Story highlights
- Roger Federer wins opening match at Halle Open in Germany
- The 17-time grand slam winner yet to pick up a title this year
- Gael Monfils withdraws from Wimbledon for personal reasons
- Lleyton Hewitt shocks Grigor Dimitrov at Queen's Club
Roger Federer began preparations for the defense of his Wimbledon title by cruising into the quarterfinals with a crushing victory over German wildcard Cedrik-Marcel Stebe at the Halle Open Wednesday.
The 17-time grand slam winner needed just 67 minutes to record a 6-3 6-3 win in his first outing since losing to France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the quarterfinal stage of the French Open.
Federer suffered defeat playing alongside Tommy Haas in the doubles on Monday but bounced back in comfortable fashion.
"I was satisfied with my performance even if there were things I could have done better," the world number three told reporters.
"I hope to get stronger with each match."
Federer, 31, has not won a single title this season and is keen to get to add to the five crowns he has already won at the German tournament.
Federer: Do more drug testing 03:19
Ivanovic targets more French titles 00:50
On the court with 'Baby Federer' 01:12
The Swiss ace has reached the final seven times, winning five of those between 2003-2008, while he lost out in 2010 to Lleyton Hewitt, and to Germany's Haas last year.
"Any title is good for your confidence," he added.
"I want to be in the best position to do well here in Halle then at Wimbledon. I feel that my best chance is here."
Federer will face German Mischa Zverev, ranked 156 in the world, in the next round.
One man who won't be playing at Wimbledon is France's Gael Monfils, who has withdrawn from the tournament for personal reasons.
"I've withdrawn my request for a wildcard because I've got a small personal problem to sort out during the coming week," he told reporters following his second round win over Jan Hernych in Halle.
"Something unexpected has come up in the first week of Wimbledon."
Monfils, ranked 67 in the world, is expected to compete at the Stuttgart clay-court tournament which starts on July 8.
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Rafael Nadal of Spain reacts after winning match point against David Ferrer of Spain during the men's singles final match of the French Open at Roland Garros Stadium in Paris, on Sunday, June 9. Nadal won 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Hide Caption
1 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal poses for photos with the Coupe des Mousquetaires trophy.
Hide Caption
2 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal celebrates.
Hide Caption
3 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a forehand against Ferrer.
Hide Caption
4 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a forehand to Ferrer.
Hide Caption
5 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer serves to Nadal.
Hide Caption
6 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – A protester runs onto the court with a lit flare during the match.
Hide Caption
7 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Protesters light flares and unfurl a banner which calls for the French President Francois Hollande's resignation on the top of Court Suzanne Lenglen as Nadal and Ferrer compete.
Hide Caption
8 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer returns a shot to Nadal.
Hide Caption
9 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal serves to Ferrer.
Hide Caption
10 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal serves to Ferrer.
Hide Caption
11 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer plays a forehand to Nadal.
Hide Caption
12 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer returns a shot to Nadal.
Hide Caption
13 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal prepares to serve to Ferrer.
Hide Caption
14 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal plays a backhand against Ferrer.
Hide Caption
15 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Ferrer plays a forehand against Nadal.
Hide Caption
16 of 17
Photos: Photos: The French Open: Men's singles final
The French Open: Men's singles final – Nadal returns to Ferrer.
Hide Caption
17 of 17
What the French Open means to Li Na 01:31
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Sweet 16 – Monica Seles' career began in breathtaking fashion. In 1990, aged just 16 years and six months, the Yugoslavia-born starlet beat Steffi Graf to become the youngest French Open singles champion. After winning the year-end championships, Seles finished the season ranked No. 2 in the world.
Hide Caption
1 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Dominant Down Under – Seles followed up her victory in Paris with success at the first grand slam of 1991, beating Jana Novotna to win the Australian Open final in January before replacing Graf at the top of the world rankings in March. Seles then defended her Roland Garros crown before beating Martina Navratilova to clinch the U.S. Open.
Hide Caption
2 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Stabbed in the back – Seles defended all three of her grand slam titles in 1992, and lost in the final at Wimbledon. She then won the Australian Open for the third time in a row, but the defining moment of her career arrived at the 1993 Hamburg Masters, when a man later identified as an obsessive fan of Graf ran onto the court and stabbed her in the back. Her injuries healed within weeks, but Seles was out of the sport for over two years.
Hide Caption
3 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Canadian comeback – Seles finally returned to the WTA Tour in August 1995, coming back with a bang as she beat Amanda Coetzer in the final of the Canadian Open.
Hide Caption
4 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
To the four – In 1996 Seles enjoyed a fourth Australian Open win, defeating Anke Huber in the final. But it would prove to be her final grand slam title as she struggled to regain the form she displayed before the attack, as she suffered weight problems.
Hide Caption
5 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
A career curtailed – A foot injury forced Seles out of what would prove to be the final Tour match of her career at the 2003 Italian Open.
Hide Caption
6 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
A meeting with Martina – New Zealand played host to two exhibition matches between Seles and Martina Navratilova in 2005. Despite losing both matches, Seles announced her intention to return to competitive action in 2006. The comeback, however, never happened.
Hide Caption
7 of 8
Photos: Monica Seles' highs and lows
Ceremonial duties – Seles was back at Roland Garros in 2012, when she presented the winner's trophy to Maria Sharapova after the Russian defeated Sara Errani of Italy.
Hide Caption
8 of 8
Elsewhere at Halle, Japan's Kei Nishikori suffered a shock three-set defeat by Russia' Mikhail Youzhny.
The Russian, 30, claimed a surprise 6-1 6-7 6-3 win after a battle which lasted over two hours.
Meanwhile, former World No.1 Lleyton Hewitt pulled off an impressive straight sets win over Bulgaria's rising star Grigor Dimitrov at Queen's Club in London.
Hewitt, who won at Wimbledon in 2002, prevailed 6-4 6-3 in just 68 minutes.
"Today's victory is going to help me immensely," he told the ATP website.
"I feel like in practice, I have been hitting the ball great. It was just a matter of doing it on the match court.
"My first match wasn't pretty, but I fought hard and got through it. That's what I needed to do. Then today it was a classy performance."
Hewitt will play 2010 winner Sam Querrey for a place in the quarterfinals.
Elsewhere, there were victories for Tomas Berdych, Alexandr Dolgopolov and British wild card Dan Evans.
Andy Murray's match against Nicolas Mahut was suspended because of rain after the Briton had taken the first set 6-3.
