MADRID: Fourth-seeded Victoria Azarenka continued her fine form, beating Alize Cornet 6-3, 6-2 to win her 16th straight match and advance to the third round of the Madrid Masters as Roger Federer’s withdrawal due to a back injury overshadowed the day’s play on Monday.

Federer said he injured his back in practice on Saturday, but hoped to be fit for the Rome Masters next week in the build-up to the French Open later this month.

“There’s no feeling that I can practise so at this point I don’t want to take more chances, as I know I won’t be fully ready for Wednesday,” said the 17-time Grand Slam champion. “I want to play it safe, rest up and get ready for Rome, that’s the schedule now.”

Azarenka, seeking her third consecutive title, broke Cornet’s serve five times to maintain her winning streak. The fifth-ranked Belarusian saved seven of the eight break points she conceded to her French opponent at the clay-court tournament.

In the men’s draw, Frenchmen Richard Gasquet, Gilles Simon and Lucas Pouille advanced to the second round, along with local favourite Feliciano Lopez and 11th-seeded Canadian Milos Raonic.

Azarenka has not lost since the second round at Acapulco in February. The two-time Australian Open champion won tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami heading into Madrid.

“I feel that this year is going to be all about making progress and trying to improve, making errors but still improving,” Azarenka said. “It’s just day by day progress, trying to get the game together.”

Azarenka will face American qualifier Louisa Chirico in the third round after she stunned 14th seed Ana Ivanovic 5-7, 6-1, 6-3.

Defending champion Petra Kvitova remained on course for a quarter-final showdown with Azarenka with a 6-3, 6-3 win over Russian Elena Vesnina.

Kvitova will next face Australian Daria Gavrilova, who upset 12th-seeded Ukrainian Elina Svitolina 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).

Two Americans advanced to the third round: Christina McHale topped 13th-seeded Karolina Pliskova 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 and Madison Keys eliminated Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-3. But 16th-seeded Sloane Stephens fell to qualifier Patricia Maria Tig of Romania 6-2, 6-3.

Gasquet, the 10th seed in the men’s draw, beat qualifier Roberto Carballes Baena 6-1, 7-6 (7-5), while 11th-seeded Raonic defeated Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, and 16th-seeded Simon got past Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in nearly 2 1/2 hours.

Lopez edged Leonardo Mayer of Argentina 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-4 behind 14 aces, while French qualifier Pouille saved four match points to defeat 12th-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 7-6 (9-7) in a thriller.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2016