Halle Westfalen (Germany) (AFP)
Roger Federer qualified for the knockout stages of the Halle turf tournament on Monday by winning in straight sets but without really shining against Belarussian Ilya Ivashka 7-6 (7/4), 7-5.
The Swiss, who will celebrate his 40th birthday in August, encountered some problems for his resumption match on grass, two weeks before Wimbledon, against a young opponent, pointing to the 90th place in the world, from the qualifications.
"There is room to improve, but I'm happy with my first game here on grass. I feel good," Federer, world No. 8, said after the match.
The winner of 20 Grand Slam tournaments, operated twice on his right knee in 2020, had given up after three matches at Roland Garros in order to be able to rest for the season on grass.
In Halle, the objective is to prepare as well as possible in order to embark on the quest for a ninth title at Wimbledon, from June 28.
Rather at ease in his travels, the Swiss had to wait for the tie-break to detach himself and pocket the first round against an intractable opponent on his service.
Roger Federer only managed to break once, while leading 6-5 in the second set.
Enough to qualify for the next round, in 1h36.
In the round of 16 of this German tournament, which he has already won ten times, the former world No.1 will face the winner of the match between the Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, 21st in the world, and the Polish Hubert Hurkacz, 17th on Tuesday.
© 2021 AFP