Seventh seed Fernando Verdasco, the highest-ranked Spaniard in the draw after defending champion Rafael Nadal’s withdrawal, beat Kristof Vliegen of Belgium yesterday in a battle of the big servers. Verdasco, who hit 20 aces in a 7-6, 6-7, 7-6, 6-4 win, will next meet compatriot and No. 32 seed Albert Montanes, who knocked out Guillermo Canas of Argentina 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Tommy Robredo, who still insists that he doesn't like playing on grass, came back from two sets down to beat Austria's Stefan Koubek 3-6, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6, 6-1 and now faces Dudi Sela from Israel in the next round.

Robin Soderling, the Swedish 13th seed who defeated Nadal at Roland Garros en route to the final, withstood 23 aces from Spain's Marcel Granollers' racquet to record a 4-6, 7-6, 6-4, 7-5 win and a ticket into the third round.

Nicolas Almagro – a 6-4, 7-6, 3-6, 3-6, 7-5 winner over Slovakian, Karol Beck - awaits Soderling in the next round.

Daniel Gimeno Traver finally got the better of American, Taylor Dent, in a five-setter (7-5, 7-6, 4-6, 6-7, 6-4) that had started so promisingly on Tuesday and then had to be abandoned because of failing light.

Roger Federer produced a service masterclass to beat Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in just 89 minutes for a place in the third round.  Against Garcia-Lopez he rarely broke sweat, winning 45 of 48 points on first serve, with 11 aces and 27 winners.

In the women's draw, Arantxa Parra could do nothing against Japan's Ai Sugiyama, leaving just two Spanish players, Anabel Medina and Carla Suárez in the competition.