August 10, 2006	Thursday	Rajab 14, 1427

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TORONTO, Aug 9: World No 1 Roger Federer and defending champion Rafael Nadal returned from vacation to post routine first-round wins at the Toronto Masters on Tuesday.

Back in action for the first time since their Wimbledon showdown, Federer celebrated his 25th birthday by easing past Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3, 6-4, while Nadal shook off the rust with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Chile's Nicolas Massu.

Federer and Nadal, the world's two outstanding players, have met in five finals this year and appear headed for another mouth-watering clash on Sunday.

The muscular Spaniard and silky smooth Swiss have taken ownership of the men's game, winning six of the last seven Grand Slams and 12 of 14 Masters Series events, including the last two Toronto Masters.

Federer, who spent a month off savouring a fourth consecutive Wimbledon title at his training and holiday base in Dubai, was typically efficient, improving his season's hardcourt record to 29-1, his only loss coming to Nadal in the Dubai final.

Federer, the 2004 Toronto champion, will next meet in-form Frenchman Arnaud Clement, who won his second title of the season on Sunday in Washington and strolled into the second round by crushing Spain's Alberto Martin 6-1, 6-2.

The momentum from claiming his second title of the season in Poland on Sunday was not enough to carry a weary Nikolay Davydenko to victory.

The Russian sixth seed was a first-round casualty, falling 6-3, 7-5 to Belgian Xavier Malisse. Third seed David Nalbandian and No. 10 Marco Baghdatis have also exited the competition.

Marat Safin's up and down season continued when the Russian was bundled out in the first round 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 by seventh seed Tommy Robredo of Spain.

Australian 11th seed Lleyton Hewitt narrowly avoided a first round exit, rallying past Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 3-6, 6-2, 7-5 in a two hour, 35 minutes marathon.

Tuesday’s results:

First round: 11-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) 3-6, 6-2, 7-5; 1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 6-3, 6-4; Andy Murray (Britain) beat 12-David Ferrer (Spain) 6-2, 7-6 (8-6); Arnaud Clement (France) beat Alberto Martin (Spain) 6-2, 6-1; 14-Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) beat Teimuraz Gabashvili (Russia) 6-4, 7-5; 7-Tommy Robredo (Spain) beat Marat Safin (Russia) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2; Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat Daniele Bracciali (Italy) 4-6, 6-1, 6-4; Fernando Verdasco (Spain) beat Rajeev Ram (US) 3-6, 6-1, 6-4; 2-Rafael Nadal (Spain) beat Nicolas Massu (Chile) 6-3, 6-2; Hyung-Taik Lee (South Korea) beat Alejandro Falla (Colombia) 6-0, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1; Kevin Kim (US) beat 17-Robby Ginepri (US) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Xavier Malisse (Belgium) beat 6-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 6-3, 7-5; Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Paul Goldstein (US) 7-5, 6-2; Denis Gremelmayr (Germany) beat Kristof Vliegen (Belgium) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Jan Hernych (Czech Republic) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-3, 6-3; 16-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat Max Mirnyi (Belarus) 6-3, 6-3.

SERENA WINS ON RETURN

LOS ANGELES: Russian Nadia Petrova became the first big-name casualty of the Los Angeles Open while twice champion Serena Williams won her opening match in convincing style on Tuesday.

Second seed Petrova, who has struggled with injury since winning three consecutive titles on clay earlier this year, lost 6-3, 6-2 to Spanish doubles specialist Virginia Ruano Pascual in the second round.

Williams, playing only her second tournament in seven months because of a chronic knee injury, breezed past 11th seed Maria Kirilenko of Russia 6-2, 6-1 in a first-round match.

In first-round upsets, Japan's ninth seed Ai Sugiyama lost to American Laura Granville 7-5, 6-2 and Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy, the 17th seed, was knocked out by American Meghann Shaughnessy 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a three-hour contest.

However, Russian third seed Elena Dementieva moved smoothly into the third round with a 6-2, 7-5 win over German Julia Schruff.

Results:

Second round: 5-Dinara Safina (Russia) beat Vania King (US) 1-6, 7-5, 6-2; Bethanie Mattek (US) beat 8-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5; 3-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Julia Schruff (Germany) 6-2, 7-5; Virginia Ruano (Spain) beat 2-Nadia Petrova (Russia) 6-3, 6-2.

First round: 16-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) beat Sania Mirza (India) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3); Serena Williams (US) beat 11-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) 6-2, 6-1; 10-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia & Montenegro) beat Vera Dushevina (Russia) 6-3, 6-1; Anna Chakvetadze (Russia) beat 13-Anabel Medina (Spain) 6-4, 6-3; 14-Shahar Peer (Israel) beat Shuai Peng (China) 6-1, 6-0; 15-Marion Bartoli (France) beat Angela Haynes (US) 6-2, 6-2; Laura Granville (US) beat 9-Ai Sugiyama (Japan) 7-5, 6-2; Meghann Shaughnessy (US) beat 17-Nathalie Dechy (France) 4-6, 6-4, 6-4; Samantha Stosur (Australia) beat Alexandra Stevenson (US) 6-4, 6-2; Alona Bondarenko (Ukraine) beat Hana Sromova (Czech Republic) 7-6 (7-3), 7-5; Lisa Raymond (US) beat Virginie Razzano (France) 6-4, 6-2.—Reuters