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.
Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw on Friday joined their Los Angeles Dodgers teammates in sticking their fists out to show off their glittering World Series rings at a ceremony. “There’s just a lot of excitement, probably more than I can ever recall with the Dodger fan base and our players,” manager Dave Roberts said before Los Angeles rallied to beat the Detroit Tigers 8-5 in 10 innings. “What a way to cap off the first two days of celebrations,” Roberts said afterward. “By far the best opening week I’ve ever experienced. I just couldn’t have scripted it any better.” A choir in the
The famously raucous Hong Kong Sevens are to start today in a big test for a shiny new stadium at the heart of a major US$3.85 billion sports park in the territory. Officials are keeping their fingers crossed that the premier event in Hong Kong’s sporting and social calendar goes off without a hitch at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. They hope to entice major European soccer teams to visit in the next few months, with reports in December last year saying that Liverpool were in talks about a pre-season tour. Coldplay are to perform there next month, all part of Hong Kong’s
Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernandez and Tommy Edman on Thursday smashed home runs to give the reigning World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers a 5-4 victory over Detroit on the MLB’s opening day in the US. The Dodgers, who won two season-opening games in Tokyo last week, raised their championship banner on a day when 28 clubs launched the season in the US. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts shuffled his batting lineup with all four leadoff hitters finally healthy as Ohtani was followed by Mookie Betts, then Hernandez and Freddie Freeman in the cleanup spot, switching places with Hernandez. “There’s a Teoscar tax to
Marcus Rashford’s first goals for Aston Villa on Sunday inspired a 3-0 win against Preston North End that sent his side into the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 10 years. Rashford struck twice in the second half at Deepdale to end Preston’s stubborn resistance before Jacob Ramsey wrapped up Villa’s long-awaited return to the last four. Villa are to face Crystal Palace — 3-0 winners at Fulham on Saturday — in the semi-finals at Wembley Stadium in London. Revitalized since joining Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window, Rashford is beginning to show the form that
RSS