Top seed Federer next plays Spain's Carlos Moya in an intriguing clash between two serious candidates for victory at the French Open starting on May 24.

Moya, the seventh seed and winner of last week's Rome Masters, had to battle for over two hours to beat compatriot Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 and survive the third round.

The former French Open champion fought back from a break down in the decisive set and Verdasco finally bowed out after a brave challenge by sending a forehand into the net on the first match point.

Argentine Guillermo Coria, the second seed and defending champion, also went through with a 7-6, 6-4 victory over 16th-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo.

Coria, who has won 29 matches in a row on clay including all 14 he has played this season, kept his cool under pressure, surviving three set points in the first set before taking control.

He now faces another Spaniard in David Ferrer, who qualified with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win over countryman Albert Costa, the 2002 French Open champion and the winner here in 1998.

Swiss Federer, who made his career breakthrough when he won the Hamburg title two years ago, stepped up a gear after a tight first set to oust Gonzalez, the 13th seed.

SAFIN OUT

Gonzalez showed character by recovering from 5-2 down in the first set to level at 5-5 but Federer broke him again two games later with a little help from the net cord to take the set.

The Australian Open and Wimbledon champion was in a class of his own in the second set and underlined his determination by winning the final game to love.

"I've had problems with several aspects of my game over the last few weeks but it's all coming together," said the Swiss all-rounder, whose performances here strongly suggest that he could shine at the French Open.

"I'm returning better and my serve and my forehand are also improving. I'm really pleased with the way I played today."

While Federer is looking forward to the French Open, former world number one Marat Safin hinted he might miss it after losing 6-4, 6-4 to unheralded Austrian Juergen Melzer.

"I only go to tournaments when I feel like playing and if I believe I can win," the Russian said of his chances of being in Paris for the highlight of the claycourt season.

"Now I'll go home, take a rest, maybe hit a few balls and we'll see how I feel."

The 22-year-old Melzer advanced to the quarter-finals of a Masters Series event for the first time and will meet former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, who struggled to beat Brazil's Flavio Saretta 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.