Top-ranked Roger Federer of Switzerland has reached the fourth round of the French Open tennis tournament in Paris. He beat Fernando Gonzalez of Chile in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5, 6-2.
Federer, who has won every other Grand Slam event, has not reached the quarterfinals at Roland Garros since 2001. Last year, the four-time Grand Slam champion lost in the third round.
He exited in the first round the previous two seasons. Federer is now 44-2 this season with six titles. The Swiss star next meets 1998 French Open champion Carlos Moya, who beat fellow-Spaniard Fernando Vicente in the maximum five sets, 6-4, 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 0-6, 6-4.
World number one women's player Lindsay Davenport of the United States was extended to three sets for the third straight match, but got past Virginie Razzano of France, 7-5, 4-6, 6-4.
In the next round, Davenport plays former world number one Kim Clijsters of Belgium, who defeated Daniela Hantuchova of Slovakia, 6-4, 6-2. Clijsters is playing despite a knee injury which sidelined her last month.
Russian Elena Likhovtseva scored a straight-set win over Italian Silvia Farina-Elia (7-5, 7-6).
Later, another Russian - ninth seed Vera Zvonareva - takes on former champion Mary Pierce of France. American Venus Williams faces Sesil Karatantcheva of Bulgaria in a third round match.
Some information for this report provided by AP.
