(updates after Federer victory)
DOHA, Jan 3 - World number one Roger Federer began
the New Year with a quickfire 6-1 6-3 win over Czech wildcard
Ivo Minar in the first round of the Qatar Open on Tuesday.
The Swiss ace clinched the first set in 18 minutes and
continued to reel out the winners to race into a 5-2 lead in the
second.
Minar rallied briefly by breaking Federer in the eighth game
but his joy was short-lived after he surrendered the match in
the next game with a double fault.
"I'm happy with my performance. My movements were good,
considering the fact that it was the first match of the season,"
said Federer, who will next face Frenchman Fabrice Santoro.
"I wanted to do well right from the beginning. Of course the
pressure is on right away, from the first match."
Russia's Nikolay Davydenko posted an easy 6-3 6-1 victory
over Belgian Christophe Rochus.
Wildcard Younes El Aynaoui caused an upset when he knocked
out fourth-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 6-4 6-4.
Moroccan El Aynaoui, the champion here four years ago,
banished the memories of an injury-hit 2005 with a sparkling
exhibition of attacking tennis.
Second seed Davydenko, who compiled a 56-30 win-loss record
last year including a semi-final appearance at the season-ending
Masters Cup in Shanghai, proved too strong for Rochus.
"January 2006 in Doha is like November 2005 in Shanghai,"
second seed Davydenko told reporters.
"The first match of the season often gives you some pressure
and on top of that I wasn't feeling all that good when I was
warming up.
"I even thought I could lose today but I am happy I was able
to play well and finish the match rather easily," said
Davydenko.
In other matches, former champion Fabrice Santoro of France
defeated Austrian Oliver Marach 6-0 2-6 6-4 and Italian Filippo
Volandri put out Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 6-4 6-4.