By Chris Oddo                                  Photo Credit: Pascal Guyot/ AFP/ Getty

(June 2, 2012)—Rafael Nadal rolled comfortably over Eduardo Schwank today in what turned out to be a very entertaining “promenade” on Court Philippe Chatrier. The first 35 minutes of the match were all Rafa, and many were wondering if a triple bagel might be in the cards. But after Schwank got his first hold of the day to get on the board, a whimsical mini-celebration ensued, the crowd came to life and Schwank started to mprove from that point.

Nadal’s 6-1, 6-3, 6-4 victory marks the Spaniard’s 17th consecutive victory at Roland Garros and books him a spot in the round of 16 against Juan Monaco.

Nadal smacked 31 winners and saved all four break points he faced over the course of the two-hour and 16-minute affair, but Schwank managed to avoid getting completely blown off the court by employing some clever tactics of his own. He surprised Rafa with drop shots, made forays to the net and kept his error count low as well.

If there was anything that would perturb Nadal's inner perfectionist it would probably be the fact that he only managed a first-serve percentage of 58 percent. Nadal is a career 71 percent server on clay, but he has only made over 60 percent of his first serves in one of his three matches at this year's French Open.

The Spaniard has faced 11 break points in three matches, saving all but one.

Murray d. Giraldo 6-3, 6-4, 6-4

Showing no signs whatsoever of the debilitating back spasms that nearly caused him to retire on Thursday against Jarkko Nieminen, Andy Murray turned in a workmanlike victory to get past Santiago Giraldo on Court 1 today. After breaking in the sixth game of the first set, Murray never trailed.

And just in case there were any doubters on the state of Murray's health in attendance, the British No. 1 served four aces in the second game of set two to prove that the back is indeed feeling fine.

Murray faced only one break point on the afternoon--while serving for the second set--but after the 24-year-old Colombian dumped a backhand into the net, the set was Murray's for the taking. Even though Giraldo's level seemed to improve as the match wore on, Murray was able to keep him at bay long enough to secure the dagger break in the seventh game of the third set.

Murray will next face Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the round of 16.

Monaco d. Raonic 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-3, 6-4

Juan Monaco ended Milos Raonic's bid to become Canada's first player to ever make the French Open's last sixteen, coming from behind to win the last two sets of a hard-fought battle of two polar opposites, both physically and mentally.

Monaco, outwardly exuberant, versus Raonic, who points his emotions inward.

Monaco, fleet of foot and doggedly consistent, versus Raonic, who relies on a brutal first-serve and a dangerous, rally-ending forehand.

Today it was Monaco who won out, as Raonic struggled to impose himself on the Argentine and spent most of the rallies five meters beyond the baseline, playing right into Monaco's hands. It's a credit to his improved baseline play that Raonic was in this match to the bitter end, but his inability to break Monaco even once on the day is what eventually led to his ruin.

Monaco advances to face Nadal in the round of 16.

Ferrer d. Youzhny 6-0, 6-2, 6-2

Writing "Sorri" in the clay with his racquet might have been a nice gesture by the bearded Russian, but as far as I can tell Youzhny has nothing to apologize for. It's Ferrer that should be apologizing for being one of the most ruthless clay-court players of his generation. If it weren't for Rafael Nadal, the 30-year-old Spaniard would almost certainly be considered among the favorites to win the whole dance this year, but things as they are, Ferrer will have to settle for gobbling up as many games as he can until he meets his impending demise in the quarters or semis.

Such is life for the "non-big-three" on tour.

Still, Ferrer was dominant today, winning 91 of 143 points against Youzhny, and converting on seven of eleven break points while fighting off all six that he faced.

Tipsarevic d. Benneteau 6-3, 7-5, 6-4

He may be traveling under the radar ever so slightly this week--that's understandable given the sheer magnitude of the primary narratives running this week--but Janko Tipsarevic is playing like he might just become a permanent fixture in the top ten at the moment.

The No. 2 Serb thumped 16 aces, reeled off 50 winners and converted on 4 of 12 break points to take down Julien Benneteau on Court Philippe Chatrier today.

Tipsarevic came ready to deal with the adversity that comes with trying to knock off one of the French Hopefuls on the biggest showcourt in Paris, not offering Benneteau a sniff of a break point in set one. Then, in the second, when things were getting tense, Tipsarevic saved all six break points he faced to put Benneteau in a two-sets-to-love hole.

For Benneteau, who made a speedy recovery from ankle and elbow injuries suffered at Monte-Carlo just to participate in his home Slam, there was a feeling of pride nonetheless. "I have done what I could," said Benneteau. "We always want a little more."

Gasquet d. Haas 6-7(3), 6-3, 6-0, 6-0

If the French crowds were disappointed by Benneteau's loss on Chatrier, then they were uplifted  by seventeenth-seeded Richard Gasquet's sizzling performance later in the afternoon on Suzanne Lenglen.

Gasquet dropped the first set to venerable veteran Tommy Haas in a tiebreaker, then switched on his afterburners against the 34-year-old, winning the last 14 games on the trot and whipping the crowd into a nationalistic frenzy in the process.

Gasquet, who hammered a remarkable, somewhat otherworldly 49 winners against 15 errors in the match, will now advance to face Andy Murray in the round of 16. He'll be comforted by the fact that he recently defeated Murray on the red clay of Rome as he ponders what it will take to reach the French Open quarterfinals for the first time.

Almagro d. Mayer 6-4, 6-1, 6-2

Nicolas Almagro moved one step closer to his best career performance at a Grand Slam (quarterfinals at Roland Garros, 2008, 2010) and he did not surrender a single break point in the process. Almagro, who is one of four players in the draw to own multiple clay-court titles on the year, has now won seven consecutive matches.

He'll face Janko Tipsarevic in the round of 16.

Granollers d. Mathieu 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 4-6, 6-1

Paul-Henri Mathieu could't pull off another dramatic victory, as his last-ditch attempt to come from two sets down sputtered in the fifth set.