rogerfederer.com - A close victory to start with

A close victory to start with

Roger had to face an opponent serving for the match at 6-5 in the second set in the second round in Cincinnati. But Roger managed to turn the tide and eventually prevail 6-7, 7-6, 6-0.

"I'm happy I'm back with a one-match winning streak," Roger joked. "I'm happy I could turn it around today."

Once our champ had survived the second set and struggled through the ensuing tie-break, the match was effectively over. You could feel the relaxation spread over his body like a masseur's oil. Nevertheless it was a worrying start and Nadal could still become No1 for the first time this week, if Roger does not make the semis.

But Roger has survived opening scares before and gone on to win tournaments, and no-one doubts that he has all the chances to do so again this time. Roger's problem was the heat, which causes balls to fly at speeds unfamiliar to those who have played the previous week in Toronto, where it is quite slow. And playing Americans in the US can be especially dangerous.

Next up is either Ivo Karlovic (CRO/16) or José Acasuso (ARG).