The stack of cards still stands as the third round beckons for Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray. Once more, today was going to be all about that quarter, and first up was Rafael Nadal against Nicolas Almagro. Few can forget the sheer delight on Almagro’s face when he claimed his first win over Nadal, the last time that Rafa was “slumping,” in a Barcelona quarterfinal. He was unable to reprise his nemesis role when the pair met once more in Barcelona this year, and drawing a committed Nadal this early on in Roland Garros proved to be unfortunate.

From the start, Nadal was pressing him early, bringing up two break points in the first game, although to be fair having to fend off one of his own in the next. But the pressure told on Almagro as Nadal secured the first break before the first change of ends. It would be enough to secure the first set after squandering three set points in the game before and needing two more to seal the deal.

Nadal took the advantage early in the second set with another early break. Although Almagro managed to break right back, Nadal broke once more to serve for the set. After that, the momentum was truly with the Mallorcan as he roared through the third set for a 6-4 6-3 6-1 victory.

By contrast, Murray was the first of the men’s favorites to drop a set, against Portugal’s Joao Sousa. It was the first time Sousa had taken a set off the Brit, who struggled with the presence of the on-court high-camera and even picked up two rare time violations that did not help matters, as he also came close to going a break down in the third set.

Despite a few drops of rain, Murray regained the upper hand, fighting back in the third set. Perhaps at that point Sousa’s tail dropped a little as Murray broke him three times for a 6-2 4-6 6-4 6-1 win before trying to stifle his laughter at performing his on-court interview with a kilted Fabrice Santoro.

Things initially were looking like a walk in the park for world No. 1 Djokovic, who sailed through the opening set against Gilles Muller before a more competitive second set. Djokovic then was troubled with a hip/groin injury, including a rather uncomfortable-looking session with the trainer on a towel on court, before serving out the second set. Even looking distinctly inhibited, he still built up a double-break cushion and despite Muller claiming one of the breaks back, it was enough to come through another round.

Djokovic said afterwards, “Thankfully it's nothing major. So it's not a concern for the next match, which is the most important thing. I made a couple of slides that were quite unusual, with a change of directions. And it happened in those dynamic movements, I jammed the hip a little bit.”

Next up for Djokovic is Thanasi Kokkinakis, who won the battle of the Aussies against Bernard Tomic in a five-set bruiser – literally. Kokkinakis had to explain a bizarre hip injury that left him battered and bleeding.

“I went to react to a smash, and I think I tripped and fell, and my racquet landed on the ground before me. My hip landed straight on the grip or my throat of the racquet or something. It's pretty bruised right now, but that's all right.”

On meeting Djokovic (who was still playing at the time), he added, “I need to play my game. Not a lot changes. Obviously he's barely lost this year, so it's going to be a tough task for sure, but I'm not going to change my game plan. I am going to try and do what I do well, and hopefully it works against him.”

Kokkinakis was joined by another high-rising teen, Borna Coric, who came through a gruelling five-setter against Tommy Robredo. Tomic and Robredo joined Viktor Troicki, Philipp Kohlschreiber, and John Isner as second-round seeded casualties.

All eyes now return to Roger Federer and a troupe of Frenchmen who head up the play on the show courts on Friday, when play begins at 11am CET.