Jankovic adds to American woe, Federer rolls on

The Stars and Stripes still fluttered in yesterday's sunshine but only one American player remained in the French Open singles after Venus Williams fell in the third round to Serbian fourth seed Jelena Jankovic.

University student Jankovic, the hottest player on the woman's tour this year, probably cringed when she saw Venus on her horizon so early in the draw. Her tennis during a 6-4 4-6 6-1 victory justified her pre-tournament billing, however.

As the temperatures in the French capital nudged upwards after a cool, rainy start to the championships, world number one Roger Federer also warmed to the task of bagging the only major to elude him with a majestic 6-2 6-3 6-0 victory over outclassed Italian Potito Starace.

"It came naturally today, especially in the third set when I accelerated. I was playing well, my serve was working well. I'm happy to have won in straight sets," Federer, who plays Russian Mikhail Youzhny next, commented.

Youzhny, the 13th seed, should prove more of a challenge after looking sharp in a 6-7 7-6 6-2 6-2 defeat of 2003 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.

After witnessing Federer's masterclass, fans on Centre Court were later royally entertained for three-and-a-half hours by swashbuckling 20-year-old Gael Monfils before he succumbed in four high quality sets to uncompromising Argentine 15th seed David Nalbandian.

Nalbandian is one of three Argentines in the last 16 after wins for Juan Monaco and Guillermo Canas.

It has been a tale of woe for Americans on the Parisian red clay this week, however and the US are now pinning their hopes on Serena Williams after she dismissed Michaella Krajicek 6-3 6-4 to keep alive her country's interest in the tournament.

The fact she is flying the flag alone has much to do with the impressive play of Jankovic, although Venus, runner-up in Paris in 2002, hardly helped her cause, spraying 52 unforced errors during the contest.

"I just went long, long, long but it's only a matter of time before it goes in, in, in," the 26-year-old Williams, looking for some encouragement before Wimbledon later this month, told reporters.

The 22-year-old Jankovic, another product of the Bolletieri Academy in Florida, has now beaten Williams three times in a row.

This latest triumph propelled her into the fourth round for the first time and spoke volumes for the confidence instilled by three titles this year.

"I stayed tough out there in the third set and I never had in my mind that I was going to lose," said Jankovic, who survived a second set wobble.

"It's a shame that Venus had to go out so early, it was an incredible draw for a third-round match."

Women's top seed and defending champion Justine Henin, a possible semi-final opponent for Jankovic, was through after trouble-free 6-2 6-3 win over Italy's Mara Santangelo.

In other third round action men's fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko was untroubled against Frenchman Michael Llodra, winning 6-4 6-2 6-4, while Filippo Volandri became the first Italian man to reach the last 16 for 12 years when he outlasted seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic in a five-setter.

Nicole Vaidisova reached the fourth round with a 6-4 6-4 defeat of Samantha Stosur.

She will face Italy's Tathiana Garbin.