Match report

Roger Federer © Tennistalk.com
French Open
2nd round
5/29/08 1 2 3 4 Tot
ch  Roger Federer 6 5 6 6 6 3
es  Albert Montanes 7 7 1 0 4 1
Albert Montanes © Tennistalk.com

  • Audio: Federer Rebounds to Erase Montanes

    5/29/08 7:16 PM | Ricky Dimon
    Roger Federer drops the opening set but storms back to crush Albert Montanes in the second round of the French Open on Thursday. Next up for the No. 1 seed is Mario Ancic.

    Roger Federer recovered from a poor first set to roll over Albert Montanes 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 at the French Open on a wet and rainy Thursday afternoon. The win puts Federer in the third round, where he faces another unseeded opponent in Mario Ancic.

    It took a while for the No. 1 player in the world to wake up. Federer lacked aggression and played an all-around dismal opening set, making 20 errors while connecting on eight winners. Montanes was able to hold serve with as much ease as Federer throughout the first 12 games of the match, and the Spaniard simply did what he had to do in the tiebreaker as his opponent threw the set away.

    The Swiss, however, quickly and emphatically put any notion of an upset to rest. He won 12 of the next 13 games to take a two sets to one lead, cleaning up his game to make just 11 errors in that span.

    Montanes put up a much better fight in the fourth set, but Federer served at 75 percent and fired six aces during the final frame of play and that helped him get out of any trouble. Montanes failed to capitalize on any of his two break-point opportunities and that made all the difference.

    Federer and Ancic have squared off five times in their careers and Federer holds a 4-1 advantage, including 1-0 on clay. That win came two years ago at Roland Garros, where he needed just three sets to oust Ancic in a quarterfinal clash.

    Federer did not enjoy playing the first set in the rain, but pulled his game together.


    Federer says he fought back well after losing first set.

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