Roger Federer failed to hold serve four times but beat Nicolas Kiefer of Germany 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday in the second round of the US$2.45 million Cincinnati Masters.
"There's a reason he's No. 1 -- he makes the important points," Kiefer said.
Fifth-seeded Andy Roddick outlasted and then overpowered Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain in the most closely played match of the day. The American won 6-7 (3), 7-6 (5), 6-2.
PHOTO: EPA
In other matches, third-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia also needed three sets to win his match, beating Greg Rusedski of the UK 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 when Rusedski double-faulted on match point.
Also, fourth-seeded Marat Safin of Russia beat Andy Murray of the UK 6-4, 1-6, 6-1; Luis Horna of Peru upset No. 9 Guillermo Coria of Argentina 6-4, 6-4, and Mario Ancic of Croatia took No. 16 seed Richard Gasquet of France 6-4, 7-6 (4).
Federer, playing in his first tournament since winning at Wimbledon in early July, needed a tiebreaker and a 7-5 set to beat wild card James Blake on Monday.
On Wednesday, Federer failed to hold serve twice in the first set, steadied himself a bit in the second, then failed to hold twice in the third.
"I was struggling in the beginning," Federer said. "The start of the match was crucial, and I couldn't get on top of him there. Still, in the end, to turn it around and not play my best is always a good feeling."
Kiefer couldn't help but think he let another chance to beat the No. 1 player in the world slip away.
"I couldn't pick up my game when I wanted to," Kiefer said. "I had a big opportunity to beat him. I had my chances. I also had a chance at Wimbledon, but today was my big chance."
Federer is 6-3 against Kiefer and has won five straight, including three times this year. It took him four sets at Wimbledon.
Federer said the long break has drained a bit of his confidence.
"The way you read the game, I have the feeling that's missing most," he said. "Then doubt suddenly creeps to your mind. You're not sure, `Should I go for the shot or should I rather play it safe one more time?' When you're playing well, when you're confident, you don't think about those kinds of things."
Roddick, who lost in the first round last week at Montreal, played level with Ferrero in the first set, but Ferrero took the tiebreaker.
Both players again held serve through the second set, but this time Roddick unleashed his big serve in the tiebreaker, hitting aces of 230kph and 232kph.
Roddick won the first game of the third set with a 232kph winner, then broke Ferrero in the second and eighth games.
"I felt like he was throwing his best stuff at me and I was just hanging on with my serve," Roddick said.
"If I hadn't raised my game, I'd definitely be going home," he said.
Rogers Cup
Justin Henin-Hardenne of Belgium made short work of Argentine qualifier Mariana Diaz-Oliva with a 6-1, 6-3 victory Wednesday at the Rogers Cup.
Henin-Hardenne, the fourth-seeded player in the US$1.3 million tournament and the winner two years ago, played with a wrapped right hamstring. But it didn't appear to hinder her against Diaz-Oliva.
"It's getting better," Henin-Hardenne said. "But you'll see me playing with my tape probably through the end of the year, because my doctor told me that I really have to take care of this because it's not 100 percent. I know that it's maybe going to bother me in the next few weeks, next few months."
In other matches, sixth-seeded Nadia Petrova of Russia ousted Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; No. 7 Kim Clijsters of Belgium toppled Virginie Razzano of France, 6-3, 6-0; No. 9 Anastasia Myskina of Russia defeated US qualifier Laura Granville 6-3, 5-7, 6-2; No. 12 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia outlasted Marion Bartoli of France, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), and Spain's Conchita Martinez defeated No. 15 Dinara Safina of Russia 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the third round.
Fifth-seeded Serena Williams withdrew with an injured left knee. Williams defeated Stephanie Cohen-Aloro of France 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 in the second round on Tuesday.
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