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| June 8, 2005 | Wednesday | Rabi-us-Sani 30, 1426 |
Federer struggles against Soderling
HALLE (Germany), June 7: World number one Roger Federer had a tough test against Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the first round of the ATP grasscourt tournament here on Tuesday before triumphing 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4. Federer however, far from being unhappy, said the close game as he builds up for the defence of his Wimbledon title stood him in good stead for the rest of the tournament, adding it was not surprising because of last week’s energy-sapping run to the semi-finals of the clay court French Open.
The 23-year-old Federer, who won this tournament the past two years, said afterwards: “I nearly got beat but I knew the match would be hard and I am lucky to have won. In previous years, I have had practically a week to prepare but this year I only had a day and a half. Therefore I’m happy with the result.
Federer had a stroke of luck in winning the second set tiebreak when 20-year-old Soderling double-faulted. In the third, Federer motored to a 3-0 lead but Soderling broke back to trail 5-4 with his serve to come but another double fault on a crucial point handed Federer the match.
Tuesday’s results:
1st round: Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) bt Joachim Johansson (SWE x6) 7-6 (7/4), 6-1; Juan-Carlos Ferrero (ESP) bt Vladimir Voltschkov (BLR) 6-7 (5/7), 6-4, 6-4; Dick Norman (BEL) bt Christophe Rochus (BEL) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1; Yeu-Tzuoo Wang (TPE) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (6/8), 6-2; Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (7/5), 6-4; Fabrice Santoro (FRA) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 7-5, 6-2.
HEWITT RETURNS
LONDON: Top seed Lleyton Hewitt marked his return from a three-month injury break by edging into the third round of the Stella Artois Championships with a 6-7, 7-5, 7-5 victory over Belgium’s Xavier Malisse.
The Australian was sidelined in March with a toe injury and had to delay his return to competitive action after fracturing a rib in a fall at his Sydney home last month.
Desperate to get match practice ahead of Wimbledon later this month, Hewitt appeared untroubled as he scrambled around the slick green surface.
After losing the first set 7-3 in the tiebreak, he displayed his determination by winning the next two, securing victory with his 10th ace after two hours 37 minutes.
Results:
1st round: Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Michael Mertinak (SVK) 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/3); Taylor Dent (USA x9) bt Tomas Behrend (GER) 6-4, 6-3; Richard Gasquet (FRA x10) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SEM) 6-1, 7-6 (7/3); Max Mirnyi (BLR x15) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE) 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-2; Gilles Muller (LUX) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 6-2, 6-3; Jaime Delgado (GBR) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 6-2, 6-4; Jan Hernych (CZE) bt Arnaud Clement (FRA) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Mark Philippoussis (AUS) bt Raemon Sluiter (NED) 6-4, 6-0; Tomas Zib (CZE) bt Jerome Haehnel (FRA) 6-3, 6-3; Dimitry Tursunov (RUS) bt Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) 7-5, 6-3.
2nd round: Tim Henman (GBR x3) bt Robby Ginepri (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-1; Radek Stepanek (CZE x4) bt Gregory Carraz (FRA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS x1) bt Xavier Malisse (BEL) 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 7-5.
flying start by Sharapova
BIRMINGHAM: Russian Maria Sharapova made a convincing start to her preparations for the defence of her Wimbledon title with a 6-3 6-0 win over Luxembourg’s Anne Kremer at the Edgbaston tournament on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old defending champion and top seed, who was given a bye in the first round, recovered from an early loss of serve to blow away the world number 94 with some thumping groundstrokes on the Edgbaston grass.
Results:
Second round: Anna Chakvetadze beat Evgenia Linetskaya4-6 6-4 6-4; Jelena Jankovic beat Sania Mirza 6-1 7-5; Maria Sharapova beat Anne Kremer6-3 6-0
First round: Eleni Daniilidou beat Yoon Jeong Cho6-1 1-6 6-4; Meilen Tu beat Marlene Weingaertner7-6(5) 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova beat Stephanie Cohen-Aloro6-3 6-2; Tamarine Tanasugarn beat Roberta Vinci 6-1 6-2; Nicole Pratt beat Catalina Castano 7-5 7-5; Maria Kirilenko beat Yuliana Fedak 6-3 6-2; Milagros Sequera beat Lisa Raymond 6-1 6-0; Rika Fujiwara beat Alina Jidkova 4-6 6-3 6-3; Maria Vento-Kabchi beat Saori Obata 7-5 3-6 7-5; Evie Dominikovic beat Meghann Shaughnessy6-4 7-6(5); Laura Granville beat Anne Keothavong 6-2 6-0; Natalie Grandin beat Ludmila Cervanova 6-1 6-4; Jamea Jackson beat Kristina Brand3-6 7-5 6-0.—Agencies
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