Roger Federer from Switzerland is presented with a birthday cake for his 26th birthday following his match against Ivo Karlovic from Croatia, during Rogers Cup tennis action Wednesday in Montreal. Federer won 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3). - AP

MONTREAL (AP):

Nikolay Davydenko, whose loss last week at an event in Poland is under investigation due to suspicious betting patterns, beat Finland's Jarkko Nieminen 6-3, 7-6 (5) Wednesday in the Rogers Cup.

Davydenko, who said he felt "disappointment" when he first heard the news, was playing his first match since he retired because of injury from a match against Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina. He was seeded fourth and given a bye into the second round.

"People are talking not only, say, in Russia, in my country, but everywhere in the world," Davydenko said. "It's pretty tough for me and I get more pressure for this tournament. Mentally, it's pretty tough."

A British bookmaker said it received about US$7 million in bets on the Prokom Open match - 10 times the usual amount - and most of the money was on Arguello to win, even after Davydenko won the first set 6-2.

The ATP, which is conducting the probe, said Monday it had no plans to suspend the Russian or ask him to sit out.

Birthday win

In other matches Wednesday, top seed Roger Federer celebrated his 26th birthday with a 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3) win over big serving Ivo Karlovic. The crowd suddenly began singing Happy Birthday late in the first set, making Federer's task a little more difficult.

"I enjoy it, of course," Federer said. "At the same time you're like, 'I'm struggling to get a ball back against this guy and they're singing Happy Birthday.' Are they watching the same match as me?"

Fifth-seeded Andy Roddick advanced with a 6-1, 7-6 (5) victory over Arnaud Clement, and 14th seed Mikhail Youzhny defeated Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4, 6-4, but it was otherwise a difficult day for seeded players.

The number seven seed, Tommy Robredo, lost 6-2, 6-4 to Dominik Hrbaty, and No. 13 Andy Murray - playing his first tournament since injuring a wrist three months ago - fell to qualifier Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2. James Blake withdrew from the tournament before his second-round match against Lleyton Hewitt, citing abdominal problems. Hewitt will face Hrbaty in the next round.

Frank Dancevic, a 22-year-old player from Canada, advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 win over American qualifier Wayne Odesnik.

Dancevic completed the victory with his 19th ace of the match, the same way he finished his first-round win over Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro late Monday night.

"It's better than playing a long game," Dancevic said. "I'd rather just serve and end it."