PARIS, June 2 (UPI) -- Two-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, Serbian Novak Djokovic and former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt advanced Saturday at the French Open in Paris.
Nadal, who defeated Roger Federer in last year's title game, Saturday beat fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes, 6-1, 6-3, 6-2, for his 17th straight victory in this major tennis tournament.
Montanes had 73 unforced errors and 13 double faults, and was broken six-of-12 times.
Nadal has won 84 of his last 85 matches on clay. He's trying to become the first man to win three straight French Opens since Bjorn Borg won four in a row from 1978-81.
Djokovic played French crowd favorite Olivier Patience and won the fourth set in a tiebreak before winning the fifth set for a 7-6 (7-2), 2-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3, victory.
Hewitt lost the first set against Finn Jarkko Nieminen before fighting back for a 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-2, victory in just under three hours. Hewitt is a two-time major champion, but has never advanced beyond the quarterfinals in Paris.
