Australian Open - Men: First trouble for Federer

Roger Federer came through a stiff opening test against big-serving Igor Andreev in the first round of the Australian Open, coming back from a set down to beat the Russian

The Swiss came from a set down to overcome tricky Russian Igor Andreev 4-6 6-2 7-6 7-(2) 6-0.

However Federer was forced to save three set points in the 12th game of a rollercoaster third set before finally breaking Andreev's resolve.

And Federer admitted he was pleased to have come through a tricky encounter.

"I just hoped that I was going to hang in there ... He was a wonderful player and it was tough," Federer said.

"It was a fortunate third set for me today, but all in all I'm very happy with my performance."

Andreev, who pushed Federer to five sets during a round of 16 encounter at the 2008 US Open, came out swinging against the Swiss maestro and was rewarded with a break at 4-4 after clubbing two big service returns.

Federer knuckled down to win the second, but at 5-5 in the third was out-rallied by the Russian, who slapped a forehand volley to break the Swiss and take a 6-5 lead.

Federer, who has never been eliminated in the first round in 11 appearances at Melbourne Park, next plays the winner of the match between Chile's Juan Ignacio Chela and Romania's Victor Hanescu.

Ninth seed Fernando Verdasco ground down a stubborn Carsten Ball to advance to the second round.

The left-handed Spaniard initially had trouble against the gangly Australian wildcard, losing the first set in a tiebreak before he clinched the match 6-7(5) 7-6(1) 7-5 6-2.

Verdasco, who won the invitational Kooyong Classic before the Australian Open, had a solid workout against the 22-year-old Ball, who had a poor service game but attacked the world number nine at every opportunity to keep him off his stride.

Both players had several opportunities to seize the initiative before Verdasco broke Ball's serve twice in both the third and fourth sets to come through in just over three hours.

Verdasco will next face Ukranian qualifier Ivan Sergeyev, who beat Israel's Dudi Sela 6-3 7-6(3) 4-6 7-6(8).

In-form Russian Nikolay Davydenko eased into the second round with a 6-1 6-0 6-3 win over German qualifier Dieter Kindlmann.

"I am not Paris Hilton," the world number six said after he dismantled German qualifier Dieter Kindlmann 6-1 6-0 6-3 in the Australian Open first round on Tuesday.

"I don't want to be like this. I don't want to be like (Rafael) Nadal, (Roger) Federer. These guys I never see by breakfast. They stay in the room and take room service.

"For me better go downstairs take breakfast, or dinner to go somewhere - not to be so much famous."

Davydenko could hardly have made a better start to the tournament as he chases his first grand slam title after a run of giant-killing performances over the last six months.

He finished 2009 on a massive high after beating Federer, Nadal and US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro to win the ATP Tour Finals in London.

The world number six is undefeated in 2010 and beat both Federer and Nadal again to win a lead-up tournament in Doha.

His new-found confidence at the net combined with his speed around the court has created a very dangerous player.

After losing to Davydenko in London, Del Potro told him it was like playing against a Playstation character.

"I want to be fast. I want to be running fast," Davydenko said. "Del Potro told me now I am like PlayStation 3. Everybody is thinking I am very fast on the court.

"Now I try to be faster and faster and come to level PlayStation 4. I hope I can do this. It's very important to me."