World number one Roger Federer survived a huge scare against Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo to stumble into round three of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Spain's world number 137 Hidalgo looked to be on the verge of a shock win at 5-1 up in the third and deciding set.

But Federer, fresh from his win in the Estoril Open at the weekend, won five straight games to somehow force a tie-break, winning 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-1).

He will now face Frenchman Gael Monfils in the next round.

Monfils beat Croatian 15th-seed Ivo Karlovic in straight sets, 7-6 (10-8) 6-1, and could provide a tough test for the out-of-sorts Federer, who twice came within two points of defeat on his Spanish opponent's serve.

The 12-time Grand Slam winner was not helped by 55 unforced errors in the match, but his greater experience told as he held his nerve to see out the match, finally clinching victory in the tie-break when Hidalgo hit a forehand long. 

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