federer cruises towards australian open with another hopman cup win
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Federer cruises towards Australian Open with another Hopman Cup win

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Federer cruises towards Australian Open with another Hopman Cup win

Roger Federer
Abu Dhabi - Arab Today

Roger Federer took another impressive step towards his Australian Open title defence on Tuesday with a straight-sets win over Russian Karen Khachanov at the mixed teams Hopman Cup, as many of his main rivals faltered due to injury.

Around the time Federer was warming up for his match with the 45th-ranked Russian, Andy Murray announced he was pulling out of the Brisbane International, while Novak Djokovic a few days earlier withdrew from his season opener in Abu Dhabi.

Rafael Nadal, Stan Wawrinka, Milos Raonic and Kei Nishikori are also under injury clouds, while world number eight Jack Sock succumbed to a hip problem earlier in the day in Perth, forcing him to retire from his singles match.

But there were no such dramas for the elder statesman Federer, who 12 months ago stunned the tennis world by ending an almost four-year Grand Slam drought with a victory at the Australian Open, after also preparing at the Hopman Cup.

The 36-year-old was too good for Khachanov, making it two straight-sets wins from as many singles matches this week as Switzerland beat Russia 3-0 in their Group B tie in front of a record Hopman Cup crowd.

Federer was stretched by Khachanov, particularly in the second set when the pair traded powerful groundstrokes.

The Russian held a set point in the tie-breaker and also saved two match points held by Federer, before the Swiss champion prevailed after Khachanov hit a forehand perilously close to the line.

It was called in by the linesman, but Federer challenged and was rewarded when replays showed the ball was out by millimetres, handing the 19-time Grand Slam champion a 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) win.

"I thought the intensity was great and the level high too," Federer said.

"It was a good match overall and I was happy with my performance."

The 74-ranked Belinda Bencic, on the comeback trail after injuries stalled her promising career, then upset world number 15 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in three sets, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in just under two hours to clinch the tie for the Swiss.

In the dead mixed doubles rubber, the Swiss completed a clean sweep with a three-set win under the Fast4 format.

- Pat Cash's return -

Both Switzerland and the United States' pairing of Sock and CoCo Vandeweghe, who beat Japan 2-1 in contentious circumstances earlier in the day, have won their opening two ties.

The victor in their clash on Thursday will advance to Saturday's final and Federer said he expected Sock to be fit for that tie.

Sock retired early in the second set of his men’s singles clash with Japan’s Yuichi Sugita, having injured his hip during a first set tie-breaker.

The Group B tie ended with an exhibition mixed doubles match featuring the return of 52-year-old former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash to the court to team with Vanderweghe, who he coaches.

Cash also played in the inaugural Hopman Cup in 1989.

Prior to Sock’s injury, Japan’s Naomi Osaka had withdrawn from her singles match with Vandeweghe due to illness.

The end result of the injury and illness for both sides was the United States being given an intriguing 2-1 win, as Japan was ruled to have forfeited the women’s singles and mixed doubles before the Sock injury.

However, the fitness of Sock for the remainder of the tournament, and more importantly the upcoming Australian Open, was in doubt after he limped off the court.

Vandeweghe and Sock were beaten by the French team of Kristina Mladenovic and Richard Gasquet in last year's decider.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

federer cruises towards australian open with another hopman cup win federer cruises towards australian open with another hopman cup win

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

federer cruises towards australian open with another hopman cup win federer cruises towards australian open with another hopman cup win

 



GMT 09:54 2017 Monday ,13 November

Hany Ramzy prepares for new film

GMT 02:13 2017 Thursday ,31 August

RI tourism ready to compete in ASEAN community

GMT 11:38 2017 Tuesday ,14 November

Arab media development is lost in translation

GMT 07:56 2017 Tuesday ,19 December

Fatah’s leader rebukes Trump’s decision

GMT 11:26 2017 Wednesday ,26 April

Settlers uproot 300 olive trees, Ramallah

GMT 05:34 2017 Sunday ,22 October

Hamilton overshadows Vettel in final practice

GMT 16:49 2017 Tuesday ,28 March

Settlements undermine 2-state solution

GMT 05:10 2017 Monday ,02 October

A380 superjumbo makes emergency landing in Canada

GMT 07:27 2017 Sunday ,12 November

Oman receives OMR8b foreign direct investment

GMT 17:09 2017 Saturday ,05 August

Justin tells fans of "insecurities" after cancelling

GMT 02:14 2017 Sunday ,22 October

January21st-February19th
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday