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5/27/11 12:50 AM | Ricky Dimon
Fernando Verdasco takes care of Xavier Malisse in four sets on Thursday at Roland Garros. He is joined in round three by Gilles Simon, who won an all-French clash with Jeremy Chardy.
(16) Fernando Verdasco d. Xavier Malisse 4-6, 6-3, 7-6(5), 6-1
Verdasco started to show signs of ending his 2011 slump as he booked a spot in the third round of the French Open by seeing off Malisse in four sets on Thursday afternoon. After a relatively uninspiring performance against Juan Monaco in his opener, Verdasco turned in a solid showing against Malisse and set up a meeting with Ivan Ljubicic after two hours and 39 minutes. The 20th-ranked Spaniard came out slow and donated serve twice in the first set, but he needed just one break of his own in the second before serving it out at 5-3 and leveling the match.
Set three proved to be the turning point, and it all came down to a tiebreaker as the two competitors exchanged one break of serve each. Verdasco seized a 3-0 lead only to see Malisse return the favor for three straight of his own, but two consecutive forehand errors from Malisse starting at 5-5 gave the set to the No. 20 seed. From there it was all over for the 40th-ranked Belgian, who mustered just a single game in the fourth. Verdasco, who wrapped up his effort with 39 winners, 44 errors, seven aces, and one double-fault, had no trouble closing it out on serve at 5-1.
(18) Gilles Simon d. Jeremy Chardy 4-6, 6-4, 6-1, 6-4
Day 5 at the French Open wrapped up with an all-French affair on Chatrier, and Simon came through it in four sets. The world No. 18 got off to a slow start against his countryman, but he bounced back after Chardy served out the first set at 5-4. Following one break of serve for each player early in the second, Chardy cracked while serving to stay in it and he double-faulted on set point to level the match.
With momentum in hand, Simon raced away with the third. The 18th seed made only three unforced errors in seven games while breaking twice. Chardy did not surrender as quietly in the fourth, as he battled back from a break down. Nonetheless, the world No. 61 donated serve again at 4-4 and saw his opponent finish the deal one game later. Next up for Simon is a third-round date with No. 10 seed Mardy Fish.
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