Federer, Roddick find form in Shanghai openers

By Bill Scott Nov 12, 2006, 14:50 GMT

Shanghai - Roger Federer and Andy Roddick charged ahead in Red group play as the Masters Cup began with victories for the two Grand Slam champions on Sunday.

Versatile powerhouse Federer, winner of three majors in 2006, dipped into his plentiful supply of reserves to open his account 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 over David Nalbandian.

Andy Roddick, who claimed the 2003 US Open to stand number 1 in the rankings that autumn, fought off a spirited challenge from indoor court king Ivan Ljubicic to post a 6-4, 6-7 (9-11), 6-1 win over the Croatian.

Roddick, now advised by former legend Jimmy Connors, ended a two-match losing streak against Ljubicic in the pair's first meeting of 2006.

Roddick made a delayed Shanghai debut after missing last year's edition of the wrapup event with a back injury. The American won his sixth match from nine played against Ljubicic, who has wrestled with a virus in prevent weeks.

'I served and returned well,' said Roddick. 'I think I can still hit better from the baseline. But it was a pretty solid performance.'

Roddick, who stands 1-11 against Federer, dismissed talk of Red as the group of death: 'Only two guys out of four are going to die - and I don't want to be one of them.'

Federer's match, completed in just under 90 minutes, was a re-run of the 2005 final, in which Nalbandian beat the Swiss from two sets to love down for title as Federer nursed an ankle injury.

Federer remains undefeated in Masters Cup group play, improving his record to 18-2 at the season wrapup event.

He now stands 8-6 over Nalbandian, who got off a flyer in the first set with three breaks of the Swiss but lifted just another two games after that.

'The performance was good,' said Federer, winner of the 2003 and 2004 editions of the tournament played in Houston. 'Coming through as the winner in the first match is always crucial in the round robin.

'At the first match everyone's obviously at a hundred percent, and wants to get off to a good start.

'For me today the reason to win was huge, I was happy to come through. He had some difficulties at the end.'

The Swiss said that the win was nothing about getting even with the man who won their first five encounters. 'I don't feel much of a revenge because he could come back and beat me again in the semis or the final if he plays well again.

'Let's see what happens in the next few days.'

Federer struck 30 winners and rained down nine aces in victory. The player who will finish number 1 for the third season in succession broke on six of his seven chances while losing serve three times in the fragile first set.

'I tried to get a break early in the second set, that's what I was able to do, and hang on to it,' said Federer, winner of his 88th match of the season against just five losses.

'I really got on top of him after that. In the third set, the momentum was on my side, and I was able to also play more freely.'

Federer is attempting to become the first man to win the Masters Cup three times, and the first man to win a year-end championship three times since Pete Sampras, who claimed the last of five ATP Tour World Championship titles in 1999.

'I couldn't serve good in the beginning,' said Nalbandian. 'Without that I couldn't fight.

'In the second set and the third, my level dropped a bit. Without the help in the first serve, it's quite tough.'