HAMBURG, 14 May 2004 — World No. 1 Roger Federer defeated Fernando Gonzalez 7-5, 6-1 in the third round yesterday and is ready to accept the role of crowd and tournament favorite for a second title at the 2.495-million euros Hamburg Masters Series.
“I like being the star and the public attraction,” said Federer.
The 22-year-old Swiss wasted a 5-2 lead in the first set against the 13th-seeded Chilean Gonzalez, but eventually won the set on his eighth set point and comfortably advanced into the quarterfinals in 1 hour 13 minutes.
Federer lifted the Hamburg trophy in 2002, his first of now two clay court titles, the other being Munich 2003.
Coming off a second-round loss in Rome last week, Federer raised his game in Hamburg with wins over Gaston Gaudio, Nicolas Lapentti and Gonzalez, who all are at their best on clay.
Moya, a French Open champion from 1998 and Sunday’s winner of the Rome Masters Series, rallied from 4-2 down in the final set with four successive games to beat fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in 2:05 hours.
Also in the final eight is former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt. The 17 seed from Australia ousted Brazil’s Flavio Saretta, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Hewitt now runs into in-form Austrian Juergen Melzer of Austria, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over former two-time Hamburg finalist Marat Safin.
David Ferrer won an all-Spanish duel with the 1998 champion Albert Costa, 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 and now meets 16 seeded compatriot Tommy Robredo or the second-seeded title holder Guillermo Coria of Argentina.
Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny got his third German scalp in as many matches in a 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) win over wild card Florian Meyer to set up a quarterfinal date with Croatian Ivan Ljubicic, who outlasted Romania’s Andrei Pavel, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.
Mauresmo and Capriati Sweep Into Quarterfinals
In Rome, French No. 2 seed Amelie Mauresmo advanced into the quarterfinals of the Rome Masters with an impressive straight sets victory over Spanish 13th seed Conchita Martinez yesterday.
A three-time beaten finalist here, Mauresmo produced a display full of power and movement to defeat the 1994 Wimbledon champion 6-3, 6-4 in 70 minutes at the Foro Italico.
Mauresmo’s victory over the 32-year-old four-time Rome champion set up a meeting against 10th seed Silvia Farina Elia, who beat Russian 17-year-old Maria Sharapova in her second match of the day to ensure there would be two Italians in the quarterfinals. Farina Elia, who defeated American Meghann Shaughnessy in her rain-delayed second round match in the day’s early action, joined compatriot Francesco Schiavone in the quarterfinals.
American fifth seed Jennifer Capriati, winner of three Grand Slam titles, lost just four games in her straight sets demolition of Argentine Paola Suarez in her third round match. A trouble-free 6-2, 6-2 victory set up a quarterfinal clash against Israeli 16th seed Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi, who defeated Italian wildcard Flavia Pennetta.
Mauresmo, 24, said she had to be aggressive to prevent Martinez taking control of the match.
Attack also proved to be the best form of defense for Capriati. “I felt like I was playing really well, hitting my shots, serving well and even coming to the net a few times,” said the 28-year-old American, who reached the semifinals here two years ago.
Ninth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, a quarterfinalist at Wimbledon last year, booked her place in the last eight by edging Japanese seventh seed Ai Sugiyama in a tense three set battle. Kuznetsova threw away a 5-0 lead in the decider to allow Sugiyama to draw level, but the 18-year-old Russian held her nerve in the tiebreak to set up a quarterfinal meeting with either top seed Serena Williams or Dally Randriantefy from Madagascar.
Italian 14th seed Schiavone beat Russian Elena Likhovtseva 6-1, 6-3 to seal a last eight match against Vera Zvonareva, who won an all-Russian clash against Elena Bovina in straight sets.
