DUBAI: Roger Federer seemed to have talked his way into a scare before beginning an up-and-down defence of his Dubai Open title with a recovery against an opponent even more popular than himself yesterday.
The Grand Slam record-holder had said before the match that often took him a while to suss out players he had never previously played - and sure enough he ran into trouble against the best player in the Arab world, Malek Jaziri, dropping the first set to loud cheers.
When Federer found a couple of extra gears, taking the next two sets in less than three-quarters of an hour, a 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 win brought him prolonged applause as well. But the outcome brought a definite sense of premonition with it.
“People might think, okay he’s a wild card, so it’s an easy draw,” Federer had said.”
I think it’s tricky, because I don’t know exactly his pattern, his favourite shots, all those things.
“It’s always a big match here in the Middle East playing someone like him. And first rounds always create pressure as I’m the defending champion and I want to start well. So it’s not a simple match for me.”
Neverthless some of this was dramatically improbable.
The unfamiliar one had not played a match for more than three months because of a knee injury.
But Jaziri has talent and attitude. The Tunisian blitzed his first serve at 135 mph, and played with the dangerous freedom of an underdog. AFP
