Ferrer Sets Monfils Clash

© Getty ImagesDavid Ferrer is a bidding to reach the quarter-finals at Roland Garros for the third time.

World No. 7 David Ferrer, a two-time Roland Garros quarter-finalist, stormed into the fourth round on Friday as he dismissed Ukrainian No. 31 seed Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in one hour and 36 minutes.

The Spaniard, who is yet to drop a set in his three matches this week, further turned up the heat on his campaign as he hit 22 winners to just nine unforced errors and broke serve six times from seven opportunities.

The 29-year-old Ferrer came into Roland Garros as one of the most in-form players on clay this season, having won the Acapulco title (d. Almagro) in February and finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal in the Monte-Carlo and Barcelona finals last month.

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Ferrer goes on to face No. 9 seed Gael Monfils, who defeated Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-4, 7-5. The Frenchman benefitted from 43 unforced errors from his opponent and was able to convert five of his nine break point chances to claim victory in just over two hours.

The 24-year-old Monfils had only played five tournaments this season coming into Roland Garros, having been sidelined for a period in February and March with a left wrist injury. The Parisian reached the semi-finals of his home Grand Slam in 2008 (l. to Federer), beating Ferrer in the quarter-finals, and would record his 200th tour-level victory should he oust the Spaniard again.

World No. 38 Albert Montanes became the second Spaniard to reach the fourth round as he ousted 12th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-1, 7-6(0), 6-1 in two hours and 18 minutes. Youzhny, who reached the quarter-finals at Roland Garros last year, paid the price for squandering nine of his 11 break point chances against the solid Montanes, who hit 30 winners to 25 unforced errors.

The 30-year-old Montanes is through to the fourth round of a Grand Slam for the second time in his career (also the 2010 US Open – l. to Soderling). For a place in his maiden quarter-final he will face Italian Fabio Fognini, who came from a set down to defeat No. 30 seed Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 in two hours and 24 minutes.