TENNIS/Rome Masters and German Open: World number one Roger Federer reached the last 16 of the Rome Masters with a nervy 6-3, 7-6 win over Italian wildcard Potito Starace yesterday.
Federer, who has not won the Rome title in five previous visits, romped through the first set but lost his concentration, rhythm and serve after questioning a line call in the second.
Urged on by the home supporters, Starace threatened to fight his way back into the contest. Federer, however, broke back, held serve in a game that ran to six deuces and then played a near-perfect tiebreak to set up a third-round clash with 14th seed Radek Stepanek who defeated Jarkko Nieminen 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
"It always seems I find my best shots - my best serve, my best forehand - when I need them and I'm pleased about that because if it had gone to a third set it would have been very difficult," said Federer.
Sseveral other leading players gave impressive performances. Fourth-seeded David Nalbandian gave a businesslike display to beat Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-2, 6-4 and set up a meeting with Spanish qualifier Alberto Martin, who knocked out 13th seed Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 7-6.
The man Federer replaced as world number one, fifth-seeded Andy Roddick, also reached the last 16 after coming through a see-saw encounter with Marcos Baghdatis 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
The American, who got his revenge over the Cypriot who beat him on the way to the Australian Open final in January, next plays Greg Rusedski, who had a 7-6, 6-4 victory against home favourite Stefano Galvani.
However, Marat Safin was knocked out by Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 0-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-3).
In the women's German Open in Berlin, world number one Amelie Mauresmo swept aside Vera Dushevina 6-1, 6-2 in her opening match yesterday.
Top-seed Mauresmo, who won on the clay in Berlin in 2001 and 2004, overpowered the 19-year-old Muscovite and faces Anna Chakvetadze, another Russian, in the third round as she gears up for the French Open later this month.
Mauresmo is on course to play a resurgent Martina Hingis in the quarter-finals. Hingis, the former world number one eased through her second-round match 6-4, 6-3 against Germany's Julia Schruff.
Number three seed Justine Henin-Hardenne also won easily, defeating Italy's Mara Santangelo 6-4, 6-1.
