posted August 7, 2007 at 19:30 in Tennis Articles

Montreal, Canada – On Wednesday August 8, 2007 the Rogers Master Series moves into the second round. Rogers Cup defending champion and World No.1 Roger Federer returns to tournament action following a month-long absence after winning his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title last month.

Top seed Federer begins the defense of his Rogers Cup title in the second round against No. 34 Ivo Karlovic. Karlovic earned his second round date with Federer after defeating Max Mirnyi 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(3). Karlovic, who fired 21 aces in his marathon three set match against Mirnyi, leads the ATP in Aces (719). Although he trails 0-2 in career head-to-heads against Federer, he could serve-up some trouble for the stoic Swiss on his first day back in tournament play.

Rogers Cup 2006 runner-up Richard Gasquet (lost to Federer last year 2-6 6-3, 6-2.) also begins his tournament on Wednesday. Gasquet, who enters the Rogers Cup tournament as the eighth seed, will meet No. 35 Fernando Verdasco.

Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko, under investigation in a tennis betting scandal that involves irregular betting patterns on one of his matches, takes on Jarkko Nieminen in the second round. Davydenko crashed out of the 2006 Rogers Cup in the first round against Xavier Malisse. With match-fixing rumors preceding Davydenko, he will be hard-pressed to improve on his 2006 performance and may very well produce back-to-back first round losses in Montreal.

In other action scheduled for day three of the ATP Masters Series: No. 2 Rafael Nadal will take on Marat Safin for their first-ever career matchup; James Blake and Lleyton Hewitt will meet for their first meeting in 2007; and Andy Roddick will face Arnaud Clement for the first time since 2005.

With so many blockbuster matchups in the second round of the Rogers Cup, day three is shaping up to be one of the most exciting days of the tournament. Handicapping tennis could not be more thrilling. Bet on the Rogers Cup with BetUS.com Sportsbook and get in on some of the best tennis action in week four of the US Open Series.

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Nila Amerova is a freelance sports writer and regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room.