CINCINNATI, 20 August 2005 — World No. 1 Roger Federer was in cruise control on Thursday night as he beat Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-4 to lead four of the world’s top five into the quarterfinals of the Cincinnati Masters.

Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick all moved into the last eight but Federer was the star of the show as he overcame a ragged start to set up a clash with Argentine Jose Acasuso.

After spraying a few forehands over the baseline in the first few games, Federer, playing his first event since Wimbledon, found his rhythm and Rochus, the world No. 34, could only laugh as shot after shot was sent ripping past him.

The top seed smashed 14 aces and broke in the eighth game of the first set and the third of the second as he advanced in style.

“I’m really happy with the way I played tonight,” Federer said. “He’s a really tough player and I played aggressive which you have to do against him because he’s so good from the baseline.” Federer and Rochus played each other many times in the junior ranks, and the Swiss admitted he had not always had things his own way. “We played under 14s when he was good and I was not,” Federer said. “When we got to under 16s I started to grow and started to win a bit more.” Fourth seed Marat Safin was the best of the rest as he hammered Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty 6-0, 6-3.

Also appearing in his first tournament since Wimbledon, the Russian was at his imperious best as he stormed through in 68 minutes to set up a meeting with American wildcard Robby Ginepri, who beat Spaniard Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-4. Hrbaty held a 7-6 advantage over Safin in their head-to-heads but once the Russian held serve in a tight first game, he was in complete control.

“It was much better today,” said Safin, who dropped a set in beating British wildcard Andy Murray in the previous round. “In the second set I was a little bit nervous because I was playing too good, and I almost lost the second set.” Safin said his left knee injury, which kept him off the tour for seven weeks, was still causing him pain but he was satisfied with his form.

“It’s a little bit too early to say that I’m getting closer to my best shape,” he said.

“But at least I’m fighting. It’s not like I’m playing the most unbelievable tennis — I’m struggling to win some shots. But basically I’m hungry and I’m still there.” Third seed Hewitt, who battled past Greg Rusedski in three sets on Wednesday, raced to a 5-0 lead against Croatian Mario Ancic and one break in the second set was enough for victory as he claimed a 6-1, 6-4 win. Hewitt will meet Russian sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko, who beat unseeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 6-3, 6-4.

Fifth seed Roddick, who had scrambled past Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the previous round, was pushed hard by Chela before progressing with a 7-6, 6-2 victory.

The American saved a break point at 4-4 before winning the opening-set tiebreak and then broke twice in the second set to set up a meeting with Russian Mikhail Youzhny, who beat French wildcard Gael Monfils 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Ailing Kuznetsova Loses in Toronto

In Toronto, Argentina’s Gisela Dulko capitalized on an ailing Svetlana Kuznetsova and beat the third-seeded Russian 7-6 (3), 7-6 (8) Thursday in the third round of the Rogers Cup.

Bothered by lower back pain, Kuznetsova, who begins her US Open title defense in 10 days, struggled throughout the match, and in the first set it appeared she would be unable to finish.

No. 2 seed Amelie Mauresmo of France cruised by Conchita Martinez of Spain, 6-0, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinals “Obviously, just not spending too much time on the court is an advantage when you play these kind of tournaments, when you have to go out every day,” Mauresmo said.

In other matches fourth-seeded Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne eliminated China’s Jie Zheng, 6-2, 6-4. Henin-Hardenne will next play the Czech Republic’s Nicole Vaidisova, who beat countrywoman Hana Sromova 6-2, 6-2.

Nadia Petrova of Russia advanced after Li Na of China retired with the score at 6-2, 3-0; Anastasia Myskina defeated Japan’s Shinobu Asagoe 7-6 (5), 7-5. Myskina will play Dulko in the quarterfinals.

Dulko, ranked 35th, forced Kuznetsova several times to lunge for crosscourt shots. Trailing 6-5 in the first set, Kuznetsova asked a trainer to massage her back. She walked gingerly back onto the court, clutching her back and grimacing.