Nadal, Federer win in Monte Carlo

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, April 15 (UPI) -- World No. 1 Rafael Nadal and second-ranked Roger Federer were straight-set winners Wednesday at the $3.6 million Monte Carlo Rolex Masters in Monaco.

Nadal, who has won this event each of the last four years, was a solid 6-2, 6-3 winner over Juan Ignacio Chela in a second-round match at the clay-court tournament. Nadal posted five service breaks in eight receiving games.

Federer didn't allow Andreas Seppi to break his serve in a 6-4, 6-4 win. The difference in the match was a pair of breaks by Federer, who won 73 percent of his service points.

Fifth-seeded Juan Martin del Potro fell to Ivan Ljubicic, who rallied for a 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 win and 14th-seeded Marin Cilic dropped a 6-2, 6-0 decision to Fabio Fognini in the only upsets Wednesdays.

The most dramatic match of the day saw Nicolas Lapentti outlast Marat Safin, 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 7-6 (8-6). That put Lapentti into a third-round match against Nadal.

No. 7-seeded Fernando Verdasco took out Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-4; eighth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko defeated Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-4 and 10th-seeded David Ferrer beat Marc Gicquel 6-1, 6-0. Also, 12th-seeded David Nalbandian got by Marcel Granollers 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 and 13th-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka came back for a 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 win over Martin Vassallo Arguello.

Also Wednesday, Simone Bolelli topped Janko Tipsarevic 7-5, 6-3 and Albert Montanes advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Jean-Rene Lisnard.