DUBAI, 24 February 2005 — World No. 1 Roger Federer struggled past Czech qualifier Ivo Minar 6-7, 6-3, 7-6 when he began the defense of his Dubai Open title yesterday.
The Swiss took almost two hours to edge through against an opponent who has won just five matches in his career.
There were comfortable wins in the second round, however, for fourth seed Andre Agassi and fifth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo.
American Agassi took just under an hour to beat Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-1, 6-3 while Robredo put paid to Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-4.
In his match against the game’s leading player, Minar held a point for a 4-1 lead in the final set.
Serving and returning well and hustling confidently at the net, Minar did not give Federer a chance to settle.
“It does you good to win matches like this,” said Federer, who next faces former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero.
Minar, 20, had demonstrated his potential by reaching the Sydney final last month before losing to Lleyton Hewitt.
Games in the first set went with serve, with only one game going to deuce, on Minar’s serve. Minar clinched the tiebreak 7-5 with a forehand drive volley. It took Federer 53 minutes to earn his first break point and the top seed, who won the Rotterdam title on Sunday, broke to lead the second set 3-2.
Another break at 5-3 gave Federer that set but he failed to carry his momentum, dropping his serve to love with a double-fault in the opening game of the final set.
Federer failed to convert two break points in the next game before being forced to save a break point at 3-1.
Minar played a weak service game that allowed Federer to level at 3-3 and a fine crosscourt backhand return gave the Swiss a second break to lead 5-3.
Even then, Minar refused to give up the battle, breaking as Federer served for victory. Minar went down fighting 7-5 in the tiebreak.
Federer conceded losing had crossed his mind.
Martinez Upsets Myskina
Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez shattered French Open champion Anastasia Myskina’s dreams of winning a hat trick of Qatar Open titles, beating the world number five 6-4, 7-5 in second round.
The 32-year-old Spaniard progresses to the quarterfinals where she will meet Slovakia’s Daniela Hantuchova, a 6-0, 3-6, 6-3 winner over Russian sixth seed Elena Bovina.
Fellow Russian and world No. 4 Maria Sharapova also advanced with an easy 6-1, 6-1 win over Gisela Dulko of Argentina and will meet Marion Bartoli in the quarterfinals, the Frenchwoman having beaten Croatia’s Jelena Kostanic 7-5, 6-2. Earlier, Australian fourth seed Alicia Molik easily disposed of compatriot Nicole Pratt 6-3 6-2.
Molik, a quarterfinalist at last month’s Australian Open, has been steadily climbing up the rankings and is now at number nine. Top seed Amelie Mauresmo of France plays her second round match against Serbia and Montenegro’s Ana Ivanovic later.
Philippoussis Breaks His Duck With
First Win Since Wimbledon
In Scottsdale, Arizona Mark Philippoussis made life tough, sitting out a rain interruption 93 minutes after blowing a match point before finally earning a long-awaited victory Tuesday night at the $380,000 Tennis Channel Open.
The sinking Scud, overlooked for Australia’s Davis Cup team which will face Austria next week in Sydney, fought through in a day-night match to earn a win over German Tomas Behrend 7-5, 1-6, 6-4.
With a ranking which now standing on 201, the 28-year-old is dependent on wild card entries — and match wins - if he’s to lift his form.
He was to play against Croatian third seed Mario Ancic, who defeated American Brendan Evans 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.
The 20-year-old Ancic who is coming off back-to-back indoor semifinal results in Marseille and Rotterdam the last two weeks, over came jet lag and two rain delays in the third set to advance to the second round on his eighth ace.
Australian Wayne Arthurs, won a serve-and-volley struggle over fourth seed Taylor Dent, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).
