Federer crushes German in clay start

Roger Federer marched into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters yesterday as the three-time finalist inflicted a 6-2, 6-1 defeat on German Philipp Kohlschreiber.

World number three Federer, seeded second in the knee injury absence of Novak Djokovic, earned a sixth victory without a loss against the 32nd-ranked Kohlschreiber.

Federer, losing finalist at the Country Club 2006-2008 against Rafael Nadal, was the first of the major players to go into action after a bye, with top seed Nadal and number three Andy Murray making their 2011 Monte Carlo debuts today.

Nadal, aiming for an historic seventh straight trophy in Monaco, had an early-morning fitness session with women’s Monte Carlo-based number one Caroline Wozniacki, who had played an exhibition at the club on Monday.

Federer’s brief and efficient victory in 50 minutes left him undefeated in 47 straight matches against Germans dating to June, 2002, when he lost to Nicolas Kiefer in Halle.

The Federer victory was his 23rd of the season against four losses, three against Djokovic and his last to Nadal in the Miami semi-finals.

Against Kohlschreiber he lost just two points in three games as he made a fast start.

The 16-time grand slam champion is playing Monte Carlo for the first time since 2009, when he lost in the third round to countryman Stanislas Wawrinka.

Federer has played the event on nine previous occasions, and now stands 22-9 at the tournament.