Roger Federer advances in singles

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BEIJING -- Roger Federer, the best men’s tennis player in the world the last four years, but twice disappointed at the Olympic Games, took his first step toward rectifying that here Monday.

He beat Russian Dmitry Tursunov, a potentially formidable foe, in a 6-4, 6-2 breeze.

In Sydney in 2000, the Swiss sensation had not yet become the Roger Federer of renown, and when he lost, it was not big news.

But when he went out in Athens, it was a major story.

The player who took him out there, Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic, is one match away from getting another shot at doing it again, assuming Federer also gets through his next round.

Berdych beat Yu Xinyuan of China in the first round, 6-1, 6-2.

Berdych is seeded 16 places below Federer’s top spot. This is Federer’s last week in his long run as No. 1 in the world, yielding that spot, via computer rating points, effective Monday to Rafal Nadal of Spain.

-- Bill Dwyre