Roger Federer endured a bumpy ride into the third round of the French Open with a 7-6 5-7 7-6 6-2 victory over Jose Acasuso of Argentina.
Three-time runner-up given scare by Argentine
Roger Federer endured a bumpy ride into the third round of the French Open with a 7-6 5-7 7-6 6-2 victory over Jose Acasuso of Argentina.
The world number two has reached the final in each of the last three years but has yet to win the clay court Grand Slam and struggled against a player at home on the red dirt.
The Swiss was on the back foot at 5-1 down in the third set but somehow clawed his way back into the match, saving set point at 5-2 before levelling and then clinching his second tie-break of the match 7-2, after winning one at the end of a tight opening set 10-8.
Acasuso had deservedly levelled the match after squandering four set points in the first set, but after losing a third he really should have won went out with a whimper in the final set.
Federer now faces either French 32nd seed Paul-Henri Mathieu or Pablo Andujar of Spain for a place in the last 16.
"Jose played well. It was a fun match to play with so many ups and downs but it was the kind of match that is good knowing that physically and mentally it wasn't a problem," said Federer.
"I am not in that sort of situation very often although the conditions were slow so that was in his favour. He looked tired to me by the end so I just tightened the game and closed him out. That was a good feeling."
Fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro's progress into round three, a stage he has never reached before at Roland Garros, was much more serene.
The Argentinian lost just seven games in his opening win over Michael Llodra and was almost as emphatic as he eased past Viktor Troicki 6-3 7-5 6-0.
The 20-year-old may be high up the rankings but he has remained in the shadows this tournament, and was shunted out to Court Seven for the match - but that is just the way he likes it.
"That's okay if the press has decided to focus on the top four. I prefer that," said Del Potro, who shot up the rankings after a breakthrough summer in 2008.
He will next play Russia's Igor Andreev, the 25th seed who battled past Martin Vassallo Arguello in five sets.
Nikolay Davydenko, the 10th seed, will play Stanislas Wawrinka in round three after completing victory over against Argentina's Diego Junqueira.
Davydenko, a two-time semi-finalist here, was two sets to one ahead when his match was stopped yesterday evening for bad light, and had no problems when they resumed, clinching a 4-6 6-3 6-0 6-2 victory.The Russian had no problems when they resumed, clinching a 4-6 6-3 6-0 6-2 victory.
