Fe der er join sD joko vic in Round II
AUSTRALIAN OPEN Twice Wimbledon champion Kvitova, former Wimbledon finalist Raonic are day’s biggest upsets
MELBOURNE: Roger Fe der er picked up where he left off at the Australian Open on a day when Maria Sharapova and Novak Djokovic helped ensure there were all kinds of comebacks.
Defending champion Fe der er beating Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 in a night match, his first on Rod Laver Arena since clinching a career-reviving title here last year. The 19-time major winner has been met on court after wins here previously by tennis greats Laver, John McEnroe and Jim Courier. On Tuesday night, he got something different. Comedian Will Ferrell stepped out of the crowd and, slipping into character as Ron Burgundy from the movie Anchorman, conducted the post-match interview. As usual, the 36-year-old Federer stayed classy.
Six-time champion Djokovic and 2014 Australian Open winner Stan W aw rink a earlier made successful returns from injury layoffs with victories in their first matches since Wimbledon.
SHARA POVA CRUISES
Sharapova barely missed a beat in her first match in Melbourne since a failed doping test here in 2016 resulted in a 15-month ban from tennis. The five-time-major winner recovered from an early break in the second set and closed out her 6-1, 6-4 victory over Tatjana Maria with an ace.
“It’s been a couple of years since I’ ve been back here— obviously I wanted to enjoy the moment,” the 2008 Australian Open champion said after blowing kisses to the crowd.
Former No. 1-ranked Kerber, the 2016 Australian Open winner, continued her resurgent run with a 6-0,6-4 victory over AnnaLena Friedsam to extend her streak to 10 consecutive wins.
Djoko vic tweaked his service motion while recovering from an injured right elbow, and use ditto good effect in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win over Donald Young. Djoko vic lost in the second round here last year, but won five of the previous six Australian Open titles .“Ob vi--
ously I wanted to start with the right intensity, which I have,” Djokovic said. “I played perfect, like I never stopped .” W aw rink a, who had six months out after surgery on his left knee, beat Ricardas Berankis 6-3,6-4,2-6,7-6(2).
RAONIC EXITS
No. 4-ranked 4-Alexander Zve rev, No .5 Dominic T hi em, No. 7 David Goff in, No .19 Tom as Berdych advanced, but No .20 Roberto Bautista Agut lost to Fernando Verdasco and former Wimbledon finalist Milo sR aonic lost to Lukas Lacko. No. 13 Sam Qu err eyre stored some order for the U.S. men witha6- 3,6-4,6-2 win over Feliciano Lopez.
Madison Keys reversed a trend, becoming the only one of the four American women who contested the U.S. Open semi finals four months ago to reach the second round in Australia.
No. 17-seeded Keys, the U.S. Open-runner-up, advanced with a 6-1, 7-5 win over Wang Qiang and will be one of four American women in the second round. Topranked Simon aH alep
had to save set points at 5-2 down in the first set, and badly twisted her left ankle early in the second, before beating teenage wild-card entry Destanee Aiava 7-6 (5), 6-1. Halep next plays 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie B ouch a rd. Wimbledon champion Garbine Mugurza, No. 6 Karolina Pliskova, No .8 Caroline Garcia, No .9 Johann aK on ta, No .16 Elena V es nina, No .26 Ag ni eszka Radwanska, No. 28 Mirjana Lucic-Baroni and No. 29 Lucie Safarova advanced.