French Open

French Open: Sunday 25 May to Sunday 8 June
Coverage: BBCi, Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sport website.

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French Open

Second-round result:

R FEDERER (Swi) bt A Montanes (Sp)

6-7 (5-7) 6-1 6-0 6-4

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By Chris Bevan

Fourth set:

Federer 6-4 Montanes
That's it, and Federer is through - sealing victory with an ace. It was a comfortable enough win for the top seed in the end - after dropping the first set he produced some stunning tennis to blow Montanes away.

Federer 5-4 Montanes
Some imaginative play from Federer as he looks to complete victory in style - one inspired drop-volley and another sublime forehand down the line leave the crowd purring in appreciation. Montanes still holds though, leaving Fed to serve for the match.

"The crowd are used to see Federer roll through opponents and Montanes has put up some decent resistance in this fourth set. He will get a warm reception when it's all over."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Federer 5-3 Montanes
Fed looks a bit unhappy that he has not wrapped this up yet and he takes out his frustration on the ball and his opponent. Montanes' response is to do some nifty keepie-uppies - but they won't save him now.

Federer 4-3 Montanes
At least Montanes has recovered his composure on his serve and that raft of double faults is behind him. He holds out again here thanks to a mistake on either flank by Federer and the Spaniard is hanging on, just, in this one.

"The unforced errors have reappeared in Federer's game and that has allowed Montanes to stay in this match. During the second and third sets Federer was in blistering form and giving nothing away."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Federer 4-2 Montanes
Fed is not having it all his own way though - a vicious backhand leaves him floundering and sets up Montanes for a break point, which he painfully wastes with a poor drop volley when he was well on top in the rally. He gets another chance too, but sees his backhand drift wide and Federer recovers to wrap up another game.

Federer 3-2 Montanes
Montanes gets some deserved applause for battling back to hold this time but his time on the Court Philippe Chatrier could still be short. Credit to the Spaniard for carrying on the fight.

Federer 3-1 Montanes
Poor old Montanes has seen his serve disintegrate and there is no respite from the Fed - his serve seems to be getting better and better. He holds to love and moves closer to wrapping up this match...not long to go now.

Federer 2-1 Montanes
Montanes is racking up the double faults now - well, he has had six anyway - and they have cost him another game. The Spaniard is dripping with sweat, by the way, while Federer looks like he's just been freshly ironed.

"I don¿t think Federer has played particularly well in this fourth set but Montanes has just donated him that game which is a bit of a shame for him because he is trying."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Federer 1-1 Montanes
A few strange shots from Federer, including one stretch for a volley that flies a long way out. He still does not look remotely threatened, however, and he has not been broken in this match yet either.

News from around the courts and it is not good from a British point of view - Jamie Murray and his partner Max Mirnyi have lost 3-6 6-3 7-5 in their doubles match against South Africa's Rik de Voest and Robin Haase of The Netherlands. More on that soon.

Federer 0-1 Montanes
Well, Montanes is still battling - you have to give him credit for that. He has got a game in this set at least. He looks out on his feet though.

Third set:

Federer 6-0 Montanes
Blimey, blink and you will miss this - did Montanes really take the first set? Four serves and Federer has got the third set in the bag.

Federer 5-0 Montanes
It is Montanes' turn to concede his first double fault and two more quickly follow as his serve starts to disintegrate. He has other concerns too - Federer is rapidly disappearing into the distance in this match.

"Montanes cannot match Fed physically or in his shotmaking skills. I am a bit surprised he tired as early as the second set though, especially with the long rain break."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Federer 4-0 Montanes
Hmmm, Federer is clearly letting his standards slip - he lets Montanes have a couple of points in this game - not that the Spaniard seriously looked like breaking.

"There is not a lot Montanes can do to change this - he has not got a Plan B or Plan C - he has his A game but it is not working at the moment."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Federer 3-0 Montanes
Fed has conceded only one point in this set - that double fault - so far and Montanes is on the verge of complete collapse - another break means this third set looks beyond him already.

Elsewhere, defending champion Rafael Nadal has just completed a convincing 6-4 6-0 6-1 win over French qualifier Nicolas Devilder. Fed looks like joining him in the third round pretty soon on this evidence.

Federer 2-0 Montanes
What's this? A double fault by Federer - his first of the match. It does not make too much difference though, he goes on to hold with consumate ease.

Federer 1-0 Montanes
Fed starts the third set in the same way he finished the second and there is not much Montanes - who looks exhausted - can do about it. An early break does not bode well for the Spaniard.

"Montanes has to try to stay with Federer early on and build the pressure. If he gets any breathing space we are going to get a runaway set - it was the perfect response by Roger Federer."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Over on court 11, Britain's Jamie Murray and his partner Max Mirnyi are level at 6-3 3-6 5-5 in their doubles match with Rik de Voest and Robin Haase.

Second set:

Federer 6-1 Montanes
Montanes finds a second wind - and his best backhand of the match - to earn himself two break points but Fed is not giving much away right now and fights back to wrap up the set in just under 30 minutes and level the match.

Federer 5-1 Montanes
You cannot fault Montanes' effort but his serve seems to have lost that earlier zing. He is still fighting though and he gets on the board in this set at last.

"When Federer drops a set he has the talent and mental fortitude to just brush it off and find a higher gear when he needs it."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

1626: "Clay is not the Fed's best surface but I wouldn't rule him out in four sets. Though his start to the year hasn't been fantastic."
Missy, via text on 81111

Federer 5-0 Montanes
No stopping our Rog at the moment and he seems to be in the zone right now. By the way - I've just heard the weather forecast for Paris and I think we have seen the last of the rain for the day, which would be nice. Let's just hope it's right.

Federer 4-0 Montanes
Federer looks like he has got his forehand motoring too now - he hits a couple of winners that are just breathtaking. Montanes is working hard but he cannot stop another break.

"Montanes is taking his time between points and I just get the feeling he is a little tired. The intensity needed to stay with Federer is taking its toll. At the moment he is not making the right shot choices either."
Mark Petchey on BBCi

Nadal has wrapped up that second set to lead 6-4 6-0 2-0. Looks like he is going to be in round three very soon...

Federer 3-0 Montanes
Another easy hold for Federer and he does not look like losing his hold on this set right now.

1614: "Chris, you don't sound too ecstatic about Fed losing that first set. Did you have a bet on?"
Michael in London, via text on 81111

No bets on here Michael. Perhaps I should have been more upbeat but I just don't think Fed is firing on all cylinders at the moment - perhaps he has started to get going now though.

Federer 2-0 Montanes
Federer seems to have upped his game a notch now but he still finding the wrong side of the lines when he goes for a clean winner - that consistency he is famed for is not there at the moment. His sheer effort pays off in the end though and he breaks Montanes for the first time.

Federer 1-0 Montanes
Federer responds to going a set down in the best possible way with a comfortable hold - he has some work to do in this match though.

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First set:

Federer 6-7 (5-7) Montanes
Hmmm, I didn't expect that - a Federer backhand flies long and that is the first set to Montanes. Federer wobbled at a crucial time in that tie-break and Montanes took full advantage, sealing it with his second set-point. If anything, it was Federer's backhand that let him down too.

Federer 6-6 Montanes
Federer doesn't seem to have been affected by the rain delay either - serving out to love. He is still looking cool in his all-navy blue threads by the way.

Federer 5-6 Montanes
A list of all of Federer's titles was read out before play resumed - it took a while. Getting the lowdown on Montanes took slightly less time. Nice to be back underway though and Montanes is still serving well - he has changed from a red and white to a blue and white shirt by the way.

1540: The players are back out too. Things are looking brighter all round now actually - lets hope that rain stays away for the next few hours.

1528: Good news from Paris - the rain has stopped and the covers are coming off.

1436: They have just brought the covers out at the Court Philippe Chatrier so this delay might be a bit longer than we had hoped. There is a steady drizzle rather than a total downpour - but still enough to stop the tennis.

1428: Shame about the rain - let's hope it is a short shower though.

Some news of how Britain's Jamie Murray and his partner Max Mirnyi of Belarus are getting on in their doubles match - they took the first set 6-3 against Rik de Voest and Robin Haase but lost the second set by the same score and are 3-2 up in the third.

