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8/31/10 2:01 PM | Ricky Dimon
Roger Federer eases past Brian Dabul during Monday's opening night session at the U.S. Open. Federer is joined in the second round by Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic.
(2) Roger Federer vs. Brian Dabul 6-1, 6-4, 6-2
Aside from one incredible shot, Federer advanced to the U.S. Open second round in routine fashion on Monday night. The second-ranked Swiss fired 18 aces, never dropped serve, faced no break points after the first game of the match, and dismissed Dabul after one hour and 33 minutes of play. Invoking memories of last year's semifinal win over Novak Djokovic, Federer produced an amazing between-the-legs winner with Dabul serving up game point at 3-5 in the second set. The 96th-ranked Argentine still held serve two points later to extend the proceedings, but Federer finished things off on serve at 5-2. Next up for the No. 2 seed and five-time champion is Andreas Beck.
(Q) Kei Nishikori vs. Evgeny Korolev 7-6(0), 5-2, retired
A back-and-forth affair ended prematurely when Korolev called it quits with a wrist issue seven games into the second set. Nishikori raced to a two-break lead early in the first frame of play, but he gave both of them back in consecutive service games. A tiebreaker eventually had to decide the opener, and that's when the turning point came. Nishikori swept it seven points to love and from there it was all over for Korolev. The Kazakh sprayed 16 errors over the last seven games and a whopping 47 for the match despite the fact that it lasted just 20 games and 93 minutes. It ended after Nishikori held for a 5-2 lead in the second, and he will face Marin Cilic for a place in the third round.
(11) Marin Cilic d. Illya Marchenko 7-5, 6-3, 6-1
Cilic overcame a slow star to dispatch Marchenko in just two hours and eight minutes on Monday afternoon. The 6'6'' Croat has been in dismal form this summer and it appeared to carry over into the U.S. Open when his opponent seized a break early in the first set. Marchenko served for the opening frame of play at 5-3, but Cilic ended the set on a five-game streak and his second break of the day clinched it 7-5. From there it was all over for the Ukrainian, who donated serve at 3-5 in the second and was also broken twice in the third. Cilic wrapped up his effort with eight aces and he took advantage of a ridiculous 14 double-faults from Marchenko.
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it was SO much better than last year's shot
RickyDimon , 8/31/10 3:19 PM
That was outstanding play from Fed (the tweener notwithstanding).
cherylmurray , 8/31/10 3:21 PM
as classy is his outfit, i like this black gear he is wearing at us open.
croc , 8/31/10 3:34 PM
cheryl - the tweener wasn't outstanding?
RickyDimon , 8/31/10 3:37 PM
No, it was...but I was way more impressed with the rest of his game. There was nary a shank in the entire match......
cherylmurray , 8/31/10 3:52 PM
Was also nice to see Roger smile, and having fun...
sky , 8/31/10 3:13 PM
Anyone with a dream draw like Roger's has something to smile about.
nadline , 8/31/10 3:56 PM
I agree with Cheryl, Federer displayed an amazing form, freshness and enjoyment. Is like he was upgraded and renewed.
mdmch , 8/31/10 4:16 PM
oh hahahahahaah
RickyDimon , 8/31/10 4:20 PM
The tweener was impressive. It was better than the first one, he's obviously been practising it. Lol
nadline , 8/31/10 4:25 PM
yeah, does anyone actually think the Djokovic one was better?
im talking about the actual shot; not the situation, the opponent, etc. Just the shot....
RickyDimon , 8/31/10 4:58 PM
he made it again , WHAT A SHOT once again from roger federer... P.E.R.F.E.C.T.I.O.N
toughto decide which one was better...when u have an opponent standing at the net naturally u are under more pressure as u are hitting the shot. Djokovic was standing at the net so roger was under more pressure...however, this time he did it from further behind the b.line ..super stuff.
tough to tell which one was better :P
vamosrafa , 8/31/10 5:13 PM
vamosrafa - how the hell do you know where your opponent is when you are facing the back wall?
plus, Djokovic should have easily volleyed Federer's shot for a winner. It went right to him and he just didnt swing.
RickyDimon , 8/31/10 5:42 PM
The video is here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZnC6jcRQRg&feature=player_embedded
amazing shot. I was not seen. There is a time difference and is work, too. I am glad to know Roger's good news.
tennisnba , 8/31/10 5:51 PM
The Dabul one was slicker, definitely. A tweener ia a reflex action, but Federer was more relaxed yesterday, so he did it with gay abandon, and wasn't too bothered whether it went in or not, whereas against Djkovic, it was more of a panic shot.
nadline , 8/31/10 6:02 PM
gay abandon :) i like that nadline.
there is no way you can read where such a shot will land. it doesn't look like anything you know. so very difficult to do anything to defend. but then i would also say that it looks pretty much like djokovic let that pass go with gay abandon...
croc , 8/31/10 7:47 PM
Hi all,
This one yesterday was more difficult but the one last year looked more elegant from the viewer's point of view.
Love to see some more elegant shots in the coming two weeks if he lasts the distance. He should, shouldn't he?
newfangkc , 8/31/10 8:47 PM
@Ricky, of course you cant see the opponent BUT please go and watch the shot fed hit against djokovic !! when djo hit the lob he was IN THE FORECOURT and made fed run back !! so u think fed is such a fool that he would think djo would dart back to the baseline from the forecourt? LOL, no way ..fed knew it 200% where djo was standing !!
NEWFANGKC got it right, the shot hit last year lookd more elegant from viewer's point of view BUT this one was surely tougher to hit.. fed the man himself described last night's shot being tougher to hit in terms of execution because he though he had to 'run more to get to the ball' and ' give a huge oush at the end ' .
vamosrafa , 8/31/10 10:40 PM
*push
vamosrafa , 9/1/10 1:50 AM
Well when you are playing a player like Dabul, you can have fun out there. That is how and why he pulled the shot off...it was a great fluke.
isabeau77 , 9/1/10 3:48 AM
people will talk about last year's longer, but this one was better
hands down
RickyDimon , 9/1/10 6:23 AM
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Was good to see Roger in action! That between the legs shot was "out of this world" LOL Was also nice to see Roger smile, and having fun...
sky , 8/31/10 3:13 PM