Tuning up to defend his Australian Open title, Roger Federer beat Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-4 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open.

The top-ranked Federer needed less than an hour to eliminate the 1997 US Open runner-up. Playing comfortably from the baseline, Federer was never in trouble, breaking Rusedski once in each set for his 19th straight victory since the Athens Olympics.

Federer, who won three Grand Slam titles last year, next plays seventh-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain.

Lopez beat qualifier Uros Vico of Italy 6-2, 7-6 (8-6).

Other winners Wednesday included No 3 Sebastien Grosjean, No 6 Ivan Ljubicic, No 8 Nikolay Davydenko, 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa, and Fabrice Santoro, who ended the run of top-ranked junior Gael Monfils 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

Monfils eliminated French Open champion Gaston Gaudio in the first round and wasted a match point against Santoro, who'll meet Costa next.

Ljubicic, last year's runner-up, faces Rafael Nadal, who beat Fernando Verdasco 6-2, 6-4.

(Agencies)