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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\n\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;ROME (AP) -- Fresh off a title in Madrid and back at No. 2 in the rankings, Roger Federer defeated Carlos Berlocq 6-3, 6-4 in his opening match at the Italian Open on Wednesday.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Seeking to win one of only three Masters 1000 events he's never claimed, Federer dealt with the swirling wind inside the 10,500-seat stadium at the Foro Italico, coming to the net often to finish points.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Rafael Nadal, who was replaced by Federer at No. 2 with his Madrid Open victory Sunday, beat Florian Mayer 6-1, 7-5 to avenge a defeat in his only previous meeting with the 28th-ranked German.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Federer said his ranking isn't that important.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   \"I look at the big picture and what is important to me is just to be in the top 10 and if I am No. 2 or not at the French Open doesn't change anything, and it doesn't change anything for Rafa,\" Federer said. \"That I was able to win Madrid was amazing, and that is what I look at right now - not the rankings.\"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Federer next plays former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, the 2001 Rome champion.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   In women's play, Serena Williams rallied past Nadia Petrova of Russia 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to extend her winning streak to 15 matches. She's won titles in Charleston, S.C., and Madrid - plus two victories in Fed Cup.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Serena's sister, Venus Williams, had an easier time reaching the third round, eliminating Ekaterina Makarova of Russia 7-6 (7), 6-1.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Considering all the tennis Serena Williams has played during her streak, she didn't have much time after finishing her first-round win over Galina Voskoboeva near midnight Tuesday.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   \"It wasn't that easy. It was a quick turnaround,\" Serena said. \"When I saw the schedule, I said `Oh my God, are you serious?' That's life. You just have to be able to adjust and make the best of it and so I was really happy to come through today.\"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   However, Serena appeared to struggle with her back at times.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   \"Everyone has aches and pains here and there and today I felt it a lot because I have been playing a lot and practicing even more,\" she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Williams next faces fifth-seeded Sam Stosur, who defeated Sara Errani 6-3, 7-5.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Federer won 18 of 23 points at the net and held a 24-13 edge in winners against the 38th-ranked Berlocq in their first meeting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Federer has reached the final twice in Rome, losing to Felix Mantilla in 2003 and to Rafael Nadal in a fifth-set tiebreaker in 2006.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Federer considered skipped this tournament to stay fresh after playing a full week in Madrid, but said he decided to play \"this morning after practice.\"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   With the top eight seeds getting first-round byes, it gave him an extra day off.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   \"At least here we have two days off, which can be a lifesaver,\" he said. \"I don't think I would have played this tournament if I would have had one day off.\"&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   In other matches, 14th-seeded Juan Monaco cruised past Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-2; and Marcel Granollers of Spain eliminated Italian wild card Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   There were several upsets in the women's tournament, with No. 3 Agnieszka Radwanska, No. 6 Caroline Wozniacki and No. 7 Marion Bartoli each losing.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Radwanska was beaten by 28th-ranked Petra Cetkovska of the Czech Republic 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Wozniacki retired with upper respiratory illness while trailing 6-4, 4-0 to Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain; and Bartoli was eliminated 6-3, 6-1 by Julia Goerges of Germany.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Also, French Open winner Li Na of China beat Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 7-5; and 12th-seeded Angelique Kerber of Germany eliminated Vania King of the United States 6-3, 6-2.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;   Former French Open winner Ana Ivanovic routed Spanish qualifier Silvia Soler-Espinosa 6-2, 6-1 to set up a matchup with No. 2 Maria Sharapova.&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/tennis/2012/05/16/italian-open-rome-wednesday>