Roger Federer made a solid start to his clay-court season, relying on the counsel of provisional coach Jose Higueras to advance into the second round of the Estoril Open on Tuesday.

The Swiss top seed, seeking his first title of a slow-starting season, overcame gritty Belgian opponent Olivier Rochus of Belgium 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

"Getting through a match like this is good, especially being down a set," said the winner, who next plays Victor Hanescu of Romania.

"I had to come back and fight, but the reward was great. I played well toward the end," said the Swiss, who lamented throwing out chances in the first set, double-faulting away a break point against Rochus.

"This is a bit of a relief," confessed the Estoril debutant, playing here due to spring scheduling in anticipation of the Beijing Olympics.

"I was under a lot of pressure today (Tuesday), at the end especially."

Federer is playing a non-Masters ATP spring clay event for the first time since winning the Munich title in 2003.

He is guided this week under a temporary arrangement with Spain's past clay master Higueras, former coach of Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Michael Chang - the latter two French Open champions.

Federer is keen - but not desperate - to correct an historic imbalance in his current season. It's the first time since 2000 that he's gone the first three months of a season without a trophy.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion is currently embroiled in his second-longest trophy dry spell (five events) since late 2002 and early 2003 when he went seven tournaments without a title.

The satisfied Swiss finished his afternoon in two hours with a 17th ace.

Rochus, who counts Federer as a friend after the pair grew up on court together a decade and a half ago, said he may be facing surgery on his right shoulder for inflammation.

"It was bothering me, but I served good," said the Belgian ranked No 141.

"But Roger started making less errors and lifted his game.

"I knew when I trailed 5-2 in the second set that it would be tough. I've know Roger for 14 years, it's always an honor to play against him."

Federer lost the first set but quickly got a grip on his game, guided by the coach he hooked up with only a few days ago under an arrangement being tested this week but with scope for extension through the clay season and possibly beyond.

Second seed and former champion Nikolay Davydenko was untroubled after arriving from a Davis Cup win in Moscow, dispatching Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-1 to ease into the second round.

Davydenko won the 2003 title and played the final two years ago but has also exited three times in the first round at the Estadio Nacional.

Portugal's Rui Machado surprised ailing third seed Ivo Karlovic, advancing to a surprise win as the Croatian pulled out with a knee injury trailing 6-4, 1-0.

In women's play, top-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta defeated Yvonne Meusburger 4-6, 6-0, 6-2 while No 2 Maria Kirilenko faced a battle before stopping Swiss teenager Sandra Vogele 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-1.

(AFP April 17, 2008)