In-form Tim is hoping his practice has been perfect

Tim Henman knows what a tricky opponent he faces in the third round of the Italian Masters in Rome after practising with Dominik Hrbaty as part of his preparation for this event.

Henman set up a meeting with the Slovakian after a 6-3, 6-2 win over Chile's double Olympic champion Nicolas Massu.

The British No1 said: "He's a guy that's always going to compete hard. We practised a bit before the tournament and it seemed like he was playing well.

"If I can put pressure on his second serve and keep the points short that will favour me. His service games always felt like I was keeping him off balance. I don't think clay is my best surface but I feel like I've been pretty consistent all round."

Meanwhile, Australian Open champion and second seed Marat Safin tumbled out last night, beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Spanish qualifier Nicolas Almagro.

Safin said: "I just couldn't hurt him at all. I was running from side to side and I didn't have any chance to beat him - that's what bothered me.

"He played solidly, nothing spectacular - it was just me. I couldn't play my game."

Earlier, top seed Andy Roddick beat 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa 6-4, 7-5. The current holder of the Roland Garros crown, Argentine Gaston Gaudio, defeated Italy's Filippo Volandri 6-4, 6-2.

Andre Agassi cruised past rising star Richard Gasquet 6-2, 6-3.

The American's eagerly-anticipated match against the teenage sensation turned out to be a damp squib.

Gasquet, 18, ended Roger Federer's 25-match winning streak at the Monte Carlo Masters last month but did not show the same killer instinct against 35-year-old Agassi.

Agassi made a poor start, peppered with unforced errors, but Gasquet failed to convert three early break points and then double-faulted to gift his childhood hero the match.

Afterwards, Agassi was full of sympathy, recalling a 6-3, 6-3 defeat by John McEnroe months after he turned professional.

Agassi said: "It was when I was 16, the quarter-finals of the Stratton Mountain event. I never felt relaxed on the court. But Gasquet's game is very nice. It won't be long before he's comfortable."

Former women's world No1 Justine Henin-Hardenne continued her return to fitness after six months of debilitating glandular illness by coming through two tough three-set matches in one day in the German Open clay court event.

In the morning the 22-year-old, now ranked 15, weathered a baseline battle to beat 22-year-old Czech Iveta Benesova 7-5, 4-6, 6-1.

Henin-Hardenne was frequently stretched by the Czech left-hander, who put up a spirited fight from the start but floundered in the final set of the first-round match.

Just hours later, the Belgian was challenged by Russian Maria Kirilenko but recovered from a disastrous start to win 2-6, 6-1, 6-3.

Henin-Hardenne described the day as a "slog" but said her hard-fought matches showed she was fully fit and were valuable preparation for the French Open at the end of the month.

She said: "It gives me confidence to see that I could play six sets. I am happy the day is done."

Henin-Hardenne, who won the French Open in 2003, said she felt her game was improving.

The Belgian has claimed two successive clay-court titles, including the Warsaw tournament on Sunday, and has won two of the three events she has played since returning to the circuit in March.