MONTREAL, 11 August 2007 — Defending champion Roger Federer breezed past Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-1 to reach the quarterfinals of the Rogers Cup on Thursday.

The Swiss star, who won his fifth straight Wimbledon title this year, has won 14 straight matches at the Canadian tournament. He’s had victories in 2004 and 2006 and sat out in 2005 with an injury.

“By the time I sat down, I was (only) kind of starting to get warm, because 18 minutes is really fast, you know,” the top seed said. “And the games were going quick, my service games, especially.

“And I knew that if I could just press a little bit more in the beginning of the second set, that would be it. So I was happy it all went my way, and that I didn’t have to struggle too much out there.” Andy Roddick had little trouble beating Marcos Baghdatis 6-2, 6-3. He will face third-seeded Novak Djokovic in the quarterfinals. Rafael Nadal downed Paul-Henri Mathieu of France 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, setting up a quarterfinal meeting with Frank Dancevic.

Dancevic became the first Canadian in 18 years to reach the quarterfinals of Canada’s top tennis tournament with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory over Fernando Verdasco.

“I think it was the most incredible experience of my life,” Dancevic said. “The first set, I was doubting myself. I didn’t know what was going on and I wasn’t playing well.” Fognini, ranked 139th in the world, reached the third round with a victory over Peter Polansky followed by an upset of 13th-seeded Andy Murray of Britain, but was overmatched by Federer.

“In normal — actually perfect — conditions today, and playing a solid match against a youngster, that was an excellent match,” Federer said. “But it’s going to be different the next match, so I’ll have to adapt. But I hope I can keep this level of play, because if I play like this, I think I’m in good shape.” Federer will face Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt, who eliminated Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-7 (10), 7-6 (6), 7-5 Thursday in a match that lasted more than three hours.

Federer is 11-7 against Hewitt and has won their last nine meetings.

“I haven’t really thought about (facing Federer) — I’m just happy to get out of jail today,” Hewitt said. “It’s going to be another interesting match. I haven’t played him for quite a while now. It’s a good challenge for me and obviously I don’t have a lot to lose out there.” Fourth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia also advanced, while Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic upset 12th-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany 6-3, 2-6, 6-2. Djokovic, who has three tournament wins this year, ousted David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-2, 6-3. Nalbandian was a Rogers Cup finalist in 2003.

Davydenko posted a 7-6 (8), 6-3 victory over fellow Russian Mikhail Youzhn.

Davydenko dropped the first game to open the second set, but broke back to tie the set 2-2 and then coasted to his third win in as many meetings with the 14th-seeded Youzhny. Davydenko said this week he is playing with a stress fracture in his left foot, which caused him to retire from a match with Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina at Poland last week.

That loss is under investigation by the ATP because of suspicious betting patterns. Davydenko has denied any wrongdoing.

Sharapova Survives

Krajicek Scare

In Los Angeles, Maria Sharapova overcame a stern challenge from Michaella Krajicek to reach the Los Angeles Classic quarterfinals with a 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 victory on Thursday. The top seed needed nearly three hours to see off the 18-year-old Dutchwoman, losing her serve nine times in the match.

Krajicek also had trouble serving into the wind and sun and Sharapova broke her 10 times.

“It felt like a break-fest,” Sharapova told reporters. “Back and forth. I felt like I was going to the Death Eaters and they were going to eat me up.” Krajicek, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, got up a break at 4-3 in the third set but was immediately broken back. “I might have missed a few opportunities, but against a player like Maria, it’s tough because she gives you just a few,” Krajicek said.

Sharapova held off two break points with forehand winners and clinched the match on her third match point with a crosscourt backhand service return winner.

“It’s good to be in different situations where you have to pull it out and didn’t play your best,” said Sharapova, who next faces fellow Russian Elena Dementieva.

The defending champion, who beat Sharapova in the semifinals here last year, advanced when fifth seed Daniela Hantuchova retired with a respiratory infection trailing 6-3, 4-1.

Hantuchova became the third player to be struck by illness at the tournament, second seed Jelena Jankovic and Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou suffering similar ailments.

“I didn’t think I could play this morning but it’s not nice for the fans when the players don’t even try,” Hantuchova said.

Serbia’s Jankovic romped to a 6-2, 6-1 victory over Austria’s Sybille Bammer, while her compatriot, third seed Ana Ivanovic advanced easily with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Czech Lucie Safarova.

Ivanovic will face Russia’s Maria Kirilenko, who crushed Argentina’s Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-4. Fourth seed Nadia Petrova of Russia overwhelmed Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 6-2 and will play France’s Virginie Razzano, who ended Sania Mirza’s impressive run 6-1, 7-6.