|
 Playing under the closed roof of Hisense Arena due to the extreme
heat that had earlier suspended play on the uncovered courts,
Federer raced through the first set in 26 minutes with a strong
service game and by belting 17 winners.
Federer's sixth ranking — courtesy of a sub-par 2013 — had given the
impression of a 32-year-old man whose skills may be diminishing as
he enters the twilight of his illustrious career.
That presumption was emphatically rejected when Kavcic held two
break points in the fourth game of the second set and had Federer
scrambling back and forth in a 23-shot rally only for the Swiss to
force a forehand error.
The hard-hitting world number 99 simply stood hands on hips slowly
shaking his head as if pondering what to do next.
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The Slovenian did manage to break on the next point and
thrust his arms skyward in mock triumph, though that only served
to fire up Federer who won 13 of the next 16 points to clinch
the set in 28 minutes.
The third set was a little closer with Kavcic's serve improving
markedly, but he could not halt the inevitable as Federer ended
the 107-minute lesson when he clinched the tiebreak 7-4.
Federer will now meet either 31st seeded Spaniard Fernando
Verdasco or Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili in the third round.
(Reporting by Greg Stutchbury; editing by Amlan Chakraborty)
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