Sports News

Federer stretches grass record to 60

Published: June 23, 2008 at 5:08 PM
French Tennis Open in Paris

WIMBLEDON, England, June 23 (UPI) -- Roger Federer was a straight-set winner Monday, opening his attempt at a sixth-consecutive Wimbledon title with his 60th consecutive grass-court match win.

Federer, the world top-rated men's player, dispatched Dominik Hrbaty 6-3, 6-2, 6-2. Federer fired 10 aces as he held each of his service games and broke Hrbaty's serve five times.

Federer hasn't lost a match on a grass court since the first round at Wimbledon in 2002 when Mario Ancic beat him. His record includes 35 matches at Wimbledon, where he won titles from 2003-07.

Third-seeded Novak Djokovic also won Monday but needed to overcome a poor second set before putting away Michael Berrer 7-5, 2-6, 6-3, 6-0. Fifth-seeded David Ferrer was ahead 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 1-3 and advanced when Sergiy Stakhovsky retired.

In the biggest upset of the first day at Wimbledon 2008, seventh-seeded David Nalbandian fell 6-,4 6-2, 6-4 to Frank Dancevic.

Tenth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis defeated Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 and No. 11 Tomas Berdych got by Evgeny Korolev 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded 13th, beat Marcos Daniel 6-2, 6-2, 7-5. No. 15 Fernando Gonzalez topped Robby Ginepri 7-6 (7-3), 7-5, 7-5 but 18th-seeded Ivo Karlovic fell 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, 7-5 to Simon Stadler.

Other seeded players who won Monday included: No. 20 Lleyton Hewitt; No. 21 Juan Carlos Ferrero, No. 22 Fernando Verdasco, No. 29 Andreas Seppi. No. 32-seeded Michael Llodra was behind Mario Ancic 6-4, 7-6 (9-7), 2-0 when he retired.

© 2008 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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