The Hindu : Sport : A lot of love for Roger Federer

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 22, 2005

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A lot of love for Roger Federer

LONDON: Two-time defending champion Roger Federer feels a lot of love at the All England Club.

"I warmed up this morning at (court) 11 on the outside courts," Federer said after his first-round win over Paul-Henri Mathieu. "Everyone you met was (saying) `good luck, good luck, good luck.' It was a lot of fun. I was really surprised how many cheered for me.

"In England, they are very friendly and very nice to you. Really definitely enjoyed that."

It got better once he got on Centre Court.

"I really thought the grass was beautiful," Federer said. "Everything was just perfect."

The new British hope

Britain has a new tennis star — for a day at least.

David Sherwood advanced to the second round at Wimbledon with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Ricardo Mello of Brazil. Sherwood, who is Britain's No. 8, is ranked 207 places below the 54th-ranked Mello.

"I started off serving well, although I had a bit of nerves towards the end," Sherwood said.

Greg Rusedski also won, beating Alberto Martin 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, but four other British men lost. All five British women playing on Monday lost their first round matches.

Five more Brits — three men and two women — play on Tuesday. Tim Henman is the best chance for Britain to win its first men's title since Fred Perry in 1936. The last women's winner was Virginia Wade in 1977.

French Open runner-up Mariano Puerta of Argentina lost in the first round at Wimbledon on Monday, falling to Lars Burgsmuller of Germany 6-1, 6-1, 6-4.

It was Puerta's first match since losing to Rafael Nadal in the final at Roland Garros on June 5. He pulled out of the Queen's Club and Nottingham grass-court tournaments with a groin strain but was seeded 16th at Wimbledon.

"It was difficult to play a good match, especially in the first and second sets, he didn't make a mistake," Puerta said. ``Grass is very different, it's faster.

"I only practiced for four days. But I'm happy because I'm No. 11 in the world and 10 months ago, nobody knew me."

Puerta returned to Argentina after the French Open and then came to England last Wednesday.

"It was crazy, unbelievable, I couldn't go outside my house," Puerta said of the reception he got at home.

The Argentine was ranked 440th in the rankings last August. The French Open was his first major event since serving a nine-month doping suspension. "I think I'll just play doubles," he said. — AP

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