Washington, Aug 6 (DPA) Andy Roddick made a winning return to tennis with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over German Benjamin Becker, putting his Wimbledon loss to Roger Federer behind him with a move into the third round of the Legg Mason Classic.

The top seed and world number five lost a third Wimbledon final to Federer a month ago.

Roddick holds Washington title honours from 2001, 2005 and 2007 and Wednesday lifted his record at the pre-US Open event to 26 wins, four losses. He sent over eight aces and broke three times for a tidy victory in 55 minutes.

The American now stands just a match away from becoming the fourth active player -- alongside Federer, Carlos Moya and Lleyton Hewitt -- to notch 500 career ATP match victories.

Roddick was joined in the third round at Rock Creek Park by fast-rising compatriot Sam Querrey, as the 16th-seed winner of the Los Angeles title at the weekend began his Washington campaign over Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-4.

2004 winner Lleyton Hewitt, nearly a year after his career-saving hip surgery, won his second straight match at the venue, defeating Israel's 15th seed Dudi Sela 6-3, 2-6, 6-2.

The Australian is keen to lift in time for the US Open, which he won in 2001.

'I'm really trying to excel in the second half of the season,' said the two-time Grand Slam champion.