Sportmaster International

Paris - Roger Federer beat Ivo Karlovic for the second time in four days to reach the third round of the Paris Masters 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 on Wednesday after last playing the indoor event in 2003.

The Swiss player improved his record against the biggest server in the game to 5-0, but lost his serve for the first-time ever to the 2.08-metre Croatian in the final game of the second set. It was the first time in 67 service games in that series that Federer had failed to hold. But with the sets level at one apiece, the top seed broke

to start the third and ended the match in the same fashion. Federer had stopped Karlovic last Saturday in the Basle semi- finals, winning a seventh title of the season on his home court. ‘It’s not easy to break his serve,’ said Federer of Karlovic. ‘But at the end it was the perfect ending for me. ‘Breaking him (to start and end the final set) was a good way to finish.’ Federer must next face recent nemesis David Nalbandian, who beat him in a comeback to lift the Madrid title a fortnight ago. Nalbandian advanced over Spain’s Carlos Moya 6-4, 6-4. ‘It will be another tough one and I have to be ready for a quick turnaround,’ Federer said. Rafael Nadal made a winning debut at the Paris indoor 6-3, 6-1 over Italian Filippo Volandri. Spain’s world number two, who received a first-round bye, should be in his comfort zone after lifting the last three Roland Garros titles. He will face a second test on Thursday, taking on Switzerland’s Stanislas Wawrinka, who upset 16th seed Juan Chela 6-3, 6-1. Nadal has played sparingly for the past few months as he suffers with tendinitis in both knees. He has rested since losing in the quarter-finals at home in Madrid this month, in his only event since the US Open where he went out in the fourth round to David Ferrer. Nadal is doing what he can in Paris before he and the rest of the tennis elite head to Shanghai next week for the eight-man Masters Cup beginning November 11. Also qualified into the field are Federer, Novak Djokovic, Nikolay Davydenko, Andy Roddick and David Ferrer. Two spots remain open and are on the line this week. According to ATP calculations, just over 10 men are contesting the last two place, with Fernando Gonzalez standing provisional seventh followed by German Tommy Haas. ‘I’m continuing working hard every day and trying to get more confidence, and that’s the most important thing for me right now,’ Nadal said. ‘It’s always important to arrive to Shanghai with confidence, but the important thing is that I play good tournament here because here is a very important tournament.’ Novak Djokovic became the first prominent victim, with the world number three taking a 6-3, 6-2 loss as he recovers from dental surgery just a few weeks ago. Frenchman Fabrice Santoro, a 34-year-old racket wizard, used his double-fisted attack and heavy spin returns to flummox the 20-year- old from Serbia in just over an hour. Santoro played strapped on one knee due to injury but still controlled Djokovic, who won Vienna this month and reached the Madrid semi-finals. ‘I couldn’t give my 100 per cent, not even 30 per cent,’ Djokovic said. ‘I’m still on medications.’ Nikolay Davydenko, seeded fourth, earned a win while playing hurt with a lingering elbow problem. The Russian beat Argentine Juan Del Potro 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. ‘I’ve had the problem for three weeks. I’m not really 100 per cent fit,’ said Davydenko. ‘I’m really scared.’ Shanghai hopeful Andy Murray (currently 12th in the point race), advanced his cause 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 over Finn Jarkko Nieminen in the second round. The 20-year-old Scot credits more than three months off the circuit at mid-season with a wrist injury for giving him extra energy in the closing stages. ‘I’m playing well, I feel fresh. That might not have been the case if I didn’t have the injury as well. ‘I’m just happy to have a chance of qualifying.’ © 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur