Tennis: Federer beat del Potro to advance
Published:Wednesday | August 17, 2011 | 2:17 PM
Roger Federer eased through to the third round of the Western & Southern Open in Ohio with a comfortable victory over Juan Martin del Potro today.
The world number three lost to the Argentine in the 2009 US Open final, but there was little danger of a repeat in Ohio as Federer won 6-3, 7-5.
American James Blake will meet Federer in the third round after beating Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-4, 6-2.
Wimbledon semi-finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated Croatia's Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-4.
In the women's event, Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova made it through to round three with straight-set wins.
The American battled to a 6-3, 7-6 win in one hour 39 minutes.
Sharapova, the fourth seed, eased into round three with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Anastasia Rodionova of Australia.
Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, fifth seed Li Na and eighth seed Marion Bartoli also recorded victories to join Williams and Sharapova in the last 16.