Roger Federer took a while to find top gear on Friday before motoring to a comfortable 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 victory over German qualifier Julian Reister in the third round of the French Open.

Reister, who had only played three main tour matches before coming through qualifying here, traded blows in the early stages but once Federer broke for a 5-4 lead in the opener it was plain sailing for the reigning champion.

Federer rattled through the second set in just 18 minutes and despite some spirited defence from Reister in the third it was all over after an hour and 33 minutes when the Swiss maestro put away a regulation forehand.

He now plays the winner of the match between fellow-Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka and Italian Fabio Fognini.

Rafael Nadal made up for lost time at the French Open with a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 defeat of Argentina's Horacio Zeballos to reach the third round a day later than scheduled.

The Spaniard, bidding to regain the title he won four years in succession before his run was snapped 12 months ago, cut a dashing figure in a lime green and blue shirt on the sun-kissed red clay and his play also dazzled for the most part.

Left-handed Zeballos, playing singles here for the first time this year, had no answer to Nadal's superior power and succumbed in one hour 45 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Nadal's only blemish was losing his serve at 4-2 in the third set but he quickly broke back to book a third-round match against either Lleyton Hewitt or Denis Istomin.

Serbia's Novak Djokovic eased past Japan's Kei Nishikori, winning 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the third round.

The third seed had to work hard during the two hour 40 minute contest and was relieved to seal victory in straight sets against a tigerish opponent ranked down at 246.

Djokovic, playing a day late after the match fell foul of the weather on Thursday, dominated for two sets but the 20-year-old Nishikori, the youngest player to reach the second round, produced some stubborn late resistance.

Djokovic had to save several break points at 3-4 in the third set and ended the match looking a little battle-weary after a heavy tumble left the back of his shirt caked in red clay dust.

Serena Williams charged into the third round with a 6-1, 6-1 pummelling of Germany's Julia Goerges.

The 2002 champion, whose match was cancelled by rain on Thursday, was simply too strong for the world number 77 on a sunsoaked Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Serena, wearing a sky blue dress to match the much improved Paris weather, concluded a 55-minute stroll in the park when Goerges sprayed a backhand wide.

She will next face either fellow-American Jill Craybas or Russian 29th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova for a place in the fourth round.

Belgium's Justine Henin made a brief cameo appearance on Centre Court to complete a 6-3, 6-3 win over Czech Klara Zakopalova.

The match was interrupted by dusk and rain on Thursday with the four-times champion holding a 3-2 advantage in the second set and the Belgian started confidently, breaking her opponent's serve to open a 4-2 lead.

She was broken back but won the last two games to prevail on her fourth match point with a forehand winner down the line after one hour and 15 minutes.

The 22nd-seeded Henin, back from 20 months in retirement, will next face either Russian 12th seed Maria Sharapova or compatriot Kirsten Flipkens.