HAMBURG, Germany, May 11 (UPI) -- Roger Federer got past Gaston Gaudio, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4, on Tuesday to advance to the second round of the $2.9 million Masters Series Hamburg.
Federer cruised through the first set but lost his serve at 5-5 in the second as the Argentine hit back. The Swiss star broke Gaudio -- a semifinalist here last year -- to take a 5-4 lead in the third set and sealed his win over the 25-year-old from Buenos Aires with an ace.
Just seven of 17 seeds remain in the draw after Lars Burgsmuller beat fellow German Rainer Schuettler, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4.
Also Tuesday, Spain's David Ferrer dumped sixth-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian 6-2, 6-3; Austrian Jurgen Melzer crushed ninth seed Nicolas Massu of Chile, 6-3, 6-0; and Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic eliminated No. 12 Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
