Agencies
Paris, June 1
Second seed Roger Federer reached the French Open quarterfinals for the 11th time on Monday with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over France’s Gael Monfils.
Federer, the 2009 champion, will now face Swiss Davis Cup winning teammate Stan Wawrinka for a place in the semifinals.
He raced through the final two sets on Monday in just over an hour after the last-16 tie was delicately poised at a set apiece when it was suspended in the chilly gloom of Sunday evening.
“I feel fresh and pumped up to be back in the quarterfinals again after missing out last year,” said Federer, who was beaten by Ernests Gulbis in the last 16 in 2014.
Monfils, a semifinalist in 2008, was nowhere near his swashbuckling best on Monday slipping to a break down in the first game of both sets.
At 2-1 down in the fourth, he needed the trainer to be called although the Frenchman’s problems appeared more related to the cold from which he was suffering rather than any physical problem.
He lost the last five games of the contest and although he saved a match point with a trademark cute drop volley, an equally characteristic wild forehand sealed his fate.
It was 33-year-old Federer’s ninth win in 13 meetings against Monfils who had triumphed over the Swiss star on clay in Monte Carlo last month and in November’s Davis Cup final.
Federer will take a 16-2 career advantage over Wawrinka into Tuesday’s quarterfinal, including on clay in Rome earlier this month. “It’s special to play Stan, there aren’t many Swiss players in the draw,” said Federer. “I’m quite positive about it.”
Meanwhile, David Ferrer recorded his 40th match win at Roland Garros on Monday to clinch his spot in the quarter-finals for a sixth time.
Seventh seed Ferrer kept alive his chances of reaching the final by beating ninth seed Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 in one hour and 53 minutes.
The 2013 runner-up, who has won 12 of his 24 ATP World Tour titles on clay courts, goes on to face third seed Andy Murray or Jeremy Chardy in the last eight. Ferrer trails Murray 6-9 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series, but leads Chardy 7-1 overall.
Ferrer was always in control of his sixth meeting against Cilic. He opened up a 5-1 lead in the opening set, courtesy of service breaks in the first and fifth games. Despite saving two break points en route to a 2-0 advantage in set two, the 33-year-old remained focused to secure his 36th match win of the season.
Cilic had been attempting to become the first Croatian man to reach the Roland Garros last eight since Mario Ancic and Ivan Ljubicic in 2006.
