Hernan Gumy believes the Bermuda Open is a tougher tournament now than it was when he won last year.

After staying on course to defend his title with a convincing second-round victory over Karsten Braasch yesterday, the Argentine also said he felt stronger and fitter than last Spring.

Gumy, 27, never looked in trouble against the German and the 6-2, 6-4 score was an accurate relection of his dominance.

"This year, I think the tournament is tougher and it is getting harder match by match,'' said Gumy.

"But I'm feeling quicker than I was last year. I've lost a few pounds. Last year I was just coming back after an injury, but this year I've played a couple of tournaments and I'm feeling good.'' Braasch has an awkward-looking service action and an unorthodox all-round game, but it has been effective over his 12-year career on the Tour and Gumy had been wary of the threat posed by the 31-year-old.

"You have to keep your mind very concentrated against this kind of guy. He's got a strange game, but he has been in the world's top 40 and he is a very experienced player,'' said Gumy.

The champion put Braasch under pressure from the start and the German was unable to win a service game without going to deuce until midway through the second set.

Gumy earned his first service break in the fifth game and then repeated the trick in the seventh game, in which Braasch at one point had a 40-0 lead.

Gumy then held his serve to go a set up, but Braasch, who frequently vented his frustration by shouting loudly to himself, improved early in the second set.

Braasch looked a better player when he attacked at the net and he resurrected his victory hopes with a few volley winners.

But Gumy clung onto the initiative and broke the Braasch serve in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead.

With victory in sight, Gumy was handed an official warning by the umpire for delaying the game, after he disputed a call and had the umpire off her chair twice to examine the ball mark in the dust.

Braasch, who was serving to save the match at 3-5 down and deuce, made his frustration clear and shouted: "What are you two discussing?'' Braasch won the game, but Gumy then served out to win the match.

Braasch's doubles partner Dirk Dier fared better, completing a 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Richey Reneberg in a match resumed after being rained off on Wednesday night.

Dier started yesterday a set ahead and 2-1 up in the second set with a break of serve.

Wild card entry Reneberg failed to get near the break of serve he needed to survive and the shaven-headed German, who eliminated number seven seed Marcelo Filippini in the first round, bagged another impressive scalp.

Dier, who faces tournament favourite Nicolas Lapentti in the quarter-finals tonight, said the rain interruption had not bothered him.

"It's much easier to start a match again when you are on top,'' said Dier.

"My first service game today was important and I won it to 15, and I could see that Richey was feeling pressure from my tennis.

"I've played two good matches so far and now I've got to play the number one seed and I've nothing to lose so I can just play my game, fight and see what happens.'' OPEN RESULTS AND SCHEDULE YESTERDAY'S RESULTS Singles Second round Dirk Dier, Germany, d Richey Reneberg, US, 6-4, 6-4 Tomas Behrend, Germany, d Stefan Koubek, Austria, 7-5, 7-6 Hernan Gumy, Argentina, d Karsten Braasch, Germany, 6-2, 6-4 Nicolas Massu, Chile, d Ville Liukko, Finland, 6-4, 6-2 Jared Palmer, US, d Lucas Arnold, Argentina, 6-3, 7-5 Quarter-final Guillermo Canas, Argentina, d Christophe Rochus, Belgium, 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 Doubles Doug Flach and Richey Reneberg, US, d Ricardo Sclachter and Paulo Taicher, Brazil, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Alejandro Hernandez, Mexico, and Cristiano Testa, Brazil, d Nicolas Lapentti and Giovanni Lapentti, Ecuador, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3 TODAY'S SCHEDULE Centre court, 12 noon Nicolas Massu, Chile, v Tomas Behrend, Germany David Roditi, Mexico and Paul Rosner, South Africa, v Doug Flach and Richey Reneberg, US Nicolas Lapentti, Ecuador, v Dirk Dier, Germany 7.00 p.m.

Jared Palmer, US v Hernan Gumy, Argentina Paul Kilderry and Patrick Rafter v Andrew Painter and Maurice Ruah Photos by Arthur Bean Not a happy man: Karsten Braasch shows his displeasure during his defeat by defending champion Hernan Gumy on the centre court at Coral Beach yesterday.

Full stretch: Tomas Behrend strains every sinew on his way to victory against second seed Stefan Koubek on number seven court at Coral Beach yesterday.