Thu May 29 13:42:17 2008

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Federer, Nadal move on; Nalbandian, Blake tumble in Paris

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Paris, France (Sports Network) - Top-ranked Roger Federer and three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal were a pair of second-round winners, while sixth-seeded Argentine David Nalbandian and seventh-seeded American James Blake were a pair of upset victims Thursday at the French Open.

Federer dropped the first set against Spaniard Albert Montanes before charging back for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 decision on Court Chatrier. Federer was forced to wait out a rain delay before advancing, as inclement weather has affected the festivities here three times in five days.

The 26-year-old Federer lost to Nadal in the last two finals here and still needs a French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam.

Federer is the reigning five-time Wimbledon and four-time U.S. Open champion and owns 12 major titles overall. The super Swiss will meet Croat Mario Ancic in the third round.

The second-seeded Nadal blew out Frenchman Nicolas Devilder 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 on Day 5 at Roland Garros, where the Spaniard is seeking a record-tying fourth straight title and is now 23-0 for his career.

The amazing Nadal is 110-2 in his last 112 clay-court matches since 2005.

Up next for the powerful Spaniard, who is the only former French Open champ still standing here, will be fellow lefthander Jarkko Nieminen of Finland.

The former Tennis Masters Cup champion and former Wimbledon runner-up Nalbandian was shocked by 145th-ranked French wild card Jeremy Chardy 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, while Blake was bounced by rising 19-year-old Latvian Ernests Gulbis 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. The world No. 7 Nalbandian reached the French Open semifinals in 2004 and 2006, while Blake, who struggles mightily on clay, has never made it past the third round at this Parisian major. Blake has fallen in the first or second round here in five out of six trips.

Ninth-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka reached the round of 32 by besting young Croat Marin Cilic 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, while 15th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny crushed helpless Argentine Maximo Gonzalez 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Meanwhile, 22nd-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco handled Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 7-5, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5; 24th-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez held off Spaniard Pablo Andujar 7-5, 6-0, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3); a 26th-seeded Nieminen edged out Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 7-6 (7-2); 28th-seeded Croat Ivan Ljubicic leveled Argentine Diego Junqueira 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; and 30th-seeded Russian Dmitry Tursunov trounced Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7-4), 6-0, 6-0.

American Bobby Reynolds lost to Ecuadorian veteran Nicolas Lapentti 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5, while the aforementioned Ancic overcame Spaniard David Marrero 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-2.