INDIAN WELLS, (California), March 16: Roger Federer continued to roll over his opponents and Lindsay Davenport had an equally easy time as both top seeds breezed into the next round of the Indian Wells WTA and ATP Masters Series event.World No 1 and defending champion Federer cruised past unheralded Gilles Muller, of Luxembourg, while Davenport dispatched 16-year-old Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-4 in the evening match on Tuesday. Federer is now 22-1 this year after firing seven aces and winning 80 of 141 total points in the 83-minute match.“I felt I was always in control,” said Federer. “I am feeling well and I have had two quite comfortable matches so far.”
Federer already has three titles (Doha, Rotterdam, Dubai) in 2005 and will next face Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, who beat Czech Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-1.
Red-hot Ljubicic has reached four finals this year, but strangely three of those losses have been to Federer.
Federer’s only loss this year came in the semi-finals of the Australian Open to eventual champion Marat Safin, who was upset by American Taylor Dent 7-5, 6-4 on Tuesday.
At one point Safin got so frustrated he smashed his racket.
Fourth seeded Safin, of Russia, crashed out of Indian Wells in the third round for the second straight year, losing last year to Andy Roddick.
Two time Indian Wells champion Davenport registered five aces and won 89 percent of her first serve points against the 16-year-old Ukrainian.
Davenport, who is seeking her 47 career singles title, squares off against France’s Nathalie Dechy in the quarters.
Australian two-time Grand Slam winner Lleyton Hewitt covered the court effectively in overpowering Michael Llodra 6-2, 7-6.
The former world number one Hewitt committed just 12 unforced errors against the hard-serving Llodra. The 24-year-old Hewitt advances to the fourth round where he will meet Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Results: Men (Third round): Roger Federer (SUI) bt Gilles Muller (LUX) 6-3, 6-2; Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3); Taylor Dent (USA) bt Marat Safin (RUS) 7-5, 6-4; Carlos Moya (ESP) bt David Ferrer (ESP) 6-3, 6-4; Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) bt Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-4, 6-1; Guillermo Canas (ARG) bt Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Fabrice Santoro (FRA) bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-4, 6-2; Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) bt Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (8/6;
