Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating France's Nicolas Devilder in their second-round match at the French Open yesterday. - AP
PARIS (AP):
ROGER FEDERER and Rafael Nadal showed what they can do when they are challenged.
The two highest-seeded players in the men's field at the 2008 French Open had tougher-than-expected first sets yesterday, and both responded by reeling off game after game to move into the third round.
Although Federer's serve was not broken, he lost the first set in a tiebreaker before beating Albert Montanes of Spain 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4. Nadal faced a close call in the first set, but the three-time defending champion still beat Nicolas Devilder of France 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.
"It was a good test," Federer said.
Seventh-seeded James Blake lost to 19-year-old Ernests Gulbis of Latvia 7-6 (2), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3, and sixth-seeded David Nalbandian was upset by Jeremy Chardy of France 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
Normal styles
"I wasn't going for the shots the way I normally do," Blake said.
Venus Williams and Jelena Jankovic reached the third round in the women's field, one easing through her match and the other playing through pain.
The eighth-seeded Williams used a six-game run to beat 241st-ranked qualifier Selima Sfar of Tunisia 6-2, 6-4. Jankovic, seeded third, and a semi-finalist at Roland Garros last year, was bothered by a right-arm injury, but defeated Marina Erakovic of New Zealand 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Amelie Mauresmo, a two-time Grand Slam champion seeded 22nd, lost to Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain 6-3, 6-4.
Nadal improved to 23-0 at the French Open. The second-seeded Spaniard was leading 5-0 in the second set when rain returned to Roland Garros for the fourth time in five days and interrupted the match. When they came back on court, Nadal broke Devilder to take a two-set lead and then jumped out to another 5-0 lead in the third.
"The second and third sets were very good," Nadal said. "What's really important is that I'm in the third (round) and improving with each match."
Devilder, who broke Nadal once in the first set, held his serve in the sixth game of the third set, running the Spaniard all over the court and tapping a volley into an empty space. As the crowd cheered, the Frenchman raised his hands over his head to celebrate.
But six points later, Nadal was into the third round.
Nadal has won the last three French Open titles, defeating Federer in the final the past two years. He is trying to become the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1978-81 to win the clay-court Grand Slam tournament four years in a row.
Career Grand Slam
Federer, a 12-time major champion, who still needs to win at Roland Garros to complete a career Grand Slam, was even at 5-5 in the first set when the rain interrupted his match.
"The weather conditions were not easy," Federer said, "After (the delay), I felt a bit better, more relaxed."
Number nine Stanislas Wawrinka, number 15 Mikhail Youzhny, number 24 Fernando Gonzalez, number 26 Jarkko Nieminen and number 30 Dmitry Tursunov also advanced to the third round.
Mauresmo, who missed the Italian and German opens because of a rib injury, finished with 38 unforced errors and was broken five times.
"Frankly, I don't know what to say right now, because there was nothing much on my side, apart from a few games in which I was slightly more aggressive and not letting her play that game that much," Mauresmo said, "It's a bit difficult for me to analyse all this. And all I can say is that I feel sorry about the way I played."
Williams trailed 2-1 after being broken early in the first set, but she didn't drop another game until leading 1-0 in the second set. The American made 16 more unforced errors than Sfar, but made up for that with strong play at the net. Williams won the point on 24 of her 35 trips forward.
"It's really nothing planned. I just really feel comfortable at the net, and I don't know why. I just do. I like it up there, so I do try to get there when I can," said Williams, who lost the 2002 French Open final to her younger sister Serena. "It's just finally kicked in. I should always have been there, years ago."
