Six-time champion Roger Federer was an easy opening-round winner Monday at the $2 million Dubai Tennis Championships.
The second-seeded former world No. 1 great blew past Russian fellow tour veteran Mikhail Youzhny, 6-3, 6-1, in 56 minutes on the hardcourts at Aviation Club Tennis Centre.
Federer is now 16-0 lifetime against Youzhny.
"I think it was close in that first set," said Federer. "I think we were both trying to find our range. I'm happy I didn't start to play too careful after it, because it is tough to play here in Dubai with the quick conditions. After that, I think I started to return much better. Serve got a bit more consistent. My half volleys were getting better. I was able to get the set and the break, and then that's when you can bring it home."
Federer fired eight aces against Youzhny, taking him to a career ace count of 8,985. The Swiss icon is bidding to join Goran Ivanisevic, Ivo Karlovic and Andy Roddick as the only players to reach the 9,000-ace milestone since records began in 1991.
A Day 1 upset came when Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin doused fifth-seeded struggling Latvian Ernests Gulbis, 7-5, 6-2.
"I'm not in good form right now," said Gulbis, who led 4-1 in the first set. "I'm not feeling my shots at all. I have no timing. In practice I have been playing worse than in the match."
Also on Monday, Portuguese Joao Sousa drilled Irish wild card James McGee 6-1, 6-2 and Kazakhstan's Andrey Golubev handled French qualifier Fabrice Martin 7-5, 6-4.
In addition to Federer, the other top seeds here are top-ranked four-time champion Novak Djokovic and No. 3 seed Andy Murray.
The 2015 Dubai champ will earn $505,000.
Last week's women's titlist here was Romanian star Simona Halep.
[SportsNetwork.com]
