Radek Stepanek celebrates after defeating Roger Federer on Friday. (AFP)

Rome: Roger Federer’s preparations for the French Open suffered a further blow when he was beaten in straight sets in the quarter finals of the Rome Masters by unseeded Czech Radek Stepanek on Friday.

The world No. 1, struggling for consistency on clay ahead of the year’s second Grand Slam later this month, was the second big gun of the day to fall to an unseeded player after his Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka won an entertaining tussle with American James Blake 6-7, 7-6, 6-1.

Federer was comfortable on his service games in the first set of the quarter final, taking four to love, but he failed to force any break points. Stepanek wrapped up the ensuing tiebreak 7-4 with an ace.

A fired-up Stepanek saved two break points in the first game of the second set and then snapped the top seed’s serve immediately after.

The Swiss broke back in the seventh, only to surrender his serve again the following game, a wild shot giving away the vital point. He came back in contention two games later, the counter-break coming courtesy of a beautiful backhand volley. But Federer was unable to capitalise on two mini-breaks in the tiebreak and will now have to wait at least another year for his first Rome title.

In doubles, both Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi crashed out after losing their respective second-round doubles matches.

Fourth seeds Bhupathi and Mark Knowles went down 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 7-10 to Spaniards Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco. Paes and Australian partner Paul Hanley, seeded eighth, lost 6-4, 3-6, 6-10 to the Polish duo of Manisuz Furstenberg and Marcon Matkowski. (Agencies)