TENNIS – Roger Federer (2) beat Damir Dzumhur ranked 56 in the world from Bosnia 6-4 6-3 6-2 on the Philippe Chatrier Court to advance to the 4th round of the Roland Garros for the 11th consecutive year. He will face Frenchman Gael Monfils (13) who battle past Pablo Cuevas (21) in five sets with 4-6 7-6(1) 3-6 6-4 6-3. Federer- Monfils will not be the only Swiss-French match in the 4th round. Stan Wawrinka (8) beat Steve Johnson setting up an encounter against Giles Simon (12) Diego Sampaolo
Federer saved two break points in the second game of the second set. He dropped his serve while he was serving for the second set at 5-2 but he broke back in the ninth game with a crosscourt backhand to seal the second set. He got an early break to cruise through to 6-2 in the third set to clinch the win in 88 minutes.
“It’s a pleasure to win a match in this tournament. I am very happy. The weather is good and the stadium is full, said Roger Federer to interviewer Fabrice Santoro.
Dzumur was born in Sarajevo shortly after the outbreak of the Bosnian War in a maternity hospital located near the Zetra Olympic Hall which was destroyed during the war.
Dzumhur fulfilled his dream to play against his idol Federer. “I was warming up and I was still not believing that I am playing Roger Federer. It was a strange feeling like I am dreaming”, said Dzumhur.
Federer will face Monfils for the fourth time at the French Open. Monfils who recovered from 1-2 sets and 1-4 in the 4th set with a double break down to clinch the set 6-4 and forced the match to the decisive 5th set. He recovered from an early break to seal the win with 6-3 after 3 hours and 22 minutes to the delight of the partisan local crowd. “Paris is magic.I don’t know how but I am here. I can show some new emotion. The crowd just brings me something else, and I think it showed a bit more today,” said Monfils.
Wawrinka beat Johnson 6-4 6-3 6-2 in 2 hours and 8 minutes. The 1st set went on serve until the ninth game when Wawrinka got the only break of the opening set for 5-4 before holding his serve to take it. Wawrinka broke serve for 3-1 in the 2nd set and then continued to be stellar on serve. Wawrinka proved to be too much for Johnson who does possess a solid game. Wawrinka will face Simon who battled past Nicolas Mahut in five sets 6-2 6-7 6-7 6-3 6-1.
Richard Gasquet (20) recovered from losing the first set to edge past Carlos Berloq with 3-6 6-3 6-1 4-6 6-1. Gasquet was finishing up the match which was suspended from the previous day due to poor lighting. Tomas Berdych (4) edged past Benoit Paire with 5-1 6-7 6-3 6-4. Berdych will next play another Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who defeated Spain’s Pablo Andujar 7-6 6-4 6-3. In the other men’s match in this half of the draw, Teymurez Gabashvili knocked out Lukas Rosol 6-4 6-4 6-4. Gabashvili will face Kei Nishikori (5).
