Federer in cruise control

Serbian 29th seed Janko Tipsarevic was the victim, ripped apart 6-1 6-4 6-3 in the third round in exactly 90 minutes as a near flawless Federer again showed he cannot be discounted for the title despite his patchy record on clay.

Much of the focus in Paris has been on stuttering champion Rafael Nadal and red-hot second seed Novak Djokovic but 2009 winner Federer is lurking in the Roland Garros shadows and ready to pounce.

His choice of a red shirt this week almost makes him merge in with the red clay of the court but the third seed cannot go through the draw unnoticed any longer given he looks in better form than anyone except Djokovic.

"Expectations are sky high for Novak and Rafa as defending champion. That leaves me out of a pressure situation and that's no bad thing for me," a very relaxed Federer said.

"Overall it was a really good match for me and I'm happy to have another early finish."

The record 16-times Grand Slam champion was especially impressive at the net, winning five out of five exchanges in the first set when he came forward.

The only break point offered in the second set was quickly gobbled up by Federer, who waited patiently for his chance in the third as he looks increasingly comfortable on his least favoured surface.

"I think my game is good enough to win here, sure, otherwise I wouldn't be here," he said.

Federer will next face compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka, after the 14th seed recovered from two sets to love down for the first time in his career to beat 17th seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 4-6 6-7(2) 7-6(5) 6-2 6-3.

In-form Novak Djokovic will have the chance to regroup before his French Open third-round match reconvenes on Saturday after losing the second set against Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro.

The contest, already switched to Court Suzanne Lenglen after other matches ran over, was suspended for bad light on Friday at 6-3 3-6 with former US Open champion Del Potro testing the Serb for the first time in the clay Grand Slam.

World number two Djokovic has won 39 matches in a row since the start of the year and is bidding for his first Roland Garros title.

Del Potro, who has been dogged by injuries and arrived as the 25th seed despite his 2009 success at Flushing Meadows, had a break point in the first game but Djokovic held with a superb forehand before breaking for 3-1 when the Argentine netted.

A Djokovic double-fault let his opponent back in during the second set, however, and Saturday promises to be an enthralling finish.

The winner of that clash will face French 13th seed Richard Gasquet, after the home favourite beat Brazilian 23rd seed Thomaz Bellucci 6-2 6-3 3-6 6-3.

David Ferrer demolished Ukraine's Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-1 6-1 6-3 as he continued to bulldoze his way through the bottom half of the draw.

The Spanish seventh seed, who has not dropped a set in three matches, will take on French ninth seed Gael Monfils, after he beat Steve Darcis 6-3 6-4 7-5.

Italian Fabio Fognini reached the fourth round at Roland Garros for the first time with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-1 win over 30th seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and will face Albert Montanes, after the Spaniard beat 12th seed Mikhail Youzhny 6-1 7-6(0) 6-1.