Federer and Nadal progress at Roland Garros
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both through to third round of French Open in rain-hit Paris
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Thursday, 29, May 2008 10:58
Top seeds Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have both secured their places in the third round of the French Open after wins on Thursday.
Federer came back from a set down to defeat Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-7 6-1 6-0 6-4, while Nadal made light work of French qualifier Nicolas Devilder 6-4 6-0 6-1.
Rain was again a factor in Paris, with a delay for bad weather initially favouring Montanes, who won the first set on a 7-5 tiebreak.
But his world number one opponent responded by losing just five games in the remaining five sets, with the 26-year-old admitting afterwards that he had "bounced back well".
"The conditions were tough and playing ten games in the rain was not a whole lot of fun," Swiss star Federer, who plays Mario Ancic in the next round, added.
Nadal, seeded second despite bidding for his fourth consecutive title, was never truly tested by Devilder. Finn Jarkko Nieminen will present tougher opposition in the next round.
Day four of the competition accounted for two of the big names in the men's draw, with David Nalbandian and James Blake both making early exits.
Nalbandian let a two-set lead slip to lose to Jeremy Chardy, while Blake, seeded one place behind the Argentinean in seventh, lost to Latvian Ernests Gulbis.