Tennis: David Ferrer To Second Round Of Australian Open
January 19th 2009 11:46
Spain's David Ferrer survived a marathon five-setter with German journeyman Denis Gremelmayr as he narrowly avoided a major upset in the Australian Open's first round.
The 11th seed outlasted the 80th-ranked Gremelmayr 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, converting his first match point after four hours on court at a sun-drenched Melbourne Park.
Ferrer was only broken three times but he dished up 68 unforced errors as Gremelmayr repeatedly forced his way back into the match.
In other results, Argentinian eighth seed Juan Martin Del Potro hammered Germany's Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 .
The highly-rated Del Potro, 20, whose best grand slam performance was reaching last year's US Open quarter-finals, produced 49 winners and six breaks as he brushed aside Zverev in just over two hours.
Former runner-up Marcos Baghdatis won a war of attrition against Frenchman Julien Benneteau to move into the second round, delighting his army of fans.
The amiable Cypriot, a huge crowd favourite here, saw off Benneteau 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in front of a full house.
The 11th seed outlasted the 80th-ranked Gremelmayr 6-1, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, converting his first match point after four hours on court at a sun-drenched Melbourne Park.
Ferrer was only broken three times but he dished up 68 unforced errors as Gremelmayr repeatedly forced his way back into the match.
In other results, Argentinian eighth seed Juan Martin Del Potro hammered Germany's Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 .
Spain's David Ferrer
The highly-rated Del Potro, 20, whose best grand slam performance was reaching last year's US Open quarter-finals, produced 49 winners and six breaks as he brushed aside Zverev in just over two hours.
Former runner-up Marcos Baghdatis won a war of attrition against Frenchman Julien Benneteau to move into the second round, delighting his army of fans.
The amiable Cypriot, a huge crowd favourite here, saw off Benneteau 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 in front of a full house.
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