By DPA
Cincinnati (Ohio) : Rafael Nadal led fellow seeds to second-round losses at the Cincinnati Masters tennis tournament, with the disheartened Spaniard plagued by cramping and general weariness in humid conditions on court.
But Roger Federer steadied the seeded ship with his 6-3, 6-3 demolition Wednesday of France’s Julien Benneteau, first match for the Swiss since losing the Montreal final Sunday to Novak Djokovic.
The Swiss is aiming to collect his 50th career ATP Tour title after being denied in Canada. But the exit of both of his main rivals left Federer surprised.
“It put extra pressure on me,” he said of the upsets. “I’m happy I’m the guy who got through.
“I find this court always a struggle from the baseline, I tried to come in to the net more than usual. It was a good game plan.”
Argentine Juan Monaco took the spoils over second seed Nadal with a 7-6 (7-5), 4-1 lift into the third round in just over 90 minutes as Nadal retired.
2002 champion Carlos Moya got one back for Spain as he dismantled last weekend’s Montreal winner Djokovic 6-4, 6-1.
“I felt a bit tired and didn’t have enough time to prepare for this tournament,” said the Serb. “There is such a short time between the two tournaments.
“I arrived late two nights ago, but I played doubles yesterday. What can you do? Moya is a great player. He had already won one match here on this surface, so it’s quite different than Montreal. It’s quite different.”
Nadal’s withdrawal was his second injury pullout this season after quitting against Australian Chris Guccione at Sydney at the start of the year.
Nadal had said he was feeling the pace of his switch over to hardcourt after losing a Montreal semi-final last weekend against Djokovic.
“I couldn’t grasp the racquet very well, I didn’t feel anything when I touched the racquet. I didn’t feel very well when I went to the court, it was a tough day.”
He added: “It was stupid continue playing because I felt I couldn’t do anything. I was feeling worse and getting more dizzy.”
Nadal will take next week off before the Aug 27 start of the US Open.
Last year’s Cincinnati finalist Juan Carlos Ferrero earned more Spanish success, scratching the summer misery run of Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez with a 6-2, 7-6 (9-7) defeat of the sixth seed.
Ferrero, a former world number one who was beaten a year ago in the title match by Andy Roddick, left Gonzalez scratching for form after three consecutive opening-round defeats since Wimbledon.
The South American had won three of four matches between the pair, but had no answer for the Spaniard who stands 17th with 11 career titles including the French Open.
Ferrero, 27, claimed his 29th victory of the season and next plays either James Blake or German Nicolas Kiefer. Gonzalez won his last match on June 29.
Australian Lleyton Hewitt benefited as French eighth seed Richard Gasquet had to quit with hand blisters trailing 6-1, 3-2.
The former number seven will need to hope for healing in time for the US Open.
Hewitt accepted his luck and moved on as he followed up on a Montreal quarter-final last week.
“It was a good match for me, I felt like I was getting on top,” said the winner of two Grand Slam events. “I was serving pretty well today as well.”
Spaniard Nicolas Almagro produced an upset as he put out Croatian 11th seed Ivan Ljubicic 6-4, 6-4. Californian Sam Querrey notched a big scalp with his knockout of 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.
Spain’s number 16 David Ferrer reached the third round over Czech Radek Stepanek 6-2, 7-5.
Ninth seed James Blake held his nerve to emerge with a win over German Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 6-4. Austrian Jurgen Melzer saved two match points in a tiebreaker on the way to a win over Mario Ancic 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (11-9).