ROGER FEDERER CRUISES PAST DOLGOPOLOV AS ORDER IS RESTORED AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS IN MELBOURNE

Written by: Staff on 20th January 2016

ROGER FEDERER CRUISES PAST DOLGOPOLOV AS ORDER IS RESTORED AT THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS IN MELBOURNE

epa05112410 Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a shot to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament, in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2016. EPA/JULIAN SMITH AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

by Ricky Dimon

One day after Rafael Nadal crashed out of the Australian Open first round and seven matches went to five sets, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic helped restore order to the proceedings at Melbourne Park. Federer took care of Alexandr Dolgopolov in straight sets, Djokovic cruised past Quentin Halys, and all 16 of the favorites on the men’s side won their matches on Wednesday.

Despite going up against one of the most dangerous unseeded players in the field, Federer dominated 6-3, 7-5, 6-1 in just one hour and 33 minutes. The 34-year-old Swiss fired 25 aces while double-faulting only twice and he did not face a single break point.

“It’s the only shot that we can actually really control,” Federer said of the serve. “The rest we are reacting to. And then I thought today I did serve very well. You know, Dolgopolov maybe wasn’t seeing it as well. But also conditions are fast during the daytime, so that helps to be able to serve through opponents. It’s also harder to return, clearly.

Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine in action against Roger Federer of Switzerland during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis tournament, in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2016. EPA/MAST IRHAM

“I’m happy I got crucial first break in the first set. I think it was a big set for me. Then second set was the key, really, because it was close for a while. I had missed some chances. I was keeping it up, you know, serving well, keeping the pressure on, and finally then found the break end of the second.”

Like Federer, Djokovic also dealt with just one difficult set. After storming through the first two, the top-ranked Serb was pushed to a tiebreaker by Halys but he managed to hold off the young Frenchman 6-1,6-2, 7-6(3). Djokovic served at a mediocre 61 percent but he struck nine aces without double-faulting and won 86 percent of his first-serve points.

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Quentin Halys of France during their second round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2016. EPA/JOE CASTRO

“I think I played a good match,” Djokovic assessed. “Third set was a close set. Was a battle. Credit to him for fighting, for serving well. I held my nerves and played a solid tennis. He deserved the credit and applause in the end of the match for a fight.”

Other seeds advancing on Wednesday were : Andreas Seppi, Gilles Simon, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Kei Nishikori, Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem, David Goffin, Marin Cilic, Roberto Bautista Agut, Nick Kyrgios, and Tomas Berdych.

Of those victorious seeds, only Simon and Bautista Agut needed five sets. Simon outlasted Evgeny Donskoy 7-5 in the fifth, while Bautista Agut came back from two sets to one down against Dusan Lajovic to dominate the fourth and fifth 6-2, 6-1, respectively.

The Federer-Berdych section of the draw features all eight seeds in the third round.