Roland Garros looked the same on Monday. The walkways were still overcrowded. The clay — crushed brick to be precise — was still red. But it was decidedly not the same without Rafael Nadal to anchor the men’s draw and expectations. Monday marked the start of something new after Robin Soderling’s shock defeat of the Spaniard the previous afternoon in the fourth round. The danger for the stars has come from familiar, yet unexpected men this year.

And so it seemed very much in keeping with this French Open that Federer, finally free of the specter and reality of Nadal in Paris, should find himself down two sets to love and a break point against Tommy Haas. The second seed would win, conquering his own evident nerves and Haas’s still-evident talent. But it would require a stirring comeback that began with a bold forehand winner on that break point at 3-4, 30-40 in the third set before the Swiss could close Haas out: 6-7 (4-7) 5-7 6-4 6-0 6-2.

“When I made the forehand to save the break point in the third set, I really felt it could be the turning point,” Federer said. “I was really relieved.”

Overall, the Swiss now holds a 9-2 edge over Haas, but Federer had never played him in this situation: with the only Grand Slam singles title he lacks suddenly visible on the horizon with no left-handed Majorcan with a wicked forehand to muck up the view. “It’s true that it’s a bit of a relief for all the players, because everybody sees it’s more open than in the past,” Federer said on French television of Nadal’s defeat. “I think it’s a bit of a shock in the locker room. Everybody believes, but it also can put on too much pressure.”

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