By Chris Oddo / Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Roger Federer started his 2014 on a high note in Brisbane, but Andy Murray wasn't so lucky in Doha.
Photo Source: AP
Roger Federer, new racquet in tow, waltzed to a season-opening victory over Jarkko Nieminen of Finland at the Brisbane International, 6-4, 6-2. The 17-time Grand Slam champion needed just over an hour to notch his 14th career victory in 14 tries against the fellow 32-year-old, setting up a quarterfinal matchup with Marinko Matosevic of Australia.
More Doha: Nadal Avenged 2012 Wimbledon Loss With Win over Rosol
"I've been serving OK, my forehand is going well, my movement is OK, I'm seeing the ball OK," said Federer, who is playing with a new 98-inch Wilson racquet that sports an anonymous painted-black frame. "I had a much longer time to get ready for this swing than I had last time around, after Wimbledon before the American summer. So I'm not thinking about it when I'm going out there, which is a great thing. I'm hitting the ball really well, so I'm very pleased with the racquet."
Federer fought back from a 40-0 deficit to gain the match's initial service break in the fifth game of the first set.
Once ahead, Federer switched into cruise control. He would take the first set then race out to a 4-0 in the second set, before clinching his 924th career ATP victory in 1:08.
Federer struck nine aces on the evening, and saved all four break points he faced.
Nadal Sets Up Gulbis Clash in Doha; Murray Upset by Mayer
Rafael Nadal was forced to go three sets with German Tobias Kamke, but the Spaniard eventually prevailed 6-3, 6-7(3), 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Exxon Mobil in Doha, a tournament he has never won. "I spent a lot of time on court and I won," he said. "That's the very important thing.”
Nadal will face off against Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the quarterfinals. The Spaniard owns a 6-0 career record against Gulbis, but he was tested by him last year, both at Indian Wells and at Rome in tense, entertaining three-setters.
Andy Murray, playing in only his second tour-level match since undergoing back surgery last September, wasn't so lucky. Murray couldn't hang on to a 6-3, 3-0 lead against the Florian Mayer, eventually falling 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Murray's lack of match experience of late certainly played a role, as Mayer took the edge in the decider, breaking serve twice on two opportunities and winning 25 of 40 points played.
Murray, who cruised to a double-bagel victory over Mousa Shanan Zayed in 37 minutes on Tuesday, now finds himself badly in need of matches heading into the Australian Open. He is not scheduled to play next week as of now.
In another giant upset at Doha, Daniel Brands upset second-seeded David Ferrer, 6-4, 7-5.