STUTTGART, Germany, 18 July 2003 — Third seed Rainer Schuettler sent Alex Corretja heading home to his newborn daughter in Barcelona with a 6-4, 6-4 defeat in the third round of the 765,000 euro ATP event yesterday.

The hilltop clay of the Weissenhof club is proving perfect for the German’s game as the 27-year-old Australian Open finalist tries to improve his sixth standing in the season points race for a sure place at the year-end Masters Cup in Houston.

Schuettler has already reached eight quarterfinals this season.

Veteran Spaniard Corretja has recently changed coaches and is now working with Enrique Perez as he tried to break out of a slump. He has won only ten matches this season while losing 14, with a Barcelona quarterfinal his best result.

Corretja saved four match points in the second round against Olivier Rochus as he advanced past the second round for only the third time this season. But he was unable to go further, with Schuettler dominating play. “I feel really comfortable at German tournaments,” said the winner.

“There is nothing better for me. I’m dreaming now of participating in the Masters Cup (in November).”

Schuettler had trouble faulting his performance as he earned revenge for a loss he took against Corretja here four years ago.

“I got him back now. I was confident going in and I played well. My first serve was missing some rhythm, but I played well on second-serve points.

“I took my chances and played aggressive and he didn’t play his best tennis today.”

Roland Garros semifinalist Guillermo Coria polished his form in heavy conditions, earning a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Spaniard David Ferrer.

The 21-year-old Argentine second seed now stands 25-5 on clay, reaching the last eight after a noon-time rainstorm made conditions difficult and delayed the start of play by 90 minutes.

The win was sweet revenge for a loss Coria took last summer on clay in Umag, his only previous meeting with Ferrer. “I was playing with a lot of confidence out there,” he said.

Russian holder Mikhail Youzhny defeated fifth-seeded Czech Jiri Novak, ousting last week’s winner of the Gstaad title 7-6 (7-1), 6-4.

Big-hitting Chilean sixth seed Fernando Gonzalez stopped Finnish No. 11 Jarkko Nieminen 7-6 (7-2), 6-7 (5 7), 6-3. Ninth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo, advanced against Jiri Vanek 6-2, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3.

Young Italian stallion Filippo Volandri continued to impress as he reached his third quarterfinal of a breakthrough season.

The 21-year-old who went to the last eight at Masters events in Monte Carlo and Rome, did it again at the expense of 14th seed Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.