Roger Federer had a really tough draw in Halle to be seriously tested at the very beginning.
Roger had to face home favorite Philipp Kohlschreiber in the opener that had already a couple of matches on grass this year to pose a serious threat to the Maestro. Eventually Roger won 7-6 (8) 3-6 7-6 (5), but things got really complicated also because Kohlschreiber played a very good match.
Roger won the opener at the tiebreak after saving a couple of set points. In the second set the world no.2 dropped his serve in the 8th game after hitting a sloppy volley out and that was enough for Kohlschreiber to bring the match at the decider. In the third set the Swiss Legend had 2 consecutive match points on Kohlschreiber’s serve (5-4 15-40), but the German saved both (the first with a powerful shot that landed just on the line). In the breaker Philipp had a 5-3 lead, but eventually Roger managed to win 4 consecutive points to grab this opener after 2 hous and 11 minutes. Match Stats.
Federer: I am very relieved
Roger commented “I’m very relieved,” said Federer after the match. “Philipp served at 5-4 in the tie-break. It’s rough on grass, it takes two serves and maybe that’s it. I wasted two match points at 5-4, 15/40 and then saved a break point at five-all, so it was a roller-coaster ride in the end. My nerves are still going a bit crazy right now,”
Roger will play either Gulbis or Stakhovsky in the 2nd round.
| 2 MAGICS FOR ROGER |
| TRICKY FOR ROGER |
