FEDERER, DJOKOVIC LEAD CHARGE INTO FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 30th May 2014

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

FEDERER, DJOKOVIC LEAD CHARGE INTO FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON

epa04232072 Roger Federer of Switzerland inbetween games against Dmitry Tursunov of Russia during their third round match for the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 30 May 2014. EPA/ETIENNE LAURENT |

Roger Federer dropped a set for the first time this fortnight but still managed to book a spot in the last 16 of the French Open with a 7-5, 6-7(7), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Dmitry Tursunov on Friday. Federer needed three hours and seven minutes to set up a meeting with Ernests Gulbis.

“Clearly he has to be confident after winning a tournament last week and now backing it up again here this week and cruising through, really,” Federer said of Gulbis. “I’m aware of the challenge ahead of me, and difficult match I think because I have had some tough matches with him in the past.”

Gulbis did not have a tough time in his third-round match, as he routed Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 in one hour and 59 minutes. The Latvian fired 19 aces and won an incredible 44 of 47 first-serve points.

As he has been known to do, Gulbis saved the drama for the press room.

“Hopefully they will not pursue professional tennis career,” the world No. 17 said when asked about the prospect of his two younger sisters following in his footsteps. “Hopefully. Because for a woman, it’s tough. I wouldn’t like my sisters to become professional tennis players. It’s tough choice of life. A woman needs to enjoy life a little bit more. Needs to think about family, needs to think about kids. What kids you can think about until age of 27 if you’re playing professional tennis, you know. That’s tough for a woman, I think.”

Novak Djokovic mostly dodged the subject when he was asked about Gulbis’ comments.

“Everybody is entitled [to] their own opinion,” the world No. 2 assured. “I respect his opinion, and I respect everybody’s opinion, but I can’t say more than that, really.”

Djokovic was similarly business-like on the court, although he was up against an in-form Marin Cilic on Friday. An usually aggressive Cilic threw everything he had in his tank at the second seed, but it was not enough. Djokovic prevailed 6-3, 6-2, 6-7(2), 6-4 on his way to a fourth-round clash against familiar foe Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Topics: Dmitry Tursunov, Ernests Gulbis, Federer, French Open, Jo Wilfried Tsonga, Marin Cilic, Novak, Radek Stepanek, Ricky Dimon, Roland Garros, Sports, Tennis

Follow 10SBALLS.COM on:

Facebook:

Twitter:

10sBalls_com says:

May 30, 2014 at 8:30 pm

FEDERER, DJOKOVIC LEAD CHARGE INTO FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/ToJmbJqjb7 @rogerfederer @DjokerNole
RD_Tennistalk says:

May 30, 2014 at 8:41 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: FEDERER, DJOKOVIC LEAD CHARGE INTO FRENCH OPEN FOURTH ROUND BY RICKY DIMON @RD_Tennistalk- http://t.co/ToJmbJqjb7 @roger…