HAMBURG, May 12: Roger Federer overwhelmed Tommy Robredo 6-2 6-3 at the Hamburg Masters on Thursday to set up a quarter-final showdown with Argentine Guillermo Coria, the player he beat in last year’s final. The Swiss world number one sprayed winners all over the Rothenbaum centre court to record his sixth win in as many meetings with Spaniard Robredo and signal his return to peak form 11 days before the start of the French Open.
Argentine Coria also produced some sublime shots in his 6-4 6-3 win over Mario Ancic, earning applause even from his Croatian opponent when a devastating backhand down the line brought him victory.
Britain’s Tim Henman and Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, meanwhile, suffered demoralising defeats.
Fifth seed Henman, a surprise semifinalist at Roland Garros last year, lost 3-6 6-4 6-2 to Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela while 2003 French Open champion Ferrero went down 3-6 6-2 6-1 to Russian Nikolay Davydenko.
Gifted French 18-year-old Richard Gasquet demolished Slovakia’s Domink Hrbaty 6-1 6-2 to line up a quarterfinal against 21-year-old Italian qualifier Andreas Seppi, who upset Czech Jiri Novak 6-3 6-4.
Gasquet, ranked 56 in the world, beat Federer in one of the shock results of the season at the Monte Carlo Masters last month.
Masters men’s singles round 3 results
Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt Tommy Robredo (Spain) 6-2 6-3; Guillermo Coria (Argentina) bt Mario Ancic (Croatia) 6-4 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) bt Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) 3-6 6-2 6-1; Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) bt Tim Henman (Britain) 3-6 6-4 6-2; Richard Gasquet (France) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 6-1 6-2
Mauresmo in last eight
ROME: Defending champion Amelie Mauresmo cruised into the quarter-finals of the Rome Masters with a 6-4 6-3 victory over 13th seed Silvia Farina Elia on Thursday.
The match was an eagerly-anticipated repeat of their quarter-final last year, which the Frenchwoman won in three sets after saving two match points.
There was no such drama this time, however, with Mauresmo doing just enough to stay ahead during an occasionally scrappy match.
Mauresmo was joined in the last eight by Russian sixth seed Vera Zvonareva, who beat Colombian qualifier Catalina Castano 6-1 5-7 6-2, and Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, who defeated Ana Ivanovic 6-3 6-2.
Earlier on Wednesday, third seed and reigning Australian Open champion Serena Williams crashed out losing to Italy’s Francesca Schiavone in the second round.
Schiavone, ranked 26th in the world and without a single WTA singles title to her name, defeated the seven-time Grand Slam champion 7-6 (7/2), 6-1 at the Foro Italico.
Williams, who pulled out of the German Open last week due to an ankle injury, refused to make excuses for a defeat she described as “probably the worst” of her career.
Women’s singles round 3 results
Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) bt Ana Ivanovic (Serbia and Montenegro) 6-3 6-2; Vera Zvonareva (Russia) bt Catalina Castano (Colombia) 6-1 5-7 6-2; Amelie Mauresmo (France) bt Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) 6-4 6-3
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