Roger Federer has taken exception to many things this year. He has not enjoyed the number of defeats he has been asked to explain away; he cannot understand the poison of those critics keen to spread the idea that he is less than he was; and he has been so riled at what he regards as the mismanagement of the sport that he is offering to enter the political arena to defend the rights of his fellow players.

Yesterday, on Court Philippe Chatrier at Roland Garros, the world No 1 was so peeved at losing a set to Albert Montañés, a Spaniard of modest talent, that he decided upon a course of remedial action that brightened an otherwise cloud-filled day. There remains nothing in tennis quite like enjoying Federer in full, hair-flicking flow. Montañés could do little more than hang on and try to enjoy the ride.

Federer’s position in the French Open third round — where he will meet Mario Ancic, of Croatia, who is enjoying a flurry of form on red clay — was confirmed with a 6-7, 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 victory, and if the first set raised eyebrows and justified the doubts, the next three were a paradigm of Federer’s many virtues. These now include a penchant for the parliamentary.

Federer has let it be known that he is happy for his name to be put on the ballot for the Player Council of the ATP, the governing body of the men’s game. So has Rafael Nadal. And Novak Djokovic. None of them is keen to debate his political aspirations during a grand-slam tournament, but the fact that the world’s three leading players feel so strongly about a troubled sport that they are taking up the cudgels of involvement is significant.

Federer, Nadal and Djokovic are a magical cabal. They are the heart, soul and poster-boy content of men’s tennis. Between them, they have won the past 12 grand-slam tournament titles and when they speak, the world listens. The Player Council nominates the three player representatives on the ATP Board, and can remove them, as it did Perry Rogers, Andre Agassi’s manager, last week and is about to do to Jacco Eltingh, the Dutch former doubles specialist, at its meeting at Wimbledon. Imagine the spectre of Federer, Nadal or Djokovic being asked to sit in with the powerbrokers, who spend the millions that tennis generates. A lot of it is being scandalously wasted, but a lot, such as the improvements to Roland Garros, is also deeply appreciated.

Federer and Nadal were in the thick of the proceedings yesterday, forced to start in drizzle, to have their rhythm interrupted when the rain intensified, before both emerged with honour preserved to stand four wins each from the meeting on Sunday week that is expected, with eagerness.

“My reaction was good to going down a set,” Federer said. “I still haven’t found out what conditions suit me the best on clay but I’m into the tournament, I’m into the event. The pressure is over and the focus is more on trying to enjoy playing good tennis and chase the lines a little bit more. I’m all right.”

So, too, was Nadal, who was troubled a touch by Nicolas Devilder, of France, in the first set but took the next two for the loss of a single game. No one gave Devilder much of a prayer, but then many were being offered yesterday for Jérémy Chardy, the 21-year-old former Wimbledon junior champion, before he tangled with David Nalbandian. Of course, it went to the full five sets — Nalbandian loves those — but the No 6 seed was on the wrong end of a magnificent fightback from Chardy, who triumphed 3-6, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2.

“I had the impression it was not even me playing on the court,” the Frenchman said. “The more I would hit, the more the ball was going in.” It was the quote of the tournament.

This being the French and the women’s event more open than ever, Amélie Mauresmo, the home hope, went down in straight sets in the second round to a qualifier from Spain, who had never played in a grand-slam tournament main draw before. The less said, the better.