Roger Federer eases to 6-3, 6-4 win over Olivier Rochus in 1st match back after 6-week break

more images

more images

Federer easily beats Rochus after 6-week break

BASEL, Switzerland — Roger Federer made a winning return from a six-week break with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Olivier Rochus of Belgium at his hometown Swiss Indoors tournament.

The top-ranked player looked rested and refreshed Monday after last playing Sept. 20, when he helped Switzerland beat Italy in the Davis Cup. He broke Rochus’ serve in the sixth game of the first set and fifth game of the second.

“I was eager to come out and play again,” Federer said. “It’s especially nice to come back on tour with my home tournament where I have so many memories.”

Federer is chasing a fourth straight title at the $2.58 million Swiss Indoors, where he once worked as a ballboy.

He will next play 51st-ranked Andreas Seppi, who rallied to beat Stephane Bohli 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Federer showed a little rustiness early on but created a break point with a forehand crosscourt winner past Rochus, with whom he won the Wimbledon boys’ doubles title in 1998.

Federer’s blistering forehand winner at 2-2 in the second brought another break point, which he took when Rochus netted.

“I thought it was a good match for me. At key moments when I needed a serve it was there,” Federer said.

Rochus saved a match point when Federer netted a forehand volley, but the defending champion took his second with a powerful serve that the Belgian returned wide.

Florent Serra survived a barrage of 28 aces to beat Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (5), 6-4.

The 6-foot-10 Karlovic has an ATP tour-leading 855 aces this year, but his second serve deserted him.

The 71st-ranked Serra will meet either fifth-seeded Radek Stepanek or Rainer Schuettler, who were scheduled to play later Monday.