The Hindu : Sport : Federer and Nadal cruise ahead

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Friday, Aug 10, 2007
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Federer and Nadal cruise ahead

Sharapova advances at the expense of an injured Daniilidou

MONTREAL: Defending champion Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal eased into the third round of the Rogers Cup with straight-set wins here on Wednesday.

World No. 1 Federer, celebrating his 26th birthday, tamed the giant serve of Croat Ivo Karlovic to win 7-6(2), 7-6(3) and Nadal beat Russian Marat Safin 7-6(4), 6-0 in a high-quality match under the lights.

Federer, in his first match since winning his fifth successive Wimbledon title, could not force a single break point but came out on top in two tie-breaks.

“I think I played very well,” Federer told reporters. “I didn’t give many chances on my own service game. From the baseline, I hardly missed a shot. I played aggressively.

Federer next meets Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini, who upset 13th seed Andy Murray 6-2, 6-2.

Nadal, runner-up to Federer at Wimbledon, had to work hard to get the better of former World No. 1 Safin, who fought back from an early break down to force two set points on his opponent’s serve at 6-5.

But once the Spanish World No. 2 had saved both, the writing was on the wall and he took the tiebreak 7-4 before cruising through the second set.

Solid start

Fifth seed Andy Roddick made a solid start by beating Frenchman Arnaud Clement 6-1, 7-6(5).

The American, who won the title in Washington last weekend, trailed 5-3 in the second-set tiebreak before winning four consecutive points to clinch victory.

“He started being a lot more aggressive, playing higher risk in the second set,” Roddick said.

Lleyton Hewitt was gifted a place in the third round when opponent James Blake withdrew before their match with an abdominal strain.

Painful exit

At Carson, top seed Maria Sharapova advanced to the third round of WTA East West Bank Classic after Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou retired with breathing difficulties. Down 7-6(5), 3-1, Dandiilidou called it quits after a medical time-out and left the court in tears.

Sharapova nearly lost control of the first set but came back from a 0-3 deficit in the tie-break to win it 7-5.

The results: At Carson: WTA East West Bank Classic: Second round: Jelena Jankovic bt Peng Shuai 6-1, 6-1; Daniela Hantuchova bt Jill Craybas 6-3, 7-6(5); Elena Dementieva bt Madison Brengle 6-2, 6-0; Virginie Razzano bt Shahar Peer 6-1, 4-6, 7-6(6); Sybille Bammer bt Olga Govortsova 6-2 , 6-1; Katarina Srebotnik bt Mara Santangelo 5-0, retd.; Nadia Petrova bt Lilia Osterloh 7-5, 6-3; Lucie Safarova bt Ai Sugiyama 6-3, 6-4; Victoria Azarenka bt Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 6-3; Maria Sharapova bt Eleni Daniilidou 7-6(5), 3-1, retd.; Ana Ivanovic bt Ashley Harkleroad 6-4, 6-2. Doubles: Bethanie Mattek & Sania Mirza bt Janette Husarova & Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 2-6, 11-9.

At Montreal: ATP Rogers Cup: Second round: Dominik Hrbaty bt Tommy Robredo 6-2, 6-4; Lleyton Hewitt bt James Blake, walkover; Fabio Fognini bt Andy Murray 6-2, 6-2; Mikhail Youzhny bt Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4; Nikolay Davydenko bt J arkko Nieminen 6-3, 7-6(5); Fernando Verdasco bt Richard Gasquet 3-6, 7-6(7), 6-4; David Nalbandian bt David Ferrer 7-6(4), 6-1; Roger Federer bt Ivo Karlovic 7-6(2), 7-6(3); Andy Roddick bt Arnaud Clement 6-1, 7-6(5); Tommy Haas bt Michael Russell 6-3, 3-0, retd.; Frank Dancevic bt Wayne Odesnik 6-3, 4-6, 7-5; Paul-Henri Mathieu bt Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-2; Marcos Baghdatis bt Robin Haase 6-2, 3-6, 6-1; Rafael Nadal bt Marat Safin 7-6(4), 6-0.

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