Page 17 - Aruba Today

SPORTS A17
Friday 8 January 2016

Sweet Spot

Federer Opens 2016 Season With Cozy Brisbane Win

Roger Federer from Switzerland plays a shot in his match against Tobias Kamke from Germany during the Brisbane International tennis tournament held in Brisbane,
Australia, Thursday, Jan. 7, 2016.

(AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)

JOHN PYE His first practice was posi- expect it to be as big of a rying an injury. eighth-seeded Roberta
AP Sports Writer tive, he said, then he picked deal as it actually ended Raonic, also back in action Vinci 6-1, 6-2.
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) up an illness from one of his up being,” Federer said. “It for the first time this season, She has dropped just 10
— Roger Federer recalled four kids — the whole fam- was very special because it defeated Croatia’s Ivan games en route to the
the celebrations and the ily had it — and his attempt was a final ... plus, Rod La- Dodig 6-7 (2), 6-1, 6-4 and semis, where she’ll meet
festive atmosphere of his at a title defense was shaky ver and Roy Emerson were will next meet Lucas Pouille, Samantha Crawford, a U.S.
1,000th match victory on for a while. on the court to hand me who upset sixth-seeded Da- qualifier who beat Andrea
tour as soon as he returned On the fifth day of the tour- the trophy and be in the vid Goffin 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-3. Pektovic 6-3, 6-0.
to the Brisbane Internation- nament, Federer finally picture with me and the While the top-ranked wom- Azarenka, who was limited
al to fine-tune his prepa- opened his 2016 season number 1,000. I was happy en have succumbed to to 23 tournaments across
rations for the Australian with a commanding 6-2, I didn’t mess it up.” injuries or inconsistency in the last two seasons be-
Open. 6-1 win over German quali- The 17-time major winner the first week of the sea- cause of injuries, was bro-
He achieved the milestone fier Tobias Kamke, and ad- converted five of his six son, Victoria Azarenka has ken once in each set but
in the final here last year, vanced to a quarterfinal breakpoint chances and maintained her surge in converted seven of her
when he beat Milos Raon- against Grigor Dimitrov, saved the only one he form. 11 breakpoint chances
ic and shared the podium who beat Viktor Troicki 5-7, faced against Kamke, find- The two-time Australian against Vinci, who ended
with some of the players 7-6 (6), 6-2 earlier Thursday. ing his touch quickly and Open champion reached Serena Williams’ bid for a
he revered from a previous “It was a big deal for me dispelling pre-match ru- the Brisbane Internation- true Grand Slam in the U.S.
era. (the 1,000th win). I didn’t mors that he might be car- al semifinals by beating Open semifinals.q