• French Open, Day Six

Federer cruises past Tipsarevic as Del Potro stalls Djokovic

Roger Federer executes a backhand volley © PA Photos

Enlarge

Related Links

• Features: 'It was worth it'
  
• News: Federer reveals secret behind blistering start in Paris
  
• News: Hantuchova claims shock win over Wozniacki
  
• News: French Open seedings
  
• Profile: Roger Federer | David Ferrer
• Gallery: French Open: Day Six

Keep up to date with all the latest scores and updates from the French Open

French Open seedings
French Open Day Six Gallery
Plays of the Day
Women's round-up: Wozniacki and Stosur crash out

Roger Federer moved into the fourth round of the French Open with a dominant 6-1 6-4 6-3 win over Janko Tipsarevic, but Novak Djokovic will have to wait until Saturday to resume his match against Juan Martin del Potro.

Federer may currently be in the shade of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic in the game's pecking order, but he fired a warning to the big two that he is in no mood to head into the sunset with a powerful performance.

Clay is not the Swiss' favourite surface, but he has adapted his game to make himself competitive and he showed superb all-court skills.

He raced through the opening set in 19 minutes, as Tipsarevic was overwhelmed. The second was more even but Federer converted the one break point he worked, while he was dominant on serve as he secured a cushion.

Federer was in no mood to offer any hope to Tipsarevic and two glorious backhand winners in the opening game of the third set earned him a break. Tipsarevic produced patches of brilliance, but they were far too infrequent and Federer was able to progress with relative ease with a second break.

Federer will now meet compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka after the Swiss staged a remarkable comeback to beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6 6-7(3) 7-6(5) 6-2 6-3. Tsonga looked to be on course for a comfortable victory after winning the opening two sets, but Wawrinka forced a third-set tiebreak to avoid a straight-sets defeat.

Tsonga moved within two points of the fourth round, but Wawrinka dug deep to clinch the third set, before rattling through the fourth with relative ease. In a thrilling contest which forced Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro on to Court Suzanne Lenglen, both players threw everything into a match lasting over four hours as Wawrinka emerged victorious.

The tie of the third round is undoubtedly the clash of No. 2 seed Novak Djokovic and former US Open champion Juan Martin del Potro. Djokovic looks to extend his astonishing unbeaten start to the season, but faces a tough test in the form of former world No. 4 Del Potro.

With the match shifted to Court Suzanne Lenglen, Djokovic started strongly, breaking in the fourth game to claim the opening set, but Del Potro responded admirably, claiming the break at the same stage of the second set to level the scores. With darkness closing in, play was suspended at the start of the third set, with the match delicately poised at 6-3 3-6.

David Ferrer once again demonstrated his fondness for the clay as he dropped just five games in a 6-1 6-1 6-3 mauling of Sergiy Stakhovsky.

The Spanish No. 7 seed is one of the finest exponents of the art of clay-court play and he proved in a different league to Stakhovsky. Ferrer made just nine unforced errors, to his opponent's 37, and he secured an impressive six breaks of serve on his way into the fourth round.

Clay-court scrapper Albert Montanes secured a 6-1 7-6(0) 6-1 win over Mikhail Youzhny, while the Roland Garros fans had a French winner to cheer on Court 1 as Gael Monfils eased past Steve Darcis.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.