Federer Rolls Day 1; Rafa, Sharapova Monday at French Open
- 83 Comments
Roger Federer’s good draw at the 2014 French Open got off to a good start when he defeated Slovak Lukas Lacko 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 to move into the second round at Roland Garros.
ADHEREL
“I was happy seeing, getting early signs out of the match that I was actually playing well and I was going to get my chances I was looking for,” said Federer, watched from his box by his family. “My personal life, as we know, it’s all great, so I’m happy the family is here.”
Other Top 10-seeded winners Sunday were No. 6 Tomas Berdych who beat Canadian Peter Polansky 6-3, 6-4, 6-4; No. 8 Milos Raonic who defeated Aussie comer Nick Kyrgios 6-3, 7-6(1), 6-3; and No. 10 John Isner who squeezed by the equally-impressive serving of Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 7-6(5), 7-6(4), 7-5.
There were no upsets among the men’s seeds, but No. 15 Mikhail Youzhny needed to come back from two sets down to defeat Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta 3-6, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-0.
Unseeded Radek “The Worm” Stepanek was another comeback king, defeating Argentine Facundo Arguello 6-7(8), 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
There were few surprises on the women’s side on Day 1 as Top 10ers Serena Williams, Aggie Radwanska and Angie Kerber all moved into the second round barely breaking a sweat.
Williams clubbed French wildcard Alize Kim 6-2, 6-1; Radwanska defeated China’s Zhang Shuai 6-3, 6-0; and Kerber rolled past Poland’s Katarzyna Piter 6-3, 6-1.
Neither Radwanska or Shuai could hold during the first eight games of their meeting.
“So many breaks in a row,” Radwanska said. “I don’t know if there is really any explanation why there was eight breaks in a row, but I guess it happens sometimes…Clay is not really my favorite surface, but I’m trying.”
In the lone upset on the day, Romania’s Monica Niculescu came from a set down to defeat No. 25 Kaia Kanepi 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
No. 29 Venus Williams moved closer to a third-round meeting with sister Serena, coming back from an early break in the first to move past Swiss youngster Belinda Bencic 6-4, 6-1.
“I have to give her some credit — she’s improved a lot since the first time we played,” Williams said of the 17-year-old Bencic. “I didn’t play my first major until about 17, so I think she’s a little bit ahead of me. She definitely has maybe more experience at her age than I did. I didn’t play so much.”
The women’s draw lost a former champ in the first round when Croatian Ajla Tomljanovic defeated Francesca Schiavone 6-3, 6-3.
Matches to look for Monday at Roland Garros are (1) Rafael Nadal vs. Robby Ginepri, (2) Novak Djokovic vs. Joao Sousa, (3) Stan Wawrinka vs. Guillermo “G-Lo” Garcia-Lopez, the hobbled (9) Kei Nishikori vs. Martin Klizan, Miloslav Mecir Jr. vs. Tobias Kamke, (7) Maria Sharapova vs. fellow Russian Ksenia Pervak, (15) Sloane Stephens vs. Shuai Peng, Monica Puig vs. (19) Samantha Stosur, and Christina McHale vs. (32) Elena Vesnina.
You Might Like:
Serena Rolls, Trips, Rolls at US Open; Keys, Osaka, Sharapova in Action Monday
Who’s The French Open Favorite? Roger Federer Says It’s Still Rafael Nadal
Serena Williams Admits She Had A Tough Time Turning 30, So She Bought A Rolls Royce!
Sharapova Suffers Arm Injury In Stanford; Wimbledon Champ Muguruza Cruises In Hard Court Opener
Rain Pushes Djokovic-Nadal To Monday; Sharapova Out-Weathers Li Na For Rome Title