than half a century. Thijs Dallinga’s 87th-minute header earned Bologna a 2-1 win and his side advanced 5-1 on aggregate. Giovanni Fabbian opened the scoring for Bologna with a header seven minutes in. Then Viktor Kovalenko equalized for Empoli in the 30th minute by turning in a rebound to finish off a counterattack. Bologna won the first leg 3-0. In the May 14 final in Rome, Bologna are to face AC Milan, who eliminated city rivals Inter 4-1 on aggregate following a 3-0 win on Wednesday. Bologna last reached the
If the Wild finally break through and win their first playoff series in a decade, Minnesota’s top line likely will be the reason. They were all over the Golden Knights through the first two games of their NHL Western Conference quarter-finals series, which was 1-1 going back to Minnesota for Game 3 today. The Wild tied the series with a 5-2 win on Tuesday. Matt Boldy had three goals and an assist in the first two games, while Kirill Kaprizov produced two goals and three assists. Joel Eriksson Ek, who centers the line, has yet to get on the scoresheet. “I think the biggest
From a commemorative jersey to a stadium in his name, Argentine soccer organizers are planning a slew of tributes to their late “Captain” Pope Francis, eulogized as the ultimate team player. Tributes to the Argentine pontiff, a lifelong lover of the game, who died on Monday at the age of 88, have been peppered with soccer metaphors in his homeland. “Francisco. What a player,” the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) said, describing the first pope from Latin America and the southern hemisphere as a generational talent who “never hogged the ball” and who showed the world “the importance of having an Argentine captain,
Noelvi Marte on Sunday had seven RBIs and hit his first career grand slam with a drive off infielder Jorge Mateo, while Austin Wynn had a career-high six RBIs as the Cincinnati Reds scored their most runs in 26 years in a 24-2 rout of the Baltimore Orioles. Marte finished with five hits, including his eighth-inning homer off Mateo. Wynn hit a three-run homer in the ninth off catcher Gary Sanchez. Cincinnati scored its most runs since a 24-12 win against the Colorado Rockies on May 19, 1999, and finished with 25 hits. Baltimore allowed its most runs since a 30-3 loss to