Federer fireworks warm up Melbourne Park

MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Roger Federer fired up the  Australian Open with a blistering start to his title defence yesterday, bringing some welcome warmth to an unseasonably cool  Melbourne Park on opening day.

Roger Federer

The first grand slam tournament of the year is famous for  its searing heat but a blustery day with the occasional shower  had the sweatshirt replacing the T-shirt as the garment of  choice among much of the 15,000 crowd on the Rod Laver Arena.

Federer retained his trademark bandana even though the ease  of his 6-1 6-1 6-3 victory over Slovakian Lukas Lacko and the  cool afternoon air made the threat of sweat interfering with his  vision slight.

“I thought I played great,” the four-times Australian Open  champion and second seed told reporters. “Tried to play  offensive from the start and see where it takes me. It didn’t  work. I got back and played a bit more risky and so forth.

“I thought it was a good match. I don’t think he played too  bad himself. I saw some talent in him too and that’s why I think  I was really happy I chose that tactics early on to pressure  him.”

Federer taking risks meant a treat for the crowd, who  witnessed some brilliant shot-making from the 16-times grand  slam champion.

It was hard to believe that the Swiss maestro’s backhand was  once considered a weakness in his game as he stroked impossible  looking winners off it from the back of the court to set up a  second round meeting with Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Rafa Nadal’s quest to become the first man since 1969 to  hold all four grand slam titles simultaneously starts today  but this was an emphatic reminder that to do it, the Spaniard is  likely to have to beat Federer at the top of his game.

Novak Djokovic is one of the few men to have broken the  Federer-Nadal grand slam duopoly in the last few years and he  gave notice that he considers himself a contender with a  dominant 6-1 6-3 6-1 thrashing of Spain’s Marcel Granollers.

“Of course, all the credit to Rafa and Roger. They are  deservedly the two biggest favorites to win this tournament.  They’re the two best players in the world,” said the third seed,  who won his only grand slam title here in 2008.

“Definitely this performance gives me more confidence and  gives me enough reason to think that I can beat anyone.”

Justin Henin

Venus Williams, the women’s fourth seed, was equally  dominant as she made a winning return after four months out  injured with a 6-3 6-2 win over Sara Errani of Italy.

“It’s been so long,” said the 30-year-old, who is hoping to  add a first Australian Open crown to her seven grand slam  titles.

“It definitely felt good today to go out there and play  pretty clean tennis.”

FLYING SOLO

Venus is flying the family flag solo this year with her  sister Serena, the 2010 champion, still unable to play after  stepping on glass in a Munich restaurant last year.

Justine Henin, the losing finalist when Serena claimed her  fifth title here last year, survived a tricky opening encounter  against big-hitting Indian Sania Mirza to go through 5-7 6-3 6-1  despite 33 unforced errors.

Two other women hoping to contend, top seed Caroline  Wozniacki and former champion Maria Sharapova, won the first two  matches on centre court.

Dane Wozniacki claimed a hard-fought 6-3 6-4 win over  Argentine Gisela Dulko, while Sharapova overcame a nervy start  to beat Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1 6-3 for her first Australian  Open victory since she won her last major title here in 2008.

“Last year I played first match on centre (court) and, I  lost. So I was kind of like, I don’t want this to happen again  this year,” said Sharapova, who lost to fellow Russian Maria  Kirilenko in the first round last year.

American 18th seed Sam Querrey was the first seeded player  to fall and he took his time doing it, losing 5-7 6-2 3-6 6-1  8-6 to Pole Lukasz Kubot over three hours and 20 minutes.

Russian 23rd seed Nikolay Davydenko, three-times a  quarter-finalist here, also made an early departure with a 6-3  4-6 7-6 6-4 defeat at the hands of German Florian Mayer.

Andy Roddick gave a forceful reminder that he once won a  grand slam — albeit at the U.S. Open in 2003 — with a 6-1 6-2  6-2 rout of Czech Jan Hajek, firing down 18 aces but bemoaning  the conditions.

“It was playing slow, so you had to kind of adjust,” said  the American eighth seed. “It wasn’t hitting and jumping like it  normally would here, and I think that’s probably just the colder  conditions.”