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Professional
Roger Federer swaps childcare for Jérémy Chardy in Rome return
Roger Federer lights up any room or any tournament, and there was a palpable sense of relief when he confirmed on Monday that he would be leaving nursery duties behind to resume work at the Italian Open this week.
With his wife, Mirka, looking after their second set of twins, Leo and Lenny, – two sets to love up, as it were – Federer returns after four weeks away to continue a season that was already looking better than last year when he won only one title. The world No4 and former champion here did not even have to ask for a bye and plays his first match on Wednesday, against the Frenchman Jérémy Chardy, who beat Robin Haase handily, 6-4, 6-4.
Federer lost in the final last year to Rafael Nadal, who arrives late and a little relieved after escaping with a retirement win against Kei Nishikori to take a record fourth Madrid Open title on Sunday. Nishikori skips Rome to heal hip, back and leg ailments before Roland Garros.
Andy Murray got to Rome earlier than he would have liked after going out in the third round in Madrid to the dangerous Colombian Santiago Giraldo. He needs decent court time if he is not to go into the French Open extremely underdone, having taken a month off before Madrid.
Murray is in the same quarter as Nadal and, as expected, meets Marcel Granollers first up, hoping the nightmare of his mid-match retirement with a back injury at the same stage last year does not recur. There has been no worrying manifestation of it since his operation last September; Murray's problem has been finding consistency – and a coach, when he gets around to thinking a little more about who will replace Ivan Lendl.
Serena Williams is back, too, although how deep she goes depends very much on how her strained left thigh holds up to serious examination so close to the more important job in Paris, her second home. She pulled out after three matches in Madrid and has a bye here.
There are eight Americans in the draw – all of them in the same quarter, weirdly, which makes it tough for them. "I think it's great," Williams said. "I am nearing the end of my career. Who knows: people getting inspired by different Americans – maybe they will start to play now. They have to grow up, have to become a little older before they can get on the Tour."
It's been a mixed start for them. The qualifier Lauren Davis hardly had time to get her feet dirty on the Roman claybefore Shuai Zhang sent her on her way 6-4, 6-0. However, one of her compatriots was bound to go through when Madison Keys and Alison Riske met. Keys gave up only four games in winning in a little over an hour. She next plays the Madrid finalist Simona Halep, who is in the form of her life.
Anointed as the new golden girl of tennis, Eugenie Bouchard was disappearing down the tunnel, head down and shattered, as the 33-year-old Milanese fighter, Francesca Schiavone, was still milking the reception from her fans after a stirring 6-4, 6-2 win over the Canadian.
So much has happened to Schiavone since she won the French Open four years ago, not all of it brilliant. She reached the final the following year but has tumbled from to to 61 in the world and, travelling the circuit without a coach, seems lately to be running into quality players early in nearly every tournament.
However, Schiavone, one of the smartest players on the tour, played will her old vigour to demoralise Bouchard, whose movement was sluggardly. It was not so much a shock, as a pleasant surprise – for Schiavone, at least. The rigours of the game usually kick in about now and it was no great surprise that the former world No1 Caroline Wozniacki withdrew on Monday with a knee injury.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/may/12/roger-federer-childcare-jeremy-chardy-italian-open[/CENTER]
