The world's top-ranked tennis players, men's No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland and women's No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo of France, have reached the fourth round of the French Open in Paris.
Federer scored a four-set win over Nicolas Massu of Chile, 6-1, 6-2, 6-7, and 7-5. In the next round, the Swiss player takes on Czech player Tomas Berdych, who advanced when his opponent Nicolas Kiefer of Germany retired with a wrist injury.
Mauresmo scored a 6-3, 6-3 over Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and Montenegro. The French player faces 16th-seeded Czech player Nicole Vaidisova, a three-set winner over Aravane Rezai of France (6-1, 6-7, 6-0).
Elsewhere in men's play, third seed David Nalbandian of Argentina scored a five-set win over Russian Dmitry Tursunov (2-6, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4). Nalbandian plays compatriot Martin Vassallo Arguello, a five-set winner over Dutch player Raemon Sluiter (2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, and 6-1).
In women's play, former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova of Russia defeated Alicia Molik of Australia (6-0, 7-5). Sharapova plays countrywoman Dinara Safina, a straight-sets winner over Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia (6-3, 6-4).
Tenth-seeded Gaston Gaudio of Argentina advanced with a straight-set win over former champion Juan Carlos Ferrero (7-5, 7-5, 7-6). Gaudio plays sixth-seeded Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, who beat 1998 champion Carlos Moya of Spain (6-1, 7-5, 6-3).
No. 12 seed Mario Ancic of Croatia reached the fourth round with a straight-set win over Albert Montanes of Spain (6-1, 6-2, 6-4). The Croatian faces Spain's Tommy Robredo, the seventh seed, who ousted Lukas Dlouhy of the Czech Republic (6-1, 6-4, 6-2).
Seventh-seeded Patty Schnyder of Switzerland ousted Julia Vakulenko of Ukraine (2-6, 7-5, 6-0). Schnyder plays American Venus Williams, A straight-set winner over Karolina Sprem of Croatia (7-5, 6-3).
Ninth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy downed compatriot Flavia Pennetta in three sets (4-6, 6-1, 9-7). Schiavone plays former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia, who beat Li Na of China (6-3, 7-6).
In second-round matches, second-seeded Kim Clijsters of Belgium was a straight sets winner over Conchita Martinez Granados of Spain, 6-0, 6-3. Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany ousted American Jamea Jackson, 6-7, 6-2, 6-1.
Martina Hingis of Switzerland continued on her path to try to win the only Grand Slam event she has failed to capture. She needed only 49 minutes to beat Zuzana Ondraskova of the Czech Republic, 6-1, 6-3.
In the men's draw, defending champion Rafael Nadal of Spain reached the third round with a 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 victory over American Kevin Kim.
The match was one of 10 that was postponed Thursday because of rain. The lone American male left in the draw, James Blake, rallied from a first set tiebreaker loss to beat Nicolas Almagro of Spain, 6-7, 6-2, 6-4, and 6-4.
Some information for this report provided by AP.