Roger Federer’s withdrawal due to a back injury overshadowed the day’s play in Madrid on Monday as seeds continued to fall on the women’s side.
Federer said he injured his back in practice on Saturday, but hoped to be fit for the Rome Masters next week in the build-up to the French Open later this month.
“There’s no feeling that I can practice, so at this point I don’t want to take more chances, as I know I won’t be fully ready for Wednesday,” the 17-time Grand Slam champion said. “I want to play it safe, rest up and get ready for Rome, that’s the schedule now.”
Photo: AFP
After shock defeats for top seeds Agnieszka Radwanska and Angelique Kerber on Sunday, more big names fell, leaving just seven of the 16 seeds still standing.
However, Victoria Azarenka extended her winning streak to 16 matches with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over France’s Alize Cornet.
The Belarussian clinched her past two tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami and is the favorite to land her first title in Madrid in the absence of world No. 1 Serena Williams with the flu.
Photo: EPA
Azarenka raced into a 4-1 first-set lead against world No. 48 Cornet and, despite a blip dropping serve for the only time in the match for 4-2, broke once more to seal the set 6-3.
The second set was even more straightforward for the two-time Grand Slam champion as two breaks of serve sealed victory in just under 90 minutes.
Azarenka next faces qualifier Louisa Chirico of the US in the third round after Chirico stunned 14th seed Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.
Defending champion Petra Kvitova remained on course for a quarter-final showdown with Azarenka with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Russia’s Elena Vesnina.
The two-time Wimbledon champion reached the semi-finals in Stuttgart two weeks ago and said her positive start to the clay-court season is down to her new coach David Kotyza.
“I have a new coach. That’s always great to have someone who’s helping you, and finding a good way of your game and plan,” Kvitova said. “I feel OK. Importantly is that my body feels OK. I hope that this will kind of continue.”
Kvitova faces Australian Daria Gavrilova in round three after she ousted 12th seed Elina Svitolina 6-2, 7-6 (7/4).
Sloane Stephens failed to build on her win in Charleston last month as she lost to Romanian qualifier Patricia Maria Tig 6-2, 6-3, while Czech 13th seed Karolina Pliskova fell to Christina McHale of the US 7-6 (7/3), 6-4.
The seeds fared better on the men’s side as Richard Gasquet, Milos Raonic and Giles Simon all sealed their place in the second round.
A resurgent Rafael Nadal was due to begin his quest to win a fifth title in Madrid yesterday when he was to face Russia’s Andrey Kuznetsov.
In the first round of the women’s doubles, Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Oksana Kalashnikova of Georgia fell to a 6-4, 6-3 defeat to Lara Arruabarrena of Spain and Sara Errani of Italy.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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