Hernandez trial is delayed to Jan. 19

A judge in Boston agreed to postpone the double murder trial of former New England Patriots player Aaron Hernandez while prosecutors try to get their hands on evidence now held by a law firm that previously represented him.

The trial in the 2012 killings of two Boston men was scheduled to begin Dec. 1.

Judge Jeffrey Locke moved the start date to Jan. 19 after holding a lengthy closed-door hearing.

Neither side nor the judge would say what that evidence is. But Locke did say it relates to a defendant’s right to seek confidential legal advice from a lawyer.

Hernandez was convicted this year in the June 2013 killing of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee. He is serving a life sentence.

Defending champion Roger Federer lost his opening match at the Shanghai Masters, falling to Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3.

In another second-round match, former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic defeated Borna Coric, 6-1, 6-2.

Venus Williams rallied to beat Yuliya Beygelzimer of Ukraine, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, in the opening round of the Hong Kong Open.

Seventh-ranked Lucie Safarova of Czech Republic crashed out of the Generali Ladies in Linz, Austria, in straight sets, losing her first match back on tour after a bacterial infection had kept her sidelined since the U.S. Open.

The French Open finalist, who was the top-seeded player at the Austrian indoor event, lost to the 95th-ranked Andreea Mitu of Romania, 6-3, 6-4.