Sixth seed Andy Roddick was stunned by an inspired performance from Russian qualifier Teimuraz Gabashvili here on Saturday, as the seeds began to fall at the French Open.

Third seed Novak Djokovic took his place in the fourth round by beating Romanian 31^st Victor Hanescu 6-3 3-6 6-3 6-2, but ninth seed David Ferrer fell to Jurgen Melzer, the Austrian 22^nd seed.

Melzer defeated the Spaniard 6-4 6-0 7-6 (1) and will now meet giant-killer Gabashvili, who won 6-4 6-4 6-2 against Roddick, for a place in the quarter-finals.

Gabashvili put Roddick’s famous serve under pressure from the off, spurning three break points in the American’s second service game but then breaking for a 4-3 lead with a deft backhand drop shot.

The Russian served out for the set and clinched the second set after converting the third of three break points in game nine.

The 25-year-old established control of the third set by breaking the off-colour Roddick twice in the opening three games and he went on to complete the biggest victory of his career in a time of one hour and 54 minutes. Djokovic comfortably took the first set against Hanescu on Court Philippe Chatrier, but he lost his way in the second, making six double faults and 11 unforced errors to gift his opponent a way back into the match. The Serbian world number three recovered in the third set though, before grinding through the gears in the fourth to set up a last-16 encounter with either Spanish 16^th seed Juan Carlos Ferrero or American Robby Ginepri.

Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, the 11^th seed, will face French eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the fourth round after completing a 2-6 7-6 (4) 6-2 6-3 win over Serbia’s Viktor Troicki held over from Friday.

Serena survives scare

Top seed Serena Williams survived a French Open health scare on Saturday, while Russia’s Nadia Petrova defeated Roland Garros golden girl Aravane Rezai in a marathon, centre court comedy of errors.

Williams, the 2002 champion, beat Russia’s 29^th seed Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 1-6 6-2 to reach the last 16, but needed treatment after going 0-5 down in the second set, having cruised through the opener.

She had her pulse tested and temperature taken courtside, although she did manage to compose herself to win the next game before the 18-year-old Russian went on to level the match.

Williams then broke twice in the final set and will face Israel’s Shahar Peer for a place in the quarter-finals.

Williams, who won a 12^th career Grand Slam singles title in Australia in January, arrived in Paris under an injury cloud after a knee injury sidelined her until May.

Petrova, the Russian 20^th seed, beat French 19^th seed Rezai 6-7 (2) 6-4 10-8 in a third-round match that had been suspended in darkness on Friday at 7-7 in the final set.

Both players had already squandered three match points, but in a final set that contained 11 service breaks, the Russian two-time semifinalist held her nerve and will tackle second seed Venus Williams for a place in the last eight.

The tense encounter featured 46 unforced errors by Rezai and 40 off the Russian’s side, with the Frenchwoman carving out 23 break points to Petrova’s 15. Australia’s Slovakian-born Jarmila Groth defeated Russian-born compatriot Anastasia Rodionova 6-3 5-7 6-2 to reach the last 16 of a Grand Slam for the first time.