PARIS: Roger Federer survived another awkward French Openassignment on Friday to book a last 16 match-up with Belgium'sDavid Goffin, the first lucky loser in 17 years to make a GrandSlam fourth round. Federer, the champion in Paris in 2009, overcame battling Frenchworld number 89 Nicolas Mahut 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, being pushed tofour sets for the second match in succession. Goffin is the first lucky loser from qualifying to make the last 16of a major since compatriot Dick Norman at Wimbledon in 1995 andthe first at Roland Garros since 1978. The 21-year-old achieved the feat by beating Poland's Lukasz Kubot7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-1, having originally lost in the final qualifyinground last week.
He was then handed a lifeline when French star Gael Monfils pulledout on the eve of the event. "I've seen him around," said Federer, who caught a glimpse of theyoung Belgian in his second round win over Arnaud Clement. "He has a nice game, he's a smooth ball-striker and talented,obviously, otherwise he wouldn't be coming this far in thetournament." Top seed Novak Djokovic, bidding to become just the third man inhistory and first since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold all four GrandSlam titles at the same time, breezed past French qualifer NicolasDevilder 6-1, 6-2, 6-2. In a match-up of the highest-ranked and lowest-ranked men in thetournament, the 32-year-old Devilder, the world number 286, whomissed three years of action because of an ankle injury, was sweptaside.
Djokovic next faces Italian 22nd seed Andreas Seppi, who reachedthe last 16 of a Grand Slam at the 29th time of asking. Seppi, who won the Belgrade claycourt title in the run-up to RolandGarros, stunned Spain's 14th seed Fernando Verdasco 7-5, 3-6, 6-3,4-6, 6-2. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, the fifth seed, did his part to keep alive homehopes of a first men's champion since 1983 when he defeatedcolourful Italian Fabio Fognini 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. Next up for Tsonga is Stanislas Wawrinka, the 18th-seeded Swiss,who edged French 11th seed Gilles Simon 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (3/7),6-3, 6-2. It was Tsonga's second win in two meetings with Fognini, whoreached the quarter-finals last year only for a thigh injury toforce him to withdraw and hand Djokovic a walkover into thesemi-finals.
"I have had some difficult moments here, now I am happy to behaving some good ones," said Tsonga, who has now matched his bestperformances of fourth round runs in 2010 and 2011. Seventh-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych ended Kevin Anderson's hopes ofbecoming the first South African man to reach the last 16 of aGrand Slam for nine years in a third round slugfest. The 31st seed from Johannesburg was attempting to match comptariotWayne Ferreira who made the fourth round at the Australian Open in2003. But after taking a two sets to one lead, he eventually ran out ofsteam, losing 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 6-4, eight minutes short offour hours. Berdych, a semi-finalist in Paris in 2010, will next take on ninthseed Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina, the 2009 US Open champion,who put out Marin Cilic, the Croatian 21st seed 6-3, 7-6 (9/7),6-1.
World number 98 Malek Jaziri wasted a great opportunity to becomethe first Tunisian man into a Grand Slam third round when hesquandered three match points against Spanish 20th seed MarcelGranollers. In a match held over from Tuesday, Granollers edged past Jaziri 7-6(7/1), 3-6, 6-1, 3-6, 7-5 and will face France's Paul-HenriMathieu. Men's second round result: Marcel Granollers (ESP) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 7-6 (7/1), 3-6, 6-1,3-6, 7-5 Men's third round results: Novak Djokovic (SRB) bt Nicolas Devilder (FRA) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6,6-2 Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) bt Gilles Simon (FRA) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7(3/7), 6-3, 6-2 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA) 7-5, 6-4, 6-4 Roger Federer (SUI) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 David Goffin (BEL) bt Lukasz Kubot (POL) 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-1 Juan Mart Del Potro (ARG) bt Marin Cilic (CRO) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7),6-1 Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Kevin Anderson (RSA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7),6-4, 6-4 Women's second round result: Maria Sharapova (RUS) bt Ayumi Morita (JPN) 6-1, 6-1 Women's third round results: Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Aleksandra Wozniak (CAN) 6-4, 6-4 Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) bt Maria Jose Martinez (ESP) 6-2, 6-1 Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Mathilde Johansson (FRA) 6-3, 6-2 Samantha Stosur (AUS) bt Nadia Petrova (RUS) 6-3, 6-3 Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) bt Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) 6-1, 6-2 Sara Errani (ITA) bt Ana Ivanovic (SRB) 1-6, 7-5, 6-3 Angelique Kerber (GER) bt Flavia Pennetta (ITA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 Petra Martic (CRO) bt Anabel Medina Garrigues (ESP) 6-2, 6-1 - AFP/de. I am a professional writer from Solar Energy Products, which contains a great deal of information about french table linens , hotel contract furniture, welcome to visit!
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