Roger Federer won through to the semifinals in the French Open at Roland Garros on Wednesday, after beating Gael Monfils of France in straight sets.

In a match lasting two hours and ten minutes the score was 7-6, 6-2, 6-4.

The quarterfinals was the first match in the current tournament in which Federer did not drop a set.

Afterwards, Federer said he had been "very nervous", because he knew the match would be a difficult one. He said he had played aggressively in the first set and that there had been some tough exchanges, which might have taken both a physical and mental toll on his opponent.

At the beginning of the third set Monfils, who had nearly withdrawn from the tournament before it started because of a knee injury, asked for medical attention as if the injury had returned.

In the next round on Friday Federer will meet Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina who beat Tommy Robredo of Spain in three sets in the other quarterfinal.

Federer has defeated Del Potro in all of their five previous encounters.

The French Open is the only grand slam tournament which Federer, the world number two tennis player, has never won. The world number one and current holder of the title, Rafael Nadal, has already been knocked out, leaving Federer the favourite.

swissinfo.ch with agencies

In compliance with the JTI standards

More: SWI swissinfo.ch certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative