Federer v Hartfield: As It Happened

Hello, and welcome to live coverage of the big one. Yes, it's Switzerland's very own Roger Federer, winner of 12 grand slams and now in search of a third-straight Australian Open triumph and a fourth in five years, against some bloke from Argentina called Diego Hartfield. I hope you'll agree that I'm not merely indulging in patriotic myopia when I say that Federer, who has been beaten only by Marat Safin in the last four years of competition in Melbourne - and it was an epic five-setter in the 2005 semi-final - ought to wipe the floor with Hartfield, a 26-year-old who has never progressed beyond the second round of a grand slam. But we admire artistry as much as tension at GU, which is why Switzerland's very own Roger Federer is being honored with our game-by-game coverage.

In other news, Venus Williams has just won her game at Rod Laver Arena against China's Zi Yan, 6-2, 7-5, which means the Federer match will start before you can say "isn't that a lovely picture of Lugano?" The Swiss family Booth (Hess, actually, but we won't go there) used to live not far away in Locarno, the town with the film festival, so that lake is close to my heart. But my glasses are beginning to steam up as I write this, and that's unprofessional. Unlike Federer, whose task this year must surely be to win all four grand slams: only Rafael Nadal at the French Open thwarted him in 2007.

How many games do we think Hartfield will win in this inevitable three-setter? I'll say eight, just for the sake of argument.

Federer is looking relaxed in his all-black get-up and bright-blue bandana, and Hartfield isn't looking too fazed either as the players exchange warm-up forehands. Hell, he hasn't got anything to lose, has he?

Federer wins the toss and will bat first. Poor old Hartfield. He can't even win the spin of a coin. What hope for the world's 107th-ranked player once the tennis actually starts?

First set: Federer* 1-0 Hartfield Federer gets things underway with a booming first serve deep into Hartfield's forehand and he can make nothing of the return. Hartfield bravely approaches the net on the second point, but he makes a mess of the volley and Federer sets up game point with a pinpoint pass down the line. But Hartfield is putting up a fight and makes it 40-30 with a cracking lob as Federer loitered with intent at the net. And then Federer nets a backhand to end a long baseline rally and take the opening game of his tournament to deuce. A netted forehand shortly after gives Hartfield a break point - would you credit it? - but Federer responds with a heavy serve followed by an angry forehand, and proceeds to close out the game to set the metaphorical cowbells ringing.

First set: Federer 2-0 Hartfield* That was an ominous start. Hartfield's first serve is returned with interest to the backhand court, and a stretched return is pounced upon by Federer, who nails the point with a coruscating cross-court backhand. Later, Hartfield's attempted drop-shot is telegraphed and Federer sets up two break points with a cross-court forehand this time. He takes the first of them as Hartfield miscues an attempted forehand.

First set: Federer* 3-0 Hartfield Federer has not lost in the first round of a grand slam since 2003, and it's not going to happen here. But he makes hard work of that game, going from 40-0 to deuce as Hartfield unleashes a couple of very decent passing shots. An ace sets up game point, but Federer then carelessly nets a backhand as he attempts to go down the line. Cue another ace, followed by a point-winning first serve.

First set: Federer 4-0 Hartfield* Over on Margaret Court, Fernando Gonzalez has just beaten Konstantinos Economidis of Greece in straight sets, which I fear will be Hartfield's fate here. An opening rally of backhands only ends when Hartfield drifts out, but he responds with a neat lob after Federer goes to the net at what might just have been the wrong moment. Federer makes no mistake with his approach to make it 15-30 and Hartfield is being predictably outgunned here, although he does fight back to deuce. I wonder what the coaching manual would make of his serve? It reminds me of the frog-in-a-blender description famously applied to the bowling action of the South African left-arm wrist-spinner Paul Adams. But less elegant.

First set: Federer* 5-0 Hartfield Federer has not been at his best yet - you'd hardly expect him to be so early in the competition - but there's a dominant relaxation about his play. Hartfield can't touch him in that game, which includes two aces and is over in the blink of an eye.

First set: Federer 6-0 Hartfield* Hartfield races into a 30-0 lead and briefly dreams of the promised land of a game! But Federer gets the better of the rally to make it 30-15, then dismisses a first serve down the line on the top of the bounce. The crowd oohs and aahs its appreciation as Federer reaches set point thanks to a wayward Hartfield cross-court forehand. He then nets an approach and Federer has won the first set to love in about 25 minutes. Phenomenal. "As a Federer fan, would you not agree that the slowing down of the surface at the Australian open is yet another attempt to pander to the clay court hackers who seem to be in charge of the game?" says Jon Horsley. "No one wants a return to the serve is all games, but given the new grass at Wimbledon killing serve and volley there, and this new surface at the Australian, isn't it time they speeded up the clay at Roland Garros? That way, the best tennis player might win, as opposed to the fittest back court monomaniac." I have a lot of sympathy for that view, Jon.

Second set: Federer* leads 6-0, 1-0 Hartfield Is this sport? It's too one-sided for that. Art? Hartfield might not agree. Slaughter? Possibly, although Hartfield recovers from two hopelessly strong Federer first serves to leave him flailing in no-man's land, and then makes it 30-30. But Federer steps up his game when he has to, mixing forehands and backhands in that baseline rally, then serving-and-volleying to close out the game. Here we go again.

