Andreev makes Roddick grieve

Federer, who is bidding for a fourth straight major title and a career Grand Slam, led 6-4, 4-1 before rain halted play yesterday. He returned to Centre Court with sun breaking through the clouds today and quickly earned his spot in the second round.

8220;It8217;s not easy,8221; Federer said. 8220;It8217;s kind of cool today, windy, been raining the last few days. So we haven8217;t been having much of a chance to hit much tennis balls.8221;

Federer didn8217;t face a break point, winning 78 per cent of points on his serve. 8220;I served well,8221; said Federer, a 10-time Grand Slam champion who will next face Thierry Ascione. 8220;And I was able to return his serve and I was able to break him and it was a solid performance.8221;

Guillermo Canas, who beat Federer twice this year, reached the second round by defeating Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-3, 6-1, 6-4. Canas served a 15-month ban for doping that ended in September.

8220;Oh, it8217;s great to be here,8221; said Canas, who tested positive for a diuretic in 2005. 8220;It8217;s great to be in the French Open again. It8217;s great to play my first Grand Slam after my suspension.8221;

Filippo Volandri advanced by defeating Paul Capdeville of Chile 6-3, 7-5, 6-3. The Italian beat Federer at the Rome Masters. Jelena Jankovic, one of the favourites heading into the French Open because of her win at the Italian Open earlier this month, advanced by beating Stephanie Foretz of France 6-2, 6-2.

The fourth-seeded Serb converted four of her five break points in the first set, and then broke her unseeded opponent three more times in the second.

8220;You don8217;t play your best tennis in the first round,8221; said Jankovic, who was broken twice in the first set.

8220;It was a little bit slow and the balls were quite heavy.8221; The 22-year-old Jankovic, who is ranked fifth, pulled out of the semi-finals of last week8217;s clay-court event in Strasbourg because of gastroenteritis.

8220;I recovered well and I8217;m ready to play,8221; Jankovic said. Also advancing was No. 6 Nicole Vaidisova, 2004 runner-up Elena Dementieva, No. 18 Marion Bartoli, No. 23 Francesca Schiavone and No. 28 Mara Santangelo. Nadia Petrova of Russia, seeded 11th, lost to Kveta Peschke of Germany 7-5, 5-7, 6-0.

Vaidisova reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, but she had been hindered by injuries recently.

In men8217;s singles, No. 13 Mikhail Youzhny advanced when Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic pulled out after only nine points in the first game of the match because of a back injury.

8220;I really wanted to play today, actually. But I have a little pain in my back, so one more day rest is good,8221; said Youzhny, who has reached three finals this year. 8220;After Hamburg, I only practised, so I think one more day for my back is good.8221;

Youzhny will next face Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, who advanced when Alexander Peya retired with digestive problems. Seventh-ranked Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia, No. 9 Tommy Robredo of Spain, No. 11 Richard Gasquet, No. 18 Juan Ignacio Chela and No. 27 Jurgen Melzer of Austria also reached the second round.

Benneteau of France, ranked 30 and a quarter-finalist last year, lost to Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 6-7 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3. Ljubicic, who reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros last year, had lost 15 of his 30 first-round matches at Grand Slam events. Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands, a surprise finalist at Roland Garros in 2003, played in his first Grand Slam in almost three years but lost to Simone Bolelli of Italy 6-1, 6-4, 6-4.

Important results R-I

Men8217;s singles: Mikhail Youzhny 13, Russia bt Jan Hernych Czech RepublicHernych retired; Michael Llodra France bt Nicolas Devilder France 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; David Nalbandian 15, Argentina bt Lee Hyung-Taik South Korea 6-2, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3; Marcos Baghdatis 16, Cyprus bt Sebastien Grosjean France6-3, 6-2, 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero 17, Spain bt Amer Delic USA 6-72-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4; Juan Ignacio Chela 18, Argentina bt Fabrice Santoro France6-75-7, 6-0, 6-3, 6-3; Richard Gasquet 11, France bt Nicolas Mahut France 6-3, 6-2, 6-2; Ivan Ljubicic 7, Croatia bt Arnaud Clement France 6-1, 7-5, 7-67-2; Roger Federer 1, Switzerland bt Michael Russell USA 6-4, 6-2, 6-4; Guillermo Canas 19, Argentina bt Victor Hanescu Romania 6-3, 6-1, 6-4, Igor Andreev Rus bt Andy Roddick 3 USA 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4.

Women8217;s singles: Marion Bartoli 18, France bt Aravane Rezai France 6-2, 6-4; Tamarine Tanasugarn Thailand bt Casey Dell8217;Acqua Australia 6-3, 4-6, 6-4; Stephanie Cohen-Aloro France bt Anastasiya Yakimova Belarus 7-6 7-3 6-1; Kveta Peschke Czech Republic bt Nadia Petrova 11, Russia7-5, 5-7, 6-0; Elena Dementieva 13, Russia bt Angelique Kerber Germany 6-3, 6-2; Nicole Vaidisova 6, Czech Republic bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi Switzerland 6-4, 6-3; Jelena Jankovic 4, Serbia bt Stephanie Foretz France 6-2, 6-2