First set:

Federer 5-5 Montanes
Phew, quite a battle for Fed but he comes out smiling. Some battling play by Montanes brings him a couple of set points but with the rain now teeming down and the umbrellas up around court, Rog fights back to level.

As soon as he wraps the game up, play is suspended because of the weather.

Nadal was running away with the second set before his match was stopped, and now leads Devilder 6-4 5-0.

Federer 4-5 Montanes
The first scent of a break from Federer at 30-30 but Montanes is not an easy nut to crack and a couple of big serves dig him out of trouble. Rog will now serve to stay in the set.

Federer 4-4 Montanes
More top-notch serving from Fed helps his cause and a couple of wayward shots by Montanes prove his undoing. We are still with serve, eight games in.

A different story for Nadal, however. He has just broken Devilder at the start of the second set and leads 6-4 2-0.

Federer 3-4 Montanes
That Montanes serve is not a bad weapon either and it is keeping him in this match so far. Not a sniff of a break there for Fed.

Federer 3-3 Montanes
Hmmm, If I could have one of Federer's shots in my armoury I think I'd take his topspin backhand...but I'm not sure he would accept the swap, or be quite the same player if he was using my laboured slice instead - which is not the weapon it could be. Montanes finally wins a couple of points off Rog's serve, but one of those backhands I was talking about brings us to 3-3.

Federer 2-3 Montanes
No doubt that Montanes is having to work harder at the moment but he is sticking to his guns. The Spaniard is keen to get to the net when possible and although he is fortunate on a couple of occasions - not sure quite how much he meant one drop volley - he holds out.

After all that hard work by our French friend, Nadal has broken Devilder again to take the first set 6-4.

Federer 2-2 Montanes
Montanes cannot live with the Federer serve and even when he does get the ball back, the rally is soon over. Rog is level again and without breaking sweat.

Federer 1-2 Montanes
A delicious drop-shot from Fed leaves Montanes gawping and a supreme backhand smash gives him his first break-point of the match. The Spaniard hits back with a lovely backhand pass though and an ace means he holds again.

Devilder is still battling away against Nadal and is now level at 4-4 in the first set.

Federer 1-1 Montanes
An ace from Rog wraps up a routine service game in almost effortless fashion and we are all square so far. Not much Montanes could do about that.

Federer 0-1 Montanes
A scrappy start from the Fed, but the Montanes serve is hardly convincing either. The Spaniard has just enough to hold, however, and he is on the board.

1338: Federer and Montanes are out on court and warming up while, over on Suzanne Lenglen, Devilder - a French qualifier in case you didn't know - has just broken back and trails 4-3.

The rain is still coming down but play continues.

1336: And I haven't forgotten about you lot either - your thoughts, as ever, are welcome via text (on 81111) or through 606
Join the debate on 606

1334: Nadal has just broken to go 4-2 up in the first set. That's the good news if you are a fan of the muscular Spaniard - who is wearing his bright green 'Incredible Hulk' costume again today.

The bad news is that there are few spots of rain beginning to fall. Not enough to stop play yet, but I thought I'd let you know.

1332: I've been involved in my own Roland Garros this week by the way. Not on clay, sadly, (and not in Paris either) but on shale (that's right, British clay) in my club's handicap championship in north London. That's a few steps below the Challenger Tour for those of you wondering...

Considering I haven't won a tournament since 1990, things haven't been going too badly and I am into the semi-finals - so there will be a bit of a crowd (maybe even double figures) watching when I embarrass myself at the weekend. That's if the weather holds out - and there are similar concerns in Paris today, where more showers are promised.

1328: Nadal and Devilder are under way and that match is going with serve - Rafa is 3-2 up right now. Devilder has had a couple of chances to break, however, and I'll keep you posted on any developments - dramatic or otherwise.

1325: Afternoon all. Plenty going on in Paris and I'm going to try to keep you across most of it.

I am going to be concentrating on how Roger Federer gets on against clay expert Albert Montanes but will also be keeping half an eye on how Rafael Nadal is getting on against the wonderfully named Nicolas Devilder. Both matches are in the second round.