Basel, Switzerland (SportsNetwork.com) - Basel native Roger Federer pleased the home faithful with an easy opening-round win Monday at the $1.955 million Swiss Indoors tennis event.
The Swiss icon, who once served as a ball boy at this tournament, blew past France's Adrian Mannarino 6-4, 6-2 in 71 minutes at St. Jakobshalle.
Federer is a five-time Basel champion, with the his last title coming in 2011. He lost to fellow former U.S. Open champ Juan Martin del Potro in last year's marquee finale.
Slowed by back problems, the 32-year-old Federer hasn't reached a semifinal in his last four events on tour.
Also in round one, Ukrainian wild card Alexandr Dolgopolov bested Frenchman Kenny De Schepper 6-4, 6-4, German qualifier Tobias Kamke beat Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-4, 6-4, and Pole Lukasz Kubot handled Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-6 (8-6), 6-2.
This week's top seeds are the reigning champion del Potro and former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych, who will battle 6-foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic on Tuesday. Another Day-2 bout will pit fourth-seeded rising Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka against France's Edouard Roger-Vasselin.
The 2013 Basel winner will earn $475,000.
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