Four-time defending champion Roger Federer began his bid for a first Grand Slam win of the season with a comfortable first round victory over Argentina’s Maximo Gonzalez at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center.

Roland Garros dark horses Nikolay Davydenko and David Ferrer had few problems progressing to the French Open third round on a day when fellow leading seeds David Nalbandian and James Blake slipped up against a couple of unknowns.