Melbourne: Defending champion Roger Federer reached the Australian Open third round for a 20th straight year here Wednesday but was made to battle hard by Britain’s Dan Evans before winning 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/3), 6-3.
The ageless 20-time Grand Slam champion, who is gunning for a record seventh Melbourne Park title and third in a row, had breezed past Denis Istomin in the first round, but was given a much tougher examination by the World No.189.
“I think if I could have pulled away early in the match it might have been different,” said the 37-year-old Swiss legend after his 155-minute battle to get past his 28-year-old opponent.
Evans, whose ranking plummeted from a career-high No. 41 after he was slapped with a year-long ban for testing positive to cocaine in April 2017, played almost flawless tennis to stave off a set point on his way to forcing a first set tie-break. He led 5-3 in the breaker before Federer stepped up a gear and reeled off the next four points with a cry of ‘Come on!’ as he secured a hard-fought opening set after exactly one hour.
The plucky Evans, who had covered acres of ground and found the lines brilliantly, needed treatment for blisters on both feet before the second set started and immediately was broken. But he refused to lie down and broke back as Federer served for the set to force another tie-break.
“I thought I might have pulled away midway through the second set,” Federer said. “But I couldn’t, to his credit. He played well.”
The Swiss star hasn’t often needed luck during his career but he took advantage of some in the third set to finally ease the pressure. Holding breakpoint at 2-1, he barely scooped up a half-volley which grabbed the net chord and toppled over forcing Evans to go long.
A service game to love followed to put Federer 4-1 up and the brave resistance of Evans was finally broken.
Among other early winners on the day were Marin Cilic who beat Mackenzie McDonald 7-5, 6-7 (9-11), 6-4, 6-4 and Stefanos Tsitsipas who also needed four sets to overcome Viktor Troicki 6-3, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5.
In the most major upset of the day fifth seeded and 2018 Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson was knocked out by Frances Tiafoe of the US. The latter won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5.
In the women’s segment, third-seeded Caroline Wozniacki beat Johanna Larsson 6-3, 6-1 while Sloane Stephens subdued Timea Babos 6-3, 6-1.
Agencies
