Rusedski on course to meet Federer

Greg Rusedski is gearing up for a second-round clash with Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the Masters Series event in Montreal.

British No2 Rusedski, playing in the city of his birth, defeated Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti 7-5, 6-3 in the first round. He will face Federer if the Swiss player can overcome Argentine Gaston Gaudio, the world No30, in his opening match.

Rusedski's big serve worked well against Lapentti, whom he broke in the 11th game before serving out the first set and he wasted no time in wrapping up the second.

Arnaud Clement and Simon Larose caused the first upsets in the tournament with victories over Carlos Moya and Gustavo Kuerten in the first round.

Clement, the French world No33, contained the fourth-seeded Spaniard with a string of stunning volleys to move into the last 32 with a 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 victory. "I was surprised at the level of my game," Clement said. "I have beaten him only once in six previous matches."

Moya said: "It was not an easy match. He played well."

The centre court crowd witnessed a second shock win when Canadian wildcard Larose, the world No 314, saw off Kuerten, the 13th-seeded Brazilian, 7-5, 7-6. "I didn't want him to settle at all," Larose said after registering his first victory over a player ranked in the top-200. "I just kept my cool and went for it."

However, top seed and world No1 Andre Agassi was in no mood to be part of an upset as he eased to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Canada's Frederic Niemeyer, another wildcard.