John Isner, Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick advance at BNP Paribas Open

Reporting from Indian Wells —

Seeded U.S. players John Isner, Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick advanced in the men’s bracket of the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament Saturday, but with varying degrees of ease.

The hard-serving Isner, still glowing a bit from a recent Davis Cup win over Roger Federer, started slowly and finished fast, beating Frederico Gil of Portugal, 7-5, 6-3.

“Fortunately for me, I have the luxury of a big serve when I’m not really comfortable in the early goings of a match,” the 11th-seeded Isner said.

Fish, who at 30 has resurrected a career that appeared to be in its twilight and is seeded eighth here, was ahead of Andreas Seppi, 6-3, 3-2, when the Italian withdrew with an injury.

Fish said a highlight of the year to date was playing in Dubai and getting to ride a camel: “That was cool.”

Roddick, the most recent U.S. player to win a Grand Slam singles title — the U.S. Open in 2003 — had a tough time against Poland’s Lukasz Kubot before prevailing, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3.

“In the first two sets,” Roddick said, “I couldn’t have hit a return into the ocean from the beach.”

Roddick has slipped in the rankings to No. 31 and is seeded 30th here.

On the women’s side, Caroline Wozniacki, former No. 1 and defending champion here, was dominant in her 6-2, 6-0 victory over Ekaterina Makarova of Russia. Denmark’s Wozniacki, slipping a bit to No. 4 in the world rankings, said, “I don’t like to be out there too long, if I don’t have to.”

In the evening’s first match Saturday, a resurgent Maria Sharapova, seeded second here and seeking her second Indian Wells title (her first was in 2006), ran past veteran Gisela Dulko of Argentina, 6-2, 6-0, in 1 hour 5 minutes.

bill.dwyre@latimes.com