Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal showed what they can do when challenged.
The two top-seeded men at the 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 wasn’t 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 champ still beat Nicolas Devilder of France 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.
“It was tough going down a set, but reaction was good and bounced back strong,” Federer said. “Played really well after that.”
Both Canadians in action yesterday were victorious. In women’s singles, Aleksandra Wozniak of Blainville, Que., advanced to the third round of a Grand Slam event for the first time with a 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Akqul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan.
In first-round men’s doubles play, the second-seeded team of Toronto’s Daniel Nestor and Serbia’s Nenad Zimonjic defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin and Gilles Simon of France, 6-3, 6-3.
Seventh-seeded American 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 of Argentina was upset by Jeremy Chardy of France 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.
