PARIS (AP) Roger Federer, 37, joked to a stadium filled with screaming kids that hes so super old.
Stan Wawrinka, 34, pulled a crying boy out of a crush of autograph-seekers in the stands.
Rafael Nadal, about to turn 33, offered this advice to youngsters at his match who might be pondering a tennis career: The main thing is, dont think about winning Roland Garros.
Schools in France are closed on Wednesdays, bringing out a, um, louder brand of fan to the French Open, and that trio of past champions of the clay-court major seemed to appreciate the adulation from the little ones who attended their straight-set victories. Fitting, too, perhaps, that Federer advanced to a third-round meeting against 20-year-old Casper Ruud, someone so much his junior that the guys father was in the field when Federer made his debut in Paris in 1999.
I know probably more about his dad, Federer said, than about him.
Federer, the tournaments 2009 champion who hadnt been in the field in four years, will be playing his third opponent in a row who is 25 or younger, after beating 144th-ranked Oscar Otte 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in the second round.
Now the 20-time major champion takes on Ruud, a Norwegian ranked 63rd. He is coached by his father, Christian, who told Casper he once practiced with Federer, although they never played.
Ever since I can remember, Ive been watching Roger on TV, said Ruud, who knocked off 29th-seeded Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
Then came this admission from Ruud: To be honest, Ive been a little bit more of a Rafa fan and Rafa guy.
Better hope no one tells Roger.
Still, even if he always has preferred Nadal, Ruud described what comes next this way: Im playing one of the greatest champions ever of this sport on Friday, so Im just super excited for it. I can play loose and free.
Wawrinka, the winner in 2015 and the runner-up two years later, also had no trouble against a much younger foe Wednesday, eliminating 22-year-old Cristian Garin 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.
Afterward, Wawrinka came to the rescue of one of his tiniest fans, lifting him away from danger and offering a towel as a keepsake.
I took him out of that mess a little bit, Wawrinka said. He was in pain and sad.
Owner of three Grand Slam titles in all, Wawrinka will bring his signature backhand into what shapes up as a more competitive matchup against two-time major semifinalist Grigor Dimitrov, who eliminated 2014 U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic 6-7 (3), 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-3 over nearly 4½ hours.
Nadals form hadnt been up to his usual standards during much of the clay season: This was the first time since 2004 that he entered May without a title for the year.
But he looked good while taking the title at the Italian Open this month, including a victory over Novak Djokovic in the final, and hes been close to untouchable so far as he seeks a record-extending 12th trophy in Paris.
