Federer upbeat despite defeat to teenager Zverev
PERTH, Australia: Roger Federer’s comeback from injury struck its first hurdle on Wednesday when he was beaten by teenager Alexander Zverev at the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth, but the Swiss champion remained upbeat.
In one of the highest quality singles matches ever seen in the 29-year history of the event, Federer showed plenty of the class which has won him a record 17 Grand Slams, but couldn’t quite hold off the bold 19-year-old German.
Despite the result, Switzerland kept their hopes of reaching Saturday’s final alive with a 2-1 win over Germany — Belinda Bencic beating Andrea Petkovic in the women’s singles and then teaming with Federer to win the deciding mixed doubles.
The men’s singles was a classic battle between the old and the new, with Federer left to rue his failure to serve out the first set when leading 5-3.
In the end, two booming first serves from Zverev, the first teenager to make the top 20 since Novak Djokovic in 2006, closed out the match in front of a record Perth tennis crowd of 13,785.
He took the match ultimately decided by three tie-breakers, 7-6 (7/1), 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/4) in two hours and 30 minutes.
It was Zverev’s second straight win over the Swiss champ, having beaten him in Germany last June, and the result also mirrored that of an unofficial match on the practice court on New Year’s Eve.
Federer was upbeat despite his defeat to a player he believes will be a star for the next decade. “Who really cares... it was good to play for two and a half hours,” he said.
“Sasha (Zverev) can serve big and showed what he can do, but I was happy how I hung around and I had some really good moments. As long as I am injury free and feeling good.”
It was only the 35-year-old’s second match since a six-month layoff due to knee and back injuries following his win over England’s Dan Evans on Monday. But Federer — who is out of the top 10 for the first time since late 2002 — said he was on the right track for the upcoming Australian Open. “I am very happy, I have played five good sets so far,” he said. SYDNEY: Azhar Ali and Younis Khan kept Pakistan afloat after rookie Peter Handscomb made it three centurions in Australia’s big first innings declaration at the third Sydney Test on Wednesday.
The tourists, who have already lost the series after defeats in Brisbane and Melbourne, made a rocky start after Steve Smith called a halt at 538 for eight, leaving seven overs for Pakistan to negotiate before tea.
They lost debutant Sharjeel Khan and Babar Azam in one Josh Hazlewood over before the interval with just six runs on the board.
But the in-form Azhar and 114-Test veteran Younis steadied the ship with a century stand to take the tourists to stumps at 126 for two.
Azhar, who scored an unbeaten 205 in last week’s Melbourne Test, was on 58 with 39-year-old Younis providing support on 64 to trail Australia by 412 runs. “At two for six we were in serious strife, but to see the resilience, character and intent that has been shown by Younis and Azhar has been a real example to the rest of the dressing room of how we need to play,” coach Mickey Arthur said.
Azhar had an escape nearing stumps on 51 when David Warner could not hold a sharp one-handed catch at legslip off Nathan Lyon.
Azhar was eight runs short of Mohsin Khan’s 1984 record for the most runs (390) for Pakistan in a series in Australia, having tallied 382 at the close, while Younis reached 1,000 Test runs against Australia.
Handscomb completed his second century in just four Tests to join David Warner (113) and Matthew Renshaw (184) in another huge Australia innings against the beleaguered tourists.
BIZARRE WICKET The 25-year-old right-hander was out in unique circumstances when he went back in his crease to cut Wahab Riaz, only for his bat to dislodge the legbail and he was given out hit wicket for 110. “I thought I could have gotten away with it,” Handscomb said.
“If Spidercam (overhead camera) hadn’t been there I think I would have a chance to get away with that.
“First time, even though I bat so deep (in the crease), so there you go.”
Handscomb, brought into the Australian team along with Renshaw in a shake-up after the Hobart Test debacle against South Africa in November, faced 205 balls in 319 minutes.
Renshaw’s epic knock ended inside the first half-hour on Wednesday when he played paceman Imran Khan on to his stumps.
The 20-year-old Renshaw’s first century in his fourth Test came off 293 balls with 20 fours in 413 minutes. He shared in a 142-run stand with Handscomb.
Debutant Hilton Cartwright hit the highest score by an Australian number six this season with 37 before he was bowled by Imran.
The Zimbabwe-born all-rounder, brought in for his Test debut at the expense of Nic Maddinson, looked solid during his 97-ball stay which eclipsed the previous highest of 26 by Mitchell Marsh against South Africa in Perth in November.
Matt Wade made 29 before he was caught sweeping Azhar and upon Mitchell Starc’s dismissal for 16, skipper Smith called a halt, giving his bowlers 25 minutes at the Pakistan batsmen before tea.
Hazlewood struck twice in five balls with Sharjeel caught by Renshaw at slip for four and Babar leg before wicket for nought.
Pakistan spent almost 10 hours in the field, after toiling for almost 11 hours in Australia’s massive 624 for eight declared first innings in Melbourne last week.