No shame for Dudi in 2nd-round thrashing by Federer

Sela never came close to troubling Rogen Federer, but he won more games than the five he managed when they last met.

By ALLON SINAI
Dudi Sela at Wimbledon 311 (R) (photo credit: Reuters)
Dudi Sela at Wimbledon 311 (R)
(photo credit: Reuters)
Dudi Sela never came close to troubling Roger Federer in the second round of the US Open on Thursday night, but he at least won more games than the five he managed when the two last met.
After coming back from two sets down for the first time in his career in the first round in New York, the 26-year-old Israeli found himself completely helpless against the Swiss master, losing 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 after just one hour and 17 minutes in the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Sela, ranked No. 93 in the world, struggled in particular against the No. 3 seed’s serve, winning just eight of 60 points throughout the entire contest and never reaching a break point.
At least Sela took more games than he managed in the first round of the French Open in 2005 when he suffered a 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 defeat to Federer in what was their only meeting until Thursday.
Despite the thrashing, Sela will be encouraged by his victory over Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci in the first round, which was his biggest win of the year, and can perhaps also console himself in the knowledge that one day he will be able to tell his grandchildren that he played the great Federer on Arthur Ashe.
Later Thursday, Shahar Pe’er (24) faced 18-year-old American Sloane Stephens (106) in the second round of the women’s singles.
Federer began the match against Sela with a backhand winner and took the opening game to love, the first of five love games on his serve in the match.
Sela was broken for the first time in the sixth game after sending a backhand into the net and the first set was over after 26 minutes.
Federer got his first break of the second set when Sela sent a forehand wide in the fifth game and clinched the victory in the eighth game of the third set with a forehand winner.