Federer, Nadal begin with straightforward Rome wins

jeudi 17 mai 2012

Federer, Nadal begin with straightforward Rome wins

Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal

Roger Federer played in a dust storm but still cleaned up on court, winning 12 of the last 15 points in a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Argentine Carlos Berlocq on Wednesday at the Rome Masters.    The Swiss number two said that he only decided to take his place in the draw a few hours before his start.    "I only decided today only after practice this morning. I wanted to see how I felt and that nothing major was bothering me," Federer said.    "We are ahead of a long summer. This is the start for many events in a row and potentially lot of five-setters. I needed to make sure that I took a good decision. I'm happy I felt good out there, but I'm going round-by-round."    Five-time winner Rafael Nadal bounced back from his Madrid third-round loss, starting with a revenge win over Florian Mayer 6-1, 7-5 after losing to the German last year in Shanghai.    "The first set was important," said the Spaniard. "I felt good with my forehand. It's tough to play Mayer. He gives you no rhythm."    Federer has never won a trophy at the Foro Italico.    Federer started against Berlocq with three love games to win the first 12 points. He showed his determination to come good in Rome with 16 winners in the first set.    The pair had to deal with swirling wind, which blew the red clay into their eyes. At one point, some spectators in the stand put up umbrellas for what looked to be a rain shower.    Federer, who will next play 2001 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain, has been on fire for the last half year, winning seven titles from 10 events including two three Masters 1000 honours and the 2011 year-end championships.    Three more seeds followed Federer to victory with Madrid finalist Tomas Berdych, the number seven, defeating Lukas Kubot 6-4, 6-1. Tenth seed Juan Del Potro stopped Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-2, and French number 11 Gilles Simon put out Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.    Federer's friend Stanislas Wawrinka knocked out Serb Janko Tipsarevic, the eighth seed, to advance 6-3, 6-1 while Italy's Andreas Seppi earned a home win over American ninth seed John Isner 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5.    In women's play, number one Victoria Azarenka crushed Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-2, while 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 from 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 number one Caroline Wozniacki had to quit with breathing problems.    China's Li Na beat Iveta Benesova 6-1, 7-5, while German Angelique Kerber ousted Vania King 6-3, 6-2. Number 13 Ana Ivanovic beat Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2, 6-1.    Serena Williams beat Nadia Petrova 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, while elder sister Venus Williams stopped Ekaterina Makarova 7-6 (9-7), 6-1.

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer

 

 

Source: http://www.goalzz.com/main.aspx?n=175278