Top seeds advance to 3rd round in Melbourne
Source: Agencies |
January 18, 2013, Friday
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Print Edition
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WITH the sun setting at the end of a torridly hot day at the Australian Open, Roger Federer ensured he made the most of a favorable evening draw. Wearing bright pink shoelaces, Federer advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Russian Nikolay Davydenko yesterday.
The 17-grand slam champion was a winner of sorts before he even stepped out at Rod Laver Arena, having received the luck of the draw - a 7pm start time after the worst of the 41-degree Celsius heat had subsided.
Other championship contenders in the men's and women's draws, including Andy Murray, Serena Williams and defending champion Victoria Azarenka, had to withstand the high temperatures which aren't unusual for this time of year in Melbourne, but still not conducive to long matches.
A dancing Azarenka and an ankle-weary Williams played back-to-back matches, both easy straight-set victories. US Open champion Murray also won routinely, beating Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Despite the high temperatures, tournament officials left the retractable roofs on both main arenas open because a combination of factors including humidity and court temperature didn't warrant making the venues a temporary indoor haven from the heat.
Ice vests and towels helped players keep their cool, and a women's tour rule allowing a 10-minute break between sets was invoked late in the day.
Serena went into the match with an injured right ankle. She didn't seem troubled by the injury, but did finish with a swollen lip after hitting herself with her racket. "It's OK," she said. "It's a war wound. I think it happens to everyone, but I have never busted it wide open like that. I was like, 'Oh, no. I can't have a tooth fall out.' That would be horrible."
Serena lifted her tempo on the biggest points, including when she finally won an 18-minute game to open the second set en route to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Garbine Muguruza. She later combined with sister Venus to win in the first round of doubles, showing no signs of trouble with the ankle.
The top-ranked Azarenka pranced into Rod Laver Arena for the first match of the day, and said she's starting to find some rhythm after beating Eleni Daniilidou 6-1, 6-0 in 55 minutes. Azarenka had her musician friend RedFoo in the stands watching and signing autographs, and said she went onto the court listening to a "great mix of disco music and a little bit of new music."
The heat didn't seem to bother 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm, who advanced 6-2, 7-5 over Shahar Peer of Israel. She's the oldest woman to win a singles match at the Australian Open.
Other women advancing included former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, No. 14 Maria Kirilenko, No. 16 Roberta Vinci, No. 20 Yanina Wickmayer and Elena Vesnina, who beat No. 21-seeded Varvara Lepchenko of the United States 6-4, 6-2.
The 17-grand slam champion was a winner of sorts before he even stepped out at Rod Laver Arena, having received the luck of the draw - a 7pm start time after the worst of the 41-degree Celsius heat had subsided.
Other championship contenders in the men's and women's draws, including Andy Murray, Serena Williams and defending champion Victoria Azarenka, had to withstand the high temperatures which aren't unusual for this time of year in Melbourne, but still not conducive to long matches.
A dancing Azarenka and an ankle-weary Williams played back-to-back matches, both easy straight-set victories. US Open champion Murray also won routinely, beating Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Despite the high temperatures, tournament officials left the retractable roofs on both main arenas open because a combination of factors including humidity and court temperature didn't warrant making the venues a temporary indoor haven from the heat.
Ice vests and towels helped players keep their cool, and a women's tour rule allowing a 10-minute break between sets was invoked late in the day.
Serena went into the match with an injured right ankle. She didn't seem troubled by the injury, but did finish with a swollen lip after hitting herself with her racket. "It's OK," she said. "It's a war wound. I think it happens to everyone, but I have never busted it wide open like that. I was like, 'Oh, no. I can't have a tooth fall out.' That would be horrible."
Serena lifted her tempo on the biggest points, including when she finally won an 18-minute game to open the second set en route to a 6-2, 6-0 win over Garbine Muguruza. She later combined with sister Venus to win in the first round of doubles, showing no signs of trouble with the ankle.
The top-ranked Azarenka pranced into Rod Laver Arena for the first match of the day, and said she's starting to find some rhythm after beating Eleni Daniilidou 6-1, 6-0 in 55 minutes. Azarenka had her musician friend RedFoo in the stands watching and signing autographs, and said she went onto the court listening to a "great mix of disco music and a little bit of new music."
The heat didn't seem to bother 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm, who advanced 6-2, 7-5 over Shahar Peer of Israel. She's the oldest woman to win a singles match at the Australian Open.
Other women advancing included former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, No. 14 Maria Kirilenko, No. 16 Roberta Vinci, No. 20 Yanina Wickmayer and Elena Vesnina, who beat No. 21-seeded Varvara Lepchenko of the United States 6-4, 6-2.
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