French Open Round-Up: Fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko blew a two-set lead as he crashed out of the French Open to Ivan Ljubicic today.
The Russian, twice a semi-finalist at Roland Garros, looked in complete control when he won the first two sets, but after Ljubicic broke serve for the first time in the third set the match completely turned around and the Croatian went on to secure a 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-4 victory.
The only break of serve gave Davydenko the first set, while his domination looked total as he swept through the second.
The turning point came in the sixth game of the third set as Ljubicic fashioned his first break point of the match.
The former world number three took his chance and although he immediately squandered the advantage he seemed a more confident player on the return and soon broke Davydenko again to get back in the match.
Finding more and more winners, particularly from his productive backhand wing, Ljubicic comfortably won the fourth set to force a decider.
In the final set, the key break came in the third game and from that point Ljubicic stood firm on his own feared serve - he finished with 15 aces - staving off two break-back points in the game six before clinching victory.
Home star Gael Monfils awaits the Croatian in the last 16.
Like Ljubicic, Monfils staged a fine recovery, winning 12 of the last 14 games to see off Jurgen Melzer 4-6 7-5 4-6 6-0 6-2, much to the delight of the crowd on Court Philippe Chatrier.
In fact it was a day of five-set thrillers.
Like Ljubicic, Fernando Gonzalez came from two sets and a break of serve down to beat ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka, while fifth seed David Ferrer was taken the distance before seeing off Lleyton Hewitt's brave challenge.
Chilean star Gonzalez showed a never-say-die attitude to record a 5-7 2-6 6-4 6-4 6-4 victory.
When Wawrinka opened a 3-0 lead in the third set, there appeared to be only one winner.
But Gonzalez stormed back and made the most of a leg problem which bothered the Swiss.
It was the fourth time in Gonzalez's career that he had come back from two sets down to win and it kept alive his unbeaten claycourt record in 2008.
Gonzalez, who has won clay titles in Munich and Vina Del Mar this year, is now 15-0 on the red dirt for the season.
"This is a big win for me because I haven't played well at the French Open for many years,'' said the 27-year-old.
"But this year I have been playing well on clay - it's not my favourite surface but I've been having good results.''
Gonzalez will now meet American Robby Ginepri, who beat Frenchman Florent Serra in straight sets.
Meanwhile, Ferrer had to come from two sets to one down against former Wimbledon champion Hewitt to record his 6-2 3-6 3-6 6-3 6-4 triumph.
It was a far cry from Ferrer's previous match - on that occasion he thrashed Fabrice Santoro for the loss of just one game.
Few felt Hewitt, who has only just returned to the tour following a hip injury, was capable of beating the world number five, but he put up a tremendous fight on Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Ferrer goes through to meet Radek Stepanek for a place in the quarter-finals.
The ruthless Stepanek crushed 12th seed Tommy Robredo 6-3 6-2 6-1.
While his rivals in the top half of the draw were involved in some lengthy battles, top seed Roger Federer had no such problems.
He produced another of his masterclasses to brush aside the challenge of Mario Ancic.
The world number one remains firmly on course for a third successive final appearance at Roland Garros after a 6-3 6-4 6-2 victory.
Ancic hardly played poorly, yet he was still a class apart from Federer who, on this form, could well challenge reigning three-time champion Rafael Nadal for the title.
Federer will play Julien Benneteau in the fourth round.
Benneteau became the fifth Frenchman to book his place in the last 16 when his opponent Robin Soderling suffered meltdown in their clash.
The Swede had seemed poised to go two sets up before collapsing to a 1-6 7-6 (8/6) 6-0 6-1 defeat.
In the women's singles, Maria Sharapova led the way on what was a good day for Russia.
The top seed was finally able to post a straight-sets win at this year's tournament as she progressed to the last 16.
Sharapova had been pushed to three sets in both of her previous matches and at one stage it looked as if Karin Knapp would force her to do things the hard way again.
However, once Sharapova took an epic first set on a tie-break she had few problems in wrapping up a 7-6 (7/4) 6-0 victory.
Afterwards the Australian Open champion felt she had made real progress.
"It was like my twin sister has been here the last few days, and then Maria actually made her flight and made it for the second set,'' said Sharapova, who needs the Roland Garros title to complete a career Grand Slam.
"I guess you just hang in there and you keep trying to do the right things. I've been really hesitant the last few days, not really being aggressive enough and playing my game.
"I spent a lot more time than I would have liked on court. I feel I've been lucky to get through the first two matches.
"But I did what I had to do and today was definitely a step up. That's good to see.''
Sharapova set up a last-16 clash with in-form compatriot Dinara Safina, who overcame a patchy serving display to beat China's Jie Zheng.
The recent winner of the German Open was broken five times but still managed to post a 6-2 7-5 win.
Safina, who beat Sharapova at Roland Garros two years ago, said: "Against Maria, I will really have to be aggressive all the time.
"Once you give her a chance, she will take it.''
Svetlana Kuznetsova (4), Elena Dementieva (7) and Vera Zvonareva (11) continued the Russian march.
Kuznetsova thrashed Nadia Petrova 6-2 6-1 on Court Philippe Chatrier and afterwards said she felt confident about her chances.
"I definitely think I have a chance (to win the title)," she said. "Why not? There are a few players who have a shot to win it and I hope one of them is me."
Next up for Kuznetsova is a meeting with the in-form Victoria Azarenka, the 16th seed who has dropped just six games in three rounds so far.
Azarenka thrashed Francesca Schiavone 6-1 6-1 on Saturday.
Dementieva and Zvonareva will face each other next after both posted comfortable straight-sets victories. They beat Olga Govortsova and Aleksandra Wozniak respectively.
Meanwhile, Jelena Jankovic quickly wrapped up victory when her third-round match resumed.
The third seed had led Dominika Cibulkova 7-5 4-2 when play was halted on Friday evening due to fading light.
But when the players returned to Court One in brighter conditions, it took Jankovic around 10 minutes to complete her expected win as she won two of the three games required.
She will play Agnieszka Radwanska next.
There was a shock late in the day when Petra Kvitova knocked 12th seed Agnes Szavay of Hungary out after claiming a 6-7 (5/7) 6-4 6-2 victory.
She will now meet Estonia's Kaia Kanepi, who ousted 29th seed Anabel Medina Garrigues 6-1 6-7 (5/7) 7-5.