Former world number one Marat Safin defeated South African Rik de Voest in straight sets on Tuesday to book a place in the second round at Wimbledon.
The Russian number 26 seed won 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 7-5 in the first-round match on court 13 to secure a tie against Pakistan’s world number 279 Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi.
Safin’s best Wimbledon performance so far was reaching the quarterfinals in 2001. However, he is on course to clash with Swiss reigning Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the third round.
In the first meeting between world number 24 Safin and qualifier De Voest, ranked 100 places below him, the Russian was pressed hard in each set.
However, the 2000 United States Open and 2005 Australian Open champion had the experience to defeat his fellow 27-year-old.
De Voest had two break points at 5-5 in the first set, but Safin pulled it back and won the game on the second deuce. In the next game, Safin had set point on deuce but De Voest pegged him back to make it 6-6 and force the tie break.
The Russian had set point at 6-5 up in the decider and hit a backhand winner that landed on the line to take the first set 7-6 (7/5) in 52 minutes.
The second set was at 4-4 when Safin had three break points, with De Voest on his second serve. Though the South African pulled it back to one break point, he could not stop Safin’s forehand winner. Safin served for the set and won the game with two set points in hand, firing a powerful forehand shot which De Voest could not return.
The Russian number four took the second set 6-4 in 38 minutes.
At 4-3 in the third set, De Voest had a break point, but Safin recovered to serve out the game. De Voest called out the trainer for attention on his right forearm, but was powerless to stop Safin taking the following game to love to make it 5-5.
Safin had two break points in the next game and won it with a swerving backhand down the line.
The Russian attacked the net in the final game and won the match with an ace to wrap up victory within two hours and 17 minutes. — Sapa-AFP