PARIS, May 29: World number one Roger Federer underlined his status as French Open favourite by hammered former champion Carlos Moya 6-1 6-4 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals on Sunday.

The top seed, chasing the only grand slam title to elude him, proved his ambitions were serious by crushing the Spaniard in just an hour and 41 minutes in the first true test of his campaign.

Federer, who has not dropped a set yet, played close to perfection until 14th seed Moya, who looked clueless at times, bowed out by failing to return a blistering forehand on the third match point.

The 23-year-old faces a seemingly easy passage through to the semifinals as he now meets world number 90 Victor Hanescu of Romania, who overcame former Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian 6-3 4-6 5-7 6-1 6-2.

If he were to beat Hanescu, Federer could then meet Spanish prodigy Rafael Nadal for a place in the final.

The exit of Nalbandian, seeded 10th, leaves four Argentine players in the draw.

One of them is ninth seed Guillermo Canas, who needed five sets and as many hours to overcome Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-3 7-6 2-6 6-7 8-6.

Canas, who survived two match points, was two sets up when the contest was interrupted because of darkness on Saturday.

The opening match on the first week’s final day had seen Lindsay Davenport stage a remarkable comeback to beat Kim Clijsters 1-6 7-5 6-3 and reach the quarterfinals.

The only remaining American in either singles draw, top seed Davenport looked helpless in the first set and was 3-1 down in the second but she recovered to beat Belgian Clijsters for the first time in seven meetings.

The 30-year-old Pierce, who won here in 2000, kept the French flag flying after edging out eighth seed Patty Schnyder 6-1 1-6 6-4 to reach the last eight.

Sunday’s results

Men’s singles (third round): Nicolas Kiefer (GER) bt Igor Andreev (RUS) 6-4, 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 6-4; Guillermo Canas (ARG) bt Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 8-6.

Fourth rfound: Victor Hanescu (ROM) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-3, 4-6, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2; Roger Federer (SUI) bt Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-1, 6-4, 6-3.

Women’s singles (fourth round): Lindsay Davenport (USA) bt Kim Clijsters (BEL) 1-6, 7-5, 6-3; Sesil Karatantcheva (BUL) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (SUI) 7-5, 6-3; Mary Pierce (FRA ) bt Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-1, 1-6, 6-4; Elena Likhovtseva (RUS) bt Elena Dementieva (RUS) 7-6 (7/3), 5-7, 7-5; Nadia Petrova (RUS) bt Elena Bovina (RUS) 7-5, 3-6, 6-4.—Agencies