Djokovic, Federer struggle but win
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E-mail Xinhua, May 30, 2014
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Djokovic comes through Cilic test. |
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer advanced to the fourth round of the French Open after beating Marin Cilic and Dmitry Tursunov respectively on Friday.
Second seed Djokovic needed four sets to eliminate a determined Cilic 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4, while Swiss legend Federer, the fourth seed, held off Russia's Dmitry Tursunov 7-5, 6-7(7/9), 6-2, 6-4.
The 17-time grand slam champion, who won French Open in 2009, found it tough against Russian 31st seed Tursunov and needed more than three hours to grind out a victory.
Tursunov saved three set points from 0/40 at 5-6 in the second set, before going on to seal the tie-break. He led 4-1 in the tie-break and missed a backhand down the line at 6-5.
Federer did not convert a set point opportunity at 7-6, before Tursunov levelled at one-set all at 8-7 with a forehand winner.
That gave Federer yet another piece of tennis history, the 32-year-old becoming the first man to reach the fourth round at Roland Garros for a 12th time.
Next he faces what is sure to be a highly-anticipated clash against Latvian crowd pleaser Ernests Gulbis, who maintained his record of never having lost to Radek Stepanek by posting a 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 win, in just under two hours.
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