Montreal  - Spaniards Fernando Verdasco and Juan Carlos Ferrero advanced to the third round of the Montreal Masters with straight-set wins yesterday as compatriot Rafael Nadal prepared to return to the game after more than two months of knee problems.

Tenth-seeded Verdasco beat Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-1, 6-1 while the 29-year-old Ferrero continued a four-month run of form by eliminating French 13th seed Gael Monfils 6-3, 7-6 (9-7).

But German Philipp Petzschner knocked out 15th seed Tommy Robredo to hand Spain a defeat, 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-4).

Nadal was opening later in the second round after last playing in a French Open loss last May 31 to Robin Soderling. The second-seeded defending champion was testing his tendinitis-plagued knees against countryman David Ferrer, whom he leads 7-3 in their series.

Ferrero, the 2003 Roland Garros champion and former number one, has now won 20 matches since April also lifting his first title on clay since 2003 at Casablanca in the spring.

The 29-year-old has posted 30 wins on the season and next faces third seed Andy Murray on Thursday.

The Scot is duelling to try and seize the number-two ranking behind Roger Federer from Nadal, but must advance farther than the four-time French-Open champion this week in Montreal.

Murray beat Ferrero twice in three weeks on grass this summer at Queen's and the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the seventh seed, overcame German Rainer Schuettler in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 struggle. Schuetter went down saving ten of 12 break points including six in one third-set game.

Argentine sixth seed Juan Del Potro continued his progress from last Sunday's second straight Washington title win as he reached the third round over Czech Jan Hernych
6-2, 7-5. (dpa)