Favorites Coria, Gaudio, Federer, Safin Advance at Monte Carlo

The top four seeds in action all advanced Wednesday at the ATP Masters Series-Monte Carlo in (1) Roger Federer (d. Montanes), (2) Marat Safin (d. Saulnier), (4) Gaston Gaudio (d. Kiefer, who retired in the second set with a thigh injury), and (6) Guillermo Coria (d. (Q) Ascione), all in straight sets.

"Now I've played two lefties in a row, you know, so it was a change again to play against a right-hander even though I practice a lot with them," said Federer after winning his 24th match in a row against the Spaniard Montanes. "He's got a very simple kick serve, actually, but it takes off and you have to get used to it to return it, especially on the ad side. I was struggling at the beginning but started to play better. I'm happy with today's performance."

Also advancing was new-scene favorite (11) Rafael Nadal, who savaged unseeded Belgian Xavier Malisse 6-0, 6-3. Nadal won the first seven games of the match, losing only nine points in the opening set.

"The first game he play good, the first two games. He have chance," Nadal said of the X-Man. "He have breakpoint in the first games, in the second game 30-All. He playing good. But when I put 2-0, he's little bit relax. I think he sees a difficult match and he knows it's tough for him, no?"

No. 10 Nikolay Davydenko (d. Costa) was the other seeded winner, with four seeds falling by the wayside Wednesday in (9) Guillermo Canas (l. to Volandri in three), (13) Mario Ancic (l. to Gonzalez), (15) Radek Stepanek (l. to (Q) Hanescu 6-0 in the third), and (16) Jiri Novak (l. to (WC) Ferrero in three).

"I'm trying since the beginning of the year to playing well, but I suppose you know I meet with a lot of good guys in first and second rounds, like Top 10 players," said Ferrero, who next faces Safin. "Always it's difficult to play against them. Before this, you know, I always play against these guys quarterfinals, semifinals. Now in the first and second rounds are always very difficult."

Unseeded winners on the day were French qualifier Richard Gasquet (d (Q) Mantilla), Belgian Olivier Rochus (d. Berdych in three), Spaniards Al Martin (d. (WC) Lisnard) and Dave Ferrer (d. (Q) Seppi), and Argentines Mariano Zabaleta (d. Santoro from a set down) and Mariano Puerta (d. Mayer, dropping only two games).

Upsets on the doubles side were performed by cash-money Czechs Damm/Stepanek (d. (2) Bjorkman/Mirnyi), Croats Ancic/Ljubicic (d. (7) Suk/Vizner), and Bhupathi/Gonzalez (d. (8) Aspelin/Perry).

On court Thursday are Puerta vs. Volandri, (10) Davydenko vs. (Q) Gasquet, (1) Federer vs. Fernando "Gonzo" Gonzalez, (WC) Ferrero vs. (2) Safin in a battle of former No. 1s, (11) Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal vs. Olivier "The Roach" Rochus, (6) Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria vs. A.Martin, (4) Gaudio vs. (Q) Hanescu, and Ferrer vs. Zabaleta.