Fedex shines, Djoko sizzles
Melbourne, January 18
Defending champion Roger Federer cooly swept into the Australian Open third round today as Novak Djokovic survived a gruelling fitness test under the brutal Melbourne sun. But with temperatures touching an energy-sapping 40°C and ice-towels in use, third seed Garbine Muguruza and 2014 winner Stan Wawrinka both wilted and were knocked out.
Maria Sharapova, in contrast, laid down her title credentials with dominant win against 14th seed Anastasija Sevastova. World No. 1 Simona Halep was also convincing in her straight demolition of Canadian Eugenie Bouchard.
Swiss 19-time Grand Slam champion Federer disposed of Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-4 7-6(4), avoiding the worse of the furnace-like conditions in his night match.
“I practise with him so I had the information I needed,” he said, adding that the heat doesn’t bother him. “If you want to get to the top, you’ve got to play in all conditions.”
It was never going to be easy for the German. While Federer had made at least the third round each year since his Melbourne Park debut in 2000, Struff had failed to go further than the second round at any Grand Slam.
Six-time Melbourne champion Djokovic had a much tougher time, coming through a four-setter against Gael Monfils in a thorough examination after being out for six months with an elbow injury. He lost the first set before Monfils began struggling in the second and was heard at one point telling the umpire: “I’m tired and dizzy.”
The Frenchman remarkably recovered to make a fight of it before a relieved Djokovic, seeded 14, came through 4-6 6-3 6-1 6-3.
Russian drawcard Sharapova was on Rod Laver Arena early and avoided the brunt of the weather as she showed why she should be again taken seriously in dismantling Sevastova 6-1 7-6(4).
It was the Latvian who ended her Grand Slam comeback in the last-16 of the US Open in 2017 as she returned from a drug ban. But not this time. Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner and the 2008 Australian champion, was unstoppable in racing through the first set before a battle in the second. Next up is in-form 2016 Australian Open champion Angelique Kerber, who beat Donna Vekic in two easy sets as she starts to rediscover her best again. — AFP
Key results
Men: 5-Dominic Thiem bt Denis Kudla 6-7(6) 3-6 6-3 6-2 6-3; 4-Alexander Zverev bt Peter Gojowczyk 6-1 6-3 4-6 6-3; Julien Benneteau bt 7-David Goffin 1-6 7-6(5) 6-1 7-6(4); 19-Tomas Berdych bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-3 2-6 6-2 6-3; 12-Juan Martin del Potro bt Karen Khachanov 6-4 7-6(4) 6-7(0) 6-4; Marton Fucsovics bt 13-Sam Querrey 6-4 7-6(6) 4-6 6-2
Women: 1-Simona Halep bt Eugenie Bouchard 6-2 6-2; Lauren Davis bt Andrea Petkovic 4-6 6-0 6-0; 6-Karolina Pliskova bt Beatriz Haddad Maia 6-1 6-1; 26-Agnieszka Radwanska bt Lesia Tsurenko 2-6 7-5 6-3; 21-Angelique Kerber bt Donna Vekic 6-4 6-1; Maria Sharapova bt 14-Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 7-6(4); Ana Bogdan bt Yulia Putintseva 1-6 6-2 6-3; 17-Madison Keys bt Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-0 6-1; 8-Caroline Garcia bt Marketa Vondrousova 6-7(3) 6-2 8-6
‘Feet on fire’
The opening Grand Slam of the year routinely challenges players and fans with its fickle weather — it can be 20°C one day and 40°C the next. This week the heat has been gradually building and it touched 40°C, with even worse forecast for Friday.
Fallen seeds
Stan Wawrinka was hindered by his troublesome knee and failed to put up a fight against American Tennys Sandgren, who eased to a 6-2 6-1 6-4 win.
Johanna Konta, ranked 10th in the world, crashed out to world number 123 Bernarda Pera in the second round, with the American winning 6-4 7-5 defeat.
Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei ousted reigning Wimbledon champion and third seed Garbine Muguruza 7-6(1) 6-4 in the second round.
"I think the surface of the court, I don’t know how much heat, it’s terrible, very, very hot, and it’s easy to get blisters and red. — Garbine Muguruza
It’s definitely hot. My feet are burning. But we know it’s like this in Australia — the next day it can be freezing. — Caroline Garcia
I’m off to have an ice bath. Dominic Thiem, after his 3hr 48min match
It was tough to breathe. For sure, we took risk. At one stage I said to the chair umpire that the 25-second rule, there’s no need. Honestly, I played two sets out of breath, for nothing, just to please the official. I was dying on the court for 40 minutes. — Gael Monfils
