Federer continues smooth progress
INDIAN WELLS, California -- Top seeds Roger Federer and Justine Henin-Hardenne raced into the Pacific Life Open quarterfinal with straight set victories.
Swiss world number one Federer improved his 2004 record to 19-1 with a 6-4 6-1 win over American Mardy Fish in the ATP Masters Series event.
Three other men's seeds also advanced, with number four Guillermo Coria, fifth seed Andre Agassi and 32nd seed Juan Ignacio Chela posting wins.
Henin-Hardenne dropped her serve in the second set but still overcame Czech teenager Barbora Strycova 6-3 6-4.
Women's world number one Henin-Hardenne said she learned from watching Federer play.
"I watch him a lot and I'm very impressed," said the Belgian, who boasts an equally impressive 17-1 record this year.
"The confidence he has is amazing ... he is the best for sure."
Fish agreed after being out-served and out-volleyed by Federer, who has lost only one of his last 25 matches dating back to the Tennis Masters Cup in November.
Definitely the best
"He's definitely the best player in the world and is obviously showing it," Fish said.
"I'm ranked 19 and I didn't play that badly and he beat me four and one."
Argentina's Coria needed all his speed and skill to oust 13th seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 3-6 7-6 6-2.
Agassi, the 2001 champion, survived a tough opening set against Russia's Mikhail Youzhny but then ran the show in the second in his 7-5 6-2 victory.
"I kept forcing it, I just got into that rhythm," said Agassi.
"I should have worked his first serve, but I got frustrated and stubborn. "The first set was a bit dodgy, it could have gone either way. Toward the end of the second I started hitting in a nice little rhythm and just was excited."
After battling past defending champion Lleyton Hewitt on Monday, Chela ended Tommy Haas' run with a 6-4 6-2 victory.
Third seed Lindsay Davenport continued her impressive progress through the women's field, with a 6-1 6-3 win over American rival Meghann Shaughnessy.
Anastasia Myskina, seeded fourth, won her all-Russian battle with Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-1, but six-seeded compatriot Vera Zvonareva fell 2-6 6-2 6-2 to Nathalie Dechy of France.
