World No. 3 Roger Federer was tested early in his fourth-round meeting with lucky loser David Goffin Sunday at Roland Garros, eventually defeating the Belgian 5-7, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4.
Federer is through to his record 32nd consecutive Grand Slam quarter-final and with Sunday’s victory, tied Andre Agassi for second place overall with 36 final eight showings. He is bidding to win his first Grand Slam title since lifting his 16th major trophy at the 2010 Australian Open.
Against Goffin, who idolised the Swiss as a child, Federer fired 12 aces and won 82 per cent of his first serve points to advance in two hours and 54 minutes. The 2009 champion awaits the winner of seventh seed Tomas Berdych and No. 9 seed Juan Martin del Potro.
Goffin, who was making his Grand Slam debut in Paris, was just the eighth lucky loser to reach the round of 16 at a Grand Slam in the Open Era, and first since countryman Dick Norman advanced to the fourth round of Wimbledon in 1995.
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