Federer targeting record ninth Halle title

Roger Federer began his bid for an unprecedented ninth Gerry Weber Open title with a 6-4 7-6(3) first-round win over German wildcard Jan-Lennard Struff.

The Swiss top seed, still without a title during an injury-hampered 2016 season, kept his cool during a contest that featured only one break of serve.

Federer, who missed the French Open due to a back problem, fired 15 aces en route to setting up a second round encounter with Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri.

Second seed Kei Nishikori’s title bid at the Wimbledon warm-up tournament ended in the second round after he pulled out with a rib injury before his match against Germany’s Florian Mayer.

“I’m very sad to not be able to go on playing,” Nishikori, who needed treatment during his first-round win against Lucas Pouille, told the Halle tournament’s official website.

Nishikori said he was confident the injury would improve before the start of Wimbledon on June 27.