Federer raced into Hamburg Masters third round
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-05-14 12:05

World number one Roger Federer eased into the third round of the Hamburg Masters Wednesday as the top seed crushed Ecuadorian baseliner Nicolas Lapentti 6-3, 6-3.

Top-ranked Swiss tennis player Roger Federer hits a backhand ball during his match against Fernando Gonzales, of Chile, at the Tennis Masters tournament in Hamburg, northern Germany, on Thursday, May 13, 2004. Federer won the match 7-5 and 6-1. [AP]

The Swiss ace, who made his breakthrough in Berlin by winning the tournament two years ago, spent only an hour to advance at the last major men's event before the French Open starts on May 24.

The Wimbledon and Australian Open champion broke Lapentti in the eighth game of the first set courtesy of a double fault from his opponent before the 22-year-old Swiss served for the set.

Federer broke Lapentti again with a forehand winner in the seventh game of the second set and stayed on top until sealing victory with a return winner on his second match point.

Defending champion Guillermo Coria underlined his claycourt form and his status as a French Open favorite with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 win over Peru's Luis Horna.

Seeded second in Hamburg, Coria has been nursing an abdominal injury and is playing his first tournament since winning the Monte Carlo Masters last month.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, who followed Coria on center court, staged a remarkable comeback to oust local favorite Tommy Haas 6-4, 7-5.

There was some consolation for the home fans when German wild card Florian Mayer knocked out 2001 champion Albert Portas of Spain 6-3, 6-4.

Former French Open champion Carlos Moya, the winner of last week's Rome Masters, carried on his claycourt form by a 6-2, 6-3 win over fellow Spaniard Alberto Martin.

Britain's Tim Henman, feeling unwell, made an early exit when he was crushed 6-2, 6-2 by Romanian Andrei Pavel.

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