The 18-year-old Spaniard won his Roland Garros debut Monday, beating Lars Burgsmuller 6-1, 7-6, 6-1. Bidding for his sixth clay-court title this year, Nadal never faced a break point and won his 18th match in a row.

Seeded fourth, Nadal is the oddsmakers' favourite -- ahead of even No. 1 Roger Federer, who beat qualifier Dudi Sela 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport, seeking the only Grand Slam title she has never won, overcame a slow start in the opening match on Centre Court and beat Katarina Srebotnik 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Two-time French Open runner-up Kim Clijsters won in her first Grand Slam match since January 2004, beating qualifier Meilen Tu 6-1, 6-0. Clijsters, out much of last year because of a wrist injury, played with her recently strained right knee wrapped but still advanced in 48 minutes.

No. 4 Elena Dementieva, who lost last year's final to Anastasia Myskina, beat Barbora Strycova 6-3, 6-3.

Nadal is trying to become the first man since Mats Wilander in 1982 to win at Roland Garros on the first try. He turns 19 on the day of the semifinals, when his opponent could be Federer.

Federer, seeking the only Grand Slam title he has yet to win, advanced easily despite losing serve twice in the second set to Sela, ranked 264th.

Other winners included No. 14 Carlos Moya, No. 16 Radek Stepanek, No. 18 Mario Ancic and No. 23 Sebastien Grosjean.

No. 19 Shinobu Asagoe and No. 20 Daniela Hantuchova were also among the early winners. Asagoe beat Julia Schruff 7-5, 6-2, and Hantuchova defeated Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 6-1.

Moya, the 1998 champion, rallied past Alberto Martin 5-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. Stepanek beat Paradorn Srichaphan 3-6, 6-3, 6-1, 6-1.

Ancic defeated Marcos Daniel 6-2, 6-1, 7-6. Grosjean swept Juan Monaco 7-5, 6-3, 6-1.