World number ones Roger Federer and Justine Henin advanced with ease on Monday at a US$7.54 million ATP and WTA hardcourt event, Henin in straight sets and Federer on an injury retirement.
Swiss superstar Federer was leading Robin Soderling 6-4, 3-0 when the ill Swedish player retired, advancing the world No. 1 into the round of 16.
"There is a big difference between not playing at all and playing a set and a half. I prefer today," Federer said. "I get the feel of the tournament playing a match and I'm able to handle the conditions."
PHOTO: EPA
Federer, upset by US player Mardy Fish at the Indian Wells semi-finals in his most recent prior event, will next face Argentina's Jose Acasuso, who eliminated Israel's Dudi Sela 6-4, 6-4.
Belgium's Henin beat Russia's Elena Vesnina 6-2, 6-2 in a fourth-round match to book a quarter-final date with defending champion Serena Williams of the US in a rematch of last year's final.
Williams, the eighth seed, beat Estonia's Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-3 to give herself another date against Henin. Williams rallied to defeat Henin 0-6, 7-5, 6-3 for her 28th career crown.
Henin, who won titles at Sydney and Belgium in four starts this year, fired eight aces to overcome six double faults in her victory. She is in her first event since a Dubai quarter-final ouster.
Possibly awaiting the Williams-Henin winner in the semi-finals would be Venus Williams or Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, the runner-up at Indian Wells.
Kuznetsova, the 2006 winner here, defeated Israeli 16th seed Shahar Peer 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, while the elder Williams sister, seeded sixth, beat Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3.
Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic eliminated China's Zheng Jie 6-4, 7-5 to advance into a quarter-finals date with Russian 10th seed Elena Dementieva, who ousted Germany's Sabine Lisicki 6-3, 6-2.
Also reaching the final eight was Russian Dinara Safina, who ended the run of US tennis mum Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 6-4. She will next face Russian Vera Zvonareva, who beat Japan's Ai Sugiyama, 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0.
In other matches on the men's side, Russian fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko reached the round of 16 by defeating Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-1 and will next face Croatian wild card Mario Ancic or Argentina's Juan Monaco.
Australian Open runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was eliminated by fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-3 in another third-round match.
Benneteau, ranked 72nd, will next face US sixth seed Andy Roddick, who beat Czech qualifier Ivo Minar 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
■ DAVIS CUP
AFP, MADRID
World No.2 Rafael Nadal will play for Spain in the Davis Cup quarter-finals against Germany in Bremen from April 11-13, the Spanish Tennis Federation announced yesterday.
Nadal will be backed up by David Ferrer, Fernando Verdasco and Feliciano Lopez, team captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario said.
Germany will have to do without veteran Tommy Haas, but have recalled Nicolas Kiefer for the first time since March 2006.
German skipper Patrick Kuhnen also called up Michel Berrer, Philipp Kohlschreiber and Philipp Petzschner.
Kiefer and Kohlschreiber are expected to be handed the two singles slots.
■ FED CUP
AFP, MOSCOW
Russia will look to world No. 4 Svetlana Kuznetsova to spearhead their challenge against the United States in the Fed Cup semi-finals here on April 26-27.
The former US Open champion will take over as team leader from Maria Sharapova who is taking time off to recover from a shoulder injury.
"We had an agreement with Kuznetsova and Sharapova that one of them would play against Israel and the other against the United States," team captain Shamil Tarpishchev said.
"Sharapova had already played in Tel Aviv, so now it's Kuznetsova's turn. It was sort of a trade-off because both of them have very busy schedules."
Tarpishchev also named world No. 6 Anna Chakvetadze, Dinara Safina, Vera Zvonareva and Yelena Vesnina in a strong Russian line-up.
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