Former Australian Open champions and fellow Swiss veterans Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka had to work hard in their respective first-round contests on Monday in Melbourne. In the end, Federer scraped past Jurgen Melzer and Wawrinka outlasted Martin Klizan.
It was especially tough for Wawrinka.
The 2014 Aussie Open winner was two Martin Klizan service holds away from bowing out right away, but Klizan could not even come up with one such hold. Leading 4-3 in the fifth set with a break in hand, the underdog Slovak lost the last three games of what was a surprisingly competitive struggle. Wawrinka delivered the goods when it mattered most to survive 4-6, 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 after three hours and 24 minutes.
”It was tough one, for sure,” the world No. 4 commented. “But I’m really happy to get through in five sets. It wasn’t my best tennis today, but I was fighting (and) trying to stay in the game. I think he was playing well; he didn’t give me too much rhythm. He made me play not my best tennis. I’m happy to get through; that’s the most important thing.”
Wawrinka-Klizan highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBV7qMw96zA
Federer also got through his first official match since Wimbledon last summer. Returning from a knee injury, Federer found himself deadlocked with Melzer–also 35 years old–at one set all before pulling away 7-5, 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
“I’m happy I was made to work today,” the 17-time Grand Slam champion noted. “Actually, at the end I’m quite happy how I ended, which is most important…. It was great to be out there. I really enjoyed myself, even though it wasn’t so simple.”
It certainly wasn’t as simple as the last half year, during which Federer mostly stayed at home in Switzerland with his family while waiting for the injured knee to heal.
“It’s decided, you’re home and you’re not [playing tennis] and just deal with it,” Federer said of his mentality while forced to be away from the game. “I’m old enough that I can handle it, and it wasn’t depressing at home at all. It was great…. This match tonight was more about how I coped with my comeback (than it was about my level of play). I’m happy with how it went. It’s only going to get easier.”
Federer-Melzer highlights:
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