The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Federer, Djokovic advance

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Federer, Djokovic advance

ROME: Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic both advanced to the Rome Masters quarterfinals with routine straight-set wins on Thursday.

Federer avenged last year’s quarterfinal loss to Radek Stepanek by beating the 16th-seeded Czech player 6-4, 6-1. Djokovic had an even easier time with 13th-seeded Tommy Robredo, winning 6-1, 6-1.

Also advancing were No. 5 Juan Martin Del Potro, No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez, and Argentine qualifier Juan Monaco.

Federer jumped out to a 3-0 lead before being broken when he served for the first set at 5-3. But the Swiss broke right back when he forced Stepanek to hit a low volley that landed in the net.

Federer cruised in the second set, serving his fifth ace on his first match point. But Federer managed to get only 43 percent of his first serves in, and he will likely have to improve to avoid extending his title drought to eight tournaments.

Djokovic began working with Thomas Muster’s old trainer, Gebhard Phil-Gritsch, last week, and kept his level high from start to finish against Robredo, despite rain drops falling in the second set.

Djokovic has won his last five matches against Robredo, who leads the tour with 19 wins on clay this year.

Del Potro defeated Stanislas Wawrinka, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

Monaco produced another upset by beating 15th-seeded Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4, improving to 14-6 on clay this year, including a runner-up result in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in February. He will next face Gonzalez, who beat Jurgen Melzer of Austria 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Bartoli ousts Wozniacki

At Stuttgart, Former Wimbledon runner-up Marion Bartoli beat seventh seed Caroline Wozniacki 7-6, 6-4 at the Stuttgart Grand Prix on Thursday to set up a quarterfinal against world No. 3 Elena Dementieva.

The results: At Rome: Rome Masters: Third round: Roger Federer bt Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-1; Novak Djokovic bt Tommy Robredo 6-1, 6-1; Juan Monaco bt Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4; Fernando Gonzalez bt Jurgen Melzer 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; Juan Martin del Potro bt Stanislas Wawrinka 6-2, 6-7(5), 6-3.

At Stuttgart: Porsche GP: Second round: Gisela Dulko bt Victoria Azarenka 6-4, 6-3; Marion Bartoli bt Caroline Wozniacki 7-6(6), 6-4; Elena Dementieva bt Agnes Szavay 7-6(4), 6-1. — Agencies

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