Federer Begins 57th Consecutive Grand Slam Appearance With Win Down Under
Roger Federer stepped onto Rod Laver Arena for his 57th consecutive Grand Slam tournament Tuesday at the 2014 Australian Open, defeating 21-year-old Australian wild card James Duckworth, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 46 minutes. Federer has not missed a Grand Slam event since the 1999 U.S. Open.
Federer next plays Blaz Kavcic, who advanced when Radek Stepanek retired in the fourth set of their first-round match. Stepanek had had won the first two sets, but only won one of the last nine games.
Juan Martin Del Potro came back from a first-set deficit to defeat 22-year-old American qualifier Rhyne Williams 6-7(1), 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 in just over three hours. The win extended Del Potro’s Aussie Open first round win streak to eight consecutive years, and next prepares to face world number 62 Roberto Bautista Agut, a 6-2, 6-1, 6-1 winner over American Tim Smyczek
"I didn't expect this kind of match against him," said del Potro of his opponent Williams. "I didn't know too much before the match about how he plays tennis. But he served well. His forehand is good. I started the match really, really slow, and then it was difficult to come back and play my game. But in the end, I served well. I hit some good forehands. That's help me to improve a little bit my game."
The 13th-seeded American John Isner was forced to retire from his match against Slovakian Martin Klizan with a foot injury after losing the first two sets, 6-2, 7-6(6).
Japan’s Kei Nishikori was a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 winner on Tuesday as well, defeating Australian Marinko Matosevic. Nishikori next meets 23-year-old Serbian qualifier Dusan Lajovic, who made his Grand Slam main draw debut by beating Frenchman Lucas Pouille, 6-4, 7-6(9), 4-6, 6-3.
World number 10 and 2008 Australian Open finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France advanced as well on Tuesday, a 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 winner over Italian Filippo Volandri. Tsonga next faces Thomaz Bellucci who advanced when his first round opponent Julien Reister was forced to retire.
World number one Rafael Nadal was a winner Bernard Tomic after Tomic was forced to retire with a left leg injury after losing the first set 6-4.
"It's unfortunate," said Tomic. "This opportunity I had to play against Rafa was huge for me. Could have used a lot of it. Unfortunately, I couldn't compete. It was very difficult for me to say sorry to the crowd. I don't think they quite knew what was wrong with me. I felt it before when I was warming up. I warmed up well with a left hander. I went for one ball on the backhand and just felt it. It's tough playing Rafa with two legs, let alone one. Nothing I could do."
Nadal will next meet 17-year-old Thanasi Kokkinakis a winner over Igor Sijsling 7-6(4), 0-6, 7-6(3), 6-2 on his Grand Slam debut. Last year, Kokkinakis reached the final of the boys singles at both the Australian Open and the U.S. Open.
Gael Monfils defeated American Ryan Harrison on Tuesday, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Monfils has a 15-8 match record in Melbourne, reaching the fourth round in 2009, and next faces another American, this time Jack Sock, who defeated Tobias Kamke 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-2, 6-4.
Andy Murray was also a winner Tuesday, still fresh off returning from a four-month layoff due to back surgery, defeating Japan’s Go Soeda 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in just 87 minutes.
"On certain shots I'm a lot freer in the movement just now,” said Murray. “I hope that continues. That was the whole point of having the surgery. I'm hoping it was the right decision. I felt freer today than I did for the past 18 months.”
A three-time Australian Open runner-up, Murray will face Frenchman Vincent Millot, in the second round, after Millot defeated Wayne Odesnik 7-5, 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-3.
Click here to view the entire 2014 Australian Open Men's Singles draw.
