MIAMI, 28 March 2005 — Six-times champion Andre Agassi began his 19th Nasdaq-100 Open campaign with a 7-5, 6-4 second-round win over Paul-Henri Mathieu of France on Saturday.
World No. 1 Roger Federer also came through sweltering conditions to beat Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-3, 6-1. Amelie Mauresmo, the top seed in the women’s event, had a fright before putting out Russian Maria Kirilenko 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Ninth seed Agassi had to wait until the end of the first set to break Mathieu’s resistance but once he had taken the lead he showed little sign of surrendering it.
The 34-year-old American, who was watched by his wife Steffi Graf, shrugged off pre-tournament worries about his injured toe.
“I felt it a little bit but when I pushed through it never got worse, so that was reassuring,” Agassi told reporters.
“It was a tough match. There’s nothing I take for granted out there, especially not these days, and it was a good one to get through.”
Federer needed only 71 minutes against Rochus to extend his winning streak to 17 matches.
The Swiss has now won 43 of his last 44 contests, stretching back to last August’s U.S. Open. His one defeat this season was at the hands of Russian Marat Safin in the semi-finals of the Australian Open in January.
Since then Federer has won consecutive titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and, last week, at Indian Wells.
Unseeded Kim Clijsters also kept up her hot streak by overcoming American Amy Frazier 6-2 6-3.
The former world No. 1 from Belgium, playing her third event since missing most of 2004 with a wrist injury, has lost only one of her 12 matches since launching her comeback last month.
Last week Clijsters won the Pacific Life Open title at Indian Wells. Her victory over Frazier was her ninth in a row and set up a third-round clash with Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy.
“I’m working hard and I’m feeling very fit out there,” said Clijsters.
Britain’s Tim Henman also progressed with an efficient 6-3 7-5 triumph over Czech Ivo Minar.
“It’s really hot out there. Those are conditions where you don’t want to be out there any longer than necessary,” said sixth seed Henman.
