Federer ousts Jaziri after sluggish start
Source: Agencies |
February 27, 2013, Wednesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ROGER Federer rallied past Tunisian wild card Malek Jaziri 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 on Monday to reach the second round of the Dubai Championships.
The second-ranked Federer is looking for his sixth title in Dubai. He next faces Albert Montanes or Marcel Granollers.
Federer was playing the 128th-ranked Jaziri for the first time and had said he expected a "tricky" match. The Swiss star was proved right in the first set when Jaziri broke serve to go up 6-5 and closed it out with a backhand.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion dominated from that point on, racing through the second set in 23 minutes and breaking Malek twice in the third set.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic opens today against Viktor Troicki in an all-Serb match.
"We were both not playing really well in the beginning. We were both missing a lot of first serves, or him in particular," said Federer, who served 10 aces. "I think because I couldn't take advantage, I went from 'not so good' to really 'not so good' - and then he got better naturally.
"For me, it was important to sort of react and make sure I don't panic."
Seventh-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy swept aside Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 6-3, 7-5, and eighth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia came from behind to beat Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Coming off a quarterfinal loss to Julien Benneteau in Rotterdam, Federer said the tight match would serve him well for the rest of the tournament.
"It was good in terms of nerves, getting out there and having to survive difficult moments," Federer said. "Moments like this where you're just not feeling quite right but you get it done. Then all of a sudden you feel like now you're in the tournament."
Jaziri said: "I gave everything today, I did my best."
The second-ranked Federer is looking for his sixth title in Dubai. He next faces Albert Montanes or Marcel Granollers.
Federer was playing the 128th-ranked Jaziri for the first time and had said he expected a "tricky" match. The Swiss star was proved right in the first set when Jaziri broke serve to go up 6-5 and closed it out with a backhand.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion dominated from that point on, racing through the second set in 23 minutes and breaking Malek twice in the third set.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic opens today against Viktor Troicki in an all-Serb match.
"We were both not playing really well in the beginning. We were both missing a lot of first serves, or him in particular," said Federer, who served 10 aces. "I think because I couldn't take advantage, I went from 'not so good' to really 'not so good' - and then he got better naturally.
"For me, it was important to sort of react and make sure I don't panic."
Seventh-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy swept aside Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 6-3, 7-5, and eighth-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia came from behind to beat Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia 1-6, 6-1, 6-3.
Coming off a quarterfinal loss to Julien Benneteau in Rotterdam, Federer said the tight match would serve him well for the rest of the tournament.
"It was good in terms of nerves, getting out there and having to survive difficult moments," Federer said. "Moments like this where you're just not feeling quite right but you get it done. Then all of a sudden you feel like now you're in the tournament."
Jaziri said: "I gave everything today, I did my best."
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
