Top-ranked Roger Federer was an easy third- round winner on Saturday, while fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer went the distance to avoid an upset against former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, and world No. 4 Russian Nikolay Davydenko was a stunning loser at the 2008 French Open.

Federer outplayed close friend Mario Ancic of Croatia winning 6-3, 6-4 6-2 in cool, rainy, evening conditions on the Philippe Chatrier Centre Court.

"I struggled a little bit early on but once I got the break I started to play better and more freely," said Federer.

"I am happy with my performance - not losing much energy in the first week is always a good sign."

Federer's fourth-round opponent will be Frenchman Julien Benneteau, a clay- court runner-up in Casablanca last week.

The 2007 Tennis Masters Cup runner-up Ferrer came from behind in order to outlast a 25th-seeded Hewitt 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in 3 hours, 35 minutes on Court Lenglen.

Ferrer will next take on the much-improved Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic whose unpredictable game was too much for Spanish claycourter Tommy Robredo winning 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.

In men's third round action the main upset came when back-to-form Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia battled from two sets down to oust fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia 4-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

It was, he said, his "biggest victory ever especially coming back from two sets down to beat Nikolay" and came after "a very dark period for me the last 12 months" when he was mentally worn out.

"I've been feeling well since the first tournament on clay and it was just a matter of time," he said. "I was feeling that something positive was going to happen."

(source Yahoo Sports,
photo/AP Photo/David Vincent via Yahoo Sports)

Federer, Fererr Advance, Davydenko Stunned