Roger Federer faces last remaining Aussie in Open
MELBOURNE, Australia - Swiss star Roger Federer is one of the most popular athletes in Australia, where he has won four of his 17 Grand Slam titles.
MELBOURNE, Australia - Swiss star Roger Federer is one of the most popular athletes in Australia, where he has won four of his 17 Grand Slam titles.
The only problem is this: His 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Nikolay Davydenko on Thursday night in the Australian Open set Federer on a course for a third-round match against Bernard Tomic, the last remaining Australian in the men's or women's draws.
The 20-year-old Tomic beat German qualifier Daniel Brands, 6-7 (4), 7-5, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8), as the temperature hit 106 degrees.
"I don't think it matters whether he's the last Australian or 10 more," Federer said. "There's always excitement about Aussies playing here."
Top-ranked Victoria Azarenka of Russia defeated Eleni Daniilidou of Greece, 6-1, 6-0, before third-ranked Serena Williams posted a 6-2, 6-0 win over Garbine Muguruza of Spain as the temperature got hotter.
There was concern after she hurt her right ankle Tuesday that an injury might ruin Williams' run at a third consecutive major title. She said the ankle didn't bother her as much Thursday as a split lip, which she suffered by accidentally hitting herself in the face with the racket in the sixth game.
"It's a war wound," she said.
She next plays Ayumi Morita, one of two Japanese women in the third round. The other, 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm, downed Shahar Peer of Israel, 6-2, 7-5.
Fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany celebrated her 25th birthday Friday with a 6-2, 7-5 win over American teenager Madison Keys in the third round.
Williams later combined with sister Venus in a first-round doubles win.
That was good preparation for Venus' third-round match against No. 2-ranked Maria Sharapova, one of the highlights of Friday's schedule. Novak Djokovic of Serbia resumes his bid for a third consecutive Australian Open title when he takes on Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.
In women's doubles, third-seeded Lisa Raymond of Wayne and Maria Kirilenko of Russia face Australia's Ashleigh Barty and Casey Dellacqua.