Federer wins opening match at Australian Open over Lu

Roger Federer of Switzerland serves to Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship Monday. AP

MELBOURNE, Australia — Second-seeded and 17-time major champion Roger Federer defeated Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 Monday in a first-round match at the Australian Open.

Federer, wearing a neon yellow shirt which matched his shoes, won his 74th match in 85 starts at Melbourne Park, a record that has seen him win four Australian Open titles.

Federer broke Lu’s service in the 11th game of the final set and held in the next to advance to the second round.

He last won the championship here in 2010 and has made the semifinals the past four years. He lost last year’s semifinal to Rafael Nadal, the 11th time the pair had met in a major.