First round matches at grand slams are normally easy pickings for Roger Federer.
The Swiss player saves his best work for the slams as his haul of 15 titles demonstrates. Since the 2004 French Open he has made at least the semi-finals, and shocks rarely disturb the world No 1 at this stage of the proceedings.
But Federer was given a genuine scare yesterday in his opening match at the Australian Open, and he had to come from behind to beat Russia's Igor Andreev 4-6, 6-2, 7-6, 6-0 to book his spot in the second round against Victor Hanescu of Romania.
To put the surprise of Federer being in genuine trouble yesterday into context, you have to go back to the US Open in 2003 against Argentina's Jose Acasuso for the last time he dropped a set in the first round at one of the four majors.
A single break in the ninth game was enough for Andreev to take the opening set, and while it looked as if it was back to business as usual in the second, which Federer took with two breaks, the third was a thriller.
Each man was broken three times, and Andreev was left to rue three set points that he failed to take when serving for the set at 6-5. Instead Federer broke, took the tie-break and was never threatened again as he whitewashed his opponent in the fourth set.
The three-time Australian Open champion acknowledged he had been really pushed by the world No 37. "It was a tough first round and I'm really, really relieved I'm through," he said.
"It was a tough third set, I definitely got very lucky to get out of that one. That's the way it goes sometimes, all in all I'm very happy with my performance."
Andreev was left to lament his wasted opportunity. "Today, the key point was the third set when I didn't use the set points," he said.
"Then after that, maybe I went a little bit down in the fourth physically, mentally."
Other than Federer being put under unexpected pressure, the major shock of the second day of the tournament was the exit of the No 8 seed, Robin Soderling.
The Swede, who had reached the final of the Capitala World Tennis Championship in Abu Dhabi, failed to produce that form as he frittered away a two-set lead and lost 5-7, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to Spain's Marcel Granollers.
"I didn't feel good at all," he said. "I don't know what happened I just didn't play well. I started terrible and finished terrible."
The 2008 champion, Novak Djokovic, suffered an early wobble against his Spanish opponent Daniel Gimeno Traver before he booked his spot in the second round.
The No 3 seed was in early trouble as he went a break down, but once the Serbian had broken back there was no stopping him and he went through to the second round in straight sets.
Nikolay Davydenko made a confident start to the tournament. The sixth-seeded Russian made short work of Dieter Kindlmann 6-1, 6-0, 6-3, and it was a similar story for Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as the Frenchman, seeded 10th, beat Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
It was a big day for Ireland as Louk Sorensen became the first Irishman to win at a grand slam match when he defeated Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.
"I'm feeling great," said the 25-year-old. "It's the biggest achievement of my career so far."
In today's action, defending champion Rafael Nadal takes on the Slovakian Lukas Lacko in the second round, while the fifth seed, Andy Murray, faces Marc Giquel of France.
The fourth seed, Juan Martin del Petro, plays the former world No 4, James Blake, in the pick of the day's action in the men's draw.
The world No 1, Serena Williams, maintained her remarkable unblemished record in the first round of grand slams with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Urszula Radwanska at the Australian Open yesterday.
The defending champion, who has not lost an opening-round match in 41 major appearances, was never troubled as she won in 77 minutes against the 19-year-old Pole.
"I was a little nervous because that [record] is always on the back of my mind," Williams said.
"Records are meant to be broken so I'm like, 'I hope this record is not to be broken'. It's my personal record. This one means a lot to me. That's something that I want to keep up for my career."
Williams was joined by her sister Venus, the sixth seed, in the next round after the 29-year-old beat the left-hander Lucie Safarova 6-2, 6-2.
Ana Ivanovic, the beaten finalist in 2008, outclassed the qualifier Shenay Perry 6-2, 6-3 while her fellow Serbian and eighth seed, Jelena Jankovic, was even more
impressive in casting aside Monica Niculescu 6-4, 6-0.
Both players were given rousing support from the Serbian fans in the crowd, and Jankovic admitted it was a welcome boost.
"I really love that support," she said. "It's amazing how many people come to support me, and as well the other players. I think this event, it's very patriotic."
The 10th seed, Agnieszka Radwanska, made up for the disappointment of her sister Urszula's loss with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-0 victory over Tatjana Malek, while the 11th seed, Marion Bartoli, beat Rossana De Los Rios 6-4, 6-1.
The pick of today's action sees the fifth-seeded Russian, Elena Dementieva, take on Justine Henin. It will be a major test for Henin, who won the title in Melbourne in 2004, in her first grand slam appearance since coming out of retirement.
The second seed, Dinara Safina, is also in action, taking on Barbora Zahlavova Strycova, while the 15th-seed, Kim Clijsters, faces Tamarine Tanasugarn.
@Email:gcaygill@thenational.ae
Abu Dhabi Sports 2, from 4am
Also: Order of play
Highlights of the day
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
Company%20profile
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COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale
Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni
Director: Amith Krishnan
Rating: 3.5/5
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Real Sociedad v Leganes (midnight)
Saturday
Alaves v Real Valladolid (4pm)
Valencia v Granada (7pm)
Eibar v Real Madrid (9.30pm)
Barcelona v Celta Vigo (midnight)
Sunday
Real Mallorca v Villarreal (3pm)
Athletic Bilbao v Levante (5pm)
Atletico Madrid v Espanyol (7pm)
Getafe v Osasuna (9.30pm)
Real Betis v Sevilla (midnight)
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Tonight's Chat on The National
Tonight's Chat is a series of online conversations on The National. The series features a diverse range of celebrities, politicians and business leaders from around the Arab world.
Tonight’s Chat host Ricardo Karam is a renowned author and broadcaster who has previously interviewed Bill Gates, Carlos Ghosn, Andre Agassi and the late Zaha Hadid, among others.
Intellectually curious and thought-provoking, Tonight’s Chat moves the conversation forward.
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
RESULTS
6pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 1 (PA) $55,000 (Dirt) 1,900m
Winner: Rajeh, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Musabah Al Muhairi (trainer)
6.35pm: Oud Metha Stakes – Rated Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Get Back Goldie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
7.10pm: Jumeirah Classic – Listed (TB) $150,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Sovereign Prince, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby
7.45pm: Firebreak Stakes – Group 3 (TB) $150,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Hypothetical, Mickael Barzalona, Salem bin Ghadayer
8.20pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 – Group 2 (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Hot Rod Charlie, William Buick, Doug O’Neill
8.55pm: Al Bastakiya Trial – Conditions (TB) $60,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner: Withering, Adrie de Vries, Fawzi Nass
9.30pm: Balanchine – Group 2 (TB) $180,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner: Creative Flair, William Buick, Charlie Appleby
The Case For Trump
By Victor Davis Hanson
Company%20Profile
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Disclaimer
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
Rating: 4/5
RACECARD
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The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Cargoz%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EDate%20started%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20January%202022%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Premlal%20Pullisserry%20and%20Lijo%20Antony%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2030%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
BANGLADESH SQUAD
Mashrafe Mortaza (captain), Tamim Iqbal, Liton Das, Soumya Sarkar, Mushfiqur Rahim (wicketkeeper), Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan (vice captain), Mohammad Mithun, Sabbir Rahaman, Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Saifuddin, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Rubel Hossain, Mustafizur Rahman, Abu Jayed (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru Editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
Types of fraud
Phishing: Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
Smishing: The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
Vishing: The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
SIM swap: Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
Identity theft: Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
Prize scams: Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
* Nada El Sawy
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
