Federer breezes into French Open third round as Halep suffers shock defeat

Swiss star Roger Federer is through to the third round of the French Open after beating Marcel Granollers of Spain ©Getty Images

Seventeen-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer booked his place in the third round of the French Open with a commanding victory over Spain's Marcel Granollers at Roland Garros in Paris today.

The Swiss star, who complained about a lack of security at the tournament after he was approached on court by a fan following his first round win on Sunday (May 24), survived a slight scare in the second set before eventually progressing thanks to a resounding 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 scoreline.

After starting in brutal fashion, Granollers managed to break the Federer serve in the second set but, in typically nonchalant style, Federer shrugged off any concerns to set up a meeting with Bosnia's Damir Dzumhur in round three.

Federer, whose only French Open victory came in 2009, appeared to be wanting to conserve energy and he could face hot prospect Kei Nishikori of Japan in the semi-finals.

Nishikori remained on course for a last-four clash with Federer after he overcame the stern test presented by Brazilian clay-court specialist Thomaz Bellucci with a 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 win.

Elsewhere, there were also victories for French duo Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gilles Simon, while Switzerland's eighth seed Stanislas Wawrinka needed four sets to beat Serbia's Dusan Lajovic.

Last year's runner-up Simona Halep is out after suffering a shock defeat to Croatia's Mirjana Lucic-Baroni ©Getty Images

The women’s draw threw up one of the shock results of the tournament so far as last year’s runner-up and third seed Simona Halep of Romania suffered a surprise defeat to Croatia’s Mirjana Lucic-Baroni.

The 33-year-old Croat, who also beat Halep at last year’s US Open, powered to a dominant 7-5, 6-1 victory in which she displayed her aggressive stroke-play throughout.

She hit an excellent haul of 27 winners to end Halep's hopes of going one better at this year’s French Open, progressing to the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time since she reached the last 16 at Wimbledon in 1999.

Halep’s conqueror in the 2014 final was Maria Sharapova, and the Russian star made light work of compatriot Vitalia Diatchenko in her second round contest.

The defending champion needed just 81 minutes to seal a commanding 6-3 6-1 victory and will now go on to play Australia’s Sam Stosur in what is set to be a thrilling encounter.

Sharapova had been suffering with a heavy cold going into the tournament and opted not to take the microphone after he first round win over Estonian Kaia Kanepi, prompting boos from the stands in Paris.

“I'm getting better,” she said.

“I've got to do what I have to do.

“For me right now it's really about recovery and just being healthy for the next round.”