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Australian Open Capsules: Nadal has new injury; Federer has no hard feelings
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A look at Monday's opening day of the Australian Open tennis championships:
WEATHER: Sunny, high of 93 with gusting winds.
ATTENDANCE: Day session: 45,361; Night session: 18,159; TOTAL: 63,520.
WINNERS: Men: No. 2 Rafael Nadal, No. 3 Roger Federer, No. 7 Tomas Berdych, No. 8 Mardy Fish, No. 10 Nicolas Almagro, No. 11 Juan Martin del Potro, No. 13 Alexandr Dolgopolov, No. 16 John Isner, No. 18 Feliciano Lopez.
Women: No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, No. 3 Victoria Azarenka, No. 5 Li Na, No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 10 Francesca Schiavone, No. 11 Kim Clijsters, No. 13 Jelena Jankovic, No. 16 Peng Shuai.
LOSERS: Men: No. 22 Fernando Verdasco, No. 25 Juan Monaco, No. 28 Ivan Ljubicic, No. 31 Jurgen Melzer.
Women: No. 19 Flavia Pennetta, No. 23 Lucie Safarova, No. 28 Yanina Wickmayer.
STAT OF THE DAY: 81 — number of winners hit by American Bethanie Mattek-Sands in her loss to Agnieszka Radwanska.
QUOTE OF THE DAY: "I'm completely cool and relaxed about it" — Roger Federer, commenting on his relationship with Rafael Nadal after Nadal criticized Federer's unwillingness to publicly back players in their grievances over scheduling and prize money.
ON COURT TUESDAY: Defending men's champion and top-seeded Novak Djokovic, 2011 finalist Andy Murray, Andy Roddick; five-time champion Serena Williams, U.S. Open winner Sam Stosur, Maria Sharapova.
TUESDAY FORECAST: Sunny with hot gusting winds, high of 95.
Results
The Associated Press
Monday
At Melbourne Park
Melbourne, Australia
Purse: $26.83 million (Grand Slam)
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Singles
Men
First Round
Kevin Anderson (30), South Africa, def. Frederik Nielsen, Denmark, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Blaz Kavcic, Slovenia, def. James Ward, Britain, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.
Nicolas Almagro (10), Spain, def. Lukasz Kubot, Poland, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 7-5.
Juan Martin del Potro (11), Argentina, def. Adrian Mannarino, France, 2-6, 6-1, 7-5, 6-4.
Pere Riba, Spain, def. Albert Montanes, Spain, 7-6 (2), 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Flavio Cipolla, Italy, def. Nikolay Davydenko, Russia, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Feliciano Lopez (18), Spain, def. Leonardo Mayer, Argentina, 7-6 (5), 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, def. Jurgen Melzer (31), Austria, 7-6 (3), 7-5, 6-3.
Tobias Kamke, Germany, def. Victor Hanescu, Romania, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
Tomas Berdych (7), Czech Republic, def. Albert Ramos, Spain, 7-5, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine, def. Illya Marchenko, Ukraine, 6-3, 6-7 (9), 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Mardy Fish (8), United States, def. Gilles Muller, Luxembourg, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2.
Sam Querrey, United States, def. Kenny de Schepper, France, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Stanislas Wawrinka (21), Switzerland, def. Benoit Paire, France, 6-1, 6-1, 7-5.
Bernard Tomic, Australia, def. Fernando Verdasco (22), Spain, 4-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.
Florent Serra, France, def. Steve Darcis, Belgium, 6-7 (3), 3-6, 5-4 retired.
Olivier Rochus, Belgium, def. Bjorn Phau, Germany, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.
Carlos Berlocq, Argentina, def. Jesse Huta Galung, Netherlands, 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Alejandro Falla, Colombia, def. Fabio Fognini, Italy, 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
Tommy Haas, Germany, def. Denis Kudla, United States, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-0, 7-5.
Donald Young, United States, def. Peter Gojowczyk, Germany, 6-1, 6-2, 4-6, 1-6, 6-2.
Alexandr Dolgopolov (13), Ukraine, def. Greg Jones, Australia, 1-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-2.
Lukas Lacko, Slovakia, def. Ivan Ljubicic (28), Croatia, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Philipp Kohlschreiber, Germany, def. Juan Monaco (25), Argentina, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-0.
Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, def. Benjamin Becker, Germany, 6-1, 7-6 (5), 6-2.
Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, def. Jeremy Chardy, France, 4-6, 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Rafael Nadal (2), Spain, def. Alex Kuznetsov, United States, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1.
