Roger Federer is hoping for “another good year” after starting his Australian Open title defence with victory over Aljaz Bedene.
The Swiss defending champion won two grand slams in 2017 and progressed to the second round in Melbourne after a 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 win against Bedene this morning. He will next face Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff.
Federer told the BBC that he is optimistic about the new season: “I am hoping for another good year. I am not sure it will go that well because I’m a year older, Rafa [Nadal] is looking in tip-top shape and others guys are coming back.
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“Last year was a fairytale and I can’t control everything. I am hoping to stay healthy and give myself chances and hope to play my very best in the big matches.”
One of the stars making a comeback from injury is six-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic. The Serb has not played since Wimbledon last year but was in good form as he beat Donald Young 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.
Djokovic, who will play world No. 39 Gael Monfils in the second round, was delighted to win at Melbourne Park. “It feels so great to be back here, to be back on the tennis court,” he said. “There is no better place for me to start playing after six months away than here in Australia.”
Former champion Stan Wawrinka is also through to the second round after beating Ricardas Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2).
In the women’s singles Britain’s Johanna Konta will next play Bernarda Pera in the second round after a 6-3, 6-1 victory over Madison Brengle. Fellow British player Heather Watson was beaten 7-5, 7-6 (8-6) by world No. 54 Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.
Konta said: “I was actually really enjoying being out there. It was a nice day. It was sunny. It was quite a full stadium. There was a lot of people.
“I kind of tried to absorb the atmosphere a little bit. I was really excited to play. I thought it was a great first round for me to fight through and battle through and stay strong in the way I wanted to play out there. And I feel I did that.”
World No. 1 and top seed Simona Halep was too strong for teenage wildcard Destanee Aiava. Romanian Halep secured a 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 win over Aiava to secure a second-round clash against Eugenie Bouchard.
In her first match in Melbourne since failing a drugs test at the 2016 event, Maria Sharapova was victorious against Tatjana Maria 6-1, 6-4 on the Margaret Court Arena.
