SMOOTH SAILING: Second seed Federer barely broke sweat as he saw off the world number 35 Chardy 6-2, 6-1 in under 55 minutes. PHOTO: AFP
Second seed Federer, a three-time runner-up at the seaside Country Club, took just 54 minutes to dominate Jeremy Chardy 6-2, 6-1 as the Frenchman sent in a pair of double-faults in the penultimate game, while Federer advanced with his third ace on match point a game later.
For third seed Nadal, his 6-2, 6-1 second-round success against French wild card Lucas Pouille came as a huge relief after a poor season and just one small South American trophy to hand since winning a ninth Roland Garros title last May.
"I'm glad to be back here and playing on clay," said the troubled Spaniard, who improved his record here to 51 wins and just three losses as he moved into the third round.
Nadal has not won in Monte Carlo since 2012, going out in the 2013 final to Novak Djokovic and losing in the quarter-finals a year ago to countryman David Ferrer.
Wawrinka sees off Monaco in 71 minutes
Switzerland's Wawrinka kicked off his week with a 6-1, 6-4 defeat of Argentine Juan Monaco in 71 minutes to progress.
The Swiss was also glad to get some red dirt in his socks after an indifferent last few months. "I'm happy to change, to come on clay again,” he said. “The conditions are great here, so I'm happy with the first match.
"Since I wasn't playing well in practice, I consider this match as a good one. There were ups and downs, but that's normal for a first match.”
The seventh seed, who lifted his first elite Masters 1000 title in Monaco a year ago, as he beat compatriot Roger Federer for the title, spent 71 minutes in getting past Monaco.
Wawrinka, the 2014 Australian Open winner, will next face ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Fabio Fognini 6-3, 6-4.
Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych beat Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-4, 7-6 (7/2), while Gilles Simon, the world number 10, defeated fellow Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-4, 7-5.
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