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World number one Rafael Nadal reached the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters, although his easy-looking 6-2 6-3 win masked a rusty performance against Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela.

The Spaniard, who is gunning for a fifth successive title, a record in the professional era, looked sloppy at times but regained composure when it mattered to wrap up the win after 86 minutes.

Nadal, who has now won his last 23 matches in Monte Carlo, will next take on Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti who defeated Marat Safin.

Nadal is hoping to repeat his superman act of past claycourt seasons as the four-time French Open champion begins another long haul towards Paris.

"I played some games well. I played some terrible games. Up and down all the match," Nadal said.

"But I think it was a comfortable win. I was never scared of losing.

"Sometimes, things like this happen. I will try and not repeat these mistakes in the next match."

The four-times French Open champion missed several easy shots, including a routine smash at the net that allowed Chela to break back in the second set.

The Spaniard shrugged off a break point at 5-3 in the second set before prevailing on his first match point as a Chela backhand went just wide.

Qualifier Lapentti won a roller-coaster three-and-a-half-hour marathon against Safin.

The Russian lived up to his reputation, wasting three match points and coming within a hair of a racquet smash which would have ended the match.

Lapentti held on through the drama to advance 7-6 (8-6) 2-6 7-6 (8-6).

Newly-wed Roger Federer, who could face Nadal for a fourth consecutive final at the Monte Carlo Country Club, eased past Italian Andreas Seppi 6-4 6-4.

The second-seeded Swiss appeared very relaxed on a sunbathed centre court, clinching victory on his fourth match point after a final burst from Seppi.

He will next face compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka for a quarter-final spot after the 13th seed beat Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello 2-6 7-5 6-2.

"I thought I played okay. I had a good stretch at the end of the first set, beginning of the second," Federer said.

"Maybe I could have made it easier for myself in the second. I had some opportunities.

"He hung in there and I didn't play my best. But still happy I came through so good."

Federer, who married his longtime girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec last weekend, broke in the ninth game and took the opening set with a backhand winner down the line.

Another stunning backhand winner earned him a break in the first game of the second set.

The Swiss dismissed a break point with an angled serve which Seppi returned wide and another long return gave Federer his fifth victory in as many matches against the Italian.

Croatian veteran Ivan Ljubicic upset fifth seed Juan Martin Del Potro 4-6 6-1 6-4 while Spanish seventh seed Fernando Verdasco advanced over German Philip Kohlschreiber 6-3 6-4.

Eighth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia also progressed with a 6-4 6-3 win over Croatian Ivo Karlovic and will face Argentine number 12 David Nalbandian who recovered from a set and a break down to see off Spaniard Marcel Granollers 4-6 6-3 6-1.

talian qualifier Fabio Fognini set up a third-round meeting with Briton Andy Murray after demolishing Croatian 14th seed Marin Cilic 6-2 6-0.

Reuters