Roger gets a cow as reward, Nadal dumps El Aynaoui

GSTAAD (Switzerland): Wimbledon champion Roger Federer is now the proud owner of a cow after Swiss Open organisers marked his Grand Slam success in bizarre fashion yesterday. 

The Swiss, who pocketed US$575,000 in taking the Wimbledon men's singles title on Sunday, received the unusual gift after being greeted by a standing ovation from 6,000 fans in the Roy Emerson Arena. 

“It is a great idea, very funny,” was Federer's reaction when presented with the cow. 

Basel-based Federer, who made his professional debut five years ago in the Gstaad tournament, plays Spanish qualifier Marc Lopez in the opening round later yesterday.  

Meanwhile, defending champion Alex Corretja eased into the second round after a 6-1, 6-2 thrashing of John Van Lottum yesterday. 

The Spanish seventh seed, who won the claycourt event for the third time in five years in 2002, took just over an hour to overcome his Dutch opponent high in the Alps. 

Corretja had not entered the Gstaad tournament because his wife was due to give birth on July 4, but he was handed a wildcard after daughter Aroa arrived early. 

BASTAD (Sweden):

Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal made an impressive start to the Swedish Open yesterday by ousting third seed and last year's beaten finalist Younes El Aynaoui 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. 

Nadal, who turned 17 last month, plays fellow Spaniard Albert Portas in the second round. Portas disposed of Dutch qualifier Rogier Wassen 6-4, 6-3. 

Sweden's Robin Soderling, another talented teenager who reached the third round at Wimbledon, also progressed after beating Austrian qualifier Markus Hipfl 7-5, 6-1. 

Soderling now faces defending champion and top seed Carlos Moya who beat Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. – Reuters