Fed through after early scare.

Provided by 7DAYS.ae

ROGER FEDERER needed a set to get going before he blasted his way into the third round of the French Open with a 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 win over Albert Montanes. The world No.1 looked out of sorts in a first set made difficult for both players by cool conditions and rain. He saved two sets points at 4-5 down on his own serve before players, fans and officials alike were sent scurrying for cover as the rain intensified.

Ninety minutes later it was 27-year-old Montanes who was faster out of the blocks, lifting the tie-breaker 7/5 with Federer's usually devastating forehand looking wobbly due to the heavy balls. But with the sun starting to shine Federer found his form and soon easily saw off his Spanish opponent.

And he said he found the early going tough.

"The conditions were difficult in that first set with all the rain and he played well. But once I got ahead in the second and third sets I felt more and more comfortable," Federer said. He now faces big-serving Croatian Mario Ancic and he insists he is not going to take the former top-ten player lightly.

"He's a tough opponent - he has a good name and it should be exciting. He's been playing OK and is on the comeback trail. He is a good friend of mine on the tour," said Federer.

Meanwhile, claycourt king Rafael Nadal brushed aside French qualifier Nicolas Devilder 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 to take his Roland Garros record to 23 wins in 23 matches as he continued his campaign to emulate Bjorn Borg as the only man to win four titles in a row.A Earlier, sixth seed David Nalbandian and seventh seed James Blake went down to surprise defeats.

Former semi-finalist Nalbandian suffered a humiliating loss to world No.145 Jeremy Chardy after being two sets up. And American Blake also made an early exit in Paris, crashing out 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Latvian teenager Ernests Gulbis.

[c] 2007 Al Sidra Media LLC

Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company