John Isner (16), United States, def. Benjamin Mitchell, Australia, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (1).
Roger Federer (3), Switzerland, def. Alexander Kudryavtsev, Russia, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2.
David Nalbandian, Argentina, def. Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, 6-4, 4-2, retired.
Yen-hsun Lu, Taiwan, def. Rik de Voest, South Africa, 6-4, 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.
Andreas Beck, Germany, def. Eric Prodon, France, 6-4, 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.
Women
First Round
Victoria Azarenka (3), Belarus, def. Heather Watson, Britain, 6-1, 6-0.
Casey Dellacqua, Australia, def. Bojana Jovanovski, Serbia, 6-3, 6-2.
Eleni Daniilidou, Greece, def. Kimiko Date-Krumm, Japan, 6-3, 6-2.
Lesia Tsurenko, Ukraine, def. Arantxa Rus, Netherlands, 7-6 (4), 6-1.
Anabel Medina Garrigues (26), Spain, def. Eva Birnerova, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-3.
Daniela Hantuchova (20), Slovakia, def. Varvara Lepchenko, United States, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.
Paula Ormaechea, Argentina, def. Simona Halep, Romania, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5.
Agnieszka Radwanska (8), Poland, def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands, United States, 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-2.
Julia Goerges (22), Germany, def. Polona Hercog, Slovenia, 6-3, 7-6 (3).
Nina Bratchikova, Russia, def. Flavia Pennetta (19), Italy, 6-3, 1-6, 6-2.
Petra Cetkovska (32), Czech Republic, def. Ayumi Morita, Japan, 3-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Li Na (5), China, def. Ksenia Pervak, Kazakhstan, 6-3, 6-1.
Romina Oprandi, Italy, def. Anastasiya Yakimova, Belarus, 6-4, 6-1.
Christina McHale, United States, def. Lucie Safarova (24), Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-4.
Peng Shuai (16), China, def. Aravane Rezai, France, 6-3, 6-4.
Olga Govortsova, Belarus, def. Patricia Mayr-Achleitner, Austria, 6-2, 6-4.
Francesca Schiavone (10), Italy, def. Laura Pous, Spain, 6-1, 6-3.
Kim Clijsters (11), Belgium, def. Maria Joao Koehler, Portugal, 7-5, 6-1.
Alberta Brianti, Italy, def. Irina Falconi, United States, 6-2, 7-5.
Stephanie Foretz Gacon, France, def. Elena Baltacha, Britain, 6-2, 6-4.
Galina Voskoboeva, Kazakhstan, def. Yanina Wickmayer (28), Belgium, 7-5, 6-2.
Chang Kai-chen, Taiwan, def. Petra Martic, Croatia, 6-4, 6-2.
Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria. def. Sania Mirza, India, 6-4, 6-2.
Anna Tatishvili, Georgia, def. Ashleigh Barty, Australia, 6-2, 7-6 (4).
Olivia Rogowska, Australia, def. Sofia Arvidsson, Sweden, 6-3, 6-1.
Mona Barthel, Germany, def. Anne Keothavong, Britain, 6-0, retired.
Iveta Benesova, Czech Republic, def. Mathilde Johansson, France, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4.
Jelena Jankovic (13), Serbia, def. Laura Robson, Britain, 6-2, 6-0.
Pauline Parmentier, France, def. Alla Kudryavtseva, Russia, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.
Marina Erakovic, New Zealand, def. Irena Pavlovic, France, 7-5, 7-6 (4).
Caroline Wozniacki (1), Denmark, def. Anastasia Rodionova, Australia, 6-2, 6-1.
Monica Niculescu (31), Romania, def. Alize Cornet, France, 5-7, 6-0, 6-3.
