Men’s wrap: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Kevin Anderson advance to Australian Open round two
Tennis giants Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have bullied their way into the second round of the Australian Open, but it was a classic Fed Express backhand that stole the show. MEN’S WRAP.
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Death, taxes and Roger Federer doing Roger Federer things.
The king of the Australian Open still reigns with the season’s opening grand slam kicking off with what has become one of January’s certainties – a straight-sets victory.
Federer – who did not drop a set until the final of last year’s tournament – overran Uzbek Denis Istomin in just under two hours 6-3 6-4 6-4 to start his 20th Australian Open in style.
And as he launches into his 75th grand slam, Federer has credited balance in his life for his second wind.
“I don’t know, I don’t think (I’m moving better than ever), but it’s good,” he said.
“The body hurts a little bit more than it used to, but it’s all good. How do we do it? We go on vacation, but then we work really hard. We have a bit of both worlds … let the body heal and the mind as well and when you come back be professional about it.
“I enjoy the grind, so I had a great build-up again and have been lucky that I’ve never missed one in my 20-year plus career so I’m happy it’s gone as well as it has and I hope I can keep it up.
“A lot of guys will eclipse me and that will be great to see.”
An ability to produce the sublime when it was needed most combined with slick and efficient work on serve proved the killer blow for Federer, who barely seemed to click out of first gear on Rod Laver Arena and nine-time grand slam winner John McEnroe last night described as “the greatest player that ever lived” who is “volleying better than ever”.
Not a bad moniker for a man who McEnroe admitted less than three years ago he feared may never play again.
“He is beyond belief,” he said on Channel 9.
“He is the greatest ever in my book right now. Rafa (Nadal), he’d be two and Novak (Djokovic) is a close three or four.
“This is an unbelievable time we have gone through in the men’s game. We’ve just got to hope these guys last a little bit longer.”
Federer lasted until at least tomorrow as he attempts to win three-straight Australian Open titles since he fell to Milos Raonic in a Wimbledon semi-final in 2016 that McEnroe believed may be the end.
He said he could never have imagined still being a contender at 37, but remains a firm favourite to lift the Norman Brookes trophy next Sunday.
“It’s disbelief to be quite honest that I’m the double-defending champion at the Australian Open at this age,” Federer said.
“I guess it’s just a fairytale comeback that I’m still on. I hope I can do it again this year. I have to go in with a mindset that it’s maybe possible, but it’s probably going to be somebody else but I’m going to try everything I possibly can. I’m going to leave it all on the court and we’ll see what happens but I’ll give it my best shot.”
SPANISH BULL TAKES DOWN AUSSIE BATTLER
For Rafael Nadal, some rust is inevitable.
The champion Spaniard made a successful return from his four-month injury lay-off on Monday holding off Australian James Duckworth in three sets.
But the No. 2 seed was made to fight for the win and even stumbled early in the second set and then again late in the third, before clinching the victory 6-4, 6-3, 7-5.
It was a brave effort from Duckworth who attacked Nadal at the net and rallied late to pinch a break just as the veteran prepared to serve out the match.
But 16 unforced errors in the first set cost Duckworth and his serve faltered at a crucial time midway through the second set as Nadal took control at 4-3.
After ankle surgery and a thigh problem in Brisbane last week, Nadal, 32, admitted it would probably take time to work back into top form this Australian Open.
“Not easy to come back after a lot of months (out of) competition and especially always against a player playing super aggressive,” Nadal said.
“Every shot he (Duckworth) went on the court with determination to not hit balls from the baseline, so it was difficult to be on rhythm.
“Anyway, I’m very, very happy to be through, (because) it is always very difficult to start back after injuries, I know it very well.”
The victory means Nadal has the equal third most Australian Open men’s singles wins, joining Stefan Edberg on 56, behind Roger Federer (94) and Novak Djokovic (61).
- Jay Clark
ANDERSON SURVIVES SCARE TO ADVANCE
Big serving South African Kevin Anderson survived a mid-match scare before moving through to the second round of the Australian Open.
Anderson defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino in four sets, 6-3 5-7 6-2 6-1.
Hitting Melbourne Park ranked sixth in the world, Anderson will now play American young gun Frances Tiafoe.
However, he will want to avoid another mid-match lapse, which saw his thunderbolt serve broken twice in four games.
From a break up, he quickly found himself locked at one-set all with the fiery Frenchman.
However, Mannarino wasn’t able to maintain his pressure on the Anderson serve and the 32-year-old powered through the final two sets.
Anderson hits Melbourne Park as one of the in-form players on the tour having won in Pune last week.
“It was really hot out here. I thought we were going to hit the heat rule,” Anderson said after the match.
“I was up a break in that second set and just let it get away a little bit. I was happy with the way I was able to reset.
“Every day I push myself to get better and better. You’ve got to come out here and win the match. It is a difficult challenge but that is what it is all about.”
- Liam Twomey
DIMITROV RECOVERS TO BEAT TIPSAREVIC
Grigor Dimitrov said things were on the “right path” with new coach Andre Agassi in his corner after recovering from a slow start to beat Janko Tipsarevic in the Australian Open on Monday.
The 27-year-old Bulgarian, nicknamed “Baby Fed” for his one-handed backhand reminiscent of Roger Federer, won 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 watched by the American great on 1573 Arena.
“I have known Andre for a really long time, since I was 14,” said Dimitrov, who reached the semi-finals at Melbourne Park two years ago and a career-high ranking of three the same year.
“We just wanted to kind of add a person that has done a little bit of, I mean, of what we are trying to achieve.
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