Roger Federer [Images] survived a bumpy ride to beat claycourt specialist Argentine Jose Acasuso 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2 to reach the third round of the French Open [Images] on Thursday.

The Swiss world number two was 5-1 down in the third set, saving a set point at 5-2 on his way to winning five games in a row to force a tiebreak which he snatched with a sizzling serve that his 45th-ranked opponent could not control.

Federer had not made it easy for himself in a protracted first set, eventually taking it to a tiebreak where he saved four set points before pulling back to snatch the set for himself with a tidy dropshot on his second set point.

Acasuso gave the Swiss a few lessons in how to play on his least favourite surface in the second but after seeing his chance of an upset evaporate in the third, he went out with a whimper in the fourth when he messed up a service return.