Show Court Schedules
The Associated Press
Tuesday
At Melbourne Park
Melbourne, Australia
Play begins at on all courts at 7 p.m. EST Monday
Rod Laver Arena
Vera Dushevina, Russia, vs. Petra Kvitova (2), Czech Republic
Novak Djokovic (1), Serbia, vs. Paolo Lorenzi, Italy
Sam Stosur (6), Australia, vs. Sorana Cirstea, Romania
Night Session (3 a.m. EST Tuesday)
Cedrik-Marcel Stebe, Germany, vs. Lleyton Hewitt, Australia
Tamira Paszek, Austria, vs. Serena Williams (12), United States
Hisense Arena
Maria Kirilenko (27), Russia, vs. Jarmila Gajdosova, Australia
Gisela Dulko, Argentina, vs. Maria Sharapova (4), Russia
Andy Murray (4), Britain, vs. Ryan Harrison, United States
Robin Haase, Netherlands, vs. Andy Roddick (15), United States
Margaret Court Arena
Rui Machado, Portugal, vs. David Ferrer (5), Spain
Jelena Dokic, Australia, vs. Anna Chakvetadze, Russia
Marinko Matosevic, Australia, vs. Gael Monfils (14), France
Chanelle Scheepers, South Africa, vs. Svetlana Kuznetsova (18), Russia
Night Session (3 a.m. EST Tuesday)
Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, vs. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (6), France
Show Court 2
Andreas Seppi, Italy, vs. Richard Gasquet (17), France
Vera Zvonareva (7), Russia, vs. Alexandra Dulgheru, Romania
Joao Souza, Brazil, vs. Matthew Ebden, Australia
Lourdes Dominguez Lino, Spain, vs. Ana Ivanovic (21), Serbia
Show Court 3
Sabine Lisicki (14), Germany, vs. Stefanie Voegele, Switzerland
Jurgen Zopp, Estonia, vs. James Duckworth, Australia
Virginie Razzano, France, vs. Marion Bartoli (9), France
Gilles Simon (12), France, vs. Danai Udomchoke, Thailand
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal sat in his hotel room in "unbelievable pain," his right knee cracking and his leg cramping. He wondered if he'd be able to play his first-round match at the Australian Open.
He already had plenty on his mind going into the year's first Grand Slam tournament. There was his ailing shoulder and his spat with Roger Federer over player conditions on the tour, a rare clash between these respectful rivals that has since been smoothed over.
After hours of medical tests and treatment, Nadal decided to play but was "scared" when he took the court against American qualifier Alex Kuznetsov. Judging by the scoreline, the outcome looked very matter of fact: Nadal won 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, but it was anything but that for the 2009 Australian Open champion.
On the tournament's tumultuous eve Sunday, Nadal used a Spanish language news conference to criticize Federer for holding back while letting others "burn themselves" in the push for changes on the tour.
Nadal and Federer are in the same half of the draw at a major for the first time since 2005 after Novak Djokovic surpassed them both in 2011 by winning three of the four Grand Slam titles and taking the No. 1 ranking.
Third-seeded Federer started his bid for a 17th major title with a 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 win over Alexander Kudryavtsev of Russia. He then just as quickly batted away any notion of a simmering feud with Nadal. Ever the statesman, Federer conceded that players differed on ways of resolving certain issues and "things are fine between us."
"We can't always agree on everything," he said in a diplomatic tone suggesting that even if there is any tension it will remain a private matter. He also praised Nadal for maturing into a leader.
Nadal didn't apologize for what he said about Federer, but did say he was sorry for publicly airing locker-room divisions. He said he will not answer any questions for the rest of the tournament about player grievances regarding schedules or prize money.
"I always had fantastic relationship with Roger. I still have fantastic relationship with Roger," he said. "Just I said we can have different views about how the tour needs to work. That's all."
Nadal has been dealing with a sore shoulder for months and has indicated he will take time off next month to let it heal. But he surprised everyone when he walked onto Hisense Arena with a heavily taped knee Monday.
After his opening victory, he disclosed — saying it was to avoid any mystery — that he'd felt a "crack" and later experienced "unbelievable pain." He said he tried to stretch his leg but he had no movement in his knee.
Tests attributed the problem to a pinched tendon, and he said he should be fine for his next match after a day off.
Nadal was among a host of leading players with injuries coming into the tournament. Federer said he wasn't bothered by the back problem that forced him to withdraw from a tournament in Doha this month.
Defending champion Kim Clijsters beat Portuguese qualifier Maria Joao Koehler 7-5, 6-1 and didn't seem troubled by the hip spasms that caused her to retire during the Brisbane International semifinals. Li Na, who lost to Clijsters in last year's Australian final but rebounded to win the French Open, defeated Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan 6-3, 6-1.
Top-ranked Caroline Wozniacki had to wait until last match on Rod Laver Arena to get her tournament under way and test the left wrist she hurt in Sydney last week. She wasted little time dispatching Australia's Anastasia Rodionova 6-2, 6-1.
"I got a bit nervous about my wrist, but I am happy I could play full out tonight," she said.
