Federer, Djokovic in perfect start
Defending champ sizzles, while Serb overcomes injury
FLAWLESS Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic stamped their mark on the Australian Open yesterday, with focused former champion Maria Sharapova also successfully negotiating the first round after her drug ban. Defending champion Federer, rated as favourite to win his 20th grand slam title, made his entrance on the Rod Laver Arena with a sizzling 6-3 6-4 6-3 lesson for Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene.
The second-seeded Swiss, coming off an extraordinary year, when he won a fifth Australian Open title and a record eighth at Wimbledon, was in total control.
“[This tournament] last year was my favourite of the whole season,” Federer, 36, who beat Rafael Nadal in that final, said. “I’m hoping for it to go well again.” Twelve-time grand slam winner Djokovic has been out of action for six months with an elbow injury, but he too looked the goods in his 6-1 6-2 6-4 demolition of American Donald Young.
Gunning for a seventh Australian Open title, he was glad to be back at the coal face, having missed the competitive edge.
“I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have,” he said.
Former Melbourne champion Stan Wawrinka also successfully returned from half a year on the sidelines after knee surgery, having only decided he was fit to play at the weekend.
He was pushed to four sets by Ricardas Berankis before prevailing 6-3 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7/2).
World No 1 Simona Halep booked her place in round two, avoiding the first round exit that befell her in the past two years. But she made a meal of it against local hope Destanee Aiava.
Both the Romanian and her 17-year-old wildcard opponent needed on-court medical attention before the top seed ran out a battling 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 winner.
Sharapova, working her way back from a 15-month ban for taking the performance-enhancing substance meldonium in 2016, showed glimpses of the tennis that made her a five-time major winner.
The 2008 Melbourne Park champion, now ranked 48, beat Germany’s Tatjana Maria 6-1 6-4. – AFP