Roger Federer made it look difficult for a change, starting his bid for a 10th Grand Slam championship and successful Australian Open title defense Monday in Melbourne by dropping serve three times in the first set.
But the top-ranked Federer rebounded quickly after Bjorn Phau took a 5-3 lead, winning the next nine games and conceding only six points in the second set.
The Swiss star went on to win 7-5, 6-0, 6-4, easily dispatching the 27-year-old German who beat him seven years ago in their only previous match.
Earlier, Andy Roddick overcame a shaky start against French wild-card Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, rallying from 2-5 in the second set to win 6-7 (18), 7-6 (2), 6-3, 6-3.
The 2003 U.S. Open champion was constantly critical of chair umpire Carlos Ramos, calling the Portuguese official a “glorified scorekeeper” after a call that gave Tsonga a set point at 11-10 in the first tiebreaker. Roddick, who wasted four set points in the tiebreaker, thought one of Tsonga’s balls landed 3 inches beyond the baseline.
Video replays are in use on Rod Laver Arena, the center court at Melbourne Park, for the first time at the Australian Open, but no other courts. The sixth-seeded Roddick was playing on the second showcourt.
In women’s play, Amelie Mauresmo opened her title defense with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Shenay Perry 6-3, 6-4 in the first match on center court. Apart from dropping serve in the third game and again when serving for the match at 5-2, the second-seeded Mauresmo was in control.
Donald Young, a former Chicagoan, won his first pro singles title at the Grand Slam Futures event in Tampa, beating Michael Lammer of Switzerland 6-4, 6-3.
