Roger Federer has braved dust storm conditions to blow past Argentine Carlos Berlocq, while Samantha Stosur put out Italian Sara Errani at the Rome Masters.

Federer, the world number two with four titles this season – including two of the first three Masters 1000 honours of 2012 – came good on his hope of playing in Rome the week after winning in difficult conditions on and off court on the controversial slick blue clay of Madrid.

The Swiss third seed beat Berlocq 6-3 6-4 on Tuesday. He will next play Spanish veteran Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Federer is on the hunt for his first Rome title after losing the 2003 and 2006 finals. His victory left Berlocq 0-8 against top 20 opponents as the Swiss charged out by winning the first dozen points of the contest.

The Rome pressure now shifts to five-time champion Rafael Nadal to post a victory in his opening match.

In women’s play, fifth seed Stosur beat Errani 6-3 7-5 and China’s Li Na moved on to the fourth round as third seed Agnieszka Radwanska lost to only her third different opponent of the season.

Eighth seed Li beat Iveta Benesova with ease, 6-1 7-5, but Czech Petra Cetkovska caught Poland’s Radwanska with a 6-4 4-6 6-1 loss.

Li will face the winner from New Zealand’s Marina Erakovic and South African Chanelle Scheepers.

Sixth seed Caroline Wozniacki fell to Spaniard Anabel Medina Garrigues, with the Dane retiring injured trailing 6-4 4-0.

German 12th seed Angelique Kerber defeated American Vania King 6-3 6-2, while Sorona Cirstea of Romania beat Swede Sofia Arvidsson 6-3 6-1 and Italy’s Flavia Pennetta hammered Sloane Stephens of the United States 6-2 6-3.