Nadal and Federer safely through at Melbourne ...
▶ ... while defending champion Wozniacki sets up glamour tie against Sharapova
A dominant Rafael Nadal overwhelmed Australia’s Matthew Ebden in straight sets to reach the third round of the Australian Open yesterday and stay on track for an 18th grand slam title.
The 32-year-old Spaniard’s newly remodelled serve only briefly came under pressure from Ebden, 31, who enjoyed vociferous home support on Rod Laver Arena before losing 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal raced through the tie in just 116 minutes.
The Australian forced three break points at 3-2 in the first set, but could convert none before the second seed reeled off four games in a row to close it out in 35 minutes.
It was one-way traffic from then on as Nadal cruised into the last 32.
“I played a solid match, I was happy with the way I served. I did a few things very well,” said Nadal, who next plays Australian 27th seed Alex de Minaur.
He is bidding to become the first man in the Open era, and only third in history along with Roy Emerson and Rod Laver, to win each grand slam on two or more occasions.
Defending champion Roger Federer was also triumphant, though he was given a hard time by British player Dan Evans.
The 20-time major winner won 7-6, 7-6, 6-3 but admitted he had been impressed by his opponent. “I thought I might have pulled away midway through the second set,” he said. “But I couldn’t, to his credit. He played well.
“It felt like playing in a mirror a little bit. That was the mindset I had – how would I play myself potentially.”
The major surprise of yesterday was No 5 seed Kevin Anderson losing 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 to Frances Tiafoe.
“It means the world to me,” said Tiafoe, speaking on court after his victory. “I lost to Kevin three times last year.
“I would love to get to the second week of a slam and if you guys get behind me like you did again, then it’s going to be pretty easy for me.”
In the woman’s draw, German second seed Angelique Kerber easily won the battle of left-handers against big-hitting Brazilian qualifier Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-2, 6-3 to stroll into the third round.
The Wimbledon champion broke the 22-year-old Haddad Maia twice in the opening set and converted her first set point when the Brazilian sent a forehand wide for her 29th unforced error in the set.
Kerber, a triple grand slam champion who won in Melbourne in 2016, faced just one break point in the match in the second set and converted her first opportunity in the eighth game to go 5-3 up and serve for the set.
“It was a good match from my side. I was trying to play aggressive from the first point until the last one, serving good, really focusing on the moment on court,” Kerber said.
Former world No 1 Kerber will next meet Australian wild card Kimberly Birrell, who earlier beat 29th seeded Donna Vekic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1, tomorrow while also celebrating her 31st birthday. “Maybe it’s a good omen,” Kerber said.
Defending women’s champion Caroline Wozniacki eased past her second-round opponent Johanna Larsson 6-1, 6-3 in a one-sided clash.
Dane Wozniacki, who has been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, steamrolled past her Swedish opponent as she bids to become the first woman to defend the title since Victoria Azarenka in 2013.
“I thought I started pretty well, started aggressively, but she started making fewer errors and I was just trying to stay consistent,” Wozniacki said.
She will now face Maria Sharapova, who swept past Rebecca Peterson of Sweden 6-2 6-1, tomorrow. “That’s a tough third round,” said Sharapova.
Sloane Stephens, who endured a horror run at Melbourne Park since reaching the semi-final in 2013, exiting in the first round in 2015, 2016 and 2018, swatted aside former doubles partner Timea Babos 6-3, 6-1.
It kept her on a collision course with Kerber in the quarter-finals.