Top-ranked Roger Federer won his first match after
a three-week injury layoff while Andy Roddick lost in the opening round of
the Hamburg Masters and Rafael Nadal withdrew because of a cut hand.
Federer, recovering from an inflammation to both feet, defeated
Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 6-3 in this $2.7 million clay-court tuneup for the French Open, which
begins May 23.
Roddick, seeded second, was beaten by Chile's Nicolas Massu 7-6 (4),
4-6, 7-5. Nadal, the ATP Tour's hottest player, was joined on the injury
list by seventh-seeded Carlos Moya, who pulled out because of an ailing
right shoulder.
Enjoying first-round victories were Gustavo Kuerten, the 2000 Hamburg
winner and three-time French Open champion, and fifth-seeded Tim Henman.
Federer was rusty at first but soon found his rhythm on a cool, wet
afternoon. The longer the rallies, the steadier the Swiss star played
against Verdasco, the Rome Masters quarterfinalist last week.
``He's a good player and a lefty, and I haven't been playing, only
practicing,'' said Federer, who won in Hamburg last year and in 2002. ``I
knew that if I lose I wouldn't have another match until the French Open.''
The French is the only major Federer has not won, and he said the
three-week break may have done him well.
``I was exhausted, my feet were hurting and now I am fresh, that's
important,'' he said. ``I've been playing a lot this year, so I needed to
save some energy.''
He last played when he lost in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo
Masters to Richard Gasquet. Federer has five titles this year and a 36-2
record, the other loss to Marat Safin in the Australian Open semifinals.
Roddick trailed 5-3 in the final set before pulling even at 5-5, only
to lose the last two games against the Olympic champion, hitting a drop
shot wide on Massu's match point.
``It was questionable, it's not my favorite shot,'' Roddick said.
``First, it's disappointing. Second, you are going to have bad days if you
choose this profession.''
Nadal played for more than five hours Sunday in beating Guillermo Coria
in the Rome Masters final. The Spanish teenager aggravated a blister on
his left hand.
``Now it's a cut,'' Nadal said. ``I couldn't risk making it worse.''
Nadal, riding a 17-match winning streak, could have become the first
player to capture all three clay-court Masters Series titles after also
winning in Monte Carlo last month.
Kuerten, who had hip surgery in September and returned last month,
downed Andrei Pavel 6-2, 6-1.
``I have a lot more to do but with every match I feel more
comfortable,'' the Brazilian said. ``I am getting better every week.''
Henman beat Lars Burgsmuller 6-3, 6-4, and 11th-seeded Joachim
Johansson lost 6-1, 6-4 to Sebastien Grosjean. Ivan Ljubicic, seeded 13th,
defeated Luis Horna 6-3, 6-3; 14th-seeded Tommy Robredo rallied past
Alexander Waske 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; 16th-seeded Radek Stepanek topped Cyril
Saulnier of France 7-6 (5), 6-2; and Juan Ignacio Chela defeated Thomas
Johansson 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Gasquet advanced when Ivo Karlovic retired in the second set with an
injured right shoulder. Gasquet was leading 6-1, 1-0.
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Mario Ancic, Mikhail Youzhny,
Greg Rusedski, Nicolas Kiefer and Christophe Rochus also reached the second round.
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-10 09:12
