MELBOURNE, Australia — Roger Federer was prepared to be entertained against Fabrice Santoro. The Swiss star even chimed in.
Santoro’s wily courtcraft, anticipation and phenomenal retrieving have carried him through a record 62 Grand Slam tournaments, but he was no match for Federer when they shared the stage today at the Australian Open.
Often players get frustrated with chasing chips, drops and between-the-leg shots and are bamboozled when Santoro goes to his unusual double-handed slice forehand.
But against Federer, who can pick up half-volleys and turn them into winners like nobody else on tour, Santoro didn’t have a chance.
When Santoro did win a closely contested point after Federer miscued an overhead from an opportunistic defensive lob, he threw up his hands in victory and jogged around in circles as if he had just finished off the match.
But it was a rare mistake for Federer, who had 53 winners and 18 unforced errors and ran off the last 10 games of a 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 win to advance to the third round.
Federer set up match point with a leaping overhead, prompting a plea from Santoro for a bit of mercy as he nodded toward the scoreboard.
He got a laugh and a slight pause from Federer, who then held at love and strode over the net to congratulate Santoro for bettering Andre Agassi’s 61 majors by one.
“Obviously I always enjoy the match against Fabrice,” said Federer, chasing his third consecutive Australian Open title and his 13th major. “First time I played him, he totally dismantled me. Showed I had a lot of things to work on.
“Today I was in great shape, could play aggressive. We always have great rallies together, because of his playing style . . . he does a great job of making you doubt.”
Santoro, at 35 the oldest player in the singles draw, was good natured on and off the court.
“Regarding the score, it was not easy to have fun,” he said, “but I tried to have some.”
Venus Williams’ radar was off against Camille Pin, but she did not want to risk going three sets against the Frenchwoman.
Down a break of serve in the second set, the eighth-ranked Williams rallied to get back to 4-4 and won the last two games for a 7-5, 6-4 victory.
Williams didn’t help herself with six double faults and 44 unforced errors as she tried to push Pin around the court.
She looked stiff and trudged back to the baseline talking to herself as her mistakes piled up. Her serve was broken four straight times in the first set. She was spraying groundstrokes, particularly her backhand.
“She’s a real fighter . . . really feisty,” said Williams, who will face No. 31 Sania Mirza of India, a 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 winner over Timea Bacsinszky .
Second-ranked Svetlana Kuznetsova had difficulties but was able to eliminate Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 7-6 (0), 6-2, having to come back from 3-0 and 5-2 down in the first set to secure the victory.
Australian Open
A look at the action from Melbourne:
On court today: Tathiana Garbin vs. No. 4 Ana Ivanovic; Marat Safin vs. No. 15 Marcos Baghdatis.
Stat of the day: 21: Number of Grand Slam match wins — against one loss — for Justine Henin since she withdrew from last year’s Australian Open.
Quote of the day: “The crowd was great. I wish I could’ve give them a little more to cheer for.” — Fan favorite Lindsay Davenport, after her straight-sets loss to Maria Sharapova in her first Grand Slam back from having a baby last June
TV: 1 p.m. (taped), ESPN2; 7 p.m., ESPN2; 1:30 a.m., ESPN2
The Associated Press
