Toronto, August 9:

Top-seeded Roger Federer and defending champion Rafael Nadal cleared their first hurdles in straight sets at the Rogers Cup on Tuesday.

Federer beat Mathieu of France 6-3, 6-4, while second-seeded Nadal eased past Nicolas Massu 6-3, 6-2. For both favorites it was their first match since the Wimbledon final a month ago, where Federer defeated Nadal for his eighth Grand Slam title and fourth straight at the All England Club.

Nikolay Davydenko lost to Xavier Malisse of Belgium 6-3, 7-5. Tommy Robredo won the last four games to oust 2000 champion Marat Safin 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 while Lleyton Hewitt struggled to beat Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela 3-6, 6-2, 7-5. Andy Murray of Britain dug out a 6-2, 7-6 (6) win over David Ferrer of Spain.

Arnaud Clement opened with a 6-2, 6-1 downing of Alberto Martin of Spain. Also, former No 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero beat American Paul Goldstein 7-5, 6-2; and Tommy Haas beat Max Mirnyi 6-3, 6-3.

Williams wins

CARSON: Serena Williams, playing in just her second tournament since the Australian Open, defeated Maria Kirilenko 6-2, 6-1 on Tuesday in the first round of the JP Morgan Chase Open.

Williams has been sidelined most of the year by problems with her left knee. She lost in the third round of the Australian and was idle until three weeks ago, when she advanced to the semi-finals at the Western & Southern Financial Group Women’s Open in Cincinnati.

Laura Granville, who had lost five of her past six matches, advanced to the second round with a 7-5, 6-2 victory over Ai Sugiyama. Granville was playing just her second match since losing in the second round at Wimbledon in late June. Jelena Jankovic of Serbia beat Sania Mirza of India 6-2, 7-6 (3).

Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain, best known for her doubles play, toppled second-seeded Nadia Petrova 6-3, 6-2 in a second round match. No 3 Elena Dementieva of Russia defeated Julia Schruff of Germany 6-2, 7-5 in their second round match.