Federer off the blocks with easy win

 Paris, May 24 

“I’m not happy about it. Obviously not one second I’m happy about it. It happened yesterday in the practice, too,” said a ruffled Federer, adding that organisers had apologised. The 17-times major winner, champion at Roland Garros in 2009, was the star turn on a low-key opening day in a sunny French capital, taking to the court after women’s third seed Simona Halep got the ball rolling.

Romanian Halep, seeded three after reaching the final last year, was made to work hard by 91st-ranked Russian Evgeniya Rodina, huffing and puffing her way to a 7-5 6-4 victory. “It was a tough match, because it was the first round and it is always is difficult to start the tournament,” she said.

Stanislas Wawrinka, one of several players to beat Nadal on clay this season, was a straight-sets winner against Turkey’s Marsel Ilhan. Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the biggest threat to Federer in the bottom half of the draw, was up against wildcard Paul-Henri Mathieu before ever-popular Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga rounded off proceedings against Swedish qualifier Christian Lindell.

Germany’s Philip Kohlschreiber, beaten by Murray in a marathon match here last year, dropped only three games against Japan’s Go Soeda, while Spain’s Roberto Bautista-Agut beat German Florian Mayer, also in straight sets. Russian veteran Mikhail Youzhny’s tournament did not last long. He quit when trailing Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-2 6-1 — smashing his racket into his forehead several times as his frustration boiled over. — Reuters