By Chris Oddo                   Photo Credit: Thomas Coex / AFP / Getty

(June 1, 2012)—It wasn't a perfect day for Roger Federer, but he's perfectly happy to be though to the fourth round.

Federer survived spirited effort by Frenchman Nicolas Mahut to advance today, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5.

The match started off innocently enough, with the 2009 French Open champion grabbing an early break to take the first set. But Mahut kept plugging away, mixing in serve and volley and cracking backhands with gusto to stay even with Federer throughout the second set.

In the final game of set two, Mahut earned his first break point of the match, and pounced on the opportunity. The 30-year old, making his first appearance in the third round at the French, snagged the set when his backhand down the line eluded Federer to even the affair at 1-1.

"I was slow out of the blocks, even the first set," said a somewhat disappointed Federer afterwards. "He took his chances big time, when he had them he just went for it."

In the third set, Federer regained control, winning all but one point on his serve and breaking the 30-year-old twice to reclaim the lead.

But in the fourth Mahut would not wilt. After Federer broke to lead 4-3, Mahut--urged on by the rowdy late afternoon Parisian crowd--stormed back to level in the very next game, nailing a crosscourt forehand on break point that Federer could only nudge back into the net.

But Federer, not quite as charmed by the atmosphere as Mahut was, proceeded to slam the door shut when he converted on his third break point of the eleventh game.

"I like playing in good atmosphere," said Federer afterwards. "It doesn't matter if it's for my opponent of for me. At the end it was a good end. I enjoyed it."

Federer will next face lucky loser David Goffin of Belgium in the fourth round. The 21-year-old came through against Lukasz Kubot in straight sets.

"I don't know him at all," said Federer. "Great effort from Goffin to come so far already. I'm looking forward to a good match."

Djokovic Wins an "Energy Saver" Over Devider

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic looked every bit the part today against Nicolas Devilder, taking the left-hander apart quickly and decisively in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 victory that lasted less than two hours. The primary concern of Djokovic was not whether he would win or lose, but could he do it fast enough to avoid having to come back on Saturday to mop up.

He did that with aplomb, but not before Devilder earned a break in the second set and had some fun with the French fans in the dying light.

Djokovic, well rested and getting better with each match, will face Andreas Seppi in the round of 16.

Tsonga Takes Fognini Down

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga ended the hopes of Italian Fabio Fognini in straight sets, 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. In a match that featured 13 breaks of serve in 32 games, Tsonga stayed "calm and serene" against the pesky Fognini. He'll advance to play Stan Wawrinka in the round of 16. When asked if he's beginning to tame the clay, Tsonga wasn't about to retract his pre-tournament prediction that a Frenchman won't win Roland Garros, but he does appear to be gaining confidence. "It's not whopping, I'm not making incredible results," said Tsonga, "but I am sure that I can annoy many with my tennis and have a great French Open. "

Wawrinka Edges Simon in Five

After taking second and third set tiebreakers, it looked as if Gilles Simon was about to set up an all-French fourth-rounder with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. But Wawrinka, erratic at critical junctures in the early going of this match, gathered steam and rolled past Simon in a one-sided fifth to earn the berth in the final 16.

Simon, who had a chance for a double-break lead in set four, was naturally disappointed. "What disappoints me the most is to not have been better, simple as that," said Simon.

Delpo Passes Cilic Test

Juan Martin del Potro survived a grueling 82-minute second set against Marin Cilic and coasted from there to a 6-3, 7-6(9), 6-1 victory. Del Potro will face Tomas Berdych in the round of 16.

Berdych outlasts Anderson in Big Battle

Outside of the Big three + Murray, Tomas Berdych is probably the name that is thrown into the mix more than any other as a potential semifinalist. Berdych was nearly bounced today, by 6'8" Kevin Anderson of South Africa, but the world No. 7 rebounded to take the final two sets and keep his hopes alive. Berdych survived a 22-ace performance from Anderson, and he converted on two of three break points in the final two sets while saving the only one he faced to complete the comeback.

Seppi Living La Dolce Vita

Apparently Andreas Seppi's Rome run was not a fluke. Seppi also fought back from a set down to defeat Fernando Verdasco and set up a date with Novak Djokovic in the round of 16. In his 29th career Grand Slam appearance, Seppi has finally broken through to his first final sixteen appearance.

The win was also Seppi's first against Verdasco in seven career attempts.