Federer flawless in opening rout of Kukushkin

October 28, 2015 | 12:24

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Roger Federer charged past his first hurdle in the quest for a lucky seventh title at the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday, with the top seed delivering a crushing 6-1, 6-2 lesson to Mikhail Kukushkin.

Switzerland's Roger Federer returns the ball to Kazakhstand's Mikhail Kukushkin during the Swiss Indoors tennis tournament on Oct 27, 2015 in Basel, northern Switzerland. (AFP PHOTO/FABRICE COFFRINI)

BASEL, Switzerland: Roger Federer charged past his first hurdle in the quest for a lucky seventh title at the Swiss Indoors on Tuesday (Oct 27), with the top seed delivering a crushing 6-1, 6-2 lesson to Mikhail Kukushkin.

The first-round demolition in front of an appreciative home public at the event where the 17-time Grand Slam winner got his start in the game as a ballboy took only 54 minutes.

2014 finalist David Goffin of Belgium, hammered by Federer in less than an hour a year ago in the title match, won his opening match as he beat Italian Andreas Seppi 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

The fourth-ranked Federer was rock solid in his first match since an opening loss a fortnight ago in Shanghai. The Swiss is seeking his 10th straight finals appearance at Basel. He last beat his 64th-ranked Kazakh opponent in the Davis Cup quarter-finals in Geneva a year ago.

Federer said he knew that he would be facing a tough customer in Kukushkin. "I was seeing the ball as big as a melon," said the 34-year-old, who has five titles this season. "I knew that I had to stay with him in the first set as he would be looking for a fast start.

"That was my main strategy, to keep him under control. I knew the second set would go easier. I'm very happy with this performance, especially to advance so well here at home. He was trying to give me a game I don't like but I was able to counter that. This was a very good start for me, an enjoyable match."

Grigor Dimitrov began erasing a run of recent poor form as the Bulgarian beat Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round. German Philipp Kohlschreiber put out Pole Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.

AFP

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