Nadal, Federer, Roddick advance to quarterfinals at Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha

Check out "DOWN THE TEE" tennis blog at http://www.downtheteetennisblog.blogspot.com

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal advanced on Wednesday to the quarterfinals of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha after a second straight lopsided victory, this time defeating Slovakian qualifier Karol Beck, 6-1, 6-2. Second-seeded Swiss Roger Federer also had little trouble reaching the quarterfinals, as he defeated Italian Andreas Seppi, 6-3, 6-3.

After falling behind 0-2 in the second set, the lefty from Mallorca won six straight games to win the match in 61 minutes. Nadal, a quarterfinalist in 2005, won 18 of 20 first serve points, while breaking serve six times throughout the match.

“It’s been two very good matches to start the year and I am happy with how I am playing. 6-0, 6-1 and 6-1, 6-2, I did not expect that,” said Nadal.

After two fairly easy matches, Nadal will have to play strong tennis in the quarterfinals, as he next faces fifth-seed Gael Monfils, who is currently ranked at a career-best No.13. The Spaniard owns a 3-0 record against the young Frenchman, winning most recently last season in the Round of 16 at the Masters Series Paris. Monfils, a Doha finalist in 2006, earned his quarterfinal spot by battling past compatriot Nicolas Devilder, 7-5, 7-6(4).

Despite a few hiccups throughout the one hour and 19 minute match, Federer remained composed enough to cruise to victory by breaking serve four times and winning 71 percent of first serve points. Federer, a two-time former Doha champion now owns a 14-1 record at this event. The 27-year-old former World No. 1 next faces German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who defeated Belgian Kristof Vliegen, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4. Federer owns a 2-0 career record against the German, winning both meetings on grass.

In the night session match, fourth-seeded American Andy Roddick rolled past French wild card Arnaud Clement, 6-3, 7-5, in one hour and 43 minutes. Currently ranked No. 8 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, Roddick pounded 11 aces past Clement without tossing in a double fault. Despite getting broken twice on serve, Roddick was able to quickly regroup and break Clement’s serve on four occasions. The 26-year-old Texas resident, a winner of three ATP singles titles in 2008, will next face Romanian Victor Hanescu for a place in the semifinals. Hanescu easily defeated former Doha semifinalist Mikhail Youzhny, 6-2, 6-4, in one hour and 39 minutes.

Others Second Round Results from Wednesday in Doha
No. 3 Andy Murray def. Philipp Petzschner, 6-2, 6-4
Sergiy Stakhovsky def. Alexander Peya, 7-5, 6-3