Second set: Federer leads 6-0, 2-0 Hartfield* My prediction of eight games in the match for Hartfield clearly erred on the insane side of optimistic. Federer has just got so much more power and precision, which means Hartfield has to play out of his skin every single point just to give himself a chance. A couple of Federer errors make it 30-15, but Hartfield double-faults, which is a sickener. He then sets up his first game point of the match, only to net a gentle forehand, and Federer makes him pay: eight games in a row and counting.

Second set: Federer* leads 6-0, 3-0 Hartfield They'll be singing on the ski slopes: Federer is just irrepressible at the moment, and poor old Hartfield just happens to be the man standing in his way. It could be anyone. Federer does miss a backhand that would have won the game to love, but he makes immediate amends by approaching the net with menace: Hartfield lunges at the forehand and the ball disappears well over Federer's head and beyond the baseline.

Second set: Federer leads 6-0, 3-1 Hartfield* Huge cheers echo round the arena as Hartfield begins the 10th game with an ace, and he makes it 30-0 with a smart first serve that Federer can only backhand into the bottom of the net. And now Hartfield moves to 40-0 - heady, heady times! - as Federer makes a hash of a drop shot. And then - whisper it! - he seals his first game! The crowd loves it and Hartfield raises his arms in mock thanks.

Second set: Federer* leads 6-0, 4-1 Hartfield The Melburnians are cheering Hartfield's every winner now, but there was only one of them in that game - a neat passing forehand to make it 15-15. That is as good as it gets and Federer cleans up ruthlessly.

Second set: Federer leads 6-0, 4-2 Hartfield* Is Federer just relaxing a little here? He nets a volley when it seemed easier to put it away on his forehand, but then avoids going 0-40 as Hartfield makes a mess of a smash. An ace makes it 40-15, but Federer rescues a point with a remarkable squash-like forehand when all seems lost, then thunders a cross-court backhand past Hartfield to make it deuce. Federer proceeds to slap a backhand into the net, which is careless, and then Hartfield makes it successive service wins with a great first serve. Well played!

Second set: Federer* leads 6-0, 5-2 Hartfield Federer begins with a double-fault, then nets a forehand from off his toes on the baseline after Hartfield punished a short second serve with a deep return: 0-30! It seems to jolt Federer into action: a pair of aces make it 30-30, only for the Swiss big cheese to find himself break-point down after netting a forehand. Predictably, he responds with an unreachable first serve wide to Hartfield's backhand. Thereafter, you could have written the script yourself.

Second set: Federer leads 6-0, 5-3 Hartfield* Hartfield goes 30-15 up as the pair exchange cross-court forehands and sliced backhands before he sticks an attempted drop shot into the net, and then moves 40-30 up after Federer fails to pull off a lob. A mistimed Federer return gives him a third successive win on his own service. This is more like it. "Jeff 'Mad Dog' Tarango, commentating on Radio 5, claims that the new surface is faster than Wimbledon, and a lot faster than Rebound Ace," says David Grenham. "Are you disagreeing with him? If so, you risk angering his wife." I always agree with Jeff.

Second set: Federer* leads 6-0, 6-3 Hartfield Two down, one to go and it's barely taken Federer 55 minutes. That game is won to love, although not before Hartfield successfully challenges Federer's first serve at 40-0. Hawkeye says it is out, so what does Federer do? He follows it with an ace. Smiles all round.

Third set: Federer leads 6-0, 6-3, 1-0 Hartfield* Hartfield has to tell himself that he is capable of holding his own serve, because he barely had a sniff on Federer's. But Federer controls the rallies in that game, especially when he goes down the line with that sliced backhand and that break to love will surely knock what stuffing was left out of Hartfield.

Third set: Federer* leads 6-0, 6-3, 2-0 Hartfield Federer takes the new balls and duly punishes a forehand down the line with Hartfield stranded. Still, I guess he'll be able to tell the grandkids he once won three service games in a row against Roger Federer. It looks like being the highpoint of his tournament, although that cross-court, double-handed backhand was not without its merits.

Third set: Federer leads 6-0, 6-3, 3-0 Hartfield* Federer begins a new game with a classy backhand drop shot as Hartfield waits like an innocent on the baseline for a thumping top-spinner. The Argentine then tamely nets a double-handed backhand - he was fooled by the spin, I think - and, not for the first time in his career, Federer has two break points. To no one's great surprise, he takes the first of them.

Third set: Federer* leads 6-0, 6-3, 4-0 Hartfield There's not a lot more to say about this game, other than the fact that Hartfield lost this game as soon as the names were drawn out of the hat. Needless to say, Federer wins that one to love.

Third set: Federer leads 6-0, 6-3, 5-0 Hartfield* What a shot from Federer, who stands up tall to dismiss a backhand just inside the tramlines in the forehand court. Beautiful. He then sets up game point by wrong-footing Hartfield as the players slug it out from the baseline, but a rushed backhand ends up in the net as Hartfield waits for the volley: deuce. Disappointingly, Hartfield then nets a cross-court backhand for no apparent reason and Federer makes it 5-0 with contemptuous ease.

Third set: Federer* beats Hartfield 6-0, 6-3, 6-0 That's it. As one-sided a game as you can imagine, except when Hartfield was holding his serve towards the end of the second set. But as consolations go, that isn't up to much. This was a great performance by Federer, and he barely even moved out of third gear. Fittingly, he ends with an ace. Who will be able to stop him? No one, is my uneducated guess.