Serena Williams, a 13-time Grand Slam winner, didn't get to defend her title last year because of injury. She has said her left ankle is OK less than two weeks after she twisted it and had to pull out of the Brisbane tournament. She plays Tamira Paszek of Austria in Tuesday's last match on Rod Laver Arena.
U.S. Open Sam Stosur will be trying to end a rough stretch in which the Aussie has only one win in two tournaments on home soil this month. Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova and No. 4-ranked Maria Sharapova also play on Day 2.
Djokovic, who won the Australian title last year at the start of a 41-match winning streak, faces Paolo Lorenzo of Italy. Andy Murray, who has lost the last two finals at Melbourne Park and recently hired eight-time major winner Ivan Lendl as a coach to help him end a Grand Slam drought, takes on American Ryan Harrison.
Temperatures rose to 93 degrees at Melbourne Park on Monday, and a strong wind unsettled some players who had spent previous days practicing in unseasonably cool conditions.
Australian teenager Bernard Tomic had plenty of support as he rallied for a 4-6, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 victory over No. 22-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain. Tomic, a Wimbledon quarterfinalist last year, is the host nation's best hope of ending a barren stretch for Australian men at the Open dating to 1976.
"Today wasn't fun, it was torture," Tomic said. "I don't know how I found the energy to lift, how I did it, but I thank the crowd."
Eighth-seeded Mardy Fish, the highest-ranked U.S. man, defeated Gilles Muller had a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to progress along with 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, No. 7 Tomas Berdych, No. 10 Nicolas Almagro and No. 13 Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Verdasco, the 2009 semifinalist, was among the four seeded men ousted in the first round.
No. 19 Flavia Pennetta of Italy was the highest ranked of the three seeded women who lost Monday. Bethanie Mattek-Sands had her chances against No. 8 Agnieszka Radwanska but lost 6-7 (10), 6-4, 6-2.
Federer, Nadal smooth over talk of rift
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A day after a rare show of discord, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal quickly closed ranks.
Nadal had criticized Federer for his unwillingness to speak out on issues affecting the men's game, allowing others to "burn themselves" as they seek improved conditions for players.
After joining Nadal in the second round of the Australian Open with a win on Monday, Federer said "things are fine" between the two longtime rivals, although he concedes that they disagree on a way to resolve a list of player grievances that includes the length of the season and the distribution of prize money.
"We can't always agree on everything," Federer said. "So far it's always been no problem really. Back in the day he (Nadal) used to say, 'Whatever Roger decides, I'm fine with.'
"Today he's much more grown up. He has a strong opinion himself, which I think is great."
For his part, Nadal apologized for airing his disagreement with Federer in public — although he didn't back down on the views he expressed.
"Probably I am wrong telling that to (the media), especially because these things can stay, must stay in the locker room," Nadal said.
"I always had fantastic relationship with Roger. I still have fantastic relationship with Roger. Just I said we can have different views about how the tour needs to work. That's all."
The rift emerged following a player meeting on Saturday that sparked talk of a possible strike for the second time in six months.
Nadal wasn't alone in questioning Federer's stance. Former No. 3-ranked Nikolay Davydenko said Monday he didn't understand why the 16-time Grand Slam champion wasn't supporting his fellow players.
The Russian said that while Nadal and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic had been leading the push for changes, Federer had been reluctant to get involved.
"I don't know why Roger is not supporting the players," Davydenko said. "Because he don't want ... any problems. He's nice guy. He's winning Grand Slams. He's from Switzerland. He's perfect.
"He don't want to do anything, he just try to be an outsider from this one."
However, Federer said his reluctance to speak out shouldn't be construed as a lack of support.
"I was in the meeting. I completely understand and support the players' opinions," Federer said. "I just have a different way of going at it. I'm not discussing it with you guys in the press room. It creates unfortunately sometimes negative stories."
The players plan to meet again at the Indian Wells Masters tournament in March when they will assess how much progress has been made before deciding on a course of action.
Davydenko said a strike remained a remote prospect, but that "the ATP should try to do something between now and Indian Wells." Federer wants to avoid such drastic action if possible.
"(Strike) is such a dangerous word to use," Federer said. "It's not good for anyone really. We've seen it in other sports happening in the States. That's why I'm always very careful about it.
"If there's no avoiding it, I'll support the rest of the players. But I just think we have to think it through how we do it, if we do it, can we do it, whatever it is, instead of just going out and screaming about it."
Federer said there are "two or three" big issues that the players have been discussing. They include the length of the season and prize money at Grand Slam tournaments, which some players believe has not increased proportionately with growing profits.
American John Isner said he had been to the meeting and felt the players had a "legitimate beef" over prize money, which is also an issue at the Indian Wells tournament, where Davydenko said those players who lose in the first round can sometimes lose money after paying tax and travel costs to compete.
Federer said he was confident "a good solution" would be reached and he welcomed the healthy debate. Nadal, meanwhile, vowed that he wouldn't be speaking about it in public again.
"I do not talk anymore," he said. "Yesterday (Sunday), I started, and I say I don't want to talk anymore about this. Finally I talked too much as usual. That's not going to happen again. You can try hard, but I'm going to talk about tennis."
-- Caroline Cheese
Notebook: Fish looking for Slam breakthrough
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Mardy Fish reached one of his career goals last year when he cracked the top 10 for the first time.
Now he wants to make a breakthrough in a Grand Slam tournament and beat one of the top four players — Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer or Andy Murray — in the process.
Fish is coming off his most successful year on tour, reaching a career-high ranking of No. 7, making the quarterfinals of Wimbledon for the first time and passing Andy Roddick to become the No. 1 American.
"Just tasting that, being able to be a part of that with those guys last year, that's what will drive me now," he said after winning his first-round match over Luxembourg's Gilles Muller, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, at the Australian Open on Monday.
"Obviously I want to go further in a Slam than the quarterfinals and put myself in that position to see what that feels like, see what that is like."
Defeating one of the elite players would make it even more special. Fish beat Nadal last year at the Cincinnati Masters, but lost to the Spaniard earlier in the season in the quarters of Wimbledon.
"I wanted to beat one of those guys in a big tournament, in a big spot," he said. "It's a long ways to get there. I got a long road ahead of me just to get to someone like Federer."
Who could Fish meet in the quarters of the Australian Open? None other than the 16-time Grand Slam champion himself.
HAIRBAND STATEMENT: Laura Robson wouldn't call it a protest, but the rainbow-colored hairband she wore for her first-round match on Margaret Court Arena certainly had significance.
A Facebook group called "Rainbow Flags Over Margaret Court Arena" had called for spectators to display rainbow gay pride banners at the court Monday in response to anti-gay remarks made recently by Australian tennis great Margaret Court.
The 69-year-old Court, who is now a Christian pastor, recently told local media in Perth, Western Australia, that "politically correct education has masterfully escorted homosexuality out from behind closed doors, into the community openly and now is aggressively demanding marriage rights that are not theirs to take."
"The fact that the homosexual cry is, 'We can't help it, as we were born this way,' as the cause behind their own personal choice is cause for concern," added Court, who won 11 Australian Open singles titles in her career.
Robson, who lost to 13th-seeded Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-0 on Monday, said that she wore the hairband to make a point.
"I wore it because I believe in equal rights for everyone. You know, that's it," said the 17-year-old from Britain. "It's not a protest, it's just a hairband."
There weren't a lot of rainbow-colored banners to be seen during Australian Casey Dellacqua's victory over Bojana Jovanovski at the arena earlier in the day — just a lot of Australian flags.
INDIA'S OLYMPIC HOPES: For a country of 1.2 billion people, India has struggled to find success at the Olympic Games, winning just one individual gold medal.
Sania Mirza, the country's top women's tennis player, says she may be able to double the total in London this year.
India only has one singles player currently ranked in the top 100 — Somdev Devvarman at No. 86 in the ATP rankings — but it does have some of the world's best doubles players. Mirza is currently ranked 11th in the WTA doubles rankings, while Leander Paes is No. 7 in the ATP doubles rankings, Mahesh Bhupathi is No. 8 and Rohan Bopanna is No. 11.
Mirza, who lost her first-round singles match at the Australian Open to Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria on Monday, says she's planning to play mixed doubles with one of the three men at the 2012 London Olympics.
It's the first time since 1924 that mixed doubles will be included at the Olympics.
"Funnily enough, a medal is a medal at the Olympics. It doesn't matter if you get it in singles, doubles or mixed," she says. "We're a big country, and obviously (the) Olympics is important to us."
As for her partner in London, Mirza says she'd be happy with any of the three men's players. Mirza partnered with Bhupathi to win the Australian Open mixed title in 2009 and won the mixed gold medal at the 2006 Asian Games with Paes.
"I'm in a great position to chose from three people who are in the top 12 in the world (in doubles)," she said. "Obviously, the best people will be put forward."
-- Justin Bergman
