Scores and highlights from Day 2 of the 2011 Aussie Open.
Australian Open 2011 Tennis Results For Tuesday: Nadal, Söderling, Murray Cruise; Hewitt Stumbles Late In Epic Five-Setter
• No. 27 David Nalbandian def. Lleyton Hewitt, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-1), 9-7.
If you didn’t see this match you might not get why it’s right up top, but you just had to be there to see it: a five-hour barn-burner filled with cerebral play and high emotion from a hometown crowd for Australia’s own Lleyton Hewitt. This is his third first-round elimination on his native soil in the past decade. Nalbandian draws Lithuania’s Richard Berankis in Round 2.
• No. 1 Rafael Nadal def. Marcos Daniel 6-0, 5-0.
You thought Rafa’s draw was easy before? His Brazilian elder statesman opponent retired from Rod Laver Arena late in the second set with an injury to what appeared to be his left knee. Nadal will face American Ryan Sweeting in second-round play.
• No. 4 Robin Söderling def. Potito Starace 6-4, 6-2, 6-2.
A sterling Name of the Year candidate falls in straight sets to the Swede in Margaret Court Arena. Söderling has what looks to be another cakewalk in Round 3, facing Giles Muller of Luxembourg.
• No. 5 Andy Murray def. Karol Beck 6-3, 6-1, 4-2.
Another top seed has a path cleared for him, as Slovakia’s Beck retired in the third set with a shoulder injury. The frequently put-upon Brit gets Ukraine’s Illya Marchenko in the second round.
• No. 13 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga def. Philipp Petzschner 4-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
A three-set comeback sends the sturdy Frenchman to the second round to face Italy’s Andreas Seppi.
• No. 20 John Isner def. Florent Serra 6-3, 7-6 (10-8), 6-3.
That second set almost got away from the young American, but no matter: On rolls Isner, to just his second time in the second round of the Aussie Open, where he’ll meet Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic.
• Juan Martin Del Potro def. Dudi Sela 7-6 (15-13), 6-4, 6-4.
Del Potro’s back in the bigs, and after a wacky first set that lasted as long as some of the ladies’ matches, he advances to take on the alliterative Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.
• Michael Russell def. Matthew Ebden 6-3, 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (11-9).
You don’t know this, but you care because this is an American defeating an Australian. We’re conquesty like that. Russell gets No. 7 David Ferrer next, however, so enjoy his presence while you can.
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