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MELBOURNE: Top seed Roger Federer claimed his 16th consecutive match
win at the Australian Open with a carefree straight sets win over
French veteran Fabrice Santoro on Thursday.
The Swiss supremo countered the wiles of the
35-year-old Santoro, playing in a record 62nd Grand Slam, to cruise
into the third round, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 in one hour and 22 minutes.
Federer, bidding for his 13th Grand Slam title,
will take on Serbian Davis Cup team member Janko Tipsarevic in the
next round.
“I always enjoy playing a match against
Fabrice,” Federer said. “In the first match I played against
him, he totally dismantled me, he can really show where he could
hurt you.
“It was a pleasure to play, more so because of
the score, but also for the way the game and the spirit in which it
was played. He does a great job in making you doubt at times.”
The victory stretched Federer’s record over
the 36th-ranked Santoro to 9-2 with four of his last five wins
coming in Grand Slam tournaments.
Santoro, a rarity in modern men’s tennis with
his sliced forehand and clever use of angles, could only marvel and
shake his head at times at the phenomenal shot-making of Federer.
Federer has been unrivalled as world No. 1 since
February 2004 and has won three of last year’s four Grand Slams
for the third time in four years.
But Federer comes into the Australian Open for
the first time since 2004 Wimbledon with his top ranking under
threat.
He could lose the position he has held with a
record 207 consecutive weeks if he fails to reach the semifinals and
world No. 2 Rafael Nadal goes on to win the Australian title.
-- AFP
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