MADRID: Roger Federer survived two match issues in opposition to French maverick Gael Monfils to increase his claycourt comeback and succeed in the quarter-finals of the Madrid Open on Thursday.
The evergreen Swiss 37-year-old didn't drop a recreation in a dominant first set but was once dragged into an intense battle by means of an impressed Monfils before prevailing 6-Zero, 4-6, 7-6(Three).
World number three Federer, playing his first event on clay for three years as he prepares for the French Open, surrendered the initiative after his brisk get started and was once in serious trouble in the third set when he trailed 4-1.
Federer struggled together with his timing on occasions in breezy, sunny stipulations and swatted a ball angrily over the stands when he dropped serve originally of the decider.
But he broke back in the 7th recreation with a surprising sliced backhand return.
Monfils earned a match point at 5-6 at the Federer serve with an ice-cool backhand pass, but Federer adopted in a 2nd serve and bounced away a ruin.
Federer saved another match point to arrange a tiebreak and he proved unstoppable as he swept to his 1,200th match win.
Austrian Dominic Thiem awaits in the next round after he beat Italian Fabio Fognini.
"I think Gael did a nice job of not being frustrated losing the first set," Federer said. "I lost five games in a row and it didn't look good for a while but I hung in. There were some highly stressful moments but I mixed it up nicely."
Federer's fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, champion at Roland Garros in 2015, persisted to supply some antique shape as he beat Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-Three, 7-6(Three).
World primary Novak Djokovic was once untroubled as he beat Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 7-6(2) to arrange a conflict in opposition to Marin Cilic.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who later this month will purpose for a 12th French Open, faces American Frances Tiafoe later while defending champion Alexander Zverev plays Hubert Hurkacz.
The evergreen Swiss 37-year-old didn't drop a recreation in a dominant first set but was once dragged into an intense battle by means of an impressed Monfils before prevailing 6-Zero, 4-6, 7-6(Three).
World number three Federer, playing his first event on clay for three years as he prepares for the French Open, surrendered the initiative after his brisk get started and was once in serious trouble in the third set when he trailed 4-1.
Federer struggled together with his timing on occasions in breezy, sunny stipulations and swatted a ball angrily over the stands when he dropped serve originally of the decider.
But he broke back in the 7th recreation with a surprising sliced backhand return.
Monfils earned a match point at 5-6 at the Federer serve with an ice-cool backhand pass, but Federer adopted in a 2nd serve and bounced away a ruin.
Federer saved another match point to arrange a tiebreak and he proved unstoppable as he swept to his 1,200th match win.
Austrian Dominic Thiem awaits in the next round after he beat Italian Fabio Fognini.
"I think Gael did a nice job of not being frustrated losing the first set," Federer said. "I lost five games in a row and it didn't look good for a while but I hung in. There were some highly stressful moments but I mixed it up nicely."
Federer's fellow Swiss Stan Wawrinka, champion at Roland Garros in 2015, persisted to supply some antique shape as he beat Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-Three, 7-6(Three).
World primary Novak Djokovic was once untroubled as he beat Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 7-6(2) to arrange a conflict in opposition to Marin Cilic.
Spaniard Rafael Nadal, who later this month will purpose for a 12th French Open, faces American Frances Tiafoe later while defending champion Alexander Zverev plays Hubert Hurkacz.
Federer saves two match points to beat Monfils in Madrid
![Federer saves two match points to beat Monfils in Madrid]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
May 10, 2019
Rating:
