TENNIS

Federer wins first-round match, gets a pass to the quarterfinals

Top-seeded Roger Federer easily beat Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 6-4 in the first round Wednesday to sail straight into the quarterfinals of the ABN Amro World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Federer’s second-round opponent, Mikhail Youzhny, withdrew with a foot injury, giving the Swiss star a place in the last eight.

The 16-time Grand Slam winner will face Jarkko Nieminen, who overcame Lukasz Kubot, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (2).

Second-seeded Tomas Berdych hit 10 aces to beat Lukas Rosol 6-4 6-2 and earn a spot in the second round.

Copa BBVA Colsanitas: Seeded players Jelena Dokic and Romina Oprandi were knocked out at Bogota, Colombia.

Fourth-seeded Dokic lost in the first round to Paula Ormaechea 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and the third-seeded Oprandi fell to Timea Babos 7-6 (5), 6-4 in the second round.

QATAR OPEN: Caroline Wozniacki failed to convert three match points and lost to Lucie Safarova 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (3) in her opening match at Doha, Qatar.

Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, in her first match ranked No. 1, dispatched Mona Barthel, 6-1, 6-0.

SKIING

MEN’S WORLD CUP: Overall leader Ivica Kostelic said he hopes to return to competing within a month despite having a knee operation.

Kostelic, the defending overall champion, underwent surgery in Basel, Switzerland, after partially tearing cartilage in his right knee during his super-combined victory in Russia on Sunday.

PREP SCHOOLS

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: In an Eastern Independent League game, Kaila Duarte and Steph Rivera combined for 16 points in the final six minutes to help top-ranked Beaver Country Day School (18-2) pull away from Berwick Academy (10-9) for a 58-44 win at Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Torie St. Pierre led Berwick with 14 points.

SOCCER

WORLD CUP: The United States will open qualifying for the 2014 World Cup in Tampa, Fla., facing Antigua and Barbuda on June 8 at Raymond James Stadium.

U.S. Soccer also announced that the Americans will face Scotland in an exhibition May 26 in Jacksonville, Fla.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: AC Milan outclassed visiting Arsenal to plant one foot firmly in the quarterfinals, winning 4-0 in the first leg of their Round of 16 series.

Zenit St. Petersburg also secured a slimmer advantage by beating Benfica 3-2 at home.

— From staff and news services