Cautious Swiss Federer plays it safe against local hero

By Bill Scott Apr 20, 2006, 15:51 GMT

Roger Federer of Swiss returns the ball during his third round match against Benjamin Balleret of Monaco at the ATP Master Series Monte Carlo Open tennis tournament in Monaco, Thursday 20 April 2006. EPA/CHRISTOPHE KARABA

Monte Carlo - Roger Federer won his 27th consecutive match at the Masters Series level Thursday, taking no chances against a rank outsider to blow into the quarter-finals of the 2.08-million- euro event in Monte Carlo.

The Swiss world number 1 played cautiously against any long-odds upset as he knocked off Monaco's Benjamin Balleret 6-3, 6-2.

The number 352 from the principality never threatened - but that didn't lull Federer into any sloppy play over 71 minutes.

'He played very well for one and a half sets until he played a couple loose games, where I took advantage of it,' said the world number 1, now 31-1 this season.

'For one and a half sets, it was a tough match and I really had to play good tennis. I'm happy the way I played and the way I handled the situation because it wasn't easy.'

Top target Federer admitted that underdogs can often be the most dangerous opponents, as they play with absolutely nothing to lose.

'If you look back on the season, and you have a loss against a guy who is ranked 350 in the world, you might think, 'what happened?'

'There's quite a depth in men's tennis and it doesn't make it any easier for us.'

Federer last lost in a regular-season Masters Series in Monte Carlo a year ago, when he was upset by Richard Gasquet in the quarter-finals.

Croatian fourth seed Ivan Ljubicic made the most of his match knocking out the last French player in Gilles Simon 6-3, 6-2.

If Federer and Ljubicic win their Friday matches, they will line up in Saturday's semi-finals - a potential third meeting already this season.

Federer beat the Croatian back-to-back in the Indian Wells quarters and Miami final over the past month.

'This was the first time I've ever played on this centre court,' said Ljubicic. 'It's a nice feeling to finally get on this court. I really feel at home,' said the Monte Carlo-based player.

The Croatian stands stands second behind Federer in match wins this season with a 29-4 record.

Argentina's 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio, the seventh seed, advanced over Italy's Alessio Di Mauro 6-2, 6-4, while Tommy Robredo of Spain upset Argentine third seed David Nalbandian 5-7, 6-1, 7-5.

David Ferrer defeated slumping two-time champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 in a Spanish clay-court struggle.

Eighth seed Ferrer improved his record against his number 11 compatriot, a former Roland Garros winner, to 3-1 as he triumphed in their first meeting on clay.

Ferrero, once a world number 1 player, won their last match in the second round of last summer's Montreal Masters.

But Ferrero began his spring clay season on a poor note last week as he went out in the first round of his home event in Valencia.

Ferrer, 24, showed he can also play on hardcourt with a win over Andy Roddick in Miami last month before falling to Roger Federer.

Ferrer took victory in two hours, 22 minutes, breaking Ferrero seven times in a typical baseline battle.