Federer reaches QFs in rainy Estoril

The top-seeded/world No. 1 Swiss star handled Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-3, 6-2 in a second-rounder on the red clay at Estadio Nacional. Rain fell throughout the bout, but the conditions were never dangerous on the slow dirt.

The 12-time Grand Slam champion Federer is still seeking his first trip to a final this year. His quarterfinal opponent on Friday will be a Portuguese player, either wild card Frederico Gil or qualifer Joao Sousa. Gil was leading Sousa 7-6 (7-5), 0-1 when play was suspended for the day.

In other second-round play, Czech Jiri Vanek upended eighth-seeded German Michael Berrer 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 and German Denis Gremelmayr topped Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-6 (8-6), 6-1.

The other quarters will pit second-seeded Russian star Nikolay Davydenko against seventh-seeded Frenchman Marc Gicquel, Gremelmayr versus Vanek and Italian Flavio Cipolla against France's Florent Serra. Davydenko titled in Estoril in 2003 and was the runner-up here in 2006. The world No. 4 is currently riding a nine-match overall winning streak, including a big title at the so-called "Fifth Major" in Miami just two weeks ago.

The 2008 Estoril champion will claim $93,600.