ROME, May 9: World number one Roger Federer encountered a few problems in his 6-3, 6-4 second-round victory over Nicolas Almagro at the Rome Masters here on Tuesday. Top seed Federer, who was given a first round bye, took 74 minutes to extend his flawless record against the 21-year-old Spaniard to 4-0 in blazing sunshine at the Foro Italico.

The only other second-round match played on the second day between Croatia’s eighth seed Ivan Ljubicic and Argentina’s Jose Acasuso saw the latter downing the former 6-4, 6-3.

Federer, who has never triumphed in Rome, admitted he wasn’t happy when drawn against Alamagro having only edged the Spaniard 7-5 in the third set in the quarter-finals here last year.

In the first-round matches, American ninth seed James Blake defeated Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-4, while Russian Marat Safin, the 2000 US Open champion, battled back from a set down to beat American Amer Delic. Safin, who has never gone beyond the third round here, will next face fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko in round two.

Cypriot Marco Baghdatis, runner-up at the Australian Open last year, defeated Spaniard Carlos Moya, Rome champion in 2004, in straight sets.

German 11th seed Tommy Haas was forced to retire with a right shoulder injury in his match against Czech Radek Stepanek, with Stepanek leading 6-3, 3-2. Stepanek will now meet Baghdatis in round two.

Russian 15th seed Mikhail Youzhny needed a third set to shake off Frenchman Julien Benneteau, while Czech 12th seed Tomas Berdych knocked out Finn Jarko Nieminen.

Spanish second seed Nadal, the world number two and Rome champion for the past two years, begins the defence of his title on Wednesday against Italy’s Daniele Bracciali.

Results on Tuesday (x denotes seeding):

Second round: Roger Federer (SUI x1) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-3, 6-4; Jose Acasuso (ARG) bt Ivan Ljubicic (CRO x8) 6-4, 6-3.

First round: Nicolas Massu (CHI) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5); Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) bt Marc Gicquel (FRA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-1; Igor Andreev (RUS) bt David Ferrer (ESP x14) 6-4, 6-1; Filippo Volandri (ITA) bt Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-0, 6-3; Olivier Rochus (BEL) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 5-7, 6-3, 6-3; Richard Gasquet (FRA x13) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-1, 7-5; Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x15) bt Julien Benneteau (FRA) 6-1, 3-6, 6-2; Gaston Gaudio (ARG) bt Mardy Fish (US) 6-4, 6-4; James Blake (US x9) bt Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3; Marat Safin (RUS) bt Amer Delic (USA) 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Tommy Haas (GER x11) 6-3, 3-2, ret; Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) bt Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-2, 6-3; Tomas Berdych (CZE x12) bt Jarko Nieminen (FIN) 6-4, 7-5; Alberto Montanes (ESP) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/3).