Roger in first gear - maybe second for a bit

The Seven Network - sorry Australian Open organisers - decided it might be fun to play the men's singles match first in the night session on Rod Laver Arena.  Having received the all clear from Roger Federer, whose happiness is the most important asset to maintain over this fortnight, the match began, late thanks to some earlier delaying tactics designed by the Verdasco/Tomic partnership.

No one knew Roger's opponent, and even the great man himself had few clues as to what might come off the Russian racquet.  Yes, we had at least gathered that the man originated from Russia.  Alexander Kudryavtsev had done extremely well to win through qualifying, so what was different about this match?
One or two things made themselves apparent fairly readily.

Roger did play smoothly, accurately and patiently, but his decision to retreat to the back of the court on virtually every point seemed to fly in the face of the all court game we know the man possesses.  I think in retrospect Federer needed a decent practise hit, and the only way to make this match last a decent length of time, was to rally with the Russian.  Of course Roger can do this better than most, especially against a qualifier who had to ask directions to find Centre Court.

The first set lasted longer than we envisaged, and at 5-6, Alexander must have been proud of his evening's work.  However, as happens on so many of Roger's outings, he ambushes his prey with a short but lethal barrage of brilliance to stun the enemy into submission and forfeiture of the set.  So 7-5 launched the remainder of the enjoyment  for Roger and the agony of wondering what might have been for Alexander.  Well may he wonder - if Federer had shifted into second gear earlier and moved forward to cut off angles and create slice, then the match would have been written about in the past tense about as fast as Azarenka had been in shooting the fish in her barrel.

Federer pounced on another opening granted him by Kudryavtsev in the second set and that was the second and final straw for Alexander.  No more games were allowed to flow in his direction as Roger successfully constructed a dam with his polished racquet work.  6-2 the second set.

Set three proceeded at a pace and style to which we had become well accustomed.  Roger's party tricks baffled the Russian player and he disembarked the Fed Express after another 8 stops for games.

Roger, never under any real pressure prevailed and actually smiled at the 7-5 6-2 6-2 victory.