Tennis: Federer wins on return from break

Four-time champion moved into the second round of the ATP Swiss Indoors with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 defeat of Starace.

BASEL: Roger Federer gave his home fans exactly what they were seeking as the four-time champion moved into the second round of the ATP Swiss Indoors with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 defeat of Potito Starace. Third-seed Federer showed some rustiness against the world number 54 before he claimed his sixth win in six meetings with the Italian. “Potito played well but I started to feel better in the second set with the first set in my pocket,” said Federer. Meanwhile, 2005 finalist Marcos Baghdatis returned to Basel for the first time in three years to defeat eighth-seed Viktor Troicki 4-6, 7-6 (8/10), 6-2.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 2^nd